UsedScore

2020 Subaru Outback: Avoid

Owners filed 842 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Outback in its first five years on the road, about 525 for every 100,000 sold: 2.6× the rate of a typical Outback year. That's more than twice a typical year, across more than one problem area.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) (45% of complaints, median 6,000 miles).

Complaint index
2.6×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Outback year
Rank
14th of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
842
first five years; 525 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
6
campaigns
6th generation, 2020–2025 (first year of the generation; redesign years often run worse) · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2021 Subaru Outback Limited

Photo: 2021 Subaru Outback Limited · Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Visibility45% · 377 complaints · median 6,000 miles
  2. Electrical30% · 251 complaints · median 4,000 miles
  3. Engine5% · 44 complaints · median 7,000 miles
  4. Driver assistance6% · 54 complaints · median 11,000 miles
  5. Powertrain4% · 36 complaints · median 22,000 miles
  6. Speed control2% · 18 complaints · median 1,000 miles
  7. Brakes2% · 15 complaints · median 2,000 miles
  8. Fuel and propulsion1% · 10 complaints
  9. Steering1% · 12 complaints · median 1,000 miles
  10. Body and structure2% · 19 complaints · median 9,000 miles

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Electrical

Owners commonly report their Outback's battery draining and the car failing to start, even after short periods of non-use, often requiring jump starts and repeat dealer visits. Some also describe infotainment screen freezes, software update problems, or sudden stop/start or brake activation while driving.

Warning signs:
Many owners noticed dim lights, clicking or chirping sounds, flashing dash lights, warning messages, or a slow-turning engine before the vehicle failed to start.
What shops did:
Dealers often recharged or replaced the battery, sometimes reprogrammed the computer or updated software, but many owners report the no-start problem returned despite these repairs.
Mileage:
most between 0 and 10,000 miles, among 118 complaints that give it

“It left us stranded multiple times and jump start was required.”

“several electrical failures had occurred in the vehicle such as the infotainment screen and eyesight system not operating as designed”

Engine

Many owners of this Outback describe sudden stalling or loss of power on the road, sometimes tied to a thermo control valve or battery problem, with warning lights coming on beforehand. Repairs often involved replacing parts like the valve, battery, or ECM, though some owners say dealers struggled to find or fix the cause.

Warning signs:
Owners commonly report multiple warning lights (check engine, brake, battery) illuminating, rough idle, shaking, or sudden power loss just before the stall.
What shops did:
Dealers frequently replaced the thermo control valve, battery, fuel pump, or ECM, though some report the shop could not duplicate or resolve the issue.
Mileage:
most between 5,000 and 15,000 miles, among 17 complaints that give it

“this control valve cracked and began to leak anti-freeze on top of the engine”

“the issue was likely due to a failure of the electronic thermostat control”

Visibility

Owners of this Outback report windshields that crack easily, often spontaneously or from very small road debris, sometimes spreading rapidly across the glass. Many say dealers attribute it to rock strikes and decline warranty repair, leaving owners to pay for replacement and camera recalibration themselves.

Warning signs:
Many notice a small chip, bullseye mark, or hairline crack near the wiper area or lower edge that spreads within minutes to hours, sometimes while the car is parked or defrosting.
What shops did:
Dealers or glass shops typically replaced the windshield and recalibrated the EyeSight camera system, though some dealers blamed rock impact and declined warranty coverage; a few owners had repeat cracking after replacement.
Mileage:
most between 0 and 10,000 miles, among 239 complaints that give it

“Noticed a crack at the base of the windshield about 12" in length”

“This defect then "cracked" further extending in opposite directions covering roughly a 15 inch span”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (6)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 24V227000March 2024118,723 vehicles

    Air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.

    Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

    Fix: Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 22V485000July 2022182 vehicles

    Power train: driveline: chain/belt · Power train: automatic transmission: control module (TCM/PCM/TECM)

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.

    Risk: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide.

  • NHTSA 21V955000December 2021198,255 vehicles

    Power train: automatic transmission: control module (TCM/PCM/TECM) · Power train: driveline: chain/belt

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.

    Risk: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide.

  • NHTSA 21V587000July 2021175,968 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

    Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 20V766000December 20207,741 vehicles

    Back over prevention: display function

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with "high" grade and "mid" grade multimedia navigation. The August 2020 over-the-air software update may have timed out without completing the installation, corrupting the data, and causing the rearview display to shutoff intermittently. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Risk: The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the software and, if necessary, replace the Cockpit Control Module, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 19V664000September 20193,467 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Outback and Legacy vehicles. The brake pedal mounting bracket may have a missing or insufficiently tightened bolt.

    Risk: A missing or loose bolt may cause the brake pedal mounting area to deform over time, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal mounting bracket hardware and replace the hardware or brake pedal assembly, as necessary, free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Subaru sent NHTSA 612 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2020 Outback. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • 15-261-20R · August 2026This bulletin announces reprogramming file availability and provides a software update installation procedure to optimize the new Gen 4 Denso CP1 Audio and Navigation head units utilized in the…
  • SubaruNet Announcement (C · August 2026This Announcement provides diagnostic assistance for CVT issues.
  • 15-308-23R · August 2026This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to…
  • 02-196-26R · August 2026This service bulletin outlines the diagnostic and repair procedure for white smoke emitted from the exhaust after startup.
  • 15-304-22R · August 2026This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns.
  • Article Locator · August 2026Techtips newsletter locator index.
  • 15-333-25R · August 2026This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure.
  • 09-123-24R · July 2026This bulletin announces the design change made to the high-pressure fuel pump developed to prevent DTC P0087 (Fuel Rail/System Pressure – Too Low Bank 1).

All 2020 Outback bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2020 Subaru Outback reliable?
Owners filed 842 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Outback in its first five years on the road, about 525 for every 100,000 sold: 2.6× the rate of a typical Outback year. That's more than twice a typical year, across more than one problem area. Ratings compare Outback years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2020 Outback problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) (45%), the electrical system (30%) and the engine (5%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2020 Subaru Outback been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2020 Subaru Outback, the most recent in March 2024 (air bags). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Subaru. The 2020 Subaru Outback on NHTSA.gov · How we rate