repaired · 2026 Q3
Occupant classification: front passenger
Risk. An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
2020 Subaru OutbackProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 906 owner complaints about the 2020 Subaru Outback, most often about the visibility/wiper. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 24V-227 the manufacturer reports only 71% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 3, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2020 Subaru Outback has problems
906 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
313Visibility/wiper
259Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
70Visibility1 crash/fire/injury
51Power train
50Engine
49Forward collision avoidance
22Structure
20Lane departure
18Vehicle speed control
11117 other systems19 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 313 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 259 | 3 |
| Visibility | 70 | 1 |
| Power train | 51 | 2 |
| Engine | 50 | 6 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 49 | 4 |
| Structure | 22 | 1 |
| Lane departure | 20 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 18 | 6 |
| 17 other systems | 111 | 19 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2020 Subaru Outback recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2024 Q2
Automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Risk. An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2024 Q2
Automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Risk. An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2023 Q2
Delivery: fuel pump
Risk. Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Show 2 more recalls
repaired · 2022 Q4
Back over prevention: display function
Risk. The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.
repaired · 2021 Q1
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
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.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Subaru.
Mileage at failure
When do visibility/wiper problems start?
5kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 175 visibility/wiper complaints. 99% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 49% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
173under 30k miles174under 100k miles1100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Visibility/wiper
9 owners mentioned a cost$979median
Middle half: $821 – $1,000
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2020 vs. every other Outback year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Outback median. How we score
'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2020 Subaru Outback safety ratings
2020 Subaru Outback SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (18.5% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Standard
- Lane departure warning: Standard
In owners' words
What Outback owners report
Recent visibility/wiper complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I am on my third windshield in les than a year. The tiniest pebble will crack the windshield, or sudden changes to weather has now caused a stress crack. Seems to be poor weight distribution on the design. There is extensive customer complaints on line with the same issue. Insurance will only cover…
Problem component: exterior mirror on driver side It was raining, I was driving, I heard what sounded like a loud explosion by my driver side window. After the initial shock, I thought a tire had blown out, but car drove ok and no tire warning light came on. It was a rural road with no shoulder,…
I have 2020 Subaru Outback and have had 14 windshield replacements/repairs. The windshield has spider cracked out of nowhere and has been unable to take the smallest impact without cracking in multiple locations. I have submitted multiple complaints to Subaru and was informed the issue is unique to…
Own a 2020 Outback?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.