2020 Subaru Outback problems and complaints
Owners have filed 900 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Outback. The most-reported areas: Visibility/Wiper (313), Electrical System (259), Unknown Or Other (152).
Key takeaways
- 900 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 19 involve a crash, 7 a fire, 4 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility/Wiper | 313 | 35% |
| Electrical System | 259 | 29% |
| Unknown Or Other | 152 | 17% |
| Visibility | 70 | 8% |
| Engine | 49 | 5% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 49 | 5% |
| Power Train | 48 | 5% |
| Structure | 21 | 2% |
| Lane Departure | 20 | 2% |
| Air Bags | 18 | 2% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 | 2% |
| Exterior Lighting | 16 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Subaru Outback SUV AWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Power Train,engine - filed 2026-10-14
I have a 2020 Subaru Outback with just over 70,000 miles on it. Well before hitting 70,000 miles, there were two occasions where a loud, unusual noise occurred while reversing out of my garage. Additionally, I occasionally hear a strange noise when shifting into Reverse from Park. I also sometimes notice a whining or h...
Power Train - filed 2026-09-28
Noticed minor hesitation in the reverse down our driveway Aug 2024. By Aug 2026, the transmission hesitation has turned into very noticeable shudder and slip. In reverse down the driveway, the TR580 CVT was showing premature initial failure resulting in unexpected loss of motive power control as well as acceleration h...
Unknown Or Other - filed 2026-09-27
Unknown. Best assessment between 2:09 and 2:15 pm on the XXX pass outside of [XXX] heading west. There were wind gusts up to 27 mph. I was traveling highway speeds 75-80mph. I had been driving highway speeds since 10:30 am coming from [XXX] No warning. As in: no flutter of the hood, hood not popped, no warning lights....
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More for the 2020 Subaru Outback
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.