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Free public service · Official NHTSA & EPA data

2020 Subaru Outback

Verified July 23, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
6
on record
MPG
27
combined

Open recalls on record

6 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.

Recalls6
Complaints892
Safety
Fuel

Vehicle Summary

2020 Subaru Outback

6 recalls
892 complaints
27 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Check all recalls are completed
Review consumer complaints
Verify no crash-related complaints
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
6
Owner complaints
892
Complaints citing a crash
19

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalised by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

6 Recalls on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

6 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 20V766000high

    Rear-visibility system issue

    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."

  • 21V955000high

    Drivetrain issue

    POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

    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.

  • 21V587000high

    Fuel pump may fail

    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.

  • 19V664000high

    Brake system issue

    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.

  • 22V485000high

    Drivetrain issue

    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.

  • 24V227000high

    Airbag system issue

    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.

Consumer complaints

892 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

892
Total
19
Crashes
7
Fires
4
Injuries

Most reported components

  • VISIBILITY370
  • ELECTRICAL228
  • OTHER117
  • ENGINE86
  • AIR BAGS18

Notable Issues

892 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 4 reports involve injuries. 19 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

visibility issues (wipers, defrost, mirrors)370
electrical issues (battery, wiring, infotainment)228
miscellaneous issues117

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
SUV
Drive type
FWD
Engine
2.5L 4-cyl
Fuel type
Regular Gasoline
Transmission
Automatic
Seats
5

Fuel economy

22

City

34

Hwy

27

Comb

Annual cost
$1,944
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Data sources

Explore related

Adjacent model years

All Subaru Outback years

Common problems

Subaru Outback problems

5,688 owner complaints analysed

Compare with

Systems recalled

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 24V227000

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

  2. Recall

    Recall 22V485000

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

  3. Recall

    Recall 21V955000

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

  4. Recall

    Recall 21V587000

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

  5. Recall

    Recall 20V766000

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