Model year
2020 Subaru Outback
NHTSA lists 6 recalls and 901 complaints for the 2020 Subaru Outback (recall file dated Oct 23, 2026; complaint file dated Oct 23, 2026). The components listed on the most complaints are VISIBILITY/WIPER (313), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (253), UNKNOWN OR OTHER (152). NHTSA rated the SUV AWD 5 stars overall. EPA rates it 26–29 mpg combined depending on configuration (fuel economy file dated Sep 29, 2026). EPA's annual fuel-cost figures for these configurations are $2,300–$2,600, based on 15,000 miles and 55% city driving.
- 2018 816 complaints
- 2019 1,036 complaints
- 2020 901 complaints
- 2021 298 complaints
- 2022 465 complaints
- 2023 89 complaints
- 2024 104 complaints
- 2025 83 complaints
- 2026 20 complaints
- 2027 0 complaints
Recalls
24V227000 · Mar 22, 2024
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.
22V485000 · Jul 8, 2022
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.
21V955000 · Dec 9, 2021
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CHAIN/BELT; 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.
21V587000 · Jul 29, 2021
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.
20V766000 · Dec 10, 2020
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…
19V664000 · Sep 18, 2019
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.
Complaints
901 distinct complaints. Crash flag on 19, fire flag on 7, injury field 4, deaths field 0. A complaint can be counted under more than one component. The injury and death figures are the file's numbers (the highest value on each complaint, then added), not a separate verified count of people.
Investigations
No investigations are matched to this name.
Safety ratings
| Variant | Overall | Front | Side | Pole | Rollover | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 · possibility 0.185 | NHTSA photo |
Fuel economy
| Configuration | Fuel | City | Hwy | Comb | kWh/100 mi | Range | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outback AWD · 2.5L · Automatic (AV-S8) · All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 33 | 29 | — | — | $2,300 |
| Outback AWD · 2.4L · Automatic (AV-S8) · All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 23 | 30 | 26 | — | — | $2,600 |
Open this model year in the fuel-cost calculator. The calculator starts with no fuel price filled in.
Check a vehicle
This page is not a VIN lookup. NHTSA's recall tool checks a specific vehicle: nhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA's page for this model year is 2020 Subaru Outback at NHTSA. Complaint narratives stay on NHTSA's site and are not copied here.