2020 Subaru Outback Problems: Glass / wipers / cameras (894 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2020 Subaru Outback is Glass / wipers / cameras (39% of 894 owner reports). There are 6 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Glass / wipers / cameras — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 894 complaints · 6 recalls

What problems show up on the 2020 Subaru Outback?

349 of 894 filings named Glass / wipers / cameras (39% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (198 reports).

There are 6 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Brakes, Rear camera / backup safety, Fuel system, Transmission / driveline, and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2019 has 1,031 reports on file; this year has 894. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2020 Subaru Outback

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 6 campaigns on file below.
  2. Glass / wipers / cameras. Check windshield, wipers and any camera or sensor the listing claims is there.
  3. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  4. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Glass / wipers / cameras. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Glass / wipers / cameras 349 complaints · 39.0% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 19
  • Fires 7
  • Injuries 4
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 2019 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) appears in 349 of 894 owner complaints (39.0%) in this vehicle snapshot. Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 349 complaints, 39.0% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 349 · 39.0% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 198 complaints, 22.1% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 crash reports 198 · 22.1% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 41 complaints, 4.6% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 crash reports 41 · 4.6% Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE): 34 complaints, 3.8% of reports Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 3 crash reports 34 · 3.8% Engine (ENGINE): 21 complaints, 2.4% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 21 · 2.4% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 17 complaints, 1.9% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 17 · 1.9% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 15 complaints, 1.7% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 3 crash reports 15 · 1.7% Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE): 14 complaints, 1.6% of reports Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 14 · 1.6% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 13 complaints, 1.4% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 13 · 1.4% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 285 complaints, 31.9% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 5 crash reports 4 fire reports 285 · 31.9% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 349 39.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 198 22.1% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 41 4.6% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 34 3.8% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 21 2.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 17 1.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 15 1.7% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 14 1.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 13 1.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 285 31.9% 5 crashes · 4 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2019; the first recall shown was reported in Sep 2019. 2019-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2020-Q1: 43 owner reports 43 2020-Q2: 54 owner reports 54 2020-Q3: 68 owner reports 68 2020-Q4: 79 owner reports 79 2021-Q1: 86 owner reports 86 2021-Q2: 84 owner reports 84 2021-Q3: 63 owner reports 63 2021-Q4: 51 owner reports 51 2022-Q1: 52 owner reports 52 2022-Q2: 56 owner reports 56 2022-Q3: 41 owner reports 41 2022-Q4: 26 owner reports 26 2023-Q1: 24 owner reports 24 2023-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2023-Q3: 18 owner reports 18 2023-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 2024-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2024-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 2024-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2024-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2025-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2025-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2025-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2025-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2026-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2026-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2026-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 Owner reports Sep 2019 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 19V664000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V664000 Recall campaign 20V766000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V766000 Recall campaign 21V587000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V587000 Recall campaign 21V955000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V955000 Recall campaign 22V485000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V485000 Recall campaign 24V227000 ◆ Recall campaign 24V227000
  • Campaign 21V587000 was reported 464 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 21V955000 was reported 617 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 22V485000 was reported 828 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 24V227000 was reported 1,605 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2019-Q4 Owner reports 16
2020-Q1 Owner reports 43
2020-Q2 Owner reports 54
2020-Q3 Owner reports 68
2020-Q4 Owner reports 79
2021-Q1 Owner reports 86
2021-Q2 Owner reports 84
2021-Q3 Owner reports 63
2021-Q4 Owner reports 51
2022-Q1 Owner reports 52
2022-Q2 Owner reports 56
2022-Q3 Owner reports 41
2022-Q4 Owner reports 26
2023-Q1 Owner reports 24
2023-Q2 Owner reports 17
2023-Q3 Owner reports 18
2023-Q4 Owner reports 15
2024-Q1 Owner reports 12
2024-Q2 Owner reports 16
2024-Q3 Owner reports 19
2024-Q4 Owner reports 11
2025-Q1 Owner reports 8
2025-Q2 Owner reports 10
2025-Q3 Owner reports 7
2025-Q4 Owner reports 2
2026-Q1 Owner reports 7
2026-Q2 Owner reports 3
2026-Q3 Owner reports 6
Recall campaign 1 19V664000
Recall campaign 1 20V766000
Recall campaign 1 21V587000
Recall campaign 1 21V955000
Recall campaign 1 22V485000
Recall campaign 1 24V227000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (6)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Brakes, Rear camera / backup safety, Fuel system, Transmission / driveline, and Airbags.

  1. Recall campaign 19V664000

    Brakes

    Report date
    Component:
    Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
    Consequence:
    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.
    Remedy:
    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. The recall began October 1, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUL-97.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 20V766000

    Rear camera / backup safety

    Report date
    Component:
    Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION)
    Consequence:
    The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.
    Remedy:
    Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the software and, if necessary, replace the Cockpit Control Module, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-20.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 21V587000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 21V955000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-21.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 22V485000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Recall campaign 24V227000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-24.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 5 of 894 complaints · page 1 of 36
2026-08-19Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11757956
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that on various occasions upon bringing the vehicle to a stop or upon acceleration the vehicle had experienced a total loss of automotive power, and all of the warning lights would remain illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it diagnosed and the contact was advised that the battery, and thermal valve were faulty and needed to be replaced. The battery had been replaced five times however the contact noted that the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 19,000.
2026-08-11Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11756314
CrashFireInjuryDeath
In the first 2 weeks after financing vehicle it started having passenger window issues when it rained it caused window to not wat to go up or would try coming down when trying to let it up when it rained next qas battary kept killing my battery I've replaced 4 batteries in 2.5 years and then my rear gate door would sometimes not want to open til it just stopped all together as if it had something stuck in it to keep from opening then while driving the assistant in 2 events tried to take me off rd when going in a curb and while driving the car would just randomly act like it was shuddering and would shut off and then come right back on screen would shut off and everything until it just electrically just shut down completely nothing working complete electrical shut down in the 2.5 years I've had car ive taken it to the used lot where I git car and to two different subaru dealerships and no body had helped me and I know it had a settlement case for the battary for my year car and no body is honoring anything and now I have a shut down car with still 3 years of notes to pay and its completely factory issues but they expect me to pay large deposits to even look at this issues I just need some help on this cause I've tried all I can do and I need a car please help me or direct me to someone who can please thanks oh and the cat is a 2020 subaru outback premium trim thanks
2026-08-05Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11754978
CrashFireInjuryDeath
From when we purchased this car new until the day we traded it. There were many times on the freeway at 60-65 MPH that you would need to move over a couple of lanes and went to wide open throttle and the car would simply do nothing for 1 to 2 seconds. I recently learned that in 22' Subaru had a software update to rectify this issue. Meaning there are plenty of Subaru owners who are driving around in cars that put their safety at risk. When you step on the gas you need and expect the car to accelerate .
2026-07-22Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11752019
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The driver’s power-seat lift motor failed intermittently, leaving the seat stuck in its lowest position. The component remains installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection. The seat could not be raised high enough for my wife to obtain adequate forward visibility, making the vehicle unsafe for her to drive. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. Quantrell Subaru confirmed the lift motor failure. The technician tapped the motor, it worked briefly, and then failed again. It was inspected by an authorized Subaru dealer. It has not been inspected by Subaru of America, police, or insurance representatives. There were no warning lamps or messages. The first symptom was that the seat would no longer raise and became stuck at its lowest position. The issue was documented by the dealer on July 21, 2026.
2026-07-21FUEL SYSTEM
NHTSA ODI 11751812
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The warning lights on our 2020 Subaru Outback have lit intermittently for the past 2 years. When bringing the vehicle into the dealer for service and oil changes, this was reported. Recently the TPMS light began to light intermittently. Tire pressure was checked and adjusted but the problem persisted. When we brought the vehicle in for service, it turned out that all tire pressure sensors needed to be replaced BUT the service techs identified other problems that surfaced JUST AS THE CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY - the most serious being an oil leak caused by FAILURE OF CAM CARRIER SEALS. This caused a dangerous condition where oil was leaking onto the engine and into the spark plugs. I find it odd that this EXPENSIVE issue was not discovered sooner. Subaru and only Subaru has been servicing this vehicle since new and they should have caught it.

Subaru Outback Complaints and Recalls by Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2020 Subaru Outback?

Owners named Glass / wipers / cameras most often — 349 of 894 reports (39%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2020 Subaru Outback?

NHTSA lists 6 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Brakes, Rear camera / backup safety, Fuel system, Transmission / driveline, and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2020 Subaru Outback?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check windshield, wipers and any camera or sensor the listing claims is there. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources