2020 Subaru Outback reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2020 Subaru Outback — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 1,125
- 769 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- VISIBILITY/WIPER
- 313 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 6
- see below
- Reported harm
- 37 reported crashes · 5 injuries · 8 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#319
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Subaru median
+943
median 182 across 97 Subaru records
Vs 2018-2022
+861
median 265 complaints in 474 records
Top component share
28%
Visibility/Wiper: 313 complaints
What owners report fails — 2020 Subaru Outback
- VISIBILITY/WIPER 313
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 251
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 149
- VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD 64
- ENGINE 45
6 recalls on record for the 2020 Subaru Outback
- NHTSA 24V227000 · 2025 · AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
- NHTSA 21V955000 · 2022 · POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CHAIN/BELT An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
- NHTSA 22V485000 · 2022 · POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CHAIN/BELT An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
- NHTSA 20V766000 · 2021 · BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.
- NHTSA 21V587000 · 2021 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2020 Subaru Outback
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2020 Subaru Outback units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Subaru Outback reliable?
NHTSA has 1,125 consumer complaints on record for the 2020 Subaru Outback and 6 recalls. The most-reported problem area is visibility/wiper (313 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2020 Subaru Outback units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Subaru Outback?
Owners most often report problems with: visibility/wiper (313), electrical system (251), unknown or other (149), visibility:windshield (64). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2020 Subaru Outback?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.