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#BS-2020-SUBOUT-192E2020 Subaru Outback
Based on reports from 1,000 owners and 6 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 1,000 complaints, 28 crashes, 6 fires, and 6 recalls. Complaint rate is 5.8x the class average.
Top reported problems
dead battery
19 complaints • Severity 6.2/10
windshield cracked
11 complaints • Severity 6.5/10
battery failure
6 complaints • Severity 8/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
302 owners reported visibility issues — failures commonly reported around 6K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (474 reports) • Median: 6K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Visibility (302 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2020 Subaru Outback: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Visibility Issues
Visibility complaints account for 30% of all reports filed for the 2020 Subaru Outback, with 302 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 5,700 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 6K-mile mark.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 24% of all reports filed for the 2020 Subaru Outback, with 237 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Visibility:windshield Issues
Visibility:windshield complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2020 Subaru Outback, with 58 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to visibility:windshield-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 2020 Subaru Outback, with 38 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2020 Subaru Outback. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (6 recalls)
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.
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."
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.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CHAIN/BELT
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.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CHAIN/BELT
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.
+ 1 more recall in the full report
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Subaru Outback is the 2013 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is electrical.
2020 Subaru Outback vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD)
This vehicle
1,000
Class avg
171
5.8x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical small sport utility vehicle 4wd vehicles.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,000 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 6 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Subaru Outback Model Years
2020 Subaru Outback: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Subaru Outback?
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What’s in the full report?
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Get the Full 2020 Subaru Outback Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,000 owner reports. Know before you buy.