2020 Subaru Outback
Common Problems
Ranked from 453 federal NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.
49 Common Problems
Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.
- 1
Windshield Cracking Without Impact
141complaintsHigh severityOtherThe windshield cracks without any apparent impact or external cause.
- 2
Windshield spontaneous cracking
91complaintsHigh severityOtherWindshields spontaneously cracked without apparent cause or impact, leading to vision impairment.
- 3
Battery Drain Without Reason
41complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe battery drains unexpectedly, requiring frequent jumps or replacements.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 4
Battery Issues Leading to Vehicle Not Starting
33complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe battery dies unexpectedly, causing the vehicle to fail to start.
- 5
Battery Failure
26complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe battery fails to hold charge, leading to frequent dead batteries and vehicle inoperability.
- 6
Electrical System Failure Causing Dashboard Malfunction
24complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe electrical system fails, causing the dashboard to malfunction or display errors.
- 7
Windshield Cracking Without Apparent Cause
21complaintsMedium severityOtherWindshields crack spontaneously while driving or parked, without any visible impact or reason.
- 8
Battery Issues Leading to Vehicle Stall
20complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe battery frequently fails, leading to the vehicle stalling or not starting.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 9
Windshield cracks expanding rapidly
20complaintsHigh severityOtherSmall cracks in the windshield expand rapidly, sometimes within minutes, without any apparent cause.
- 10
Steering Malfunction Causing Loss of Control
16complaintsHigh severitySteeringThe power steering system malfunctions, causing loss of control and potential accidents.
- 11
Battery issues leading to dead car
14complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe battery dies unexpectedly, causing the car to fail to start, especially after short trips or when parked.
- 12
Battery drainage and frequent jump starts
13complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe battery drains quickly, requiring frequent jump starts, especially after extended periods without use.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 13
Battery Drain Issues
13complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe battery frequently drains unexpectedly, causing the car to fail to start.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 14
Liftgate opening unexpectedly
13complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe liftgate opens unexpectedly while driving, leading to a drained battery.
- 15
Battery failure after extended parking
12complaintsMedium severityElectricalCars failed to start after being parked for extended periods, often due to a dead battery.
- 16
Thermal Control Valve Failure
10complaintsHigh severityEngineThe thermal control valve repeatedly fails, leading to check engine light illumination and loss of vehicle functionality.
- 17
Battery issues leading to frequent dead batteries requiring jump starts
8complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe battery frequently dies, requiring jump starts multiple times per day or week.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 18
Battery repeatedly dying without apparent cause
8complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe battery dies multiple times within a short period without any apparent usage or impact.
- 19
Lane Departure System Malfunction
8complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe lane departure system malfunctions, causing erratic steering and safety concerns.
- 20
Windshield Replacement Issues
7complaintsMedium severityOtherWindshields frequently break or crack, requiring multiple replacements.
- 21
Automatic Emergency Braking System Malfunction
6complaintsHigh severityElectricalAutomatic emergency braking system malfunctions, causing unexpected acceleration and disabling of safety features.
- 22
Headlights too bright or improperly adjusted
6complaintsMedium severityOtherThe headlights are too bright or improperly adjusted, causing other drivers to flash their high beams.
$100–$900est. lighting assembly repair · 0.5–2 hrs laborGet local quotes - 23
Random Windshield Cracks
6complaintsMedium severityOtherThe windshield develops random cracks without any apparent cause or impact.
- 24
Battery Drain and Malfunction
5complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe Data Communication Module (DCM) drains the battery and malfunctions, causing repeated battery replacements and vehicle stalling.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 25
Forward Collision Avoidance System Failure
5complaintsHigh severityElectricalForward collision avoidance system malfunctions, leading to unexpected braking and disabling of safety features.
- 26
Electrical system issues leading to frequent engine start failures
4complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe electrical system repeatedly fails, preventing the engine from starting, often requiring multiple jump starts.
- 27
Engine Stalling
4complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine stalls unexpectedly, especially at stoplights, leading to potential accidents.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 28
Infotainment System Reboots
4complaintsMedium severityOtherThe infotainment system and safety features such as EyeSight randomly reboot, disabling critical functions.
$200–$1,500est. infotainment unit service · 0.5–3 hrs laborGet local quotes - 29
Stop-start system malfunction causing engine stalling
4complaintsMedium severityEngineThe stop-start system malfunctions, causing the engine to stall while driving.
$150–$900est. stop-start system diagnosis · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 30
Transmission Shuddering and Gear Shift Issues
4complaintsMedium severityTransmissionTransmission shudders and makes loud noises when shifting gears, causing difficulty in driving and potential safety concerns.
$2,500–$5,500est. transmission rebuild/replacement · 8–16 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recalls: 21V955000, 22V485000
- 31
Windshield damage expanding rapidly after initial small crack
4complaintsHigh severityOtherSmall windshield cracks expand rapidly, often within minutes of driving, posing a significant safety risk.
- 32
Windshield Replacements Due to Minor Damage
4complaintsHigh severityOtherThe windshield frequently cracks due to minor impacts or no apparent reason, requiring multiple replacements within a short period.
- 33
Steering Lurching and Unusual Noise
3complaintsLow severitySteeringSteering lurches when putting the car into gear, accompanied by loud chirping noises, indicating potential mechanical issues.
- 34
Steering System Malfunction
3complaintsMedium severitySteeringThe steering system malfunctions, causing the car to lose control and drift off course.
- 35
Steering wheel sudden and uncommanded movement
3complaintsHigh severitySteeringThe steering wheel suddenly and uncommandedly moves to the left, causing the vehicle to veer off course.
- 36
Transmission Malfunction
3complaintsHigh severityTransmissionThe transmission unexpectedly shifts to manual mode, leading to potential loss of vehicle control.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recalls: 21V955000, 22V485000
- 37
Trunk Door Malfunction
3complaintsMedium severityOtherThe rear trunk door opens unexpectedly while driving, posing a safety risk.
- 38
Windshield Fracture Due to Minor Impact
3complaintsMedium severityOtherEven minor impacts, such as small rocks, can cause significant fractures in the windshield.
- 39
Automatic Acceleration Without Pedal Input
2complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe vehicle accelerates automatically without pedal input, potentially leading to accidents and injury.
- 40
Automatic Rear Gate Closing Inappropriately
2complaintsMedium severityOtherThe rear auto liftgate closes inappropriately, potentially hitting occupants and causing injury.
- 41
Battery Drain and Frequent Battery Replacement
2complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe vehicle experiences frequent battery drain, necessitating multiple battery replacements within a short period.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 42
Car Fire Under Hood Without Warning
2complaintsHigh severityFuel systemThe car catches fire under the hood without any prior warning, posing a significant safety risk.
Related recall: 21V587000
- 43
Driver Monitoring System Malfunction
2complaintsLow severityElectricalThe driver monitoring system falsely alerts the driver to keep their eyes on the road, despite the driver already doing so.
- 44
Engine Stall at Idle Due to Stop-Start System Failure
2complaintsLow severityEngineThe engine stalls at idle, particularly during stop-start conditions, due to a malfunctioning stop-start system.
$150–$900est. stop-start system diagnosis · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 45
Seating Issues
2complaintsMedium severityOtherThe driver’s seat is loose and rocking, affecting comfort and potentially causing injury during sudden stops.
- 46
Sunroof Glass Explodes Without Impact
2complaintsHigh severityOtherThe sunroof glass explodes without any apparent impact, posing a safety risk to passengers.
- 47
Transmission Failure Leading to Complete Loss of Power
2complaintsHigh severityTransmissionThe transmission fails, leading to a complete loss of power and inability to move the vehicle, posing a safety risk.
$2,500–$5,500est. transmission rebuild/replacement · 8–16 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recalls: 21V955000, 22V485000
- 48
Transmission Slipping During Gear Shift
2complaintsMedium severityTransmissionThe transmission slips during gear shifts, causing difficulty in driving and potential loss of control.
$2,500–$5,500est. transmission rebuild/replacement · 8–16 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recalls: 21V955000, 22V485000
- 49
Windshield Cracking During Cold Weather
2complaintsMedium severityOtherThe windshield becomes stuck down in cold temperatures, posing a safety risk when driving in extreme cold conditions.
Other years & sources
Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.