NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Subaru Outback. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
Second spontaneous windshield crack
This is a new car and recently seemed to be having some mid software issues. However, when I went to start it this morning, it is completely dead with no battery power. It has been driven less than 12k miles and should not encounter this issues. I am aware there is a class action lawsuit related to faulty electrical systems in a range of years of this Subaru and I want to note this issue
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while enter a freeway the speed suddenly reduced to approximately 15 MPH. The vehicle failed to exceed 15 MPH. Additionally, the vehicle lurched forward and would not immediately stop while depressing the brake pedal. During the failure several warning lights had illuminated including the check engine, brakes, and stability control. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who reprogrammed the computer however, the failure continued. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 23,000.
The battery on my outback keeps draining. I’ve had the car for about 2 years and we are on out third battery.
While driving down interstate, windshield must have made contact with rock or other foreign object at mid/low left side of glass. I say must have because object too small to create any noticeable sound at impact. Within minutes, large linear crack appeared extending slightly farther than midline. This is the 2nd incident of this type creating damage to the windshield of this vehicle. Another previous incident occurred with front passenger window. In all 3 incidents, damage far exceeds what would be expected given size of initial impact area.
Random crack started on windshield from bottom middle lower area and quickly spread to drivers side. No rock chip or cause
Windshield has cracked in same area as those Subaru windscreens in the class action suit just settled.
Shortly after purchasing the car in 2019 the battery died and the car was unable to be jumpstarted. It was towed to the dealership and the battery was replaced. It happened again in 2021 and the battery was replaced again. Then, when driving the car in October 2021 the car completely died at a stop light and was unable to turn on, turn on hazard lights or even put in park for 5 minutes, where it then started again. The car is very dangerous.
3 months ago the 2020 Subaru outback required a rebuild of the transmission at about 50K miles. I was told it was due to uneven wear on the tires. They would not fix it until I replaced all 4 tires costing $600 which I did. They fixed the transmission and now it is not working again, the same problem slipping of the transmission.
The front windshield/ window cracked while parked in driveway,
Since we have owned the car since Feb 2020, we have had many dead batteries and the Subaru dealership 100+ miles away has replaced our battery at least 4 times. We live in rural Wyoming and need a reliable car for driving in the winter months when it can get below zero. We have jumped the battery numerous times but sometime the electronics don't work correctly like cruise control, dash warnings, windows, airbags, etc. We are always taking a chance driving it the 100+ miles from our residence to the nearest Subaru dealership in Ogden, UT. Even after driving it over 100 miles the battery will not charge up because it is damaged and we have to get a new battery from the Subaru dealership. We are averaging about 12,000 miles yearly travel; however, sometimes the car is not driven at all for a few days. If we don't drive the car at least every other day, we will have a dead battery. We are afraid one of the cars numerous safety systems won't work after jumping the battery and driving the car. The date 09/29/2021 was the last time we had the battery replaced. We disconnect the battery now so the car doesn't drain the battery. Other dates were 03/17/2021, 06/21/2021, 07/23/2021, and 09/29/2021.
Drove vehicle over a small bump in the road while driving less than 5 mph and a crack appeared on right center edge of windshield of approximately 3 inches ... Within 15 minutes the crack extended to across almost half the windshield. Vehicle has 11500 miles. When we notified Subaru, they stated it would not be covered under warranty.
About 10 months ago, right after purchasing the vehicle, after only 12hrs of using it, the battery went completely dead and I had to call Road Side assistance and I was late for work. I thought it was just a glitch. Two months ago the same thing happened, missing another time at work. Last week after being away for month for work, upon return, the battery was yet dead again. We jumped started it and let it charge completely. Two days later, my wife was stranded in the middle of the night because the battery was dead again.
The Front windshield cracked for no reason, no visible dmg from small object but a large crack originating from the side of the front wind shield appeared.
Windshield cracked for no apparent reason. Crack initiated at the top of the windshield and formed a curve to turn horizontal. Total length of crack approx. 18 inches.
We purchased a 2020 Subaru Outback on August 20, 2021. On September 20, 2021, the car was driven to work, there was no crack in the windshield, the car sat in a parking lot for approximately 8 hours; upon getting in the car after work a crack was noted on the lower portion of the windshield and was going across the middle of the windshield (approximately 3 inches up from the bottom and approximately 14 inches horizontal). There was no apparent reason for this crack.
Windshield crack
windshield developed enlarging cracks; was worried the windshield would implode; independent service center examined and replaced; drove down ~1/4 mile winding dirt road to church meeting site in wooded area; after arrival I lowered driver front side window slightly to allow fresh air in car on warm day; did not notice any crack/breakage in windshield; upon starting the car when ready to return (~5 hours later) immediately noticed 2 cracks in windshield on driver side both about 6-8 inches above bottom; another smaller crack on far left side looked like impact; got out and could find nothing on car or ground around that would account for the breakage; both non-impact cracks grew an inch or two wider as I drove home
I heard a pebble tap the windshield and I immediately saw a crack from the passenger side to the middle of the windshield. I just had the windshield replaced on 6 Aug 2021. It costs $600 just to calibrate the cameras. Then the cost of replacing the windshield. This isn't right. I've had plenty of vehicles and this is the worst windshield I have seen. The windshield didn't last 1600 miles. And this is the first time I have been back on the interstate since getting the windshield replaced in August. I am not happy and I think this is a safety hazard.
Got into the car on Thursday, September 16th and there was a spiderwebbing crack in the lower center of the windshield. The car was parked the previous night with no crack and no incident of anything striking the windshield the previous day
Parked car, engine fan stated (very fast) and did not stop running until battery died. Could not start the car. One other Outback 2020 owner told me she had the same problem. Jumped battery. Subraru could not find any reason for the fan to go on and drain the battery. Car had under 9,000 miles, under 15 months old.
Crack windshield The windshield just crack during driving on the freeway.
The car has had 3 windshields already replaced and the current windshield is broken and will need to be replaced. The car only had 9,800 miles on it. Afraid the visibility is greatly impacted. Several dealers have indicated that there are problems with the strength of the windshield on this auto/model. And the manufacturer has also implied that there may be issues. I am getting the dealership to inspect the windshield tomorrow (9/11/2021). I have not received any prior notification of windshield issues prior to current breakage. I first discovered the defective nature of the windshield on 9/9/2021. I have contacted independent repair shops to verify that this is not a sole incident and has occurred many times same makes and model.
My 2020 Outback Touring has had several issues including the infotainment system rebooting and turning off all safety features: ABS, Forward Collision Warning, EyeSight, Adaptive Cruise Control randomly turning off (not just adjusting speed), I lose control of ALL electronics including the digital speedometer. A new infotainment system had been installed and the problems STILL exist. The date below was the most serious as I was on the highway traveling at high speeds when the system decided to fail and the screens went black. Subaru of America has been informed of these issues but there is no resolution.
BATTERY WAS COMPLETED DEAD AFTER SITTING FOR 2 WEEKS IN MY GARAGE. THE SUBARU 24 HOUR ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE CAME AND JUMPED THE CAR, AND TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT FOR 15 MINUTES. ONCE I TURNED OFF THE CAR, DID MY ERRANDS, AND RETURNED, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO MY DEALERSHIP AND SUBARU REPLACED THE ENTIRE BATTERY. THIS CAR IS ONLY 15 MONTHS OLD WITH 3200 MILES ON IT. I WAS TOLD THAT I WASN'T "DRIVING IT ENOUGH" -- BUT WITH THE PANDEMIC, WHERE WOULD I BE DRIVING? SHOULD A CAR THAT IS SO NEW EXPERIENCE THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS ALREADY?
On Saturday 09/04/2021, when I got into my car to drive I noticed that my windshield had a huge crack in it. I could not see any visible rock cracks and my car was parked overnight. This windshield needs to be replaced soon because the crack is getting bigger every day even though I’m not even driving. I looked up what the problem could be and noticed there was a lawsuit against Subaru for their windshields that just cracks with no reason. I was then referred to report my car as well.
Before driving I noticed a thin crack in the driver side lower part of windshield without hitting anything. - This is presumed to occur spontaneously. Consumer stated it is not a crack but a hard to remove substance and would like to remove the report.*JB
When passing semi’s on highway they are not detected by the blind spot detection (the light on the mirror does not turn on). It does not pick up the semi even when I am only halfway passed the semi. The blind spot detection does work when passing cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles on the highway. I reported this issue to the dealer (CleoBay Subaru, Killeen,TX). They tested the vehicle and told me they did not experience any issues. I immediately left the dealership and went out on the highway and still experienced the same issue. I believe this is a significant safety issue. Thank you for you time
Windshield developed crack from lower edge 10 inches long with no indication of any damage.
Rearview mirror broke off of the windshield during normal use. At no time did I pull on the rearview mirror with excessive force.
Windshield cracked causing a problem with "Front Eyesight Collision" Right side does not see Large Vehicles in Right Lane. Left side works fine.
Windshield has a Crack line from the center bottom edge of the Windshield going up towards the center to the right then left as it expands. It was parked and appeared the next morning with no sign of impact.
Auto is mainly garaged since purchase 1-1/2 years ago. Battery went totally dead and car became inoperable in 2020 after non-use for approx. 4 weeks, requiring lengthy re-charge. Subaru checkup showed no malfunction, according to company. This month (Aug, 2021) battery again went totally dead, this time after non-use for approx. just 2-3 weeks, again requiring lengthy re-charge. This renders auto unusable for any form of travel when car must sit unused, perhaps in a garage or parking area, without possibility to periodically run car to maintain battery charge.
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after entering the vehicle, she noticed a crack on the front windshield from the driver's side to the center of the windshield. The contact stated that nothing had struck the windshield to cause the crack to form on the windshield. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacture was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.
Without warning or repeatable cause the "infotainment" system will reboot causing the Bluetooth, LKAS, forward watching camera, emergency braking, and RAB to also stop working and reboot. This problem has occurred numerous times over the past several months. It happens without any predictability and I have not been able to find a common factor that triggers it. In May it happened once on a 4 hour drive west, but on the return trip it happened 4 times in a 2 hour window. The problem did not occur again until the first week of June and happened multiple times over a 3 day period. The software for the car has been recalled and reinstalled twice and the problem still occurs without warning or explanation. I have reported the issue in mid-August to Subaru's customer service and was told "a software update" was 2 weeks away. I do not believe this report from their customer service because no other documentation was provided other than a call back. I followed-up with a call back and an email to Subaru asking for more details for which I have not gotten an answer. The incidence of it happening on Aug 20, 2021 occurred as I was entering into traffic from Baggage Road to Hwy 220 South in Rockingham County, NC. The system rebooted as I was entering traffic and created a distraction at a crucial moment I was crossing 4 lanes to turn left to proceed south on Hwy 220. Presently the system's issues seem to be limited to a reboot of Bluetooth, radio and all safety related systems. If the system had triggered a shutdown of the car or if the safety systems had caused the car to stop I would have been in the middle of a US Highway with traffic approaching from both directions at 60+mph. I am disappointed by Subaru for not addressing this issue with a formal company statement and promises of an update have not materialized.
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the battery failed. The contact stated that after the vehicle was driven for over one hour, the contact parked the vehicle turned the engine off. When the contact attempted to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start-up due to the battery failure. The contact stated that the battery failure was experienced several times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 15,700.
The battery has drained 6 times: there are no lights on or doors open, etc. I have been stranded, alone. The car has under 8000 miles. It doesn't matter what distance I drive. The first time was the day after a 200 mike trip, daytime. Next morning, dead battery. Other times, it was a trip to the store, 15 Mike's, when I came out after an hour, battery was dead. There is no pattern, I cannot rely on this car.
The Outback had a complete loss of power, cause still not identified. In the process of attempting to get to my portable power unit I discovered a significant safety concern that could result in the death of any rear seat passengers.If there is no electrical power there is NO MEANS OF UNLOCKING THE REAR PASSENGER DOORS. The mechanical door handles do NOT work. I checked the child safety locks and they were not engaged. In the event of an accident/ front end collision that damaged the battery the occupants of the rear seats are trapped. If they needed to vacate the car for any reason they could not. Parents can not get to their children. Please investigate and make Subaru modify the back doos so the mechanical handle will operate when there is nor electrical power.
I went to drive on August 20, 2021 and I haven’t driven since August 15, 2021. When I went to drive my car on the 20th I noticed a huge crack in my windshield with no place of impact that something hit the windshield. There was no crack on the windshield on the 15th. Every time I drive it, it keeps growing.
Car has twice stalled out when driving slowly in hot weather. When trying to restart vehicle the engine turned over just fine, but wouldn’t restart until much later after the car had a chance to cool down completely. Possible vapor lock or faulty fuel pump.
Was driving on freeway and heard a pop and windshield developed a hairline crack from bottom and extended up as we continue driving. Not even a chip but immediately a crack. Windshield is too brittle.
My vehicle is about 15 months old. It has lots of tiny chips in the windshield. No cracks yet, but I've read about many other Subaru Outback owners with this problem.
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, a pebble hit the bottom passenger’s side of the windshield and formed a horizontal crack. Within minutes, the crack expanded to almost 3 feet. The contact was referred to the dealer by his insurance provider. Upon taking the vehicle to the dealer, the contact had the windshield replaced out of pocket. A few weeks later while driving at 45 MPH, the windshield was impacted by an object and cracked. The contact stated that the failure obstructed his vision while driving. The contact parked the vehicle after the failure and had not driven the vehicle since. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000. The VIN was not available.
The car only has 7500 miles on it, the battery has gone dead 3x, with the third time not possible to jump start. I had to have it towed to Subaru dealer, they replaced battery with another Subaru battery. From what I have read this one will likely go dead also.there has to be a better solution.
While driving along the freeway, I heard a "pop" and noticed a crack along the windshield. It was along the passenger side, about 10"-12" above the dashboard, and went all the way to the passenger side edge of the windshield. There was a vehicle ahead of me, maybe 1/4 mile ahead. As I kept driving, it grew a little more towards the middle of the windshield. This is the third time this has happened to this vehicle, as the previous owner had to get the windshield replaced twice in the past 6 months.
I was trying to open the trunk with the button in the car, it didn’t work, so I pulled the car forward thinking it was the problem, but it wasn’t. I got out of the left the door open and attempted to open it, but it would not. With the keys in my hand, I shut the driver’s side door, and attempted to push the button on the back, but that still didn’t work, even using the key fob. I went back to the driver’s side, only to find that the doors somehow became locked with the car on and the keys in my hands. The doors would not unlock even though I touched the driver’s front and the passenger’s front doors. Using the key fob did not work. Luckily this car has the key in the fob and that’s what I had to use to enter the car. Actually, this is two incidents in one, the trunk would not open and the doors locked with the car running and the keys in my hand. The trunk oddly just spontaneously started to work again after the analogue key was used on the door. Of note, the monitor and Apple CarPlay had been on the fritz all morning and continued. I’m not sure if the electronics caused a problem with trunk opening and the car doors locking while the car was running.
My 2020 Outback has suddenly stalled three times. Two of the three times was at about 55 mph. The check engine light came on each time and eventually cleared itself, before I could take the car to a Subaru service Department. I did take the car to a Subaru service Department and each time they said there was no current problem and didn't make a repair. I called Subaru of America several times.
Lane Departure feature malfunction at higher speeds: will reactivate a few seconds after physically deactivating the control; spontaneously activates and inactivates or activates on one side only - pulls aggressively to one side or the other, even though vehicle is centered in highway. Will not stay inactivated but fluctuates on/off. It is dangerous and causes fatigue in wrestling with the steering.
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, she heard an abnormal noise and noticed a small crack on the driver’s side windshield. The contact stated that the following day while approaching the vehicle, the crack had expanded across the windshield horizontally to the passenger’s side. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the windshield to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated on another occasion she noticed a medium crack on the driver’s side windshield. The contact stated that the crack had expanded horizontally across to the passenger’s side. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the windshield cracked without impact. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000. Dealer agree to replace the windshield..