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2020 Subaru Outback problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2020 Subaru Outback. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 11% of relevant complaints.
Better than 96% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Does the 2020 Subaru Outback have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 98 of 899 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Outback concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (11%). For comparison, the 2019 scores 7% and the 2021 scores 13%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2020 compares with other Subaru Outback years
Of the 14 Subaru Outback years with enough complaints to score, the 2020 is the 6th-best on engine and transmission share (11%). The worst is the 2011 (62%), the best the 2019 (7%). By volume, the 2020 drew 899 complaints (98 drivetrain), against 1,034 for the 2019 and 296 for the 2021.
Subaru Outback years to avoid and best years →
2010 Outback problems · 2011 Outback problems · 2012 Outback problems · 2013 Outback problems · 2014 Outback problems · 2015 Outback problems · 2016 Outback problems · 2017 Outback problems · 2018 Outback problems · 2019 Outback problems · 2020 · 2021 Outback problems · 2022 Outback problems · 2023 Outback problems
The rest of the picture on the 2020 Subaru Outback
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2020 Subaru Outback said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 98 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2020 Subaru Outback transmission recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2020 Subaru Outback involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 6 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
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.
Risk: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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…
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.
Risk: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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…
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.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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…
3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2020 Subaru Outback? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2020 Subaru Outback have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 98 of 899 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Outback concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (11%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Subaru Outback?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2020 Subaru Outback is visibility/wiper: 313 of 899 complaints (35%) name it, followed by electrical system (259) and visibility (70). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 11% of the relevant total.
Is the 2020 Subaru Outback reliable?
On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 11% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 96% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Subaru Outback years we score, it ranks 6th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2020 Subaru Outback?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2020 Subaru Outback involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 6 in total: 22V485000 (power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)), 21V955000 (power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)), 21V587000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Subaru Outback years are better?
Among the Subaru Outback years we track, the 2019 (7%), the 2022 (9%) and the 2023 (9%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2020 (11%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/subaru-outback
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.