What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2020 Subaru Legacy

No clear pattern

19.6% of complaints about the 2020 Subaru Legacy arrived in its first year of service. That is an unusual figure for a 2020 vehicle, but with only 143 complaints on record the sample is too small to call it a pattern — the margin of error covers the range where ordinary vehicles sit. The figures below are reported without a verdict. The most-reported system is visibility / wipers (57 complaints), typically at 1.4 yr or about 4,918 miles.

Complaints
143
Median age at failure
1.8 yr
Median mileage
6,089 n=59
Crash / fire / tow
2.8% of reports
Safety recalls
6

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Visibility / wipers
57 reports · 4,918 mi
1.4 yr
0%
Other
26 reports · 2,500 mi
2.0 yr
0%
Electrical system
15 reports · 14,628 mi
2.4 yr
6.7%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

24V227000 2024-03-22
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.

An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

22V485000 2022-07-08
Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

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.

An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

21V955000 2021-12-09
Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

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.

An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

21V587000 2021-07-29
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.

Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

20V766000 2020-12-10
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."

The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.

19V664000 2019-09-18
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.

A missing or loose bolt may cause the brake pedal mounting area to deform over time, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.

In owners’ own words

Visibility / wipers 9,000 mi 5 mo in service
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SOUND EMITTING FROM THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE FRACTURES TO THE WINDSHIELD IN THREE SEPARATE PLACES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.
Visibility / wipers 1,000 mi 3 mo in service
WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED ON BOTH SIDES INWARD WHEN STATIONARY. THERE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE ANY ROCK CHIPS OR HIT MARKS. JUST SPLIT AND CHIPPED ON ITS OWN.
Visibility / wipers 1,450 mi 8 mo in service
AS I WAS GETTING ONTO THE HIGHWAY, THE WINDSHIELD WAS STRUCK BY A ROCK AND LEFT A DECENT SIZED CHIP. AS I WAS DRIVING THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE DAY, THE CRACKS BEGAN AND GOT LONGER EVERYTIME I LOOKED AT IT. IT GOES RIGHT IN THE VIEW OF THE RIGHT EYESIGHT CAMERA. I HAVE REVIEWED PLENTY OF SIMILAR ISSUES WITH CRACKS FORMING IN SUBARU'S WINDSHIELDS. *TR
Other 2,500 mi 7 mo in service
MY LEGACY WAS 4 MONTHS OLD, WHEN A SPONTANEOUS CRACK APPEARED IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK IS THINNER THAN A HUMAN HAIR. IT'S NOT ROUND LIKE, THE COMMON ROCK CHIP. JUST A VERY, VERY FINE CRACK.*DT CONSUMER STATED CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD IS 8 INCHES LONGER NOW.*JB

Other Legacy model years

20222020201920182017201620152013201220112010200920082006200520042003200120001998

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