Subaru Outback 2020–2025
6th generation (BT)
NHTSA data through 13 August 20262,474 complaints, 680 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 680
- Median of reported failures
- 6,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Visibility/wiper (28.5%)
- Recalls
- 11
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, 75% of complaints that record mileage fall within the first 12,000 miles, against 2 reports per 1,000 miles between 20,000 and 80,000.
Figure 1 · Subaru Outback 2020–2025 · 680 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 460 complaints.
- First 12,000 miles — 75% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 5 complaints (0.7%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 580
- 25%
- 2,100
- Median
- 6,000
- 75%
- 12,000
- 90%
- 28,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 460 | 67.6% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 117 | 17.2% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 39 | 5.7% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 19 | 2.8% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 17 | 2.5% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 9 | 1.3% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 5 | 0.7% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 5 | 0.7% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 2 | 0.3% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 200,000+ | 5 | 0.7% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 2,474 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020–2025 Subaru Outback, and 680 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
75% of complaints that record mileage fall within the first 12,000 miles, against 2 reports per 1,000 miles between 20,000 and 80,000. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are visibility/wiper (28.5% of complaints, typically around 5,000 miles), the electrical system (17.2% of complaints, typically around 5,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (14.6% of complaints, typically around 3,500 miles).
11 recall campaigns cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2020–2025 Subaru Outback last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2020–2025 Subaru Outback were filed by 6,000 miles and 90% by 28,000 miles — figures drawn from 680 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
5 reports (0.7%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a Outback reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2020–2025 Outback: the 3-minute check
Generated from 680 mileage-tagged complaints, 11 recall campaigns, 3 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 11 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Ask for visibility/wiper repair records. This area fails at a median of 5,000 miles — on any car this age it already happened or never will; the question is whether it was fixed under warranty.
- Ask for electrical system repair records. This area fails at a median of 5,000 miles — on any car this age it already happened or never will; the question is whether it was fixed under warranty.
- Check infotainment on 2020–2022 cars. Starlink 11.6-inch multimedia unit freezing, rebooting and losing the backup camera display; addressed through repeated software updates.
- Check fuel system on 2019–2020 cars. Denso low-pressure in-tank fuel pump impeller deformation causing rough running and stalling; large cross-manufacturer recall.
- Check body on 2020–2025 cars. Windshield cracking complaints persist from the previous generation.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 75% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, visibility/wiper and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Visibility/wiper in particular shows a median failure mileage of 5,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Subaru Outback 2020–2025
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Problems owners could not categorise360 reports3,5002,000–8,000Problems owners could not categorise: 360 reports, median 3,500 miles, middle half 2,000 to 8,000 miles.
- Visibility/wiper706 reports5,0002,000–8,000Visibility/wiper: 706 reports, median 5,000 miles, middle half 2,000 to 8,000 miles.
- Electrical system426 reports5,0002,000–9,500Electrical system: 426 reports, median 5,000 miles, middle half 2,000 to 9,500 miles.
- Forward collision avoidance224 reports7,0001,000–12,000Forward collision avoidance: 224 reports, median 7,000 miles, middle half 1,000 to 12,000 miles.
- Engine100 reports10,0006,500–16,000Engine: 100 reports, median 10,000 miles, middle half 6,500 to 16,000 miles.
- Visibility equipment112 reports12,0004,000–34,000Visibility equipment: 112 reports, median 12,000 miles, middle half 4,000 to 34,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline87 reports23,0003,000–45,000Transmission and driveline: 87 reports, median 23,000 miles, middle half 3,000 to 45,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 706 | 28.5% | 5,000 | 2,000–8,000 |
| Electrical system | 426 | 17.2% | 5,000 | 2,000–9,500 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 360 | 14.6% | 3,500 | 2,000–8,000 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 224 | 9.1% | 7,000 | 1,000–12,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 112 | 4.5% | 12,000 | 4,000–34,000 |
| Engine | 100 | 4.0% | 10,000 | 6,500–16,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 87 | 3.5% | 23,000 | 3,000–45,000 |
| Lane departure | 70 | 2.8% | 9,000 | 5,000–12,000 |
| Airbag system | 55 | 2.2% | — | — |
| Throttle and speed control | 50 | 2.0% | 1,000 | 700–15,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Subaru Outback 2020–2025 · 680 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 97% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 99% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 99% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 0.7% of reports (5) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
97% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Visibility/wiper — median 5,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 5,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — median 3,500 mi
- Forward collision avoidance — median 7,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — median 12,000 mi
- Engine — median 10,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 23,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
99% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Visibility/wiper — median 5,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 5,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — median 3,500 mi
- Forward collision avoidance — median 7,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — median 12,000 mi
- Engine — median 10,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 23,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
99% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Visibility/wiper — median 5,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 5,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — median 3,500 mi
- Forward collision avoidance — median 7,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — median 12,000 mi
- Engine — median 10,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 23,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 6,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
Visibility/wiper accounts for 28.5% of complaints (706 reports, 194 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 5,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 8,000 miles.
A single system taking 28.5% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The electrical system accounts for 17.2% of complaints (426 reports, 153 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 5,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 9,500 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 14.6% of complaints (360 reports, 59 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 3,500 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 8,000 miles.
Forward collision avoidance accounts for 9.1% of complaints (224 reports, 23 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 7,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 1,000 and 12,000 miles.
Visibility equipment accounts for 4.5% of complaints (112 reports, 98 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 12,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 4,000 and 34,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 4.0% of complaints (100 reports, 25 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 10,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,500 and 16,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2020 model year drew the most — 1,134 complaints — while 2025 drew the fewest at 116. The median year sits at 273.
That makes 2020 an outlier: roughly 4.1 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 11 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the transmission and driveline (5), the airbag system (1), visibility equipment (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 2,474 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 112 (4.5%)
- Fires
- 33
- Injury reports
- 30
- Fatality reports
- 0
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Infotainment 2020–2022
Starlink 11.6-inch multimedia unit freezing, rebooting and losing the backup camera display; addressed through repeated software updates.
Fuel System 2019–2020
Denso low-pressure in-tank fuel pump impeller deformation causing rough running and stalling; large cross-manufacturer recall.
Body 2020–2025
Windshield cracking complaints persist from the previous generation.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,134 | 523 |
| 2021 | 411 | 70 |
| 2022 | 553 | 46 |
| 2023 | 124 | 16 |
| 2024 | 136 | 11 |
| 2025 | 116 | 14 |
Recalls (11) — is your car included?
Feb 2025 · 2020–2022 · Air BagsAn air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The defect. 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.
What can happen. An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-24.
Jan 2024 · 2021–2023 · Power TrainAn inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
What can happen. An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Nov 2023 · 2023 · Power TrainSeparation of the front end of the driveshaft increases the risk of a crash.
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.
What can happen. Separation of the front end of the driveshaft increases the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRN-23.
Nov 2022 · 2022 · VisibilityAn insufficiently bonded windshield can detach during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 Impreza and Outback vehicles. The incorrect paint clearcoat may have been applied, which can cause the windshield to be insufficiently bonded to the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 212, "Windshield Mounting."
What can happen. An insufficiently bonded windshield can detach during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The free fix. Subaru will offer owners a vehicle exchange or repurchase, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 21, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-22.
Aug 2022 · 2020–2021 · Power TrainAn improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk…
The defect. 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.
What can happen. An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
The free 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 of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.
Aug 2022 · 2020 · Power TrainAn improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk…
The defect. 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.
What can happen. An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
The free 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 of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-21.
Aug 2022 · 2022 · Engine and Engine CoolingA loose electrical connection to the ECU may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 Outback vehicles. The engine wiring harness may have been damaged, resulting in a loose electrical connection to the engine control unit (ECU).
What can happen. A loose electrical connection to the ECU may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the engine wiring harness and ECU, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRC-22.
Sep 2021 · 2020 · Fuel System, GasolineFuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. 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.
What can happen. Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free 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 this recall is WRG-21.
Feb 2021 · 2021 · Power TrainA loose nut can lead to a lost of retention in the CVT select lever cable and the gear selector not…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2021 Outback and Impreza vehicles. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) select lever cable nut may not have been tightened properly, allowing the nut to loosen.
What can happen. A loose nut can lead to a lost of retention in the CVT select lever cable and the gear selector not functioning properly, increasing risk of crash.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and, if necessary, tighten the nut, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-21.
Jan 2021 · 2020 · Back Over PreventionThe intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.
The defect. 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."
What can happen. The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the software and, if necessary, replace the Cockpit Control Module, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-20.
Oct 2019 · 2020 · Service Brakes, HydraulicA missing or loose bolt may cause the brake pedal mounting area to deform over time, which can reduce braking…
The defect. 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.
What can happen. 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.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal mounting bracket hardware and replace the hardware or brake pedal assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUL-97.
What owners reported
While driving at 30 MPH the windscreen cracked for no apparent reason. An object did not hit the windscreen. I have since replaced the windscreen at safelite with an oem Subaru windscreen and recalibrated the advanced driver safety system costing more than $1,000. There have been several reports of faults in Subaru…
2020 · 7 miles · Visibility/wiper
the contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that a crack had formed on the right, lower passenger's side of the windshield on three separate occasions without impact. The contact had the windshield replaced twice and that the same crack had formed after each replacement. The contact stated that the…
2020 · 70 miles · Visibility equipment
I have less than 100 miles on my 2020 Subaru Outback and am having serious battery issues. I had driven the vehicle on a friday and then went to start it on the following monday and the battery was dead. I called out the Subaru starlink roadside assistance to get the battery jump-started, which they did and i let the…
2020 · 84 miles · Electrical system
I was sitting in my car, waiting for someone to bring out something. The car only had just over 100 miles on it, and i'd only driven it 3 times (including this one) when suddenly there was a crack sound and a large (1'-1.5') Curved crack appeared on the passenger side of the windshield. I called my dealership (the car…
2020 · 103 miles · Visibility/wiper
Built from 680 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page