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Buying a used 2020 Subaru Outback? Check these 6 recalls first

6 NHTSA recalls · 896 owner complaints on file

Six recalls, five rated high, make this the most recall-heavy year listed: a loose brake pedal bracket bolt, a fuel pump that can stall the car, two separate transmission software recalls that can break the drive chain, a passenger airbag that may not deploy, and a backup camera that cuts out. None is flagged stop-driving or park-outside. Among 896 unverified NHTSA complaints, visibility/wiper and electrical lead, and seven fires are reported.

Before you buy

1. Get the 17-character VIN from the seller and run it at nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows which recalls are still unrepaired on that exact car.
2. Pull the VIN recall report and confirm all six, especially the brake pedal bracket bolt, are closed
3. Ask specifically which transmission software update was applied, since two recalls cover it
4. Check brake pedal feel, backup camera and wipers on the test drive
5. Open recalls are repaired free at any Subaru dealer, whoever owns the car — an open recall is a to-do item, not a bill.

Recalls covering the 2020 Subaru Outback

What owners have reported to NHTSA

896 complaints filed for this model year, including 19 mentioning a crash, 7 a fire and 4 injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, and popular models collect more of them simply because more are on the road.

Other model years

• 2018
• 2019
• 2021
• 2022
• 2023
• All Outback recalls