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2020 Subaru Legacy
Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.
121 owner complaints · 6 recalls · data verified July 14, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why caution?
6 recall campaigns (3 safety-critical). Confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the seller's VIN.
Visibility & wipers problems dominate (55% of complaints, typically reported near 6k miles).
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2020 Subaru Legacy 4 DR AWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 10%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2020 Subaru Legacy, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (15) · Transmission & drivetrain (7) · Driver assistance (7)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Visibility & wipers
55%66 complaints · typically near 6k mi · 1 in the last 2 years
“I have had two spontaneous window cracks within 6 to 9 months apart. I had a full windshield replacement and the windshield has just cracked again. The second incident…”
Electrical system
12%15 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years
“in inclement weather the windows will not roll up, especially heavy rain events. The window will attempt to go up and then go into the fully open position. You have to…”
Transmission & drivetrain
6%7 complaints
“The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact stated that several unknown warning lights illuminated, an…”
Driver assistance
6%7 complaints
“Center console/head unit will regularly lock up and eventually reboot when Apple CarPlay is in use, cruise control, lane keep will turn off, and car will warn that ADA…”
Recalls (6)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Air Bags · 24V227000
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.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
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.
Power Train · 22V485000
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 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.
Power Train · 21V955000
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 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.
Fuel System, Gasoline · 21V587000
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 this recall is WRG-21.
Back Over Prevention · 20V766000
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."
Risk: The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.
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.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · 19V664000
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.
Risk: 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.
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.
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
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What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.