Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, backup camera).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Subaru Outback owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving in reverse the vehicle crashed into a metal dumpster causing severe damage to the rear end of the vehicle. During the incident, the audible backover prevention alert indicating that the vehicle was nearing an object did not activate causing the vehicle to be driven into the dumpster. During the incident, the front passenger sustained neck and back injuries that later required medical treatment. No police report was taken and the vehicle was driven from the scene. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,000.
The Subaru front camera incorrectly detected a hazard. The automatic braking system engaged and locked the steering. I skidded off the pavement, causing damage to the car. At the time of the accident, the blind sight warning lights flashed on the dash signaling that they were disabled. I was going very slow in a driveway. No personal damage just property damage and damage to the car. I have let the insurance company know about the issue and the collision center. I have had periodic instances where the warning signals of blind sight disabled have come on the vehicle. I informed Subaru in August 2024 about the issue at my last maintenance appointment. There is also a software update required on the vehicle. I asked Subaru to update the software in August 2024, but I was told by a service technician that it was not possible to update . …
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V227000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while reversing, the rearview camera displayed a distorted image, compromising the back-over prevention system. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA: 20V766000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 61,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Eyesight System inadvertently deactivated, causing the power steering to fail and the vehicle to go into Limp Mode. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle to correct the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 121,000.
I was driving and car accelerated without warning. Hit partially open garage door, only stopped after hitting and damaging back wall of garage. Significant damage to car, items in the garage and garage wall. There was no warning whatsoever. As of yet the car has not been assessed as to the cause of the malfunction.
Since we have owned the car since Feb 2020, we have had many dead batteries and the Subaru dealership 100+ miles away has replaced our battery at least 4 times. We live in rural Wyoming and need a reliable car for driving in the winter months when it can get below zero. We have jumped the battery numerous times but sometime the electronics don't work correctly like cruise control, dash warnings, windows, airbags, etc. We are always taking a chance driving it the 100+ miles from our residence to the nearest Subaru dealership in Ogden, UT. Even after driving it over 100 miles the battery will not charge up because it is damaged and we have to get a new battery from the Subaru dealership. We are averaging about 12,000 miles yearly travel; however, sometimes the car is not driven at all for a few days. If we don't drive the car at least every other day, we will have a dead battery. …
Blind spot warning does not turn on when there is actually a vehicle truly in the blind spot. Visibility in new cars via windows is blocked and insufficient, and the blind spot warning does not activate at the right time. Drivers could easily cut someone off with less than a foot in front of the car in the blind spot, because there is no proper warning. Warning only turns on when vehicle could hit another car when switching lanes. Not before when visibility is limited by vehicle structure and mirrors. Also, touch screens are a huge hazard in cars. Having to look at a touch screen in order to control air or other items is a huge safety hazard. Tactile controls and buttons are much safer. Not to mention touch screens and screens do not work during heatwaves. Car sitting in temperatures above 80 degrees, have major issues with computer screens working. …
I was driving in a residential neighborhood at low speed, about 20 mph. I slowed down because I needed to park at the curb, and also I was approaching a large speed bump. This was one of the wide, flat ones. I pulled over to the right curb a couple of car lengths before the speed bump, preparing to park. I went over the bump, accelerating a tiny bit to get over the bump. I was going maybe 10 miles an hour. As I came down off the bump, or shortly after that, the accelerator pedal moved down away from my foot. I felt the pedal move down and away so that my foot was no longer touching it. At the same time, the engine speed surged (I heard it rev), and the car lurched forward for a second or two. I put my foot on the brake and also saw the obstacle detection on the instrument panel and saw the red lights and heard the beeping, and the car stopped moving. …
Purchased the vehicle new and from the beginning the passenger side blind spot detection has been inconsistent in alerting for vehicles in or approaching the blind spot. Had it checked when new and on 11/2/21 and the dealer reported it was operating according to specifications and no fault codes were shown. The dealer did not test drive the car. In a recent test of about 100 miles, about 20% of the time the BSD FAILED TO EITHER DETECT, or detected too late, a vehicle that was being passed or one approaching from behind on the passenger side. Remarkably it seems to fail more often when passing a semi. It caused a near miss at night when it was difficult to see through the deeply tinted windows and when the BSD failed to recognize a vehicle squarely in the blind spot as I tried to merge into the right lane. …
I was driving to a medical appointment in Ann Arbor Mi, and was in the area where [redacted] has a few big turns in the road .... like at ... [redacted] .All of he sudden the car started to accelerate a little on the turn so I attempted to brake the vehicle and I could not feel the brake pedal. I slowly moved into the right lane and frantically trying to slow the car down. I still could not feel the brake pedal and I believe when I hit the speed control off is when it slowed down and I was able to finally brake the car. It all happened in a matter of 10-20 seconds I would guess and it was absolutely terrifying. I have on occasion used the speed control to slow down the vehicle and wonder if that might have some connection.
Related recalls
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…
Remedy: 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.
Collision Avoidance complaints in other Outback years
Frequently asked questions
How common are collision avoidance problems on the 2020 Subaru Outback?
NHTSA has 60 complaints about the driver assistance of the 2020 Subaru Outback, 7% of the model year's 901 complaints. The component named most often is warnings (31 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Subaru Outback collision avoidance problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 20V-766 (display function, Dec 10, 2020). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2020 Subaru Outback collision avoidance problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 12,000 miles, and 88% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to driver assistance problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.