Seventh generation
2020 Subaru Legacy
The most reported problem on the 2020 Subaru Legacy is windshield, with 63 complaints, usually around 6,000 miles.
- 121owner complaints
- 6recalls
- 1involved a crash
- 7,362median miles at failure
Newest report Jun 20, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
What is your Legacy doing?
Each one opens a sheet built from the owner reports of that problem on the 2020 model year.
Is the 2020 Subaru Legacy reliable?
The 2020 Subaru Legacy has 121 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, below the median of 201 for 2020 sedans on this site. Of the 11 Legacy model years since 2014, it has the 4th most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to the 2019 and 2021
- At 17 complaints for each year on the road, the 2020 runs close to the 2019 (15) and 3.3 times the 2021 (5).
- Top problem
- One problem takes up much of the file: windshield, named in 63 of the 121 complaints (52%). Windshield tends to show up early. Of the 38 owners who gave a mileage for it, half were under about 6,000 miles and a quarter under about 3,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- Only 2 of the 121 complaints (2%) report a crash, a fire or an injury, well under the 6% typical of vehicles on this site. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 1 report mentions a crash, 1 mentions a fire and 1 person was hurt.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- No recall on file is on the same system as windshield. For those, the complaints are all there is.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2021 at 42 and have dropped every year since, to 5 in 2025. So far in 2026, 2 more have come in.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: windshield cracks or distorts, 63 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
121 complaints is 1.8 times fewer than the median 2020 model on this site and 1.7 times fewer than the median 2020 sedan. Among the 6 Legacy model years here it ranks 4th for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2020 Subaru Legacy
Subaru filed 587 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2020 Subaru Legacy. 17 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Windshield cracks or distorts 4 bulletins · 63 complaints
This bulletin announces availability of new door window regulator assemblies and door glass run channel seals in response to limited concerns of erratic operation of the anti-entrapment feature and / or the door glass either not closing or closing very slowly.
This announcement is in regard to settlement in a class action lawsuit for vehicles that will receive a limited warranty extension for original equipment Subaru windshields experiencing a qualifying crack.
2 more on this problem
This bulletin announces availability of new front door window regulator assemblies in response to limited concerns of erratic operation of the anti-entrapment feature and / or the door glass either not closing or closing very slowly.
If you encounter a customer complaint of a white residue build up on the rear door partition glass or interior molding, it may be crystallized salt.
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 9 bulletins · 9 complaints
This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
This bulletin announces the design change made to the Center Information Display (CID) assemblies developed to address the following symptoms. 1. Illumination malfunction of the adjustment knobs and/or buttons (no illumination or flash/ flicker). 2.
7 more on this problem
This Service Information Bulletin is to inform you of the diagnosis procedure of the CP1/ CP1.5 Infotainment System when DTC B2256 is detected.
This Service Information Bulletin addresses isolated customer concerns regarding the pictured CP1 BASE Model Center Information Display (CID) LOWER 7-inch display screen flashing, not responding to touch inputs and / or shutting off intermittently.
This Service Information Bulletin is to inform you of the diagnosis procedure of the Harman Infotainment System when DTC B2256 is detected.
This bulletin addresses isolated customer concerns regarding the pictured CP1 BASEModel Center Information Display (CID) LOWER 7-inchdisplay screen flashing, not responding to touch inputs and / or shutting off intermittently.
This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic essential information during diagnosis and repair of the Infotainment concerns. (Applicable to all models with Harman or Denso CP1 Infotainment).
This bulletin provides helpful tips to use when diagnosing customer concerns which may arise when operating the new-generation Denso CP1 Multimedia Navigation (AVN) & Display Audio (DA) systems.
This Service Information Bulletin addresses isolated customer concerns regarding the CP1 Base Model Center Information Display (CID) lower 7-inch display screen flashing, not responding to touch inputs, and / or shutting off intermittently.
Battery dies or the car will not start 4 bulletins · 7 complaints
This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or frequent jump-starts.This is an revised ...
Subaru Battery Drain Product Liability Litigation.
2 more on this problem
Battery Drain Class Action Settlement- Warranty Extension Training.
Announcement to Subaru Retailers regarding the preliminary settlement in a class action lawsuit regarding battery drain in certain Subaru vehicles.
Complaints filed by year
42 complaints came in 2021. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
Recalls that include the 2020 Subaru Legacy
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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 and remedy
Remedy: 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.
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 and remedy
Remedy: 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.
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 and remedy
Remedy: 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.
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 and remedy
Remedy: 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.
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 and remedy
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. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-20.
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 and remedy
Remedy: 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.
All 6 recalls on the 2020 Subaru Legacy, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide Buying one used? How to research one car’s history before you pay
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2020 Subaru Legacy?
Windshield, with 63 of the 121 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 6,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2020 Subaru Legacy problems start?
Of the 58 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 4,000 miles and half by about 7,000.
Is the 2020 Subaru Legacy better or worse than the 2019 and 2021?
Counted per year on the road, the 2020 has about as many complaints as the 2019 and more complaints than the 2021: 17 a year against 15 and 5.
How many 2020 Subaru Legacy complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
2 of them (2%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for windshield on the 2020 Subaru Legacy?
No recall on file for the 2020 Subaru Legacy is on the same system as windshield. Another recall may still cover your car, so check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.