2020 Subaru Legacy recalls

6 safety recalls, 121 owner complaints and a 5-star NHTSA crash rating. Official NHTSA data.

202520242023202220212020
6Recalls
121Complaints
2Crashes & fires reported
5/5NHTSA overall rating

Not every 2020 Subaru Legacy is affected by every recall. Check your VIN to see open recalls on your exact vehicle.

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2020 Subaru Legacy recall list

Air Bags recall

24V-227
March 22, 2024 · Subaru of America, Inc.
Problem
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.
Safety risk
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
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.

Power Train recall

22V-485
July 8, 2022 · Subaru of America, Inc.
Problem
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.
Safety risk
An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
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.

Power Train recall

21V-955
December 9, 2021 · Subaru of America, Inc.
Problem
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.
Safety risk
An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
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.

Fuel System, Gasoline recall

21V-587
July 29, 2021 · Subaru of America, Inc.
Problem
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.
Safety risk
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.

Back Over Prevention recall

20V-766
December 10, 2020 · Subaru of America, Inc.
Problem
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."
Safety risk
The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.
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.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic recall

19V-664
September 18, 2019 · Subaru of America, Inc.
Problem
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.
Safety 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.
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.

2020 Subaru Legacy owner complaints

121 complaints filed with NHTSA, including 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury and 0 deaths.

Problems by component

Visibility/Wiper57
Unknown or Other26
Electrical System15
Visibility9
Power Train7
Forward Collision Avoidance7
Engine4
Vehicle Speed Control4
Service Brakes2
Lane Departure2

Recent complaints

June 20, 2026SteeringElectrical SystemUnknown or Other

While driving there is a loss of power, the battery fails, electronic components shut down and car stops. Has happened intermittently. Replaced battery. This is a significant safety issue happened on freeway near exit ramp, in parking lot in driveway, everything cuts out. Opened hood and seems to be battery terminal connector. Recall was issued for certain Subaru models but not legacy. No warning, just cuts off. Is not a standard battery terminal connector. Had to secure battery down with cable ties.

April 1, 2026Seats

Driver's seat structurally unstable due to factory-installed welded nut shearing off the seat rail anchor at approximately 32,000 miles. Confirmed by Napleton Subaru technician on video. Physical component in owner's possession. Failure is consistent with prior Subaru seat rail weld recalls. This affects seat stability, occupant restraint geometry, and crash protection.

November 5, 2025Visibility

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that during inclement weather, the front driver and front passenger’s side power windows failed to automatically roll up as intended. The contact was forced to hold the power window button to slowly roll the windows up. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where the contact was informed that there was debris in the slides inside the windows, causing the windows to fail to retract. The contact stated that the driver’s side window retractor was replaced; however, the failure returned soon after the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 29,000.

July 16, 2025Electrical SystemEngineFire

One hour into traveling on the highway smoke began to come from under the hood so we pulled off to the side of the road. Upon opening the hood, after the smoke cleared, a fire was observed. At that point the passengers exited the vehicle and called 911. There was no warning lights or sounds indicating any problems prior to this. The car burned very quickly and the firefighters extinguished the fire but not before the entire car was burned to ashes. The car is wrapped and in the possession of the insurance company pending investigation.

March 12, 2025Unknown or Other

Power window driver side intermittently fails to function, leaving window partly or completely open. This is an ongoing problem. Often I have to restart the car to get the window to operate properly. Difficult to drive when weather conditions change suddenly and window won’t close.

2020 Subaru Legacy crash test ratings

VersionOverallFrontalSideRollover
2020 Subaru Legacy 4 DR AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Driver aids on the tested 2020 Subaru Legacy: electronic stability control standard, forward collision warning standard, lane departure warning standard. Rollover risk: 10.1%.

2020 Subaru Legacy recall FAQ

Does the 2020 Subaru Legacy have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls for the 2020 Subaru Legacy. The most recent, filed March 22, 2024, concerns the air bags.

What are the most common 2020 Subaru Legacy problems?

Owners have filed 121 complaints with NHTSA. The most reported area is visibility/wiper (57 reports), followed by unknown or other.

Is the 2020 Subaru Legacy safe?

The 2020 Subaru Legacy earned up to a 5-star overall safety rating in NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program crash tests.

How do I get a recall fixed on my 2020 Subaru Legacy?

Contact any authorized Subaru dealer. Recall repairs are free, even if you are not the original owner or the warranty has expired.