2020 SUBARU LEGACY Complaints and Recall Information
The 2020 SUBARU LEGACY has 5 complaints and 51 recalls filed with NHTSA. Owners most frequently report issues with power windows failing to close during heavy rain and incidents involving engine fires. Other complaints include problems with defective cam carrier seals and intermittent power window malfunctions affecting driver safety and convenience.
- Power window failure. Windows fail to roll up properly in inclement weather, often reversing fully open during heavy rain, requiring a reset or vehicle restart.
- Window motor and tracks defect. The driver side power window intermittently stops functioning, sometimes remaining partly or fully open, complicating response to sudden weather changes.
- Engine fire incidents. Two identical complaints report smoke followed by rapid engine fire on highways without prior warning lights or alerts, necessitating emergency response and vehicle loss.
There are 51 recalls covering various systems including airbags, brakes, powertrain components, fuel delivery, and rearview displays. These recalls address safety risks such as airbag deployment failure, brake performance reduction, transmission malfunction, fuel pump failure, and rearview camera display loss.
- Occupant Detection System Sensors. (NHTSA 24V227000, 118,723 vehicles) Capacitors in front passenger airbag sensors may crack and short circuit, preventing airbag deployment in a crash. Dealers will replace sensors free of charge. No do-not-drive advisory issued.
- Brake Pedal Mounting Bracket. (NHTSA 19V664000, 3,467 vehicles) Missing or loose bolts may deform mounting over time, reducing braking performance and increasing crash risk. Dealers will inspect and replace hardware or pedal assembly as needed.
- Transmission Control Unit Programming. (NHTSA 22V485000/21V955000, over 198,000 vehicles) Programming error may allow clutch engagement before drive chain clamps, risking chain slip or break and loss of drive power. Dealers will reprogram, inspect for damage, and replace transmissions if necessary at no cost.
- Fuel Pump Failure. (NHTSA 21V587000, 175,968 vehicles) Low-pressure fuel pump inside fuel tank may fail, causing engine stall while driving and increasing crash risk. Dealers will replace the fuel pump free of charge.
- Rearview Display Malfunction. (NHTSA 20V766000, 7,741 vehicles) An incomplete software update may corrupt display data causing intermittent rearview camera loss, reducing driver visibility and increasing crash risk. Dealers will reprogram or replace control modules as needed.
Owners facing repeated repairs related to fire hazards, powertrain defects, or critical safety system recalls should consider reviewing their rights under state lemon laws. Vehicles with unresolved safety recalls or ongoing serious malfunctions may qualify for additional protections.
2020 SUBARU LEGACY Summary
2020
Model Year
5
Total Complaints
6
Total Recalls
504336
Vehicles Affected
Recalls
2020 SUBARU LEGACY
118723 vehicles affected
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
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.
2020 SUBARU LEGACY
182 vehicles affected
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
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.
2020 SUBARU LEGACY
198255 vehicles affected
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
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.
2020 SUBARU LEGACY
175968 vehicles affected
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
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.
2020 SUBARU LEGACY
7741 vehicles affected
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 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.
2020 SUBARU LEGACY
3467 vehicles affected
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
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.
Complaints
2020 SUBARU LEGACY
ID: 2110361ENGINE
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.
2020 SUBARU LEGACY
ID: 2110360ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
2020 SUBARU LEGACY
ID: 2072819UNKNOWN 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
ID: 2065116ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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 wait a minute before the window will allow you to attempt again of reset the windows. This happen to me on the highway in a heavy rain. It has happened several times. Subaru knows of this problem and has a technical bulletin about it to change the motor and window tracks. They all should be changed before a fatality occurs
2020 SUBARU LEGACY
ID: 2059583UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Defective Cam Carrier Seal