2020 Subaru Outback engine problems
51 of the 899 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Outback name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 116 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database3 of the 51 reports a crash · 3 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2020: 6 · 2021: 13 · 2022: 9 · 2023: 15 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 4
Half of the 18 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 6,000 and 15,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
899 complaints in all about the 2020 Subaru Outback, 4 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Subaru Outback engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
3 weeks ago the all of the warning lights came on. Had vehicle towed to dealership. Could not find out what was wrong. Saw there was a lot of carbon build up which was unusual since there is only 26,000 miles on vehicle. After a week a dealership a cleaning took it home. Went back the next day.
The EyeSight system will randomly not load at times and need to be reset for Rear Automatic Braking and other EyeSight safety features to become available. This usually only occurs within 30 seconds of engine startup but always occurs when plugging in a phone with Android Auto (a phone with Apple Car Play has never been used for…
My car stalled at a stop light when I attempted to go when the light turned green. The car was in auto shut off mode so the engine was not running at the time. When I took my foot off the brake to go, the car didn’t restart and started shaking and all the lights on the dash came on.
11/10/21 first incident: vehicle stalled in middle of dangerous busy road intersection: would not start. After about 15-20 min, it restarted. Drove to Dealer who reported: "battery low, taking too many short trips running down the battery. Many codes found. all referring to low battery".
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while enter a freeway the speed suddenly reduced to approximately 15 MPH. The vehicle failed to exceed 15 MPH. Additionally, the vehicle lurched forward and would not immediately stop while depressing the brake pedal.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications116 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- 02-196-26R Service bulletinAug 20, 2026
- This service bulletin outlines the diagnostic and repair procedure for white smoke emitted from the exhaust after startup. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
The 1 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
B2A16 P2404 P0087 P0016 P0017 P0420 P2096 P2097
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2020 Subaru Outback names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2020 Subaru Outback
Source: the same files- electrical problems 261 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2020 Subaru Outback?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 51 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (6% of everything owners filed about it), and 116 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2020 Subaru Outback?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 6 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2020 Subaru Outback?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 7,500 miles; half of them between 6,000 and 15,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.