2020 Subaru Outback Visibility/wiper Problems

NHTSA component category: VISIBILITY/WIPER · data through 07/12/2026

313Visibility/wiper complaints

35.1%Of all 891 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How visibility/wiper ranks on this vehicle

VISIBILITY/WIPER313 · 35.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM251 · 28.2%

Unspecified / other150 · 16.8%

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD64 · 7.2%

ENGINE46 · 5.2%

Share of the 891 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2020 Subaru Outback overview page.

What owners report

“THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO REASON I NEVER SAW ANYTHING HIT IT OR NEVER HEARD ANYTHING HIT IT. IT LOOKS LIKE IT STARTED AT THE…”NHTSA complaint 11340271 — filed 07/19/2020

“2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. CRACKER WINDSHIELD FROM A PEBBLE NICK. NOT A ROCK.”NHTSA complaint 11340229 — filed 07/19/2020

“I WENT INTO A STORE. WHEN I CAME OUT, THERE WAS A S SHAPED CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD, STARTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. NO CARS…”NHTSA complaint 11339051 — filed 07/13/2020

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Visibility/wiper complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2020 Subaru Outback have visibility/wiper problems?

Visibility/wiper is the most-reported problem area on the 2020 Subaru Outback: 313 of 891 complaints on file (35.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2020 Subaru Outback have in total?

891 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 19 involved a crash, 7 involved a fire, 4 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's visibility/wiper category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the VISIBILITY/WIPER category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.