2020 Subaru Outback: Battery failure
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2020 Outback report: battery failure. CarComplaints.com lists 6 owner complaints, average mileage 11,000 miles.
NHTSA has 259 owner complaints for the 2020 Outback in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11765713 (filed 09/20/2026): “9/20/26 my 2020 subaru outback experienced repeated electrical failures followed by loss of power-steering assistance. the underlying failed component is unknown. the vehicle is parked and available for inspection. while driving, the vehicle intermittently lur…”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11756314 (filed 08/11/2026): “In the first 2 weeks after financing vehicle it started having passenger window issues when it rained it caused window to not wat to go up or would try coming down when trying to let it up when it rained next qas battary kept killing my battery i've replaced 4…”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: replace battery under warranty (3 reports) install a heavy duty battery (2 reports) buy-back option (1 reports). Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Moderate
Finding and splicing chewed wiring is doable with a multimeter and patience but can be time-consuming; harness replacement is pro work. (Our assessment.)
Cost
CarComplaints.com owners report a typical repair cost of about $300 (owner-reported average, not a quote).
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
AutoZone · O'Reilly · Advance · RockAuto
Sources
Page last updated .