CSR
Check a VIN

Look up

About

Subaru · NHTSA safety record

2020 Subaru WRX

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 17 safety complaints about the 2020 Subaru WRX with the US government. Of those, 1 describes a crash, 1 person was injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the exterior lighting.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 5 complaints, 29% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 9,600 miles, the median across the 6 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers December 2019 to October 2025 · How this is counted

What is on file

17 complaints on file

17

Complaints

1

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

1

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 5 · 29%
ENGINE 3 · 18%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 3 · 18%
POWER TRAIN 2 · 12%
SEAT BELTS 2 · 12%
SERVICE BRAKES 2 · 12%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 · 12%
AIR BAGS 1 · 6%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 · 6%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 · 6%
WHEELS 1 · 6%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 17.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2022 at 4.

8 6 4 2
19 20 21 22 23 24 25

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2019 to 2025.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2020 Subaru WRX, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4 DR AWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 10.1%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

1 on file

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS:SWITCH

22V522000 · July 21, 2022

The defect
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. The backup light switch may corrode and become inoperative, which can result in the backup lights not illuminating and the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is in reverse.
The risk
Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the backup light switch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-22.

Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 59,934 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 2,100 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2020 SUBARU WRX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HE SON WAS DRIVING AT 40 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP, RUNNING A RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE WAS T-BONED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IMPACT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT A LIGHT POST, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK. THE CONTACT STATED FIVE DAYS PRIOR HER SON WAS DRIVING AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO ENGAGED WHILE COMING TO A STOP LIGHT. THE DRIVER HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER STATED THAT NO WARNING LIGHTS OR MESSAGES WERE DISPLAYED DURING EITHER FAILURE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A FRACTURED WRIST. THE

NHTSA complaint 11322830, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

30,000 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru WRX. The contact stated that while the transmission was shifted into neutral (N), the instrument panel displayed that the transmission was shifted in reverse (R), and the rearview camera image was displayed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact shifted the transmission to drive (D), but the instrument panel displayed that the transmission was still in reverse (R), and the rearview camera was displayed while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V522000

NHTSA complaint 11694019, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The head unit started to delaminate and ghost touching

NHTSA complaint 11684021. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
2020 WRX: TR690 (CVT) transmission that the car came equipped with, began leaking between the engine and (CVT) transmission, it was noticed during an oil change at 71686 miles but not identified as (CVT) transmission fluid immediately, it was cleaned and assumed to be oil spill. Another oil change was done at 77576 miles, and the (CVT) transmission was leaking between engine and (CVT) transmission, it was noted before the oil was even drained. I looked up recalls from NHTSA and found none. Then looked at Subaru Service Bulletins and found Service Bulletin 16-103-16 that only covers 2015 MY through 2019 MY WRX with (CVT) transmission leaking at front pump/chain cover between the engine and

NHTSA complaint 11676691, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Parasitic battery problem My car battery keeps dying on my Subaru sti 2020 after one day of not driving. I have had the car checked with Subaru dealership and a local shop but no issues were found. This morning I had to get my car jumped again after not driving it for one day. This battery was purchased brand new on nov 2024.At this point I am not sure what to do. I don’t want to keep changing batteries every 3 months. Already contacted Subaru America and they have asked me to go back to the dealership and have them provide a diagnostic assessment.

NHTSA complaint 11634545. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
I purchased the vehicle used with 33800 miles and at 34100 the engine stalled and was hard to start, once started it was knocking severely. I have seen a class action law suit based on the same issues but the 2020 model year is not included

NHTSA complaint 11615911. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS
Rear passenger seatbelts fraying. My two children are sitting in the back seat, there is no warning that my seatbelts were frayed putting their life at risk! Took the car to the dealership to have them check what is going on with the seatbelt mechanism, they said “there is no mechanical issue, therefore it is not under warranty.”

NHTSA complaint 11607625. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Subaru WRX

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2023 8 1 —
2022 25 1 —
2021 13 1 —
2019 30 2 —
2018 42 2 —
2017 53 1 —
2016 31 3 —
2015 52 3 —

Other 2020 Subaru models

Outback 899 Forester 601 Ascent 322 Legacy 121 Impreza 85 Crosstrek 69

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Subaru on this site — 99 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst