2020 Subaru WRX Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other WRX years
- Fewer complaints than other years 13th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru WRX. That ranks 13th out of 24 WRX model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (5 complaints, 29%), typically at around 20,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 17owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2020 Subaru WRX problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 5 | 29% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 18% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 18% | 5,200 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 12% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 12% | 2,100 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 12% | 8,050 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 12% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 6% | 2,100 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 6% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 6% | 250 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2020 Subaru WRX recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:back up lights:switch
Problem: 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.
Risk: Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
The head unit started to delaminate and ghost touching
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…
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…
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
Other Subaru WRX years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 WRX | 3 | 0 |
| 2024 WRX | 14 | 0 |
| 2023 WRX | 8 | 1 |
| 2022 WRX | 25 | 1 |
| 2021 WRX | 13 | 1 |
| 2020 | 17 | 1 |
| 2019 WRX | 30 | 2 |
| 2018 WRX | 43 | 2 |
| 2017 WRX | 53 | 1 |
| 2016 WRX | 31 | 3 |
| 2015 WRX | 52 | 3 |
| 2014 WRX | 6 | 10 |
| 2013 WRX | 7 | 11 |
| 2012 WRX | 2 | 12 |
| 2011 WRX | 4 | 11 |
| 2010 WRX | 1 | 12 |
| 2009 WRX | 41 | 10 |
| 2008 WRX | 65 | 7 |
| 2007 WRX | 0 | 3 |
| 2006 WRX | 14 | 3 |
| 2005 WRX | 19 | 4 |
| 2004 WRX | 42 | 4 |
| 2003 WRX | 60 | 1 |
| 2002 WRX | 427 | 1 |
See all Subaru WRX problems by year, every Subaru model, or the Subaru VIN decoder.
Similar Subaru models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Subaru WRX?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine, visibility/wiper problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 5 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Subaru WRX?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2020 Subaru WRX a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other WRX model years, the 2020 has fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.