2020 Subaru Outback: key fob or push-button start problems

Filed Sep 20, 2026 · Electrical, Steering · CA

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 lurched/jerked as the center display went completely black and restarted and EyeSight repeatedly became unavailable and returned. After stopping for fuel, I attempted to restart the vehicle. It initially started and then became completely electrically unresponsive: no response from the push-button start and no accessory power. Electrical power unexpectedly returned after I opened the driver's door, and I was able to restart the vehicle. Later, while the engine was continuously running in a parking lot, the display repeatedly blacked out and restarted while EyeSight repeatedly became unavailable and returned. When I shifted into reverse, the vehicle began jerking and power-steering assistance failed. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn and jerked in my hands, preventing me from properly completing the reverse maneuver. I shut the vehicle off and restarted it, which temporarily restored steering. This unpredictable steering failure put me, my two children, and other road users at serious risk. After restarting, I had to travel 65 mph on a highway to get home. Had steering assistance failed again at highway speed, I could have lost lane control or been unable to avoid other vehicles or road users, potentially causing a serious or fatal crash. The vehicle has not yet been inspected for this incident. The repair facility has been notified and I intend to have it towed because I consider it unsafe to drive. Six weeks earlier, the facility inspected the battery, terminals and cables and marked them satisfactory. Prior warnings included EyeSight becoming unavailable, the display blacking out/restarting, and vehicle lurching. I observed no separate steering warning before steering assistance failed.

Filed Aug 3, 2021 · VA

I was trying to open the trunk with the button in the car, it didn’t work, so I pulled the car forward thinking it was the problem, but it wasn’t. I got out of the left the door open and attempted to open it, but it would not. With the keys in my hand, I shut the driver’s side door, and attempted to push the button on the back, but that still didn’t work, even using the key fob. I went back to the driver’s side, only to find that the doors somehow became locked with the car on and the keys in my hands. The doors would not unlock even though I touched the driver’s front and the passenger’s front doors. Using the key fob did not work. Luckily this car has the key in the fob and that’s what I had to use to enter the car. Actually, this is two incidents in one, the trunk would not open and the doors locked with the car running and the keys in my hand. The trunk oddly just spontaneously started to work again after the analogue key was used on the door. Of note, the monitor and Apple CarPlay had been on the fritz all morning and continued. I’m not sure if the electronics caused a problem with trunk opening and the car doors locking while the car was running.

Filed Jun 21, 2021 · Body, Engine · 7,500 miles · OR

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 65 mph when multiple warning lights were illuminated and a "Stop Driving the Vehicle" message was displayed. The contact stated he was able to drive to a nearby gas station. The contact stated while inspecting under the hood, he noticed the drive belt was shredded. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the drive belt to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated in February of 2021, the tailgate failed to open with the key fob or manually. The contact stated after opening the tailgate, it failed to latch and close properly. The contact stated the tailgate ajar warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was called and made aware of the failure. The dealer informed the contact to disconnected the battery. The contact followed the instructions and stated the tailgate was functioning properly but in May of 2021, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to Royal Moore Subaru (1326 SE Enterprise Cir, Hillsboro, OR 97123: (503) 640-5660) where they were unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 7,500.

Filed Feb 5, 2021 · Electrical · 2,000 miles · WI

Tl* the contact owns a 2020 subaru outback. The contact stated that the doors failed to open with the key fob. The contact noticed that the battery was drained. The contact called don miller subaru west (5822 odana rd, madison, wi 53719; (608) 442-3200) and was informed to start the vehicle more frequently so that the battery would recharge. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 2,000. The VIN was invalid.

Filed Jul 23, 2020 · Electrical · 765 miles · WA

Our 2020 subaru outback, with fewer than 800 miles, failed to start four times (6/1, 7/1, 7/10, & 7/13). During these incidents, interior and exterior lights flashed, the dashboard produced a clicking sound, the doors would not lock, and the tailgate became inoperative. Roadside assistance successfully jump-started the car each time and took it to two different dealers for diagnostic testing -- one in seattle and one in tacoma. Two roadside assistance service providers said their most frequent service calls requiring a jump-start were for "late model subarus. One service technician said he received more than 100 such requests during the past three months. The tacoma dealer filed am urfca report with subaru headquarters after the third incident. During the fourth incident, the battery failed while the vehicle was at the tacoma dealer, who replaced the battery on july 13, 2020. After recharging the battery, it took a few days of being parked before the battery failed. During this last incident, I intentionally left the vehicle with the dealer over a weekend, which was long enough for the recently charged battery to drain enough to fail to start the car. When I picked up the car, the service advisor told me these cars need to be driven at least 30 minutes per trip to sufficiently recharge the battery. We've owned five subaru outbacks, and have not received this advice before, nor did the dealer's sales representative call this to our attention when we purchased the 2020 outback. Our lifestyle, coupled with the covid-19 virus, only requires one or two trips per month lasting more than 30 minutes. The car sits in the garage for two to three days without being started. We always lock the vehicle, turn off all lights, close the tailgate, and keep the key fob in the house, which is more than 500 feet from the detached garage.

Filed Nov 25, 2019 · 150 miles · MD · 1 injury

I experienced two incidents with the lift gate on my 2020 outback limited xt which I believe to be serious safety concerns. They both happened on 11/23/2019. First incident: the car was in an indoor parking garage, backed up to the wall with about 4 ft of clearance between the closed lift gate and the wall. I had just put my 2-year-old grandson into his stroller, and we were between the rear of the car and the wall. As I was wheeling the stroller away from the car, the lift gate automatically opened and pinned the stroller against the wall! I was not touching the key fob in any way. The gate did not immediately sense the obstruction, and it continued to force itself against the stroller. I had to push forcefully against the lift gate in order to free my grandson and me. Second incident: after returning to the car which was parked as described in the first incident, the lift gate forcefully hit my wife on the head! I had raised the gate, and after the gate was all the way up, my wife bent down to put an item in. The lift gate came down on her head. She was in excruciating pain! It has been about 24 hours since this occurred, and she is still experiencing headache, nausea and blurred vision. We are now seeking medical attention. Later that afternoon I experimented with the gate, and it malfunctioned the same way (2nd incident) 2 more times! After it went up all the way, the gate immediately came down automatically! (without the key fob being physically contacted in any way)