The electrical system, windshield cracking, and brake issues are among the top complaints based on our findings.
Subaru has long been known for making a great, dependable car, so there were high hopes when it came to the 2020 Subaru WRX. The automaker claims that owners get a “WRX advantage” with this model. However, many owners don’t believe they are getting any advantage at all — especially those with failing batteries, failing brakes, and windshields that crack.
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The common problems highlighted by complaints lodged with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) relate to faulty batteries, brake failures, and windshields that crack. However, other components and systems are implicated as being problematic. These include the airbags, engine, fuel/propulsion system, seat belts, and wheels of the car.
There is also a recall that involves the 2020 WRX. Filed under exterior lighting by Subaru, it involves 59,934 WRX vehicles manufactured between 2015 and 2021. It warns that the backup light switch may corrode and cease to work. This can result in the backup lights not illuminating and the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is in reverse. The danger is reduced visibility and driver awareness, which increases the risk of a crash.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Air Bags | |
| Engine | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Seat Belts | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Wheels |
The most common electrical system problem highlighted in NHTSA complaints is battery drain. This suggests a chronic issue where the electrical system is draining the battery faster than normal.
An owner from Missouri states that the four times in less than 15 months and 2,500 miles. “Each time Subaru has replaced the battery under warranty and told me that nothing is wrong and that the car simply needs to be driven more.” However, he has identified “a systemic problem for Subarus,” and quotes a lawsuit concerning battery drain in Subaru models including the 2020 WRX. ”A recall is needed to force Subaru to address this problem.”
Battery drainage has occurred often, says a 2020 WRX owner. “I have been left stranded at night time in unsafe areas. The car was taken to the dealer twice and both times the battery has been ‘recharged’. I’ve had the car for less than 3 years. No symptoms occur before this happens. This seems to happen when the car has not been moved for more than a day.”
An owner from Virginia states that less than three years after buying the WRX the battery began to fail. “I have had it tested and the cold cranking amps are way below where they should be causing the car not (to) be able to start on time.”
An owner from Colorado says his vehicle “seems to randomly die and bog out then all of the lights appear on the dash.” Unlike the owner in Missouri, he has had to pay for a new battery. The dealer, he states, “decided not to check it as I had asked and after getting my car back the issue was still there which is why I replaced it today. not only this but they sold me a highly modified vehicle without disclosing any of that info to me in the sale process.”
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It seems that many Subaru models have problems with windshields that crack spontaneously, and the 2020 WRX is no exception.
Most owners say that the glass simply cracks spontaneously, sometimes while driving and sometimes while the vehicle is parked. For instance, an owner from Georgia got into the car to drive to work “and the front windshield just cracked on its own with nothing hitting it.” An owner from California states that the windshield cracked for no apparent reason while the car was stationary.
But an owner from Colorado had a much more dramatic experience. While at a stoplight, there was a loud pop. Looking back, she saw there was “a hole in the middle of the rear windshield.” It was approximately 2 inches tall and at least 18 inches wide, probably caused by “an implosion”. There weren’t any objects near, on, or in the car. “The windshield crumbled after that.” Every time she accelerated, more glass dropped inside the car. “Nothing prompted it, just sitting stationary at a stoplight.” The complaint states that the defroster wasn’t on and the temperature was approximately 45 ℉ with minimal wind. “My rear-facing car seat, with (my) child in it, collected a fair amount of the glass.”
Another essential system is the service brakes. Without the brakes operating correctly, occupants could be in a lot of danger, which is what happened to a young man from Maryland.
A WRX owner’s son was driving at 40 mph when he “attempted to depress the brake pedal. However, the vehicle failed to stop, running a red light,” and the vehicle was T-boned. The impact caused the vehicle to hit a light post. But it wasn’t only the brakes that were faulty, “the airbags failed to deploy and the seat belt failed to lock.” The driver sustained a fractured wrist and was attended to by a doctor. A police report was filed. The vehicle was totaled and was towed to a body shop.
According to the complaint, five days before the crash “her son was driving and the brake pedal failed to engage while coming to a stop light. He 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.
Another complaint, this time from an owner in Georgia, highlights a safety concern with the Subaru WRX parking brake system and dissatisfaction with the dealership’s response. Even after applying the brake to the maximum (11 clicks), “the vehicle will not remain in place.” The owner expresses concern “that if the brake is required in an emergency situation, it will not effectively stop the vehicle as the wheels are still allowed to turn more freely than expected given its inability to hold the vehicle on a hill.” Having taken the vehicle to Subaru twice, he was “summarily denied service. The technician refused to even inspect (the) vehicle,” simply repeating the instructions to use 11 clicks and put the car in gear.
“Subaru also instructed me to put a wheel stop behind the wheel as a standard practice in this common parking scenario, which isn’t possible to do if I have to take my foot off the brake to get out of the car to place the wheel stop. As soon as I take my foot off the brake, the vehicle moves so I am unable to safely exit (the) vehicle in order to place the wheel stop. This is a serious safety issue both for keeping a parked vehicle in place and also in an emergency brake scenario.”
If you think you may have bought a lemon, contact the Lemberg Law Helpline or fill out a contact form. Our lemon law legal team will assess your problems free of charge — because the law makes Subaru pay legal fees.
Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace, or pay cash settlements to thousands of lemon owners. You might be one of them.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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