SubaruLegacy2020Overview/subaru/legacy/2020/base/

2020 Subaru Legacy

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2020 Legacy.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy runs on DO Engines spec'd for 0W-20 oil, and its reliability record shows 121 owner complaints with visibility and wiper issues leading the categories alongside six recalls. In the broader context spanning 1990 through 2025, this model year sits well below the 1995 peak of 216 complaints but above the 2025 low of six, placing it in the middle of the Legacy's long-term complaint spectrum. That positioning suggests the 2020 iteration carries moderate historical complaint volume rather than marking an extreme for the nameplate.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182017

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacityDO EnginesOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
Lug nut torque88.5 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 620 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 47 · 620 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size225/55R17 97VOEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-7.5 inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length190.6 in
Overall width74.8 in
Overall height59.1 in
Wheelbase108.3 in
Curb weight3541 lb
Track (front / rear)62.2 / 63.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Legacy of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.1–8.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.10 sec — 2020 Touring XT
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2020Touring XT 2.4L Turbo F-46.10 sec14.70 sec260 hpAWD
2020Touring XT 2.4L Turbo F-46.10 sec14.80 sec260 hpAWD
2020Touring XT 2.4L Turbo F-46.20 sec14.80 sec260 hpAWD
2020Sport 2.5L F-48.00 sec16.20 sec182 hpAWD
2020Sport 2.5L F-48.10 sec16.20 sec182 hpAWD
2020Limited 2.5L F-48.30 sec16.50 sec182 hpAWD
2021Limited 2.5L F-48.30 sec16.40 sec182 hpAWD
2023Sport 2.4L Turbo F-45.70 sec14.30 sec260 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds DO Engines of 0W-20 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 88.5 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 31.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-2-4.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantSubaru Super Coolant Diluted
Engine Oil0W-20 · Synthetic

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs13.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug31.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug31.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts88.5 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-2-4
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)DO: 675; DOTC: 700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)±100 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (Secondary Under Load)DO: 850; DOTC: 842.5 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (Secondary Under Load)DO: ±100; DOTC: ±142.5 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug TypeDOTC: SILKFR8A6; DO: DILKAR7Q8
Spark Plug Gap.020-.024; DO: .028-.031 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR1234yf
Refrigerant Capacity0.93-1.05 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46YF
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance620 cca

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 20.0 ft-lbs; Rear: 18.0 ft-lbs
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 100 ft-lbs
ABS Sensor TorqueFront: 6.0; Rear: 6.0
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1.023; Rear: .590

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
189.0 inch lbs., Step 2: 18.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 90-95°89 in
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
115.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 120°±5°15 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
170.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 60°±5°70 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
114.8 ft. lbs., Step 2: 73.8 ft. lbs., Step 3: Loosen 360°, Step 4: 14.8 ft. lbs., Step 5: 31.0 ft. lbs., Step 6: 98-102°, Step 7: Bolts 1 & 2: 98-102°, Step 8: Bolts 3, 4, 5 & 6: 48-52°14.8 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
121.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 30-35°21 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Inside Bolts 1-1026 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 6,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 6,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 12,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Parking Brake System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 72,000 miFuel Filter (replace)
At 137,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy represents a peak in technical volatility for the model line, recording 572 Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs), the highest number in the provided federal record. While complaints remained stable relative to 2019 (121 versus 122), recalls doubled to 6 in 2020 compared to 3 in the preceding year. This year marks a critical pivot point, as complaints dropped sharply to 31 in 2021, suggesting the 2020 model faced more significant initial hurdles. Top complaint areas for 2020 include Visibility/Wiper (50) and "Unknown Or Other" (20), though the data does not specify the root cause for the latter. The year also recorded one crash complaint and one fire complaint. Given the record-high TSB volume and the immediate improvement in reliability metrics for subsequent years, this is not a recommended year to buy.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
572
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
121
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 121 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Visibility/Wiper50
Unknown Or Other20
Visibility9
Electrical System9
Power Train6
Unknown Or Other,Visibility/Wiper4
Vehicle Speed Control3
Electrical System,Engine2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V766000Back Over Prevention:Display FunctionReported 10/12/2020

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with "high" grade and "mid" grade multimedia navigation. The August 2020 over-the-air software update may have timed out… Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the software and, if necessary, replace the Cockpit Control Module, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2021. Owners…

21V955000Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm)Reported 09/12/2021

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain… Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 572 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
02-193-24R2026-06-29EngineThis bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for…
15-246-19R2026-06-29Electrical SystemThis Service Information Bulletin outlines a new required procedure to follow when…
09-74-21R2026-06-25EngineThis bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for…
09-81-21R2026-06-24Fuel/Propulsion SystemThis bulletin announces design changes made to the fuel injector and fuel pipe in…
16-159-262026-06-22Electrical SystemThis bulletin provides new diagnostic steps for DTC P0851 and P0852 to be used in…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Legacy. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2020 Legacy take?

DO Engines of 0W-20 Synthetic, per the factory manual.

Does the 2020 Legacy have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.