Subaru Outback complaints by model year
9,754 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Red numbers above the columns are recall campaigns for that model year.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 81 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 | 102 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 89 | 8 | 1 | 2 |
| 2022 | 464 | 10 | 4 | 4 |
| 2021 | 296 | 9 | 1 | 4 |
| 2020 | 899 | 19 | 7 | 6 |
| 2019 | 1,035 | 24 | 2 | 3 |
| 2018 | 813 | 27 | 4 | 3 |
| 2017 | 917 | 32 | 3 | 4 |
| 2016 | 643 | 22 | 3 | 4 |
| 2015 | 510 | 20 | 5 | 5 |
| 2014 | 208 | 14 | 2 | 10 |
| 2013 | 297 | 18 | 6 | 12 |
| 2012 | 292 | 15 | 6 | 16 |
| 2011 | 652 | 23 | 6 | 16 |
| 2010 | 360 | 12 | 3 | 18 |
| 2009 | 106 | 1 | 3 | 13 |
| 2008 | 226 | 12 | 3 | 8 |
| 2007 | 129 | 9 | 2 | 8 |
| 2006 | 277 | 7 | 3 | 7 |
| 2005 | 273 | 13 | 3 | 9 |
| 2004 | 90 | 9 | 4 | 10 |
| 2003 | 93 | 7 | 1 | 14 |
| 2002 | 143 | 9 | 0 | 4 |
| 2001 | 171 | 16 | 5 | 3 |
| 2000 | 207 | 17 | 5 | 1 |
| 1999 | 111 | 13 | 1 | 1 |
| 1998 | 127 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
| 1997 | 79 | 7 | 2 | 4 |
| 1996 | 46 | 12 | 1 | 2 |
| 1995 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Among the last 15 model years at least five years old; newer years are left out because owners are still filing reports. Every year compared →
Problem areas by model year
Complaints that name each component, 2017–2026. Darker cells mean more reports. One complaint can name several components.
| Component | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 205 | 234 | 326 | 313 | 97 | 255 | 16 | 21 | 5 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 391 | 267 | 364 | 259 | 75 | 51 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 5 |
| Unknown or other | 177 | 160 | 204 | 152 | 65 | 86 | 15 | 29 | 18 | 6 |
| Visibility | 30 | 41 | 63 | 70 | 10 | 26 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 23 | 18 | 36 | 49 | 29 | 23 | 22 | 18 | 20 | 4 |
| Engine | 43 | 37 | 39 | 48 | 21 | 22 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Power train | 47 | 14 | 15 | 47 | 12 | 18 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| Steering | 23 | 35 | 36 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Subaru Outback recalls (71)
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for at least one Outback model year, newest first.
| Campaign | Filed | What | Model years | Repaired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24V227000 | Mar 22, 2024 | Air Bag May Not Deploy | 2020, 2021, 2022 | 66.2% |
| 23V755000 | Nov 9, 2023 | Switch Failure May Cause Loss of Rearview Image | 2021, 2022, 2023 | 90.4% |
| 23V647000 | Sep 21, 2023 | Driveshaft May Disconnect | 2023 | 90.4% |
| 22V712000 | Sep 22, 2022 | Windshield May Detach in a Crash/FMVSS 212 | 2022 | 100% |
| 22V485000 | Jul 8, 2022 | Drive Chain May Break Causing Loss of Drive Power | 2020, 2021 | 78% |
| 22V473000 | Jul 1, 2022 | Loose Electrical Connection May Cause Engine Stall | 2022 | 100% |
| 21V955000 | Dec 9, 2021 | Drive Chain May Break Causing Loss of Drive Power | 2020 | 96.6% |
| 21V587000 | Jul 29, 2021 | Fuel Pump May Fail | 2018, 2019, 2020 | 95.1% |
| 21V024000 | Jan 26, 2021 | CVT Select Lever Cable Nut Not Tightened Properly | 2021 | 100% |
| 20V766000 | Dec 10, 2020 | Rearview Camera may Shut Down/FMVSS 111 | 2020 | 99.3% |
| 20V218000 | Apr 16, 2020 | Fuel Pump May Become Inoperative/Engine Stall | 2019 | 98.2% |
| 20V001000 | Jan 2, 2020 | Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode | 2003–2014 | 89.2% |
| 20V002000 | Jan 2, 2020 | Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode | 2003–2014 | 83.9% |
| 20V003000 | Jan 2, 2020 | Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode | 2003–2014 | 82.3% |
| 19V910000 | Dec 19, 2019 | Air Bag Control Module Incompatible With Air Bag | 2016, 2017 | 80.4% |
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. Open a model-year page for each campaign's official text, or check your VIN on NHTSA.
Check on NHTSA ↗Crash-test stars by model year
| Model year | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Tested as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | ★★★★★ | 5★ | 5★ | 4★ | sw awd |
| 2024 | ★★★★★ | 5★ | 5★ | 4★ | sw awd |
| 2023 | ★★★★★ | 5★ | 5★ | 4★ | sw awd |
| 2022 | ★★★★★ | 5★ | 5★ | 4★ | sw awd |
| 2021 | ★★★★★ | 5★ | 5★ | 4★ | suv awd |
| 2020 | ★★★★★ | 5★ | 5★ | 4★ | suv awd |
| 2019 | ★★★★★ | 5★ | 5★ | 4★ | sw awd |
| 2018 | ★★★★★ | 5★ | 5★ | 4★ | sw awd |
| 2017 | ★★★★★ | 5★ | 5★ | 4★ | sw awd |
| 2016 | ★★★★★ | 5★ | 5★ | 4★ | suv awd |
| 2015 | ★★★★★ | 5★ | 5★ | 4★ | suv awd |
| 2014 | ★★★★★ | 5★ | 5★ | 4★ | suv awd |
Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Source: NHTSA NCAP, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy by model year
EPA combined mpg range across engine and transmission configurations. Your mileage will vary. Source: EPA, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Where to next
Subaru Outback FAQ
How many recalls has the Subaru Outback had?
NHTSA lists 71 recall campaigns that cover at least one Subaru Outback model year from 1995 to 2026. Each campaign card on the model-year pages has NHTSA's official text and the repair completion rate. Only NHTSA's VIN lookup can tell you whether a specific car was repaired.
Which Subaru Outback year has the most complaints?
Among the last 15 model years with settled counts, the 2019 drew the most owner complaints filed with NHTSA (1,035) and the 2009 the fewest (106). Counts are owner reports, not failure rates, and sales volume affects them.
What are the most common Subaru Outback problems?
Across the 2017–2026 model years, owners most often name the visibility/wiper, electrical system, unknown or other in complaints filed with NHTSA.
What mpg does the Subaru Outback get?
EPA rates the 2026 Subaru Outback at 23 to 27 mpg combined, depending on engine and transmission.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.