Recalls
5campaigns
1 steering · 1 electronic stability control (esc) · 1 power train
Source: NHTSA
Complaints
510filed
Owner reports, 2011–2020 shown
Source: NHTSA ODI
Crash tests
5★overall
★★★★★ Frontal 5★ · Side 5★ · Rollover 4★
Source: NHTSA NCAP
Fuel economy
28mpg combined
$2,333/yr at this week's prices
Source: EPA · EIA
Specs
2.5 L 4-cyl· AV-S6 CVT
2 engine and transmission configurations
Source: NHTSA vPIC
Recalls (5)
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2015 Subaru Outback. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Listed for 2015 Subaru Outback. Not checked against your VIN.
NHTSA: Do not drive. NHTSA says owners should not drive these vehicles until the recall repair is done. What a Do Not Drive recall means
Loss of Steering Ability
Steering · column
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.
- Consequence
- The loss of steering ability would increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting http://www.wtd65.service-campaign.com. Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65. Note: Until the vehicles have been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles.
99.8% repairedof 48,819 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V292000
Listed for 2015 Subaru Outback. Not checked against your VIN.
Electronic Stability Control System/FMVSS 126
Electronic stability control (esc)
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured on July 20, 2015. The brake fluid used in these vehicles may contain excess moisture which may adversely affect the performance of the electronic stability control system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
- Consequence
- Poor performance of the electronic stability control system when it is activated may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will perform an ABS activation, then flush and replace the brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTC-64.
94.8% repairedof 766 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V251000
Listed for 2015 Subaru Outback. Not checked against your VIN.
Transmission Oil Leak
Power train · automatic transmission
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 and 2016 model year Subaru Legacy 4-Door and Outback vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to July 27, 2015. Transmission oil may leak from a deformed seal cap on the propeller shaft yoke.
- Consequence
- If the transmission oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, there is a possible risk of fire.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the propeller shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2015. Owners may contact 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQU-56.
98.9% repairedof 2,893 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 15V502000
Listed for 2015 Subaru Outback. Not checked against your VIN.
Collision Mitigation Braking may not Function
Exterior lighting · brake lights · switch
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function.
- Consequence
- If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.
94.3% repairedof 71,710 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 15V366000
Listed for 2015 Subaru Outback. Not checked against your VIN.
Trailer Hitch Assembly may be Incorrectly Torqued
Trailer hitches
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Outback vehicles manufactured January 22, 2014, to August 18, 2014, and equipped with a Subaru accessory trailer hitch assembly. During installation, the trailer hitch mounting nuts may have been overtightened, potentially resulting in failure of the trailer hitch mounting studs.
- Consequence
- The mounting nut(s) may not provide sufficient force to remain attached to the studs or the studs themselves might break. If this were to happen while a trailer is being towed, the driver might not be able to operate the vehicle as desired or the trailer may detach from the vehicle. Either situation could increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace all eight mounting nuts for the trailer hitch assembly, and will inspect all eight mounting studs for damage, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2014. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQN-50.
98.2% repairedof 56 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 14V577000
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (510)
510 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The visibility/wiper is mentioned most often.
20involved a crash
5involved a fire
17injuries reported
0deaths reported
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 510 |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 130 | 25.5% |
| Electrical system | 127 | 24.9% |
| Unknown or other | 108 | 21.2% |
| Engine | 47 | 9.2% |
| Power train | 37 | 7.3% |
| Structure | 33 | 6.5% |
| Service brakes | 28 | 5.5% |
| Vehicle speed control | 26 | 5.1% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 18 | 3.5% |
| Air bags | 14 | 2.7% |
How 2015 compares with other Outback years
Best and worst Outback years →2011652
2012292
2013297
2014208
2015510
2016643
2017917
2018813
20191,035
2020899
| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 652 | 16 |
| 2012 | 292 | 16 |
| 2013 | 297 | 12 |
| 2014 | 208 | 10 |
| 2015 | 510 | 5 |
| 2016 | 643 | 4 |
| 2017 | 917 | 4 |
| 2018 | 813 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1,035 | 3 |
| 2020 | 899 | 6 |
This year (2015)Other yearsStill collecting reports
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Overall★★★★★
Frontal crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 17.5%★★★★☆
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2015 Subaru Outback suv awd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 28 mpg combined
28
mpg combined
25
city
32
highway
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $2,400
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 319 g/mi
- EPA class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle
What it costs you to run
$2,333per year
$194per month
536gallons a year
Miles ÷ 28 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · AV-S6 CVT | All-Wheel Drive | 25 / 32 / 28 | $2,400 | 319 |
| 3.6 L 6-cyl · AV-S6 CVT | All-Wheel Drive | 20 / 27 / 22 | $3,050 | 398 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2015 Outback for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2015 Subaru Outback FAQ
How many recalls does the 2015 Subaru Outback have?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns: 16V292000 (steering), 16V251000 (electronic stability control (esc)), 15V502000 (power train), 15V366000 (brake), 14V577000 (trailer hitches). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2015 Subaru Outback problems?
Owners filed 510 complaints with NHTSA. Visibility/wiper (130), Electrical system (127), Unknown or other (108) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2015 Subaru Outback get?
EPA rates the 2.5 L 4-cyl · AV-S6 CVT version at 25 city, 32 highway and 28 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2015 Subaru Outback get?
NHTSA rated the 2015 Subaru Outback suv awd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (17.5% rollover risk).
How does the 2015 Outback compare with other years?
Among the 2011–2020 Subaru Outback model years at least five years old, the 2014 drew the fewest complaints (208) and the 2019 the most (1,035). The 2015 drew 510. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
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.
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