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2019 Subaru Outback: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists three recall campaigns for the 2019 Subaru Outback: two for fuel pumps (filed 2020 and 2021) and one for the body structure (filed 2019). Owners have filed 1,035 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system and the visibility/wiper. For comparison, owners filed 813 for the 2018 and 899 for the 2020 Outback. In NHTSA crash tests it earned 5 stars overall, with a 17.4% rollover risk.

Summary reviewed by Recalls & Safety Desk · Oct 6, 2026 How we write summaries Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
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Recalls (3)

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2019 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 2019 Subaru Outback. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 21V587000 Filed Jul 29, 2021

Fuel Pump May Fail

Fuel system, gasoline · delivery · fuel pump
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
95.1% repairedof 175,968 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 21V587000
Listed for 2019 Subaru Outback. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 20V218000 Filed Apr 16, 2020

Fuel Pump May Become Inoperative/Engine Stall

Fuel system, gasoline · delivery · fuel pump
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.
Consequence
If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-20.
98.2% repairedof 188,207 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 20V218000
Listed for 2019 Subaru Outback. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 19V493000 Filed Jun 26, 2019

Improperly Applied Spot Welds

Structure
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Legacy and Outback vehicles. Spot welds located on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, impacting the vehicle's body strength.
Consequence
In the event of a crash, the reduced strength of the vehicle body may increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and repair or repurchase the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUH-93.
100% repairedof 2,107 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 19V493000

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 (1,035)

1,035 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The electrical system is mentioned most often.

24involved a crash
2involved a fire
18injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Subaru Outback, by component (top 10). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 1,035.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2019 compares with other Outback years

Best and worst Outback years →
2015201620172018201920202021202220232024
This year (2019)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 17.4%★★★★☆
Front seat of a modern car with the seat belt buckled across the passenger seat
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), 2019 Subaru Outback sw 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
320 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

2019 Subaru Outback configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
2.5 L 4-cyl · AV-S7 CVTAll-Wheel Drive25 / 32 / 28$2,400320
3.6 L 6-cyl · AV-S6 CVTAll-Wheel Drive20 / 27 / 22$3,050398

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2019 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.

All Outback years

Where to next

2019 Subaru Outback FAQ

How many recalls does the 2019 Subaru Outback have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 21V587000 (fuel pump), 20V218000 (fuel pump), 19V493000 (structure). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 2019 Subaru Outback problems?

Owners filed 1,035 complaints with NHTSA. Electrical system (364), Visibility/wiper (326), Unknown or other (204) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 2019 Subaru Outback get?

EPA rates the 2.5 L 4-cyl · AV-S7 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 2019 Subaru Outback get?

NHTSA rated the 2019 Subaru Outback sw awd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (17.4% rollover risk).

How does the 2019 Outback compare with other years?

Among the 2015–2021 Subaru Outback model years at least five years old, the 2021 drew the fewest complaints (296) and the 2019 the most (1,035). The 2019 drew 1,035. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

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

Summary reviewed on Oct 6, 2026.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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