Subaru Outback Problems by Model Year

NHTSA recorded 9,776 consumer complaints across the 31 model years of the Subaru Outback (1996–2026) that have at least 5 complaints. 2019 has the most, with 1,036. Across all years, the part named most often is electrical system (2,286 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.

Best and worst Outback years →

All Outback model years

Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.

Parts named most often, all years

Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.

• Electrical system2,286 25%
• Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)2,083 23%
• Other or unknown1,359 15%
• Transmission and drivetrain989 11%
• Engine719 7.8%
• Air bags694 7.5%
• Brakes596 6.4%
• Vehicle speed control530 5.7%

Example complaints

One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

Other Subaru models

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