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Exterior lightingPart report

2015 Subaru Outback Exterior lighting Problems

Complaints
4about this part
Share
1%of 510 total for the year
Median mileage
250miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 4 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 2015 Subaru Outback, 1% of the 510 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 250 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Projector beam headlights with sharp cut off..... Low beam lights are bright and great on level straight road at moderate speeds, deviate from that and it is dangerous. Need further penetration for high speed driving.. Going downhill or on any slope and around curves limited visibility;;; . Downhill freeway cloverleaf on ramp, impossible to negotiate safely with low beam.. Depth of field 20 to 25 feet, extremely dangerous. Lights just cut off right in front of you. Have to turn on high beam to see... …”

NHTSA complaint #10681200, filed 2015-02, 250 miles

“Tapped the accelerator. The car suddenly lurched backward. I put it in neutral and hit the brakes. Nothing happened.I didnt want to hit there garage or my son in laws car so I swerved to the right. I hit the brakes and again nothing happened. The car hit the neighbor bush and eventually came to rest when it hit the neighbors honda right door. I then put it drive and pulled back onto my daughters driveways and had a difficult time stopping the vehicle. It did approx. $2200 damage to my Subaru Outback sending it to the collision shop for two weeks.”

NHTSA complaint #11387902, filed 2021-01

“Repeated dead batteries. Replaced OEM battery in year 2, new battery also comes up dead regularly. There is clearly a parasitic battery drain happening. Burning oil, this car burns more oil than any car I have ever owned. Subaru claims it is within specification, but their specification is 1 quart between changes, this is a ridiculous claim in 2021. Heat shield and exhaust noise. Always a new noise or exhaust leak. Lights are not adequate for country driving, it is dangerous.”

NHTSA complaint #11443769, filed 2021-12

“2015 Subaru Outback. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle tail light issues. Consumer has previous complaint with a different vehicle listed in artemis. The consumer noticed while driving in the snow, the heat from the tail lights was not sufficient enough to keep snow from accumulating on the tail lamp.”

NHTSA complaint #10689361, filed 2015-03

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Exterior lighting: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202534%
202433%
202367%
202231%
202141%
2020162%
2019111%
2018101%
201771%
201651%
201541%
201473%
201383%
2012186%
201111718%
20103510%
2009109%
2008157%
200765%
200641%
20053011%
200322%
200232%
200042%
199832%
199711%
199612%

Other parts of the 2015 Subaru Outback

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
143 complaints
Electrical system
127 complaints
Other or unknown
109 complaints
Engine
47 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
37 complaints
Body and structure
33 complaints
Brakes
28 complaints
Vehicle speed control
26 complaints
Fuel system
18 complaints
Air bags
14 complaints
Steering
13 complaints
Wheels
8 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2015 Subaru Outback

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology