2021 Subaru Outback Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the windshield cracking or chipping with little or no visible impact, frequently within the first weeks or months of ownership, and several say the dealer attributed it to a road strike and declined warranty coverage. The next most common report is the battery draining and the car needing a jump start or a replacement battery, sometimes within days of delivery. Smaller groups describe the vehicle surging forward at low speed or the engine stalling while driving.

1. 1
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield cracks without a visible impact

   • 99 complaints (33%)
   • median 3,000 mi at 0.5 yrs old (28 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2020–2024

   Owners describe cracks appearing in the front windshield, often starting at the lower edge or center and spreading quickly into a long line, sometimes with a pop or cracking sound. Many say there was no stone strike, no chip and no damage beforehand, and that it happened while driving, while parked, or after the car sat in sun or cold with the defroster on. Several report repeat replacements, and mention that the camera behind the mirror had to be recalibrated afterwards. According to the complaints, dealers commonly determined that a small object had struck the glass, so the repair was not covered, and owners who contacted the manufacturer say their claims were denied. Most reports arrive within the first few thousand miles, several within weeks of delivery, with a smaller number past 15,000 miles.

   What to check: Look closely along the lower edge and center of the windshield for chips, short cracks or repair marks, and ask whether the glass has been replaced and whether the front camera was recalibrated afterwards. Ask for the replacement invoice if the windshield is not original.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On march 12, 2021, I was sitting in my idle 2021 Subaru Outback when I heard a quick pop sound. When I looked up, there was a crack in the windshield. There was no previous damage to the windshield. I currently have 3600 miles on the vehicle. The crack is very linear. The car wasn't running and the weather was pleasant around 65 degrees.”

   NHTSA complaint #11402718, filed 2021-03, 3,600 miles

   “I had the car only 10 days from the dealership, my husband and I were on the highway heading to an event when we heard a crack, I looked up and there was a horizontal crack heading from left to right in the windshield.”

   NHTSA complaint #11375885, filed 2020-11, 400 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Battery drains and the car will not start

   • 44 complaints (15%)
   • median 1,850 mi at 0.6 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners describe coming out to a car that will not crank, often with no warning, and needing a jump start; some say it happened repeatedly within the first months of ownership. In several complaints the dealer replaced the battery, and in others the owner was told to lock the vehicle every time or to drive it more. Some report the problem returning after a new battery, with a clicking starter or a blank instrument cluster at startup. Usually reported in the first few thousand miles, with a handful between roughly 30,000 and 57,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the battery has been replaced and how recently, and whether any charging-system or current-draw test was done at the dealer. A service bulletin in this set describes a diagnostic procedure for excess current draw with the ignition off, so ask if that was checked.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought a new car in december 2020. One day in jan 2021, I noticed that the battery had died. I jump started it and then in february 2021, I had to jumpstart it 3 times. At least the last instance, I was careful to check no interior lights were on, and it still happened. I went to the dealer and they replaced the battery. I hope that fixes it.”

   NHTSA complaint #11396114, filed 2021-02, 2,500 miles

   “After 5000 miles my battery has been drained and is currently dead. I was told I must lock it every time I am not driving to ensure battery life is extended. Even with doing this battery is still dead after barely 5000 miles.”

   NHTSA complaint #11414938, filed 2021-05, 5,000 miles
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Sudden acceleration at low speed or from a stop

   • 8 complaints (3%)
   • median 23,400 mi at 3.2 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners describe the car surging forward or accelerating on its own when they were not pressing the accelerator, typically at parking-lot speeds, coming out of a turn, or while idling at a light, and in some cases with the brake applied. A few report the car striking a curb, a wall or another vehicle before stopping, and one mentions the event recurring downhill with adaptive cruise engaged. Complaints state that no warning light appeared, and that dealers either could not duplicate the problem or did not inspect the car. Reported across a wide mileage range, from nearly new to about 70,000 miles.

   What to check: Ask whether any dealer has inspected the throttle, cruise control or adaptive cruise system, and whether fault codes were pulled. During a test drive, note how the car behaves at very low speed and when creeping in a parking lot or from a stop.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle independently accelerated. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle struck the curb before coming to a stop, causing damage to the rim and tire. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 16,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11462032, filed 2022-04, 16,000 miles

   “The contact owned 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH turning a right hand corner into a shopping center, the vehicle began to accelerate without the contacts consent. and the contact proceeded to frantically apply the brakes. The vehicle came to a stop upon impact with a brick wall impacting the front drivers side of the vehicle. All of the airbags were deployed. The vehicle was going 43 mph at the time of the crash. The was towed to a junk yard. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11755558, filed 2026-08, 70,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Engine stalls while driving or at a stop

   • 8 complaints (3%)
   • median 13,250 mi at 1.9 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners describe the engine cutting out without warning, either while pulling away from a stop or at speed, sometimes with a warning message on the dash and the instrument panel going dark. One complaint states the dealer traced the stall to a failed thermal control valve and replaced it; others say the cause was not found and the car was not repaired. Two describe being towed after the vehicle shut down, and one notes difficulty getting the transmission back into gear afterwards. Mostly reported between roughly 6,000 and 19,000 miles, generally at stops or at steady highway speed.

   What to check: Ask for service records of any stall diagnosis, stored fault codes, or a replaced thermal control valve, and whether any related extended warranty coverage applies to this vehicle. A test drive should include a full stop and restart, plus a short highway run.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while coming out of a full stop, the vehicle would stall without warning. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,500.”

   NHTSA complaint #11431370, filed 2021-09, 6,500 miles

   “The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while at a traffic light, the vehicle stalled. The instrument panel lights illuminated then went dark. The police came but there was no police report filed. The police had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 12,500.”

   NHTSA complaint #11467029, filed 2022-06, 12,500 miles

Buying note. Two things are worth checking closely on this model year: the windshield glass and the battery, since owners report both most often and both can appear within the first months of use. Ask for the service history, confirm whether the air bag sensor recall (24V227000) repair has been completed, and take a test drive that includes low-speed maneuvering and a full stop.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.