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Subaru OutbackYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 9,795 NHTSA owner complaints across 32 model years, the Subaru Outback years to avoid are 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022, and the strongest years are 1996, 1997, 2003 and 2009. The Outback has 71 safety recalls on record.

Years to avoid'17 '18 '19 '20 '22Use caution: 2011, 2015, 2016, 2021Best years'96 '97 '03 '09Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints9,795Top: Electrical systemSafety recalls711995–2026 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

Subaru Outback years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Outback median. Tap a year for its full report.

'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2026Too new–/10021 complaints · 0 recalls2025Too new–/10084 complaints · 0 recalls2024Solid42/100106 complaints · 0 recalls2023Solid52/10089 complaints · 2 recalls2022Avoid23/100467 complaints · 4 recalls2021Caution36/100300 complaints · 4 recalls2020Avoid18/100906 complaints · 6 recalls2019Avoid18/1001,036 complaints · 3 recalls2018Avoid23/100816 complaints · 3 recalls2017Avoid23/100921 complaints · 4 recalls2016Caution30/100644 complaints · 4 recalls2015Caution34/100510 complaints · 5 recalls2014Solid54/100208 complaints · 10 recalls2013Solid45/100297 complaints · 12 recalls2012Solid46/100295 complaints · 16 recalls2011Caution29/100653 complaints · 16 recalls2010Solid43/100360 complaints · 18 recalls2009Best72/100106 complaints · 13 recalls2008Solid53/100226 complaints · 8 recalls2007Solid65/100131 complaints · 8 recalls2006Solid50/100277 complaints · 7 recalls2005Solid49/100273 complaints · 9 recalls2004Best71/10090 complaints · 10 recalls2003Best72/10093 complaints · 14 recalls2002Solid63/100143 complaints · 4 recalls2001Solid57/100171 complaints · 3 recalls2000Solid53/100207 complaints · 1 recall1999Solid64/100111 complaints · 1 recall1998Solid65/100127 complaints · 2 recalls1997Best75/10079 complaints · 4 recalls1996Best78/10046 complaints · 2 recalls1995Not rated–/1002 complaints · 1 recall
Complaints by system

Most common Subaru Outback problems

All model years combined: 9,795 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system228963
Visibility/wiper17619
Power train99354
Engine72356
Air bags695119
Vehicle speed control532120
Service brakes43269
Steering36932
Exterior lighting3366
29 other systems2789270
71 recalls

Subaru Outback recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

71%Occupant classification: front passenger24V-227 · 2020–2022 · Mar 22, 2024 · 118,723 vehicles90%Automatic transmission: park/neutral start interlock switch23V-755 · 2021–2023 · Nov 9, 2023 · 95,830 vehicles90%Driveline: driveshaft23V-647 · 2023 · Sep 21, 2023 · 4,311 vehicles100%Visibility: windshield22V-712 · 2022 · Sep 22, 2022 · 42 vehicles78%Automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)22V-485 · 2020–2021 · Jul 8, 2022 · 182 vehicles93%Electrical system: wiring22V-473 · 2022 · Jul 1, 2022 · 15 vehicles95%Automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)21V-955 · 2020 · Dec 9, 2021 · 198,255 vehicles91%Delivery: fuel pump21V-587 · 2018–2020 · Jul 29, 2021 · 175,968 vehicles99%Power train: shift linkage/cable/rod21V-024 · 2021 · Jan 26, 2021 · 383 vehicles98%Back over prevention: display function20V-766 · 2020 · Dec 10, 2020 · 7,741 vehicles95%Delivery: fuel pump20V-218 · 2019 · Apr 16, 2020 · 188,207 vehicles73%Passenger side: inflator module20V-002 · 2003–2014 · Jan 2, 2020 · 127,547 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 71 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

4 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Outback

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · 2015–2017 · still open
    Open
  2. Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA15001 · 2003–2005 · still open
    Led to recall 14V-668
  3. Air Bag Inflator RupturePE14016 · 2003–2005 · closed Mar 2, 2015
    Led to recall 13V-172
  4. Autoliv Air Bag Propellant MixtureEQ12002 · 2012 · closed May 8, 2012
    No recall