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1998 Subaru OutbackProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 127 owner complaints about the 1998 Subaru Outback, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

65
CarFlaw IndexSolid year46% below the Outback median · #23 of 29 years by complaints
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints12718 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage94kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 3, 2014. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1998 Subaru Outback has problems

127 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
Engine and engine cooling400
Power train192
Service brakes, hydraulic131
Vehicle speed control134
Air bags115
Visibility70
Electrical system60
Tires51
Wheels40
11 other systems282

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

1998 Subaru Outback recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Springs: coil springs

Recall 01V-216 · Jun 25, 2001 · 180,000 vehicles

Risk. DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE FRACTURE, A BROKEN SPRING COULD MOVE PAST THE SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT A FRONT TIRE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl)

Recall 98V-042 · Feb 20, 1998 · 19,386 vehicles

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE UNEXPECTED MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Subaru.

Mileage at failure

When do engine and engine cooling problems start?

94kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 26 engine and engine cooling complaints. 58% were reported before 100,000 miles.

Only 46% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
1under 30k miles15under 100k miles11100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine and engine cooling

10 owners mentioned a cost

$1,690median

Middle half: $1,325 – $2,500

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

1998 vs. every other Outback year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Outback median. How we score

'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
In owners' words

What Outback owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

ENGINE OVERHEATING EVERY HALF MILE WITH ENGINE RESERVOIR OVERFLOWING. AFTER $1300 OF REPLACING THERMOSTAT, TIMING BELT, BELT TENSIONER, WATER PUMP, FLUSHING THE COOLING SYSTEM, AND COMPRESSION TESTS, I WAS TOLD I HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. I WAS TOLD THE REPLACEMENT WOULD COST AN ADDITIONAL $2,200 AT…
Complaint 10336001 · Jun 13, 2010 · 81,000 miles
ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT ONLY WHEN BEING DRIVEN, DOES NOT OVERHEAT WHEN IDLING. I HAVE REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, AND TIMING BELT BUT IT STILL OVERHEATS. WHILE DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND THE CARSURVEY.ORG SITE WITH MANY REFERENCES TO THIS BEING A KNOWN ISSUE, A HEAD GASKET…
Complaint 10255116 · Jan 14, 2009 · 161,461 miles
BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON 1998 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK AT ~70K, JUST OUT OF WARRANTY,. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED IN 2003, BUT GIVEN THE CONTINUATION OF COMPLAINTS FROM CURRENT SUBARU OWNERS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, IT SEEMS HIGHLY NEGLIGENT OF SUBARU TO DENY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM. THIS…
Complaint 10253003 · Dec 29, 2008

Own a 1998 Outback?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.