repaired · 2023 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2010 Subaru OutbackProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 360 owner complaints about the 2010 Subaru Outback, most often about the power train. It is covered by 18 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-297 the manufacturer reports only 62% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 28, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2010 Subaru Outback has problems
360 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
94Power train2 crash/fire/injury
44Air bags3 crash/fire/injury
44Engine2 crash/fire/injury
41Steering1 crash/fire/injury
35Service brakes3 crash/fire/injury
35Exterior lighting
33Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
26Suspension
23Engine and engine cooling
7316 other systems13 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 94 | 2 |
| Air bags | 44 | 3 |
| Engine | 44 | 2 |
| Steering | 41 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 35 | 3 |
| Exterior lighting | 35 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 33 | 1 |
| Suspension | 26 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 23 | 0 |
| 16 other systems | 73 | 13 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
18 recalls
2010 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.
repaired · 2023 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2023 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2020 Q3
Ignition: switch
Risk. The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash.
Show 14 more recalls
repaired · 2023 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other…
repaired · 2023 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other…
repaired · 2023 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other…
repaired · 2020 Q4
Parking brake
Risk. A vehicle rollaway can increase the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2023 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other…
repaired · 2023 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other…
repaired · 2023 Q1
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2018 Q1
Windshield wiper/washer: motor
Risk. If the windshield wiper motor overheats, the wipers may fail, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2023 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
no report yet
Electrical system
Risk. The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes.
no report yet
Exterior lighting
Risk. Over time, migration of the moisture into the circuit board and/or into the connector cavity, may result in a short circuit of the puddle light system.
no report yet
Power train: manual transmission
Risk. IF THE TRANSMISSION GEARS ARE NOT PROPERLY LUBRICATED, A GROANING SOUND MAY BEGIN TO DEVELOP ALERTING THE DRIVER OF A PROBLEM.
no report yet
Steering: column
Risk. POSSIBLE CIRCUITS AFFECTED ARE THE DRIVER'S FRONTAL AIRBAG, PADDLE SHIFTER FUNCTION, CRUISE CONTROL, HORN CONTROL AND RADIO FUNCTIONS INCREASING THE RISK OF A…
no report yet
Cooling system: hoses/lines/piping/fittings
Risk. IF THE FLUID IS COMPLETELY LEAKED DURING DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WILL COME TO A STOP, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
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 power train problems start?
94kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 81 power train complaints. 51% were reported before 100,000 miles.
21under 30k miles41under 100k miles40100k 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.
Power train
12 owners mentioned a cost$2,100median
Middle half: $1,713 – $6,250
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
2010 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
NHTSA crash tests
2010 Subaru Outback safety ratings
2010 Subaru Outback 4-DR w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 4 stars (17.4% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Outback owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
It is a known issue with subarus of this year that the engine will stall at random intervals when stopping, weather at a stop sign or stop light, warm or cold, fast stops or regular stopping. There is no consistency to it, completely random. There are no warning lights that appear, I have not taken…
Vehicle has an automatic transmission and it stalls when stopping. There is no warning light on the dash. This happens more frequently when the vehicle is warm, in early operation it may only hesitate or run rough while stopping. A warm a stop is more likely to stall the vehicle than a slow stop.…
The contact owns a 2010 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that on numerous occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle hesitated. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while shifted in reverse, the vehicle inadvertently shifted into drive independently. The…
Own a 2010 Outback?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.