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.
2012 Subaru OutbackProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 295 owner complaints about the 2012 Subaru Outback, most often about the power train. It is covered by 16 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 October 28, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Subaru Outback has problems
295 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
108Power train5 crash/fire/injury
50Engine3 crash/fire/injury
39Air bags6 crash/fire/injury
37Electrical system6 crash/fire/injury
36Service brakes3 crash/fire/injury
18Exterior lighting
9Steering
8Vehicle speed control
6Structure
3712 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 108 | 5 |
| Engine | 50 | 3 |
| Air bags | 39 | 6 |
| Electrical system | 37 | 6 |
| Service brakes | 36 | 3 |
| Exterior lighting | 18 | 0 |
| Steering | 9 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 0 |
| Structure | 6 | 2 |
| 12 other systems | 37 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
16 recalls
2012 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 12 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 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.
no report yet
Visibility/wiper
Risk. If the components overheat, the wiper motor bottom cover may melt and potentially catch fire.
no report yet
Visibility: sun/moon roof assembly
Risk. The moonroof glass can loosen and detach from the vehicle during driving, resulting in a potential road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a…
no report yet
Electrical system
Risk. The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes.
no report yet
Air bags: side/window
Risk. THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.
no report yet
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
Risk. THE DRIVER MIGHT MISJUDGE THE AMOUNT OF BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED STOPPING DISTANCE.
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?
101kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 88 power train complaints. 49% were reported before 100,000 miles.
13under 30k miles43under 100k miles45100k 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$3,400median
Middle half: $1,625 – $7,700
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
2012 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
2012 Subaru Outback safety ratings
2012 Subaru Outback SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★Overall rating
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (17.4% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2012 Subaru Outback, and the recalls they led to.
- Autoliv Air Bag Propellant MixtureNo recall
In owners' words
What Outback owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
While driving on I-5 at about 70 mph, I made a normal upshift from 5th to 6th gear in my 6-speed manual transmission. The shift lever went past the reverse lockout without my lifting the reverse pull collar (the owner's manual says the collar must be raised to select reverse) and the transmission…
When coming to a stop, the car shudders and often stalls just like if you didn't press in the clutch on a manual transmission. No warning lights or messages. See details in TSB- 16-90-13R. Subaru knows about this issue and it has been reported in many vehicles. My car was at a Subaru dealership at…
Vehicle stalls when stopping. This is a huge safety issue because stalling at intersections can cause accidents. Dealership diagnosed a faulty torque converter. This torque converter (it should be part number 31100AB170) issue is widely known in this production series of the Subaru outback. After…
Own a 2012 Outback?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.