Reliability & cost of ownership
Subaru Outback Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Subaru Outback? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Subaru Outback problems by model year
199 recall entries and 9609 owner complaints on file across 32 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Subaru Outback, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- electrical system2242 complaints
- visibility/wiper1752 complaints
- unknown or other1296 complaints
- power train969 complaints
- engine696 complaints
- air bags686 complaints
- service brakes568 complaints
- vehicle speed control522 complaints