Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2004 Subaru Outback
NHTSA data on file today
The 2004 Subaru Outback has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns and 90 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #20V001000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V002000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V003000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V361000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V358000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V359000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V323000 Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V763000 Passenger Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13E065000 Fuel Pump may Leak Fuel NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V128000 SUBARU/CRUISE CONTROL CABLE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #03V303000 SUBARU/FUEL FILLER HOSE CLAMP NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Air Bags 25 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 20 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 13 complaints
- Power Train 10 complaints
- Electrical System 8 complaints
- Visibility 5 complaints
Of the 90 complaints on file, 9 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 90 complaints, owners report 4 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$10,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2004 Subaru Outback has an 'average' reliability rating mainly due to airbag-related recalls and a moderate number of owner complaints, predominantly about airbags and vehicle speed control. While the evidence is somewhat limited, key concerns include the airbag system and speed control issues, reflected in the recall and complaint data.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags | Unknown | $500–$1,500 | common |
| Vehicle speed control | 90,000–120,000 miles | $300–$800 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake pad replacements
- Tire rotations and balance
- Coolant flush
- Transmission fluid change
- Spark plug replacements
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Airbag warning light on
- Cruise control not working
- Unusual engine noises
- Harsh transmission shifts
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2004 Subaru Outback at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.