Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2008 Subaru Outback
NHTSA data on file today
The 2008 Subaru Outback has 8 NHTSA recall campaigns and 226 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #20V002000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V003000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V001000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V297000 Ignition Switch may Turn Off NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V738000 Power Relay may Fail Allowing Air Pump to Overheat NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V323000 Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V311000 Brake Lines may Fail due to Corrosion NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V110000 Brake Lines may Fail due to Corrosion NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Air Bags 104 complaints
- Electrical System 34 complaints
- Service Brakes 30 complaints
- Exterior Lighting 15 complaints
- Engine 14 complaints
- Power Train 12 complaints
Of the 226 complaints on file, 12 report a crash and 3 a fire; across all 226 complaints, owners report 6 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,000–$7,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2008 Subaru Outback receives an average reliability rating due to common airbag and electrical system issues. However, issues with major components like the engine and powertrain are less frequent, suggesting moderate costs over five years.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags | 60,000–100,000 miles | $800–$1,200 | very common |
| Ignition switch | 40,000–90,000 miles | $250–$400 | common |
| Brake lines | 70,000–110,000 miles | $300–$500 | common |
| Secondary air pump | 60,000–100,000 miles | $400–$700 | 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 change every 6,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 30,000 miles
- Timing belt replacement at 105,000 miles
- Spark plug replacement every 60,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Dimming or flickering headlights
- Airbag warning lights stay on
- Strange noises during braking
- Engine overheating signs
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2008 Subaru Outback at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.