Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2009 Subaru Outback
NHTSA data on file today
The 2009 Subaru Outback has 13 NHTSA recall campaigns and 106 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 #20V003000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V002000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #19V297000 Ignition Switch may Turn Off NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V013000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V012000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V014000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V026000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V014000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V738000 Power Relay may Fail Allowing Air Pump to Overheat NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V358000 Passenger Frontal 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 30 complaints
- Electrical System 23 complaints
- Engine 15 complaints
- Exterior Lighting 10 complaints
- Power Train 8 complaints
- Visibility/Wiper 8 complaints
Of the 106 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash and 3 a fire; across all 106 complaints, owners report 2 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2009 Subaru Outback has a below-average reliability rating due to a significant number of recalls (13 campaigns) and owner complaints (106 total). Notably, there are many airbag-related recalls, and significant complaints about electrical and engine issues. This suggests that potential owners should be cautious, as the data indicates potential reliability concerns, albeit without extremely high numbers in any single category.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag system | Unknown | $200–$1,000 | common |
| Electrical system | Unknown | $150–$800 | common |
| Engine | Unknown | $500–$2,000 | 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
- Brake fluid replacement
- Tire rotation and balancing
- Coolant system flush
- Transmission fluid service
- Battery inspection
- Spark plug replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Airbag warning light
- Electrical system failures
- Unusual engine noises
- Persistent brake issues
- Dashboard warning lights
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2009 Subaru Outback at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.