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Subaru · vehicle model

Subaru Outback

12,065 NHTSA complaints and 189 safety recalls across model years 1995–2025.

Complaints
12,065
Recalls
189
Model years
31

The verdict

The Subaru Outback pairs above-average complaint volume with 189 recalls (heavily recalled).

1st pctile
complaint volume, US models
189
recall campaigns
Follow this model's NHTSA record changes

Subaru Outback vs. all tracked models

Total NHTSA ODI complaints across models with substantive safety data

12,065 Higher than most more complaints than 99% of 3,088 models

tracked vehicle models, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more models. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · August 2026

The Subaru Outback appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 12,065 consumer safety complaints and 189 recall campaigns across 31 model years (1995–2025). That averages roughly 389 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 14 investigation files tied to this model. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

Year Complaints
2025 76
2024 104
2023 118
2022 518
2021 391
2020 1119
2019 1273
2018 957
2017 1086
2016 757
2015 632
2014 275
2013 402
2012 366
2011 853
2010 463
2009 140
2008 277
2007 182
2006 404
2005 353
2004 108
2003 116
2002 172
2001 207
2000 247
1999 150
1998 165
1997 94
1996 57
1995 3

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 5,210 in 2017-2021 to 3,329 in 2022-2026, a fall of 36.1% . That is the 48th percentile of change across the 763 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

16
’97
28
’98
62
’99
70
’00
88
’01
109
’02
179
’03
165
’04
127
’05
90
’06
67
’07
110
’08
99
’09
244
’10
167
’11
190
’12
269
’13
386
’14
506
’15
554
’16
514
’17
557
’18
981
’19
1408
’20
1750
’21
1214
’22
889
’23
703
’24
470
’25
53
’26

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare Subaru Outback to Similar Vehicles

Subaru Outback vs Honda Pilot → Subaru Outback vs Chevrolet Equinox → Subaru Outback vs Ford F-250 → Subaru Outback vs Hyundai Elantra →

NHTSA Investigations

PE19009 Preliminary Evaluation Closed 2019-08-06

Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
PE15012 Preliminary Evaluation Closed 2015-04-10

Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
PE11011 Preliminary Evaluation Closed 2011-04-07

Front suspension control arm failure
EA09007 Engineering Analysis Closed 2009-05-21

FUEL PUMP LEAKS
PE09017 Preliminary Evaluation Closed 2009-03-10

FUEL LINE LEAK
PE08064 Preliminary Evaluation Closed 2008-11-14

FUEL PUMP LEAK
PE04002 Preliminary Evaluation Closed 2004-01-07

FUEL LINE LEAKAGE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT
EA03024 Engineering Analysis Closed 2003-11-19

EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES
PE03029 Preliminary Evaluation Closed 2003-07-08

BRAKING SYSTEM/ABS
PE99020 Preliminary Evaluation Closed 1999-03-05

SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE SEPARATION

View all 14 investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the Subaru Outback?▼
The Subaru Outback has received 12,065 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1995 to 2025, with 189 recalls. That averages about 389 complaints per model year.
What years of Subaru Outback are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the Subaru Outback from 1995 to 2025 (31 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the Subaru Outback have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many Subaru Outback model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common Subaru Outback complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the Subaru Outback are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my Subaru Outback has been recalled?▼
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. Subaru Outback totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.