Total Complaints
7 filings
SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT · model year
2009 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT
7 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2009SUBARUOUTBACK SPORT carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2009 OUTBACK SPORT is power train:manual transmission with 2 filings, followed by tires (1) and exterior lighting (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2009 OUTBACK SPORT. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
3
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
Recalls (1)
09E01100002/04/2009
EQUIPMENT
THULE, INC. IS RECALLING 2,323 OWNER-INSTALLED ROOF-MOUNTED FIT KITS, MODELS 3068 AND 3069, MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2008 AND FEBRUARY 28, 2009 THAT ARE USED WITH THULE PODIUM FOOT PACKS, MODELS 460 AND 460R. THESE FIT KITS WERE SOLD AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED AB
Recent Complaints
20140731FireAIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOME LIGHT WAS BURNED AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
Mileage: 54,000
20140731FireINTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOME LIGHT WAS BURNED AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
Mileage: 54,000
20140226FireENGINE
SUBARU OUTBACK SPORTS 2009 MODEL, WITH NO PRIOR HISTORY PROBLEM EXCEPT THAT SUBARU RECALLED AN ELECTRONIC BOARD AND IT WAS REPLACED BY SUBARU DEALER. JUST GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY, COMING FROM THE AIRPORT, SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING LIKE WOOD. OPENED THE WINDOW TO MAKE SURE IT IS NOT OUR CAR. SMELL WAS STILL THERE. PULLED OFF THE ROAD. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON, LOTS OF SMOKE FROM HOOD AFTER ONE SECOND THE FIRE STARTED ENGULFING THE HOOD. MY HUSBAND AND I JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR OF FEAR OF AN EXPLOSION AND CALLED 911 RIGHT AWAY. WITHIN 7 MINUTES ABOUT THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY BURNT. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME WITHIN 10 MINUTES WHILE CAR WAS STILL BURNING., LOST SOME ELECTRONIC GADGETS, CAMERA, TABLET, 2 GPS, ETC., AND SOME CLOTHING AND ODDS AND ENDS BUT EVERYONE WAS SAFE. . THE WOMEN FROM THE CLAIM DEPARTMENT SAID THAT SHE ALSO HAD CALL ABOUT A FIRE IN A SUBARU COMING FROM THE AIRPORT LIKE US. SHE DID NOT WANT TO SAY ANYMORE SINCE SHE ACCIDENTALLY SAID IT. SUBARU REFUSE TO INVESTIGAT
Mileage: 35,000
20140125EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THIS IS THE 4TH HEADLAMP WE HAVE REPLACED WITHIN 12 MONTHS. WE HAVE TRIED PIAA'S, SILVER STAR'S...ALL HAVE THE SAME LIFE SPAN OF APPROX. 3-4 MONTHS...THIS HAS BECOME EXPENSIVE, A SAFETY HAZARD, AND A NUISANCE. *TR
Mileage: 40,000
20131114TIRES
ON NOVEMBER 13, 2013 I WAS DRIVING ON ST RT 52 HEADING EAST IN NEW RICHMOND, OHIO AT A SPEED NOT LESS THAT 50 AND NOT GREATER THAN 60 MPH. AT APPROXIMATELY 12:00 NOON MY DRIVER-SIDE REAR TIRE COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE WALL--LUCKILY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN TO ANY OF THE FRONT TIRE OTHERWISE I MIGHT HAVE BEEN KILLED. *TR
Mileage: 92,603
20100906POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
MY 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA OUTBACK SPORT. FAILURE OF BEARINGS IN 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. MADE OPERATION OF VEHICLE DANGEROUS, AND REQUIRES ENTIRE REBUILD OF TRANSMISSION, TAKING 3 WEEKS. *TR
Mileage: 6,000
20100225POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
A RETAINING RING IN THE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY FAILED, CAUSING GEAR DAMAGE AND REQUIRING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY AN ALL OF THE BEARINGS IN THE TRANSMISSION. THIS WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY REPAIR BUT WAS A CONCERNING FAILURE AT THIS LOW MILEAGE. I HAVE HEARD OTHER REPORTS OF SUBARU OWNERS HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR
Mileage: 10,841
Compare 2009SUBARUOUTBACK SPORT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
PE19009Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
PE15012Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
PE11011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Front suspension control arm failure
EA09007Engineering AnalysisClosed
FUEL PUMP LEAKS
PE09017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
FUEL LINE LEAK
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT have?▼
The 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT?▼
Yes, the 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EQUIPMENT. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT?▼
The most-complained component for the 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT is POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and EXTERIOR LIGHTING.
Is the 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.