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1998 Subaru Outback

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Subaru Outback do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 207.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

59 reports with mileage · 68 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

9 crash reports2 fire reports7 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

6 reports
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160,000 miles · Jul 30, 2010
Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ANY TYPE OF GMC VEHICLE WAS PARKED NEXT TO HIS VEHICLE THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS AND ALARM SYSTEM WOULD ENGAGE WHEN THE OTHER VEHICLES KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO RECOMMENDED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAK…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ANY TYPE OF GMC VEHICLE WAS PARKED NEXT TO HIS VEHICLE THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS AND ALARM SYSTEM WOULD ENGAGE WHEN THE OTHER VEHICLES KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO RECOMMENDED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10346356

79,252 miles · Oct 15, 2006
Electrical System

SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. SUBARU PLAZA P.O. BOX 6000 CHERRY HILL, NJ 08034-6000 ATTN: CUSTOMER/DEALER SERVICES RE: SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK VIN [DELETED FOR PRIVACY] TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A SITUATION WITH OUR OIL AT TEMP WARNING LIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN OUR PAYING $130 FOR A FALSE POSITIV…

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SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. SUBARU PLAZA P.O. BOX 6000 CHERRY HILL, NJ 08034-6000 ATTN: CUSTOMER/DEALER SERVICES RE: SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK VIN [DELETED FOR PRIVACY] TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A SITUATION WITH OUR OIL AT TEMP WARNING LIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN OUR PAYING $130 FOR A FALSE POSITIVE WARNING ABOUT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. AFTER THE WARNING LIGHT APPEARED, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CARLSEN SUBARU. THEY PERFORMED THE DIAGNOSIS AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IN FACT, THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WHERE A BATTERY CHANGE COULD CAUSE A ''FALSE POSITIVE'' WARNING ABOUT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. CONSIDERING THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT SUBARU IS AWARE OF, AND HAS NOT NOTIFIED CUSTOMERS OF, I AM REQUESTING A REFUND BY SUBARU FOR THE FULL $130. I HAVE TWO CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM: 1. THE OBVIOUS SAFETY CONCERN '' WONDERING IF THERE REALLY IS A PROBLEM THAT THE DIAGNOSIS COULD NOT PINPOINT 2. THE CONCERN THAT SUBARU HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT COST ME $130 SINCERELY, [DELETED FOR PRIVACY] CC: NHTSA COMPLAINTS

NHTSA ODI #10170869

100,147 miles · Oct 7, 2002
Electrical System

BOTH FUSES ON THE COOLING SYSTEM FANS FAILED WITHIN THE SAME DRIVE. I CHECKED THE ONE MARKED IN THE 1998 LEGACY OWNERS MANUAL FOR THE COOLING FAN AND IT WAS NUMBER 13 IN PAGE 11-7. I CHECKED FOR THE OTHER ONE AND IT WAS UNDER THE HOOD AND IT WAS NIGHT TIME AND I DIDN'T HAVE A FLASHLIGHT OR LIGHT. I COULD COUNT WHERE THE FUSE …

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BOTH FUSES ON THE COOLING SYSTEM FANS FAILED WITHIN THE SAME DRIVE. I CHECKED THE ONE MARKED IN THE 1998 LEGACY OWNERS MANUAL FOR THE COOLING FAN AND IT WAS NUMBER 13 IN PAGE 11-7. I CHECKED FOR THE OTHER ONE AND IT WAS UNDER THE HOOD AND IT WAS NIGHT TIME AND I DIDN'T HAVE A FLASHLIGHT OR LIGHT. I COULD COUNT WHERE THE FUSE WAS AND IN THE BOOK IT STATED IT WAS # 25. I PULLED THE FUSE 25 AND IT CHECKED OUT GOOD AND I PUT IT BACK IN THE SLOT. HOWEVER, I CHECKED IN THE DAY TIME UNDER THE FUSE COVER UNDER THE HOOD AND IT INDICATES THAT FUSE #22 IS THE CORRECT ONE. I CHECKED THAT AND IT WAS BLOWN. I NOTIFIED SUBARU A MONTH AGO AND HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM ABOUT THIS ISSUE. IT SEEMS THOUGH THAT THERE SHOULD BE A CHANGE IN THE MANUAL AS IT WOULD HAVE PROBABLY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS SITUATION. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT WITH BOTH FAN FUSES BLOWN THE VEHICLE CAN STOP DUE TO AN OVERHEAT AT AN UNEXPECTED TIME AND CAUSE AND ENGINE FAILURE THAT CAN LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. THE NUMBER 25 IS ACTUALLY A SPARE FUSE AREA AND DOES NOT HAVE AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BUT THE NUMBER 22 IS A DIFFERENT CONFIGURATION WITH A VEHICLE THAT HAS AN ACCESSORY POWER SOCKET IN SOME VEHICLE. I AM NOT SURE YOU WOULD CLASSIFY THIS AS A SAFETY PROBLEM BUT I AM INFORMING YOU IF YOU DO. *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*768183

NHTSA ODI #10007058

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment

POWER STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING CAUSING ODOR IN VENTS. NLM

NHTSA ODI #559819

Mileage unknown · Oct 4, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingParking Brake

EGR SOLONOID FAILED. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #555503

Mileage unknown · Oct 26, 1998
Electrical System

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM OF A BURNING ODOR COMING INTO THE VEHICLE ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT INTERMITTENTLY WITHIN A DAY. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DEALER `INFORMED CONSUMER NOTHING COULD BE FOUND AND AT TIME REFUSED TO LOOK FURTHER INTO THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #829485

Official recalls

2

01V216000 · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs

Jun 25, 2001

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN, AND IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE SALT, CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE SPRING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE FRACTURE, A BROKEN SPRING COULD MOVE PAST THE SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT A FRONT TIRE. SOME TIRES HAVE DEFLATED DUE TO CONTACT WITH A BROKEN SPRING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL NOTIFIY CUSTOMERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE A SPRING GUARD INSTALLED ON BOTH FRONT STRUTS TO PREVENT TIRE PUNCTURE AND REPLACE ANY BROKEN SPRINGS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 18, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

98V042000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)

Feb 20, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. DUE TO POOR WELDS, IGNITION KEYS CAN STICK, SHIFT LEVERS/LINKAGES CAN BREAK AND SHIFT LEVERS CAN MOVE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE UNEXPECTED MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER ASSEMBLIES (EXCEPT THE HANDLE GRIP).

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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