IllustrationWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE STALLED. *NM THE ENGINE STALLED DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE. IN REVIEWING THE MANUFACTURER'S WEBSITE THE CONSUMER SAW A RECALL RELATED TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIRS. *NM
1999 Subaru Outback
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Subaru Outback do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 207.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Outback years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
20–25K
1025–50K
1150–75K
1075–100K
20100–150K
5150K+
58 reports with mileage · 53 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.
- Power Train. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. 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.
13 crash reports1 fire reports14 injury reports
What owners actually said
111 reportsWHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LINES RUNNING FROM TRANSMISSION TO THE RADIATOR SPLIT RESULTING IN LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID. THESE WERE THE METAL LINES NOT THE RUBBER CONNECTORS. *AK
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN NHTSA RECALL 01V216000. PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, NEW JERSEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OHIO, THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED …
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CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN NHTSA RECALL 01V216000. PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, NEW JERSEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OHIO, THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE SALT, CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE SPRING. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
FRONT RIGHT COIL SPRING BROKE WHICH AND CAUSED THE FRONT TIRE TO BECOME SHREDDED. THE CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC. WE DISCOVERED THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 01V216000). HOWEVER, SUBARU REFUSSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOT IN…
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FRONT RIGHT COIL SPRING BROKE WHICH AND CAUSED THE FRONT TIRE TO BECOME SHREDDED. THE CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC. WE DISCOVERED THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 01V216000). HOWEVER, SUBARU REFUSSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BATCH OF CARS INVOLVED IN THE RECALL. WE THEREFORE HAD OUR MECHANIC REPAIR THE VEHICLE.
RANDOM OVERHEATING IN MY 1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK WAGON, 85000 , LEAD TO BEING STRANDED ON A RURAL ROAD. AFTER REPLACING THERMOSTAT, PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. EVENTUALLY, MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS DUE TO A FAILED HEAD GASKET. AT 85000, THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT OCCUR. SUBARU HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON PHASE II, 2.5L ENGINE HEAD GASKETS…
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RANDOM OVERHEATING IN MY 1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK WAGON, 85000 , LEAD TO BEING STRANDED ON A RURAL ROAD. AFTER REPLACING THERMOSTAT, PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. EVENTUALLY, MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS DUE TO A FAILED HEAD GASKET. AT 85000, THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT OCCUR. SUBARU HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON PHASE II, 2.5L ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BECAUSE OF FAILURE, HOWEVER HAVE CHOSEN TO IGNORE THE OWNERS OF THE PHASE I ENGINES. I FOUND A WEB-SITE FORUM WITH MANY OTHER VICTUMS OF SUBARUS NEGLECT, MANY OF WHOM WERE ALSO STRANDED ON THE ROADSIDE BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT IN CARS WITH 50-100K MILEAGE. CLEARLY THE HEAD-GASKETS ON THESE ENGINES ARE DEFECTIVE AND THIS IS SERIOUS DEFECT THAT SUBARU SHOULD ACKNOWLEGE AND FIX.*AK
WHILE SHIFTING THE GEARS GEAR SHIFT FAILED, A LOUD BANGING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO WORN OUT PART. *AK
AT AROUND 74,000 MILES THE CAM SHAFT BEGAN TO FRACTURE, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE. SUBARU REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY COMPENSATION BECAUSE IT WAS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD.*AK
CONCERN REGARDING THE TOP TETHER FOR THE CHILD'S CAR SEAT THAT IS MOUNTED ON THE CEILING OF THE CAR.*MR THE CONSUMER INSTALLED THREE CAR SEATS IN THE BACKSEAT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TOP TETHERS WERE MOUNTED TO THE PROVIDED MOUNTS. VISIBILITY OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW WAS HINDERED GREATLY DUE TO THE POSITION OF THE TETHERS. THE…
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CONCERN REGARDING THE TOP TETHER FOR THE CHILD'S CAR SEAT THAT IS MOUNTED ON THE CEILING OF THE CAR.*MR THE CONSUMER INSTALLED THREE CAR SEATS IN THE BACKSEAT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TOP TETHERS WERE MOUNTED TO THE PROVIDED MOUNTS. VISIBILITY OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW WAS HINDERED GREATLY DUE TO THE POSITION OF THE TETHERS. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THE TOP TETHERS CANNOT BE REMOUNTED BEHIND THE REAR SEATS AS THEY ARE IN THE SEDAN. *NM
DEALER WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE AT 115000 MILES. *AK
Official recalls
101V216000 · 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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.