THERE IS A DELAY IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK OR REVERSE TO DRIVE. THE CAR HAS ALREADY BEEN INVOLVED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A SUBARU SERVICE CENTER AND I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW REBUILT TRANSMISSION AT $3600. *NM
2000 Subaru Outback
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2000 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
104 reports with mileage · 103 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 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
42 reportsTHE CLUTCH ON MY SUBARU OUTBACK 2000 IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE DAY ONE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2000. AT TIMES RANDOMLY IT WOULD SLIP OR THE PEDAL WOULD NOT RETURN UP. SLIPPING OF THE CLUTCH OR THE PEDAL BEING STUCK MULTIPLE TIMES ALMOST CAUSED ME TO GET INTO ACCIDENT WHEN CHANGING LANES OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. *JB
VEHICLE WILL NOT ENGAGE INTO DRIVE FROM PARK, OR VEHICLE WILL DISENGAGE FROM DRIVE WITHOUT WARNING, PUTTING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL. ALTHOUGH NO ACCIDENT HAS OCCURRED VEHICLE HAS FAILED TO ENGAGE INTO DRIVE IN SEVERAL HIGH TRAFFIC SITUATIONS. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 67,000 MILES. *NM
PASSENGER SIDE SUN ROOF DRAIN PLUGS UP, SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. BACKED UP WATER DRAINS INTO INSIDE REAR CARGO AREA. MY VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH THE LARGE ALL WEATHER RUBBER MAT IN THE CARGO AREA. SINCE THE AREA WHERE THE WATER POURS OUT IS NEAR THE RIGHT REAR OF THE CAR THE MOST OF THE WATER ENDS UP ON THE CARPET UND…
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PASSENGER SIDE SUN ROOF DRAIN PLUGS UP, SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. BACKED UP WATER DRAINS INTO INSIDE REAR CARGO AREA. MY VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH THE LARGE ALL WEATHER RUBBER MAT IN THE CARGO AREA. SINCE THE AREA WHERE THE WATER POURS OUT IS NEAR THE RIGHT REAR OF THE CAR THE MOST OF THE WATER ENDS UP ON THE CARPET UNDER THE MAT AND IT IS NOT ALWAYS NOTICEABLE. ORIGINAL CONTRACTOR THAT FIXES LEAKS FOR DEALER SAID THE FIX SHOULD TAKE CARE OF PROBLEM, DID NOT. THIS CONTRACTOR, DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST CONTRACTOR, SAID BASICALLY THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO TO PREVENT DRAINS FROM PLUGGING UP. WAS NOT DRIVING THIS TIME, WASHED CAR AND SAW WATER ON RUBBER MAT WHILE CLEANING INSIDE OF CAR. THE FIRST TIME I WAS DRIVING, IN REAR VIEW MIRROR I SAW WATER COMING FROM HEADLINER AREA, VERY DISTRACTING. ALSO, WORRY ABOUT POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO HEADLINER AND FUTURE BODY STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY DUE TO WATER LEAKING INTO ROOF AREA. IF DRAINS CONTINUE TO PLUG UP HEADLINER COULD POSSIBLE BECOME WEAK AND FAIL. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING THIS COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE THE DRIVER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. NOT SURE OF ACTUAL DATE THIS WAS ADDRESSED WITH DEALER BELIEVE IT WAS ADDRESSED WHEN I TOOK CARE IN TO HAVE CV JOINT REPAIRED. DEALER DID NOT REPORT WORKER TO SUBARU. *JB
DRIVER SIDE FRONT CV JOINT BOOT TORE FOR NO APPARENT REASON, 62,289 MILES. NEIGHBOR WHO IS A FORMER SUBARU MECHANIC SAID SHOULD NOT HAPPEN UNLESS I RAN OVER SOMETHING AND PUNCTURED BOOT, I DID NOT. SUBARU WOULD NOT REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY OUT OF WARRANTY AT 36K. A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD DUE TO CV GREASE LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST SYST…
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DRIVER SIDE FRONT CV JOINT BOOT TORE FOR NO APPARENT REASON, 62,289 MILES. NEIGHBOR WHO IS A FORMER SUBARU MECHANIC SAID SHOULD NOT HAPPEN UNLESS I RAN OVER SOMETHING AND PUNCTURED BOOT, I DID NOT. SUBARU WOULD NOT REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY OUT OF WARRANTY AT 36K. A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD DUE TO CV GREASE LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST SYSTEM AS WELL AS A POTENTIAL MECHANICAL FAILURE IF PROBLEM IS NOT CAUGHT IN TIME. *JB
PASSENGER SIDE FRONT CV JOINT BOOT TORE FOR NO APPARENT REASON, 39,744 MILES. VERY LOW MILEAGE FOR A BOOT TO TEAR FOR NO REASON, NEIGHBOR WHO IS A FORMER SUBARU MECHANIC SAID SHOULD NOT HAPPEN UNLESS I RAN OVER SOMETHING AND PUNCTURED BOOT, I DID NOT. SUBARU DEALER REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY THOUGH PART WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. A PO…
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PASSENGER SIDE FRONT CV JOINT BOOT TORE FOR NO APPARENT REASON, 39,744 MILES. VERY LOW MILEAGE FOR A BOOT TO TEAR FOR NO REASON, NEIGHBOR WHO IS A FORMER SUBARU MECHANIC SAID SHOULD NOT HAPPEN UNLESS I RAN OVER SOMETHING AND PUNCTURED BOOT, I DID NOT. SUBARU DEALER REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY THOUGH PART WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD DUE TO CV GREASE LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST SYSTEM AS WELL AS A POTENTIAL MECHANICAL FAILURE IF PROBLEM IS NOT CAUGHT IN TIME. *JB
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS DELAY IN ENGAGING FROM A STOP INTO ANY FORWARD GEAR FROM ANY GEAR. *NM
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS DELAYED ENGAGEMENT WHEN CHANGING FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ENGAGE FOR UP TO 10 SECONDS THEN IT WILL ENGAGE ABRUPTLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY IN AN UNSAFE MANNER. SUBARU HAS DEEMED THE PROBLEM A TRANSMISSION FAILURE REQUIRING A NEW TRANSMISSION. PROB…
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THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS DELAYED ENGAGEMENT WHEN CHANGING FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ENGAGE FOR UP TO 10 SECONDS THEN IT WILL ENGAGE ABRUPTLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY IN AN UNSAFE MANNER. SUBARU HAS DEEMED THE PROBLEM A TRANSMISSION FAILURE REQUIRING A NEW TRANSMISSION. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT 74,000 MILES DESPITE REGULAR MAINTENANCE. THIS SITUATION HAS BEEN DESCRIBED IN COMPLAINT# 10074032, 10090065, 10106683, AND 10122566. SUBARU OF AMERICA DENIES THAT THERE IS A PATTERN OF COMPLAINTS/PROBLEMS.
VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 9 MONTHS AGO WAS EXPERIENCING A SLIGHT DELAY IN ENGAGING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FROM ANY GEAR INTO DRIVE. HAD DEALERSHIP LOOK AT IT AND DO A TRANSMISSION FLUSH OF ALL FLUID. THE PROBLEM REALLY DIDN'T GET BETTER UNTIL FINALLY ON 3/19/05 AT ONLY 51,800 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NO LONGER ENGAGE IN DRIVE …
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VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 9 MONTHS AGO WAS EXPERIENCING A SLIGHT DELAY IN ENGAGING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FROM ANY GEAR INTO DRIVE. HAD DEALERSHIP LOOK AT IT AND DO A TRANSMISSION FLUSH OF ALL FLUID. THE PROBLEM REALLY DIDN'T GET BETTER UNTIL FINALLY ON 3/19/05 AT ONLY 51,800 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NO LONGER ENGAGE IN DRIVE AT ALL. A TRANSMISSION SHOP LOOKED AT IT AND SAID AN 'O' RING FAILED CAUSING THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION TO NEED TO BE REBUILT AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO BE REPLACED. COST WAS $2,644 AND WAS ONLY 6 WEEKS PAST EXPIRATION OF THE WARRANTY.
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. VEHICLE DELAYED WHEN IT WAS PUT INTO DRIVE. ALSO, CONSUMER WOULD BE DRIVING AND SUDDENLY THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GO INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT CHANGING GEARS. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO RECOMMENDED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK......INITIALLY, DEALER COULD…
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CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. VEHICLE DELAYED WHEN IT WAS PUT INTO DRIVE. ALSO, CONSUMER WOULD BE DRIVING AND SUDDENLY THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GO INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT CHANGING GEARS. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO RECOMMENDED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK......INITIALLY, DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. AFTER 2 MOR EVISITS TO DEALER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Official recalls
103V153000 · Suspension:rear
Apr 22, 2003
THIS RECALL APPLIES TO CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. CERTAIN REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME COMPONENTS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE ROAD SALTS FOR A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS, COULD RESULT IN RUST-OUT OF THE COMPONENT AND POSSIBLE BREAKAGE OF THE SUBFRAME.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF SUCH BREAKAGE OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED, CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE AFFECTED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL CLEAN AND RUST-PROOF THE REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 14, 2003. 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.
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