IllustrationSUBARU OUTBACK WAGON, YEAR 2000, MILAGE 33,000 - PROBLEM: SPEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER WORK ON AND OFF. THEY BOTH 'DIE' THEN THEY BOTH COME BACK ON AGAIN. ON THE FREEWAY, ONE FINDS THEMSELVES WITHOUT SPEED INFORMATION WITHOUT WARNING
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
70–25K
2025–50K
2850–75K
1875–100K
22100–150K
9150K+
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.
17 crash reports5 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
207 reportsCONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 03V153000, BUT A WELD ON RIGHT REAR OF REAR SUSPENSION THAT SHOULD BE RUST PROOFED ALREADY CRACKED.*AK
THE REAR LEFT TRAILING ARM BROKE IN HALF. DEALER NOTIFIED. PART REPLACED BY ROSSYLN AUTO EXPRESS SHOP. THE COST OF REPAIRS WERE OVER $400.00. SUBARU DID NOT REIMBURSE CONSUMER. *AK *CB *JB
POSSIBLE DEFECT OF REAR SUB-FRAME ASSEMBLY WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY.*MR THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL WHICH STATED IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED FOR AN EXTENSIVE PERIOD IN A "SALT BELT" AREA, CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO SALT COULD CAUSE THE REAR SUB-FRAME ASSEMBLY TO RUST-OUT AND EVENTUALLY BREAK. *PH *JB
THIS RECALL APPLIES TO CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK. 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…
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THIS RECALL APPLIES TO CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK. 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. DEALER STATED THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE TOOLS TO FIX THIS RECALL. CONSUMER STATED DEALER HAS CANCELLED TWICE HIS APPOINTMENTS. *AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 03V153000 CONCERNING REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME CORROSION, AND CONTACTED THE DEALER TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT SETUP TO MAKE THE REPAIRS UNTIL LATE AUGUST. ALSO, CONSUMER CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND GOT A RECORDING SAYING THAT DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES THE …
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CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 03V153000 CONCERNING REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME CORROSION, AND CONTACTED THE DEALER TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT SETUP TO MAKE THE REPAIRS UNTIL LATE AUGUST. ALSO, CONSUMER CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND GOT A RECORDING SAYING THAT DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES THE NUMBER WAS OUT OF SERVICE.*AK
WHILE GOING BACKWARDS INTO GARAGE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND WENT THROUGH THE BACK OF THE GARAGE OFF DECK AND HIT A TREE. *AK PH *JB
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60MPH PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW SHATTERED. *AK
CAR WAS OVERHEATING. TOOK TO DEALER TO CHANGE THE TIMING BELT AND TO INVESTIGATE THE OVERHEATING. CHANGED TIMING BELT AND BLEW SAND OUT OF RADIATOR FINS. INVESTIGATED ON THE WEB AND FOUND THAT THE SYMPTOMS WERE VERY SIMILAR TO A HEAD GASKET BEING BLOWN OUT IN VERY MANY CASES. THE NEXT WEEK THE RADIATOR FLUID WAS BEING PUSHED…
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CAR WAS OVERHEATING. TOOK TO DEALER TO CHANGE THE TIMING BELT AND TO INVESTIGATE THE OVERHEATING. CHANGED TIMING BELT AND BLEW SAND OUT OF RADIATOR FINS. INVESTIGATED ON THE WEB AND FOUND THAT THE SYMPTOMS WERE VERY SIMILAR TO A HEAD GASKET BEING BLOWN OUT IN VERY MANY CASES. THE NEXT WEEK THE RADIATOR FLUID WAS BEING PUSHED OUT OF THE OVERFLOW RESERVOIR AS DESCRIBED IN PROBLEMS FOUND ON THE WEB. TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BAD.*AK
I OWN A 2000 SUBARU OUTBACK LTD, WHITE VIN [XXX]. IT HAS APPROX. 63,000 MILES AND HAS HAD FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, AN ANTI-FREEZE SMELL AFTER THE CAR HAS INITIALLY WARMED UP. AS IT TURNS OUT, I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO THE NEAREST SUBARU DEALERSHIP FOR IT'S 60,000 MILE SERVICE AND WAS DISMAYED TO RECEIVE A CALL FROM THE SERV…
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I OWN A 2000 SUBARU OUTBACK LTD, WHITE VIN [XXX]. IT HAS APPROX. 63,000 MILES AND HAS HAD FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, AN ANTI-FREEZE SMELL AFTER THE CAR HAS INITIALLY WARMED UP. AS IT TURNS OUT, I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO THE NEAREST SUBARU DEALERSHIP FOR IT'S 60,000 MILE SERVICE AND WAS DISMAYED TO RECEIVE A CALL FROM THE SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMING ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS GONE AND NEEDED REPLACING. IN THIS DAY AN AGE OF MODERN VEHICLES, A HEAD GASKET RARELY BECOMES DEFECTIVE AT 63,000 MILES; CHECK STATISTICS!!! I BELIEVE THAT THIS FAILURE IS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW WHEN SUBARU WENT TO THE 2.5L ENGINE SIZE AS MANY OTHER SUBARU OWNERS ARE NOW EXPERIENCING THIS UNWARRANTED REPAIR AT SUCH AN EARLY TIME FRAME. AS THESE IRRITATED SUBARU OWNERS APPROACH THE 60,000 TO 80,000 MILE MARK AND START EXPERIENCING THESE HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENTS, YOU SHOULD BECOME INUNDATED WITH COMPLAINTS. BEFORE THIS OCCURRED, I RECOMMENDED SUBARU'S TO MAY PEOPLE, BUT WITH THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR, WHICH SHOULD BE PARTLY OR WHOLLY COVERED BY SUBARU, I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND A SUBARU TO ANYONE EVER. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
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.