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2001 Subaru Outback

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2001 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

100 reports with mileage · 71 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.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports5 fire reports6 injury reports

Service Brakes, Air complaints

2 reports
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500 miles · Jun 4, 2005
Service Brakes, Air

SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASES A NEW 201 SUBARU OUTBACK (FIRST 500 MILES THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERE THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN SERTTING A LONG TIOME AND THE ROTORS WERE RUSTED BUT IT WOULD CLEAR UP. IT DIDN'T AND THEY TURNED THE ROTORS AND THEN REPLACED THEM STATING THAT IT WAS MY DRIVING THAT CUASED THE PR…

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SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASES A NEW 201 SUBARU OUTBACK (FIRST 500 MILES THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERE THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN SERTTING A LONG TIOME AND THE ROTORS WERE RUSTED BUT IT WOULD CLEAR UP. IT DIDN'T AND THEY TURNED THE ROTORS AND THEN REPLACED THEM STATING THAT IT WAS MY DRIVING THAT CUASED THE PROBLEM. I AM STILL DRIVING THE CAR AND THE FRONT BRAKES ARE DEFECTIVE AND HAVE BEEN EVER SINCE IT WAS NEW. SOMW OF MY FRIENDS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT THE BRAKES ARE UNSAFE AND ARE NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS THEY SHOULD BE WHEN STOPPING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. THE BRAKES ARE NOE OUT OF WARRANTY HOWEVER, I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD CORRECT THE BRAKE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10124215

47,000 miles · Jun 25, 2004
Service Brakes, AirService Brakes, Hydraulic

I HAVE A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK VDC. SINCE PURCHASE I HAVE HAD REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH WARPING OF THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS. THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN TURNED TWICE, THEN REPLACED BY SUBARU IN APRIL 2003. THE ROTORS HAVE NOW WARPED AGAIN AND ARE NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTLY. THIS CONDITION LEADS TO UNCONTROLLABLE WHEEL AND FRONT END SHAKING…

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I HAVE A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK VDC. SINCE PURCHASE I HAVE HAD REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH WARPING OF THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS. THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN TURNED TWICE, THEN REPLACED BY SUBARU IN APRIL 2003. THE ROTORS HAVE NOW WARPED AGAIN AND ARE NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTLY. THIS CONDITION LEADS TO UNCONTROLLABLE WHEEL AND FRONT END SHAKING WHEN BRAKING AT HIGH SPEEDS. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR THIS VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10078784

Official recalls

3

04V128000 · Vehicle Speed Control:cables

Mar 16, 2004

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER SEDANS, WAGONS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE COULD COME OUT OF ITS TRACK ON THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER AND LODGE ON THE CONTROL LEVER TAB WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, THE THROTTLE WILL NOT RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION AND WILL REMAIN IN AN OPEN POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A CRUISE CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP TO THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER TAB ON THE THROTTLE SHAFT IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE FROM COMING OUT OF ITS TRACK. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 12, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

03V153000 · 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.

02V282000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Oct 30, 2002

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "P" (PARK) POSITION, THE TRANSMISSION PARK MECHANISM, THAT IS INTENDED TO HOLD YOUR VEHICLE, MAY NOT ENGAGE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE VEHICLE COULD THEN MOVE/ROLL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION JANUARY 8, 2003. AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE SENT DURING NOVEMBER 2002. 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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