IllustrationMY 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK HAS A CLUTCH SHUDDER ( JUTTER ) THAT IS REPORTED TO OCCUR IN ALL SUBARU MODELS WITH THE 2.5 LTR ENGINE. THERE ARE INUMERABLE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND YET SUBARU BURRIES ITS HEAD IN THE SAND AND PRETENDS THERE IS NO PROBLEM.*AK
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.
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
210–25K
1525–50K
1650–75K
1475–100K
24100–150K
10150K+
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
What owners actually said
171 reportsSINCE ABOUT 10,000 MILES THE CLUTCH SHUDDERS WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. USUALLY ONLY WHEN ENGINE IS COLD BUT NOT 100% OF THE TIME. HAVE COMPLAINED TO SUBARU DEALER BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SOME SUBARUS BUT NOT ALL DEALERS ADDRESS IT.
THE CLUTCH ON OUR 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK LIMITED SHUDDERS WHEN THE CAR AND/OR TEMPERATURE IS COLD. IT HAS DONE THIS FOR THE LAST 30-40,000 MILES.*AK
THE VEHICLE EMITTED WHITE SMOKE THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *NM
ODOR MOST LIKELY DESCRIBED AS HEATED ANTIFREEZE, ALSO ROTTEN EGG ODOR - AT LEAST TEN DIFFERENT ATTEMPTS TO IDENTIFY ODOR AND FIND CAUSE. CAR NOW HAS 59,000 MILES.
CLUTCH SHUDDER PROBLEM SINCE 20K MILES. HAPPENS WHEN COLD OR DAMP OUT, HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING IN FIRST GEAR, FROM STOPPED POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES, INCLUDING TEST DRIVE W/ MECHANIC,CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *NLM
THE CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT SINCE JULY 2003 TO HAVE THE RECALL WORK PERFORMED. THE RECALL IS FOR REAR SUSPENSION SUB FRAME CORROSION (3V153000) . *NLM
RECALL 03V153000 CONCERNING REAR SUSPENSION SUB FRAME ASSEMBLY: VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE REPAIRS COULD NOT BE DONE BECAUSE NO SPRAY BOOTH WAS AVAILABLE. THE DEALER REFUSED TO HELP THE CONSUMER FIND A DEALER WITH A SPRAY BOOTH.*AK *JB *NLM
MY SUBARU OUTBACK UNLIMITED 2001 NEEDS A TRANSMISSION REPLACED AFTER ONLY 74,000. ALL THE REPAIRS AND SERVICE WERE PERFORMED AT THE DEALERSHIP INCLUDING THE 60,00 MILE MAJOR TUNE-UP. ALL THE SERVICE WAS DONE TIMELY AND AS RECOMMENDED. THE DEALER FIRST SAID THE NOISE WAS THE ALTERNATOR AND REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR, BUT THE NOISE C…
Read full complaint
MY SUBARU OUTBACK UNLIMITED 2001 NEEDS A TRANSMISSION REPLACED AFTER ONLY 74,000. ALL THE REPAIRS AND SERVICE WERE PERFORMED AT THE DEALERSHIP INCLUDING THE 60,00 MILE MAJOR TUNE-UP. ALL THE SERVICE WAS DONE TIMELY AND AS RECOMMENDED. THE DEALER FIRST SAID THE NOISE WAS THE ALTERNATOR AND REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR, BUT THE NOISE CONTINUED. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER SUBARU DEALER WHO SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND SUSPECTED IT WAS NOT SERVICED APPROPRIATELY. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER AT THEIR REQUEST. THEY THEN REMOVED THE REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND RETURNED MY ORIGINAL ALTERNATOR, BUT REFUSED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *JB
TIRE SIDEWALL BLOWOUT, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS. DOOR PLATE SHOWS 30 PSI, TIRE SHOWS 44 PSI, DIFFERENCE OF 14 POUNDS--TOO MUCH DIFFERENCE. *JB
Official recalls
304V128000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.