IllustrationDURING COLD WEATHER (TODAY WAS 15 F), BRAKES DO NOT WORK ON FIRST APPLICATION FROM A COLD START. BRAKES HAVE BEEN SERVICE TWICE (PADS REPLACED, ROTORS TURNED) BUT DEALER CANNOT REPLICATE PROBLEM SINCE THE CAR HAS WARMED UP.
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 reportsTWO CATASTROPHIC WIRING FAILURES IN MAIN COMPUTER WIRING LED TO VEHICLE SUDDENLY GOING DEAD. FIRST AT 3000 MILES TRACED TO SHORT IN MAIN RELAY WHICH WAS REPLACED. SECOND AT 16,000 MILES TRACED TO SHORT IN WIRE HARNESS UNDER THE PASSENGER FOOTWELL. POOR DESIGN PLACED THE ESSENTIAL COMPUTER WIRES UNDER THE PASSENGER FOOTWELL WHE…
Read full complaint
TWO CATASTROPHIC WIRING FAILURES IN MAIN COMPUTER WIRING LED TO VEHICLE SUDDENLY GOING DEAD. FIRST AT 3000 MILES TRACED TO SHORT IN MAIN RELAY WHICH WAS REPLACED. SECOND AT 16,000 MILES TRACED TO SHORT IN WIRE HARNESS UNDER THE PASSENGER FOOTWELL. POOR DESIGN PLACED THE ESSENTIAL COMPUTER WIRES UNDER THE PASSENGER FOOTWELL WHERE IT GETS CONSTANT PRESSURE WEAR. DEALER REPLACED WIRES INSIDE HARNESS AND ADDED CUSHIONING AROUND IT. THE SECOND FAILURE CREATES DOUBT THAT THE FIRST FAILURE WAS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE MAIN RELAY. BOTH FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE DEAD. BOTH HAD NO WARNING EXCEPT THE FIRST TIME THE TEMPERATURE LIGHT CAME ON IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE CAR WENT DEAD.
REAR HEADRESTS DO NOT LOCK INTO UPRIGHT AND DOWN POSITIONS BECAUSE THE METAL SLEEVE INSIDE SEAT SLIPS OVER TIME. HAPPENED EVEN AFTER BEING FIXED ONCE BY DEALER.
WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH, CONSUMER STATES RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW 2 1/2 INCHES FROM THE RIM, AND THERE WERE SPLITS GOING ALL THE WAY AROUND TIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS WOULD GET STUCK. DO TO DRIVING IN THE SNOW. CONSUMER STATES THE RIM SIZE ON THE VEHICLE IS 16". DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED AND APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE CAN EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, VEHICLE SUFFERED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
VEHICLE IS LEAKING FROM THE SUNROOF ASSEMBLY (HINGES). DEALER REPAIR AN CONSUMER STATES THE PROBLEM IS REOCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. WE DON'T HAVE NO RECALL LIKE THIS PROBLEM. MR
WHILE DRIVING AT 20MPH AND WITH NO WARNING THE INSIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER, THE FIRE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED, THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE CAR BUT THE VEHCIE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER SUBARU REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE MANUFACTURER REQUESTED THE CONSUMER SI…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING AT 20MPH AND WITH NO WARNING THE INSIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER, THE FIRE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED, THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE CAR BUT THE VEHCIE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER SUBARU REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE MANUFACTURER REQUESTED THE CONSUMER SIGN A RELAEASE IN ORDER TO HAVE THE REPAIRS PAID FOR BY THEM, CONSUMER REFUSED. *AK *YH
THE VEHICLE BEGAN ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN WHILE DESCENDING A 1.5 MILE GRADE. THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE. *YH
THERE IS A DANGEROUS CLUTCH SHUDDER WHEN SHIFTING IN LOW GEARS. CAR CAN STALL IN BAD INTERSECTIONS. THIS IS DANGEROUS. THERE IS A LOT OF PUBLIC DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS PROBLEM HERE: HTTP://PUB1.EZBOARD.COM/FULTIMATESUBARUMESSAGEBOARDSTHENEWGENERATIONOFSUBARUS.SHOWMESSAGE?TOPICID=3533.TOPIC
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.