IllustrationAT 69,013 MILES, THE DRIVER SIDE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING COOLANT. WE FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM DUE TO THE ODOR. *NM
2002 Subaru Outback
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 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
180–25K
1325–50K
1650–75K
1975–100K
12100–150K
10150K+
88 reports with mileage · 55 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports0 fire reports9 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
17 reportsDRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK SMELT BURNING COOLANT. THEN , STARTED SEEING A LOT OF SMOKE FROM THE DRIVER SIDE ENGINE HOOD AREA. PULLED OVER AND FOUND THAT THE COOLANT WAS EMPTY IN THE TANK. REFILLED WITH FRESH COOLANT AND CONTINUED DOWN THE ROAD BACK HOME. CAR WAS SMOKING ALL THE WAY BACK. TOOK IT TO A SHOP…
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DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK SMELT BURNING COOLANT. THEN , STARTED SEEING A LOT OF SMOKE FROM THE DRIVER SIDE ENGINE HOOD AREA. PULLED OVER AND FOUND THAT THE COOLANT WAS EMPTY IN THE TANK. REFILLED WITH FRESH COOLANT AND CONTINUED DOWN THE ROAD BACK HOME. CAR WAS SMOKING ALL THE WAY BACK. TOOK IT TO A SHOP, AND FOUND THAT THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. MECHANIC REPLACED THE HEAD GASKETS AND MACHINED HEADS. COST $1700.*AK
PISTON SLAP IN 2.5 ENGINE. *NM
FUEL SMELL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF CABIN. DEALER HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE, INSISTS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR.*AK
2002 SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON REPEATEDLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY STALLS WHILE DRIVING. HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR NEARLY 2 YEARS. HAS BEEN EXAMINED ON MULTIPLE OCCASSIONS (AT LEAST 4) AT RYE FORD SUBARU IN RYE NEW YORK WITH THE ONGOING RESULT THAT THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM AND UNABLE TO REPLICATE. CAR WAS DELIV…
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2002 SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON REPEATEDLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY STALLS WHILE DRIVING. HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR NEARLY 2 YEARS. HAS BEEN EXAMINED ON MULTIPLE OCCASSIONS (AT LEAST 4) AT RYE FORD SUBARU IN RYE NEW YORK WITH THE ONGOING RESULT THAT THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM AND UNABLE TO REPLICATE. CAR WAS DELIVERED BACK TO DEALERSHIP ON A FLATBED AFTER STALLING 5 OR 6 TIMES IN MAIN THOROUGHFARE THAT RESULTED IN BEING REAR ENDED BY A TRUCK BEHIND ME. I HAVE REPEATEDLY INFORMED THE DEALER AND CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA THAT I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEATH TRAP WAITING TO HAPPEN. I WAS NEARLY KILLED BY A NARROW MISS WHEN THE CAR STALLED ABRUBTLY IN A SNOW STORM. THIS IS A VERY VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND THE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED. *AK
CAR HAS COMPLETELY STALLED TWICE WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING WHILE DRIVING IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE.
MASTER CYLINDER HAS A BAD LEAKAGE, CAUSING ENGINE TO LOCK. PH...*AK
Official recalls
404V128000 · 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.
02V079000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
Mar 12, 2002
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDERS MAY NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY IN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING 32 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND LOWER).
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: AT THESE TEMPERATURES, THE BRAKES MAY NOT RELEASE AFTER BEING APPLIED, EVEN WHEN THE DRIVER'S FOOT IS NO LONGER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS CAN OCCUR WITHOUR PRIOR WARNING, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDERS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 21, 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.