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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.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Fuel System, Gasoline complaints

23 reports
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96,000 miles · Dec 28, 2007
Fuel System, Gasoline

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000 AND CURRENT MILEAG…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

NHTSA ODI #10213105

56,000 miles · Dec 28, 2007
Fuel System, GasolineInjury

I HAVE A SUBARU 2002 OUTBACK. THE FOLLOWING IS WHAT I PROVIDED TO THE DEALER IN THE LAST VISIT. EARLIER THIS YEAR, BEFORE MY WARRANTY PERIOD HAD EXPIRED, I HAD ISSUES WITH LEAKING FUEL FROM THE FUEL LINES AT THE TOP OF THE ENGINE UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I TIGHTENED THE CLAMPS ON THE FUEL LINE AND THE LEAK SEEMED TO STOP. THE…

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I HAVE A SUBARU 2002 OUTBACK. THE FOLLOWING IS WHAT I PROVIDED TO THE DEALER IN THE LAST VISIT. EARLIER THIS YEAR, BEFORE MY WARRANTY PERIOD HAD EXPIRED, I HAD ISSUES WITH LEAKING FUEL FROM THE FUEL LINES AT THE TOP OF THE ENGINE UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I TIGHTENED THE CLAMPS ON THE FUEL LINE AND THE LEAK SEEMED TO STOP. THERE WERE ADDITIONAL SMELLS OF FUEL IN COLD WEATHER SO I BROUGHT MY CARE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE TIGHTENED THE CLAMPS AND COULD NOT FIND ANY OTHER LEAKS AND SPAYED A WHITE LEAK DETECTOR ON THE FUEL LINES. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN A FEW WEEKS LATER AND NO ADDITIONAL LEAKS WERE PRESENT. AT THAT TIME, SINCE THE ISSUE ONLY SEEMED TO HAPPEN COLD WEATHER, IF THE ISSUE RETURNED I WAS TOLD TO RETURN TO THE DEALER. THE GAS SMELL RETURNED AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO ID THE SOURCE. HOWEVER, DURING HE COLD WEATHER LAST WEEK, I DISCOVERED IN COLD WEATHER SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE CAR THAT THE SAME FUEL LINE CONNECTIONS UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WERE LEAKING FUEL AGAIN. AFTER I TIGHTENED THE CLAMPS, THE FUEL LEAK STOPPED. SEVERAL CLAMPS WERE LOOSE ON OTHER PARTS OF THE FUEL LINES. THIS IS THE SAME SCENARIO THAT TOOK PLACE IN FEBRUARY '07. TO ELIMINATE ANY FUTURE LEAKS CAN I HAVE THE TSB 09-36-03 WORK COMPLETED ON THE FUEL LINES. THE ISSUE IN MY OUTBACK IS THE SAME AS THE ISSUE NOTED IN THE TSB. HOW CAN I GET THE SAFETY ISSUE ADDRESSED AND REPAIRED BY THE DEALER? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10213022

31,200 miles · Jan 20, 2005
Fuel System, GasolinePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

DANGEROUS HESITATION IN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS ESPECIALLY. AT STOP LIGHT, UPON ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, CAR BOGGED DOWN, RPMS DIPPED AND NEARLY STALLED BEFORE CAR FINALLY ACCELERATED WITH A VIOLENT JERK FORWARD AND BACK. HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. VERY DANGEROUS-NEARLY BEEN IN THREE ACCIDENTS ALREADY. SO FAR THE DEALE…

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DANGEROUS HESITATION IN FIRST AND SECOND GEARS ESPECIALLY. AT STOP LIGHT, UPON ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, CAR BOGGED DOWN, RPMS DIPPED AND NEARLY STALLED BEFORE CAR FINALLY ACCELERATED WITH A VIOLENT JERK FORWARD AND BACK. HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. VERY DANGEROUS-NEARLY BEEN IN THREE ACCIDENTS ALREADY. SO FAR THE DEALER HAS BLED THE CLUTCH, ADJUSTED THE CLUTCH, REPLACED THE CLUTCH, REPLACED KNOCK SENSOR, REPLACED COOLANT TEMP SENSOR AND REPLACED FRONT OXYGEN SENSOR AND PROBLEM STILL AS BAD AS EVER IF NOT WORSE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10107604

Official recalls

4

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.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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