IllustrationUPPER FRONT FUEL LINE AND CONNECTION TO THROTTLE BODY? IS LEAKING RAW GAS AND FUEL IS POOLING ON TOP OF ENGINE JUST OUTWARD OF UPPER EXHAUST MANIFOLD AREA. *TR
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
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
12 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO PARK, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A NEARBY FENCE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER TESTING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CU…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO PARK, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A NEARBY FENCE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER TESTING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 71,000. UPDATED 07/19/2010. *LJ UPDATED 07/26/10*JB
I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE AROUND A CORNER AND WHEN I EASED OFF THE GAS PEDAL IT REMAINED STUCK DOWN. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND BRAKED SO I COULD PULL OVER. I SHUT OFF THE CAR, AND WHEN I RESTARTED IT, THE ENGINE REVVED . I HAD TO PUT MY FOOT UNDER THE GAS PEDAL AND LIFT IT UP TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK
JUST STARTED CAR AND PULLED UP TO STOP LIGHT AND HIT BREAK PEDAL. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND THE CAR STARTED FORWARD AND I HAD TO LEAN ON THE BREAK VERY HARD TO STOP. THIS OCCURRED 2 TIMES BOTH AFTER STARTING THE CAR AFTER AT LEAST A 1 HOUR OFF TIME. I THOUGHT AT FIRST IT WAS MY FOOT ON BOTH PEDALS BUT…
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JUST STARTED CAR AND PULLED UP TO STOP LIGHT AND HIT BREAK PEDAL. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND THE CAR STARTED FORWARD AND I HAD TO LEAN ON THE BREAK VERY HARD TO STOP. THIS OCCURRED 2 TIMES BOTH AFTER STARTING THE CAR AFTER AT LEAST A 1 HOUR OFF TIME. I THOUGHT AT FIRST IT WAS MY FOOT ON BOTH PEDALS BUT THE SECOND TIME I STOPPED THE CAR WITH MY LEFT FOOT AND WAS NOWHERE NEAR THE ACCELERATOR. I CONTACTED SUBARU BUT THEY DENIED ANY PROBLEM. I PUT IF OFF UNTIL I SAW AN ARTICLE IN ST LOUIS POST DISPATCH TO LETTERS TO TOM AND RAY MAGLIOZZI THE CAR GUYS AND THE LETTER WAS FROM ANOTHER SUBARU OUTBACK OWNER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM
2002 SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON HAS 48,000 MILES. CAR STALLS AT RED LIGHTS, SPUTTERS AND HESITATES WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. DANGEROUS TRYING TO GET ON HIGHWAY. DEALER TESTED ALL SYSTEMS AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TESTED IT AND SAID MAIN COMPUTER NOT WORKING PROPERLY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT …
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2002 SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON HAS 48,000 MILES. CAR STALLS AT RED LIGHTS, SPUTTERS AND HESITATES WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. DANGEROUS TRYING TO GET ON HIGHWAY. DEALER TESTED ALL SYSTEMS AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TESTED IT AND SAID MAIN COMPUTER NOT WORKING PROPERLY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. MECHANIC RESET COMPUTER BUT SUGGESTED I GET RID OF THE CAR ASAP
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. OWNER WAS PULLING INTO A SCHOOL PARKING LOT WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE REVVED, AND THE DRIVER HAD BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE WHILE THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. DRIVER PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, AND ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COAST BEFORE IT SHUT DOWN.*AK
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
THE ENGINE BEGAN TO IDLE ROUGHLY QUITE A FEW MONTHS PRIOR (DEALER UNABLE TO DETECT ANY PROBLEM), SUBSEQUENTLY EXPERIENCED HESITATION FROM STOP; PROGRESSED TO FLUCTUATING IDLE SPEED FROM 750 TO 500 RPM WITH SELF CORRECTION TO 750 AFTER CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN AND FULLY WARMED UP WHICH PROGRESSED TO EPISODE OF HESITATION WHILE DRIVIN…
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THE ENGINE BEGAN TO IDLE ROUGHLY QUITE A FEW MONTHS PRIOR (DEALER UNABLE TO DETECT ANY PROBLEM), SUBSEQUENTLY EXPERIENCED HESITATION FROM STOP; PROGRESSED TO FLUCTUATING IDLE SPEED FROM 750 TO 500 RPM WITH SELF CORRECTION TO 750 AFTER CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN AND FULLY WARMED UP WHICH PROGRESSED TO EPISODE OF HESITATION WHILE DRIVING UP HILL WITH NEAR ENGINE STALL. THEREAFTER HAD A FEW EPISODES OF ENGINE SURGING WHILE STOPPING IN DRIVE, WHICH DID NOT STOP WHEN PUT INTO EITHER NEUTRAL OR PARK (DEALER UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE ANY PROBLEM, DID SOFTWARE REPLACED BUT PROBLEM CONTINUED TO DEGENERATE). ENGINE STALLED WHEN IT CAME TO STOP THEN WHEN RESTARTED CONTINUED TO HAVE SURGING AS ABOVE DESCRIBED. ENGINE WOULD HAVE HESITATION AND NEAR STALL ALSO DURING REGULAR OPERATION ON HIGHWAY EVEN AT CRUISING SPEEDS FROM 20 MPH TO 65 MPH. DEALER CURRENTLY ATTEMPTING TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM AGAIN.*AK
WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND EXPERIENCE SUDDEN DECELERATION. WHEN REMOVING PRESSURE FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE STALLS. DEALER INDICATES THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE, AND THERE IS NO A REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION.*JB
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.