Visibility/wiper. Review the 130 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 127 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

20 crash reports5 fire reports13 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

108 reports

Clear category filter

5,000 miles · Aug 3, 2015

Unknown Or Other

NEW WINDSHIELD SUFFERED A MINOR ROCK IMPACT ON THE FREEWAY. THE CRACK PROPAGATED QUICKLY. THE WINDSHIELD REQUIRES REPLACEMENT, BUT THE SUBARU DEALERS SAY THERE IS A 3 MONTH BACKLOG!

NHTSA ODI #10745969

1,695 miles · Aug 1, 2015

Unknown Or Other

Read full complaint

7/28/15 - I CAME OUT TO MY 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK AT THE END OF THE WORK DAY AND FOUND A "V" SHAPED CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD, APPROX 9-11 INCHES IN EACH DIRECTION, ORIGINATING BELOW THE WINDSHIELD WIPER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS DEFECT IN THE GLASS SINCE THE TEMPERATURE THAT DAY WAS APPROX. 93 DEG. 7/29/15 - I WENT TO THE NEARBY DEALERSHIP AND UPON INSPECTION BY THE SERVICE DEPT. WAS TOLD "A ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD" WHICH CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK. MY RESPONSE, "HOW COULD A ROCK HIT UNDER THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WHERE THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF A ROCK HITTING IT?" THE COST TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD IS OVER $700.00, NOT COVERED BY SUBARU WARRANTY AND THE WINDSHIELDS ARE BACKLOGGED BY 4-6 WEEKS SINCE THERE NONE IN STOCK. I RETURNED HOME DISCOURAGED AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 2015 WINDSHIELDS CRACKING. 7/30/15 - I WENT TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR, ARMED WITH 19 PAGES OF WINDSHIELD COMPLAINTS. THE SERVICE DEPT REP INSPECTED THE WINDSHIELD AND ALSO SAID "A ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD" BUT SAID THIS IS COMMON OCCURRENCE, WINDSHIELDS WERE IN SCARCE SUPPLY AND NOT COVERED BY SUBARU WARRANTY. HOWEVER, HE WAS ABLE TO LOCATE THE LAST WINDSHIELD THEY HAD IN STOCK AND RESERVED IT SO I NOW HAVE A REPAIR DATE IN A WEEK. I AM STILL GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THE $700.00 WHETHER IT IS COVERED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY AS COMPREHENSIVE OR CASH OUT OF POCKET. I QUESTIONED THE SERVICE REP ABOUT THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT, THICKNESS OF THE GLASS AND THE HEATING ELEMENT UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER AND OTHER VEHICLES HIT BY SMALL PEBBLES WHERE "PITTING" WOULD OCCUR BUT NOT CRACKING WHEN HIT. AS A GOOD SERVICE REP, HIS ANSWERS WERE EVASIVE BUT EMPATHETIC, WHICH LED ME TO BELIEVE THIS ISSUE IS BEING IGNORED BY SUBARU. I WAS ASSURED, THOUGH, IF IN THE FUTURE, SUBARU WERE TO HAVE A RECALL ON THE WINDSHIELD, I WOULD BE REIMBURSED.

NHTSA ODI #10745587

6,233 miles · Jul 30, 2015

Unknown Or Other

CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD APPEARED OVER THE WEEKEND. STARTED IN THE LOWER CORNER ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND SPREAD ABOUT 2/3 OF THE WAY TO DRIVER'S SIDE.

NHTSA ODI #10745034

13,400 miles · Jul 28, 2015

Unknown Or Other

NOTICED A SMALL CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD THE MORNING OF 7/23/15, I DO NOT RECALL ANYTHING HITTING MY WINDSHIELD, BY LUNCH TIME THE CRACK HAD SPREAD HALF WAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. NOW TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD I'M TOLD IT IS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER AND MAY TAKE QUITE A WHILE TO GET A REPLACEMENT. SOUNDS TO ME LIKE SUBARU INSTALLED…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10744446

9,400 miles · Jul 24, 2015

Unknown Or Other

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A RANDOM CRACKING SOUND. I THEN HEARD IT AGAIN COUPLE MINUTES LATER. DROVE HOME AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THIS MORNING WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM THE GYM ON A REGULAR ROAD I HEARD THE SAME CRACKING SOUND AND THEN SAW A HUGE CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD QUICKLY SPREADING. THE CRAC…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10743304

2,120 miles · Jul 19, 2015

Unknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

Read full complaint

NAVIGATION SYSTEM SCREEN HAS SERIOUS GLARE DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. ALMOST DROVE OFF ROAD INTO A DITCH YESTERDAY, WHILE TRYING TO SEE SCREEN. NO ONE ELSE ON ROAD. SYSTEM VIRTUALLY USELESS. ALSO SEVERE GLARE ON DRIVER-SIDE MIRROR FROM CAR INTERIOR, MAKES IT HARD TO SEE VEHICLES ON LEFT. SUBARU COULD FIX THIS PROBLEM WITH DESIGNING A PRE-CUT ANTI-GLARE SCREEN COVER OR SIMPLY REPLACING THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM SCREEN WITH A NEW ANTI-GLARE PLASTIC ONE. SOMEONE WILL EVENTUALLY GET HURT OR KILLED.

NHTSA ODI #10735017

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2015

Unknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

Read full complaint

WINDSHIELD FOUND CRACKED UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN COMING OUT FROM A STORE. 6" CRACK GREW QUICKLY OVER 2 WEEKS, SPREADING ALL OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE IN A BRANCHED FORMATION ABOUT 2X1'. YESTERDAY, ANOTHER CRACK DEVELOPED IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND IS COMPROMISING VISIBILITY WITH A GLARE FROM THE CRACK AND GROWING QUICKLY AGAIN. REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD IS BACK-ORDERED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. HAVE BEEN WAITING ABOUT 1 MONTH NOW, DRIVING WITH AN UNSAFE/UNSIGHTLY BRAND NEW CAR, AND I'M OUT A $500 DEDUCTIBLE. GOING TO CONTACT SUBARU AS WELL, BUT THEY NEED MORE PRESSURE TO REPLACE AND REIMBURSE THIS SEEMINGLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS BRAND NEW CAR. UPDATED 10/9/15 *LN.......UPDATED 10/19/15 *BF UPDATED 11/28/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI #10734875

2,000 miles · Jul 13, 2015

Power TrainUnknown Or Other

Read full complaint

I WAS GETTING GAS AT A STATION. WHEN I WAS FINISHED PUMPING GAS I ENTERED THE CAR, STARTED IT, PUT IT IN REVERSE, BRAKED, PUT IT IN DRIVE, IT ROLLED BACKWARDS, PUT ON THE BRAKE, IT CONTINUED TO ROLL BACKWARDS, GAVE IT SOME GAS SINCE IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE, CAR JUMPED FORWARD ALMOST HITTING CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF ME, MY FOOT WAS STILL ON BRAKE AND IN DRIVE WHILE I TRIED TO KEEP IT FROM ROLLING BACKWARDS. TRIED TO MANIPULATE BRAKE AND GAS TO STOP ROLLING BACKWARDS. EVENTUALLY I SWERVED AROUND PARKED CAR IN FRONT OF ME WITHOUT HITTING IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED NEW CAR. I WENT TO 2 SUBARU DEALERSHIPS AND THEY SAID THAT IS NORMAL.

NHTSA ODI #10733807

900 miles · Jul 13, 2015

Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

Read full complaint

2015 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5I LIMITED - MONDAY 6 JULY 2015 - WHILE DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, COLLISION PREVENTION OFF LIGHT, LINE WARNING OFF LIGHT, AND X-MODE LIGHT MESSAGES DISPLAYED. I HAD NOT DISENGAGED THE COLLISION PREVENTION OR LINE WARNING LIGHTS AND HAD NOT ENGAGED THE X-MODE FEATURE. THERE WAS NO MESSAGE INDICATING NO BRAKE LIGHTS. MADE APPOINTMENT FOR THURSDAY MORNING 9 JULY. BASED ON SERVICE ADVISOR'S ADVICE THAT IT WAS OK TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL I BROUGHT IT IN, I DROVE THE CAR FOR TWO DAYS WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS. (DISCOVERED THIS WHEN MY WIFE FOLLOWED ME TO THE DEALER.) THERE SHOULD BE A MESSAGE TO ALERT THE DRIVER BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT OPERABLE. AFTER SERVICE APPOINTMENT THURSDAY (FLASHED COMPUTER TO CLEAR CODES), NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS SLUGGISH. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH FRIDAY AFTERNOON 10 JULY SLUGGISHNESS CONTINUED TO INCREASE, GEAR SHIFTING BECAME ERRATIC, THEN THE COLLISION PREVENTION OFF LIGHT AND LINE WARNING OFF LIGHT MESSAGES DISPLAYED - BUT NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE VEHICLE TOTALLY FAILED TO MAINTAIN SPEED OR ACCELERATE. COASTED OFF THE EXIT RAMP AND CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK. DO NOT KNOW WHETHER BRAKE LIGHTS WERE OPERABLE WHILE THIS WAS OCCURRING. I AM AWARE THERE IS A RECALL WQS-54 ON THE EYE-SIGHT SYSTEM (WHICH WE SHOWED THE DEALER SERVICE ADVISOR). HAVING NO WAY TO KNOW IF BRAKE LIGHTS ARE OPERABLE IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION FROM SUBARU REGARDING THIS RECALL. UPDATED 11/14/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI #10733538

500 miles · Jul 2, 2015

Unknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

Read full complaint

WE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE WITH OUR WINDSHIELD THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD -- SEE, EG, COMPLAINT # 10730819. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER BUYING A NEW 2015 OUTBACK, WHILE DRIVING OUT OF OUR SOMEWHAT STEEPLY-ANGLED GARAGE, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. I SAW NO EVIDENCE OF A STONE HITTING THE WINDSHIELD AND THOUGHT THERE WAS A STRUCTURAL DEFECT. TOOK THE CAR TO OUR DEALER WHO DID A "PEN TEST" ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE PEN TIP, INDEED, CAUGHT IN THE CRACK AND THE REPAIR PERSON SAID THAT INDICATED A ROCK HIT AND WE JUST HAD UNFORTUNATE LUCK. THE CRACK GREW QUICKLY, SNAKING AROUND THE WINDSHIELD, WHILE WE WAITED A FEW WEEKS FOR THE REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD TO BECOME AVAILABLE VIA SAFELITE. BASED ON THIS AND OTHER COMMENT SITES, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT A REPEAT CRACK. ALSO, OF COURSE, WONDERING IF IT WAS REALLY JUST "BAD LUCK." OUR SUBARU DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN NON-COMMUNICATIVE. I CONTACTED SUBARU CORPORATE WITH A COMPLAINT AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED - AND WE'VE BEEN A "SUBARU FAMILY" FOR A LONG TIME.

NHTSA ODI #10731697

Official recalls

16V292000 · Steering:column

May 11, 2016

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The loss of steering ability would increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting http://www.wtd65.service-campaign.com. Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65. Note: Until the vehicles have been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles.

16V251000 · Electronic Stability Control (esc)

Apr 27, 2016

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured on July 20, 2015. The brake fluid used in these vehicles may contain excess moisture which may adversely affect the performance of the electronic stability control system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Poor performance of the electronic stability control system when it is activated may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will perform an ABS activation, then flush and replace the brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTC-64.

15V502000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:driveline:driveshaft

Aug 10, 2015

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 and 2016 model year Subaru Legacy 4-Door and Outback vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to July 27, 2015. Transmission oil may leak from a deformed seal cap on the propeller shaft yoke.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the transmission oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, there is a possible risk of fire.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the propeller shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2015. Owners may contact 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQU-56.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:driveline:driveshaft

Consequence: If the transmission oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, there is a possible risk of fire.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the propeller shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2015. Owners may contact 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQU-56.

Power Train:automatic Transmission

Consequence: If the transmission oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, there is a possible risk of fire.

15V366000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch; Forward Collision Avoidance: Crash Imminent Braking

Jun 12, 2015

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Forward Collision Avoidance: Crash Imminent Braking

Consequence: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.

Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Consequence: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.

14V577000 · Trailer Hitches

Sep 19, 2014

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Outback vehicles manufactured January 22, 2014, to August 18, 2014, and equipped with a Subaru accessory trailer hitch assembly. During installation, the trailer hitch mounting nuts may have been overtightened, potentially resulting in failure of the trailer hitch mounting studs.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The mounting nut(s) may not provide sufficient force to remain attached to the studs or the studs themselves might break. If this were to happen while a trailer is being towed, the driver might not be able to operate the vehicle as desired or the trailer may detach from the vehicle. Either situation could increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace all eight mounting nuts for the trailer hitch assembly, and will inspect all eight mounting studs for damage, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2014. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQN-50.

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

EA21002 · Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

Opened Sep 17, 2021 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module; Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Go deeper into Subaru Outback problems

Subaru Outback transmission problems →Subaru Outback electrical problems →