vehicle battery continues to fail due to unusual electrical activity, requires a jump to start.
2019 Subaru Outback
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Outback years
Owner complaints for the 2019 Subaru Outback are substantially higher than 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
469 reports with mileage · 564 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 363 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility/wiper. Review the 326 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
363 reportsOriginal battery failed 7/2022. As stranded AAA installed new battery. New battery gets drained while car is off within a few days. Subaru class action lawsuit states dealer to provide new battery replacement and provide diagnostic procedures. Dealer diagnosed the problem as excessive draw on battery when car off. However dealer…
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Original battery failed 7/2022. As stranded AAA installed new battery. New battery gets drained while car is off within a few days. Subaru class action lawsuit states dealer to provide new battery replacement and provide diagnostic procedures. Dealer diagnosed the problem as excessive draw on battery when car off. However dealer refuses to provide supposed ecu flash to car unless a new subaru battery is purchased. Class action lawsuit does not contain any language stating customer must have a subaru provided battery in car to receive flash. Further class action language specifically provides relief and compensation when owners are “stranded” as a result of drained battery. This would supercede any implied requirement that owner would have had to locate and bring car to a authorized subaru dealer for repair. This subaru issue is in fact a safety issue as owners are caught in unsafe situations ie shopping malls, parking lots, gas stations with a dead battery. The car obviously has a defect in engineering and replacing batteries does not alleviate the underlying issue.
The touch screen has bubbles on it and a mind of its own. I can not use my phone, maps let alone the radio. The vehicle has only 11k miles on it. I am being told I am out of warranty and it will cost 2k to replace the head unit. Searching forums this is a common issue. The 2018 models ended with a class action. At …
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The touch screen has bubbles on it and a mind of its own. I can not use my phone, maps let alone the radio. The vehicle has only 11k miles on it. I am being told I am out of warranty and it will cost 2k to replace the head unit. Searching forums this is a common issue. The 2018 models ended with a class action. At this point they are not taking responsibility for the 2019.
Battery dead. Got jumped. A week later has now happened again. I just replaced the battery with brand new in May’22, as previous battery had quit on me three times within a week or two in April - May’ 22 My previous Subaru Outback 2014 had same issues and I had replaced that battery three three times within a year ! Accus…
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Battery dead. Got jumped. A week later has now happened again. I just replaced the battery with brand new in May’22, as previous battery had quit on me three times within a week or two in April - May’ 22 My previous Subaru Outback 2014 had same issues and I had replaced that battery three three times within a year ! Accused garage of selling me old batteries and used parts!
New battery will not hold a charge. Electrical system drains battery when vehicle is turned off.
I bought the vehicle in April 2019, the battery had to be replaced in February 2021. In September 2022 I starting having the same battery issues where it was constantly dying. I took it in to Subaru and they said the ECM was draining the battery and needed to be replaced which would be $1,000. I looked into the battery issue a…
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I bought the vehicle in April 2019, the battery had to be replaced in February 2021. In September 2022 I starting having the same battery issues where it was constantly dying. I took it in to Subaru and they said the ECM was draining the battery and needed to be replaced which would be $1,000. I looked into the battery issue and Subaru has a class action lawsuit involving batteries prematurely dying. It also says that electrical issues are causing a parasitic pull on the batteries. So replacing the battery doesn't actually solve the problem. The suit settled and is replacing batteries, reimbursing battery costs and extending their warranties. But it does not address the actual electrical issues. Subaru has known of the electrical issues for years that are affecting multiple makes and have refused to acknowledge or address the issue.
My battery has died over 7 times in the 3 years I have owned it. No systems were left on. It runs one day and won’t start the next. It shows the battery light. This first happened 6 months after owning the car leaving me stranded waiting for roadside assistance and causing me to miss work. It has happened 3 times in the past yea…
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My battery has died over 7 times in the 3 years I have owned it. No systems were left on. It runs one day and won’t start the next. It shows the battery light. This first happened 6 months after owning the car leaving me stranded waiting for roadside assistance and causing me to miss work. It has happened 3 times in the past year. As I type this I am stranded again waiting for someone to come and give me a jump and praying that it will start once I get out of the grocery store. I’m afraid to go anywhere for fear of being stranded in a dangerous place. I always carry jumper cables with me now! The second issue is that it runs out of gas when there is a 30 miles left to empty notice. I ran out of gas in the left lane of a major highway at 4:45 pm bringing a friend home from the hospital. The gas station was 7 miles away. I was stranded there, waiting on Subaru tow service for hours until the police sent their own tow truck. It was very dangerous but I know better than to trust it now. It cost me 185 dollars. I was told this was a problem with 2018s but they thought they fixed it!
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the display and back-up camera were inoperable. Additionally, the radio was operating intermittently. The contact stated that calls were being made independently without the phone being connected. There were no warning lights illuminated. There was condensation on t…
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The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the display and back-up camera were inoperable. Additionally, the radio was operating intermittently. The contact stated that calls were being made independently without the phone being connected. There were no warning lights illuminated. There was condensation on the display. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the head display needed to be replaced but was not covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no additional assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.
Battery randomly dies. Replaced OEM battery with aftermarket and issue still occurs.
Battery continues to drain while parked. Vehicle was taken to dealer and told it's a common problem and car cannot sit for several days without charging the battery. Replaced OEM battery with new Optima battery. After 6 months dead battery issue is worse and now battery is dead after sitting for a day even after driving for seve…
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Battery continues to drain while parked. Vehicle was taken to dealer and told it's a common problem and car cannot sit for several days without charging the battery. Replaced OEM battery with new Optima battery. After 6 months dead battery issue is worse and now battery is dead after sitting for a day even after driving for several hours. We have turned off all dome lights and are careful to not leave the doors or hatchback open any longer than necessary. Engine cranks slowly even after stopping for fuel. I called Subaru dealer in White Bear Lake, MN to inquire about the problem and schedule an appointment but dealer has not returned my call. We cannot drive the vehicle without concern of being stranded.
Official recalls
321V587000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
Jul 29, 2021
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
20V218000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
Apr 16, 2020
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-20.
19V493000 · Structure
Jun 26, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Legacy and Outback vehicles. Spot welds located on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, impacting the vehicle's body strength.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash, the reduced strength of the vehicle body may increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and repair or repurchase the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUH-93.
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.
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