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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 →

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.

24 crash reports2 fire reports12 injury reports

What owners actually said

1,033 reports
Mileage unknown · Dec 23, 2019
Visibility/wiper

A SPONTANEOUS CRACK APPEARED ON 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHAT STARTED OUT AS A SPELL CRACK, ABOUT 4 INCHES LONG, HAS NOW PROGRESSED TO ALMOST 12 INCHES IN A DAY.

NHTSA ODI #11290967

6,000 miles · Dec 15, 2019
Visibility/wiper

I HAVE OWNED MY OUTBACK FOR 6 MONTHS. IN THAT TIME I HAVE HAD MY WINDSHIELD CRACK 2 TIMES WITH NO APPARENT DAMAGE. THE FIRST TIME WAS 2 WEEKS AFTER OWNERSHIP, DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, NOT IMPACT FROM ANYTHING AND IT JUST CRACKED. SECOND WAS TONIGHT, DRIVING HOME I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A LARGE DRIP, NEXT THING I KNOW MY …

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I HAVE OWNED MY OUTBACK FOR 6 MONTHS. IN THAT TIME I HAVE HAD MY WINDSHIELD CRACK 2 TIMES WITH NO APPARENT DAMAGE. THE FIRST TIME WAS 2 WEEKS AFTER OWNERSHIP, DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, NOT IMPACT FROM ANYTHING AND IT JUST CRACKED. SECOND WAS TONIGHT, DRIVING HOME I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A LARGE DRIP, NEXT THING I KNOW MY WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED ON THE BOTTOM NEAR THE DEFROSTER. I LOOKED ALONG THE CRACK AND THEIR IS NO CHIP OR EVIDENCE OF IMPACT.

NHTSA ODI #11289201

11,800 miles · Dec 10, 2019
Suspension

I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE BECAUSE THE CAR WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT, ALONG WITH THE REGULAR OIL CHANGE, AND THE DEALER IS TELLING ME THAT THE SPINDLE IS BENT. THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT THIS COULD ONLY HAVE OCCURRED IN AN ACCIDENT, BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS IN THE 11,800 SINCE WE PURCHASED IT NEW LAST DECEMBER.

NHTSA ODI #11288155

20,747 miles · Dec 6, 2019
Unknown Or Other

WINDSHIELD HAS A CRACK UNDER THE WIPER BLADE THAT HAS SPREAD OUTWARD IN A C PATTERN. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN SHOPPING AREA AND NO OTHER PERSONAL WERE NEARBY. WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND NO OBJECTS HAD IMPACTED THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. STAR PATTERN WAS NOTICED AFTER DEALERSHIP USED PEN TO OPEN THE AREA UP MORE. PLEASE SEE ATTAC…

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WINDSHIELD HAS A CRACK UNDER THE WIPER BLADE THAT HAS SPREAD OUTWARD IN A C PATTERN. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN SHOPPING AREA AND NO OTHER PERSONAL WERE NEARBY. WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND NO OBJECTS HAD IMPACTED THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. STAR PATTERN WAS NOTICED AFTER DEALERSHIP USED PEN TO OPEN THE AREA UP MORE. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PICTURE

NHTSA ODI #11287587

2,100 miles · Dec 6, 2019
Steering

VEHICLE STEERING IS DANGEROUS...VEHICLE SUDDENLY LUNGED HARD RIGHT THEN HARD LEFT ...ALL WHILE IN MOTION ON THE ROAD ABOUT 35 MPH...WAS VERY PERPLEXED AND I'M SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE NOW...AFTER GOOGLING MAKE & MODEL RECALLS EARLIER YEARS HAD STEERING ISSUES RECALLED...PERHAPS THIS IS THE CASE FOR THIS VEHICLE? TOO DANGEROU…

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VEHICLE STEERING IS DANGEROUS...VEHICLE SUDDENLY LUNGED HARD RIGHT THEN HARD LEFT ...ALL WHILE IN MOTION ON THE ROAD ABOUT 35 MPH...WAS VERY PERPLEXED AND I'M SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE NOW...AFTER GOOGLING MAKE & MODEL RECALLS EARLIER YEARS HAD STEERING ISSUES RECALLED...PERHAPS THIS IS THE CASE FOR THIS VEHICLE? TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE...

NHTSA ODI #11287585

12,000 miles · Dec 6, 2019
Visibility/wiper

WE SUSTAINED A CRACKED WINDSHIELD FROM A SMALL STONE IMPACT WHILE TRAVELING AT 60MPH ON A MULTI-LANE HIGHWAY. THE ROAD AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE GOOD, WITH NO OBVIOUS DEBRIS ON ROAD, AND ONLY PASSENGER CARS IN FRONT AND NEXT TO US SUGGESTING STONE MAY HAVE COME FROM ANOTHER CARS TIRE TREAD. THE IMPACT LEFT A SMALL (~1MM) CRATE…

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WE SUSTAINED A CRACKED WINDSHIELD FROM A SMALL STONE IMPACT WHILE TRAVELING AT 60MPH ON A MULTI-LANE HIGHWAY. THE ROAD AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE GOOD, WITH NO OBVIOUS DEBRIS ON ROAD, AND ONLY PASSENGER CARS IN FRONT AND NEXT TO US SUGGESTING STONE MAY HAVE COME FROM ANOTHER CARS TIRE TREAD. THE IMPACT LEFT A SMALL (~1MM) CRATER ON PASSENGER SIDE ABOUT MID-WAY UP AND ~2 INCHES FROM EDGE, BUT GENERATED A CURVED CRACK NEARLY A FOOT IN LENGTH (AND STILL EXPANDING) AND REACHING ALL THE WAY TO THE EDGE OF WINDSHIELD. I OWNED A 2007 SUBURU FOR OVER TEN YEARS PRIOR TO THIS VEHICLE AND SUSTAINED MANY MINOR GRAVEL IMPACTS ESPECIALLY POST-WINTER STORM AND NEVER SUSTAINED DAMAGE REQUIRING WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT. LIKEWISE WITH OVER 40-YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH NUMEROUS CARS I HAVE NEVER SEEN A WINDSHIELD FAIL GIVEN IMPACT BY SMALL STONE. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE COMPONENT AND PRESENTS SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. THE COST FOR REPLACEMENT IS HIGH BECAUSE SENSORS REQUIRE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FROM SUBURU AND CHANCE OF SUBSEQUENT FAILURE IS ALSO HIGH GIVEN REPLACEMENT WOULD LIKELY ALSO BE DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA ODI #11287488

1,700 miles · Dec 3, 2019
Visibility/wiper

VEHICLE HAD TWO SPONTANEOUS CRACKS WITHIN THE FIRST 1700 MILES OF USE.

NHTSA ODI #11286651

10,000 miles · Nov 23, 2019
Power Train

UNKNOWN ORIGIN. CURRENTLY APPROXIMATE MILES 12500. TRAVEL 450-550 MILES PER WEEK, 400-450 MILES ARE HIGHWAY MILES. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10,000-11,000 MILES I STARTED NOTICING A HIGH-PITCHED SQUEALING/WHINING ONLY WHILE IN MOTION. IT STARTS AROUND 20-30 MPH, AND EITHER GOES AWAY OR BECOMES UNNOTICEABLE AFTER ~50 MPH. COULD NOT PINPO…

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UNKNOWN ORIGIN. CURRENTLY APPROXIMATE MILES 12500. TRAVEL 450-550 MILES PER WEEK, 400-450 MILES ARE HIGHWAY MILES. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10,000-11,000 MILES I STARTED NOTICING A HIGH-PITCHED SQUEALING/WHINING ONLY WHILE IN MOTION. IT STARTS AROUND 20-30 MPH, AND EITHER GOES AWAY OR BECOMES UNNOTICEABLE AFTER ~50 MPH. COULD NOT PINPOINT WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. WHEN SCHEDULING REGULAR MAINTENANCE, DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED OF NOISE. AT THE TIME OF MAINTENANCE, SERVICE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATED SAID NOISE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT IT WAS THE CARRIER BEARING. HE DID NOT MAKE IT SOUND URGENT, THAT IT WAS "MORE OF AN ANNOYANCE RIGHT NOW" AND WOULD CAUSE "MORE SERIOUS ISSUES EVENTUALLY ".

NHTSA ODI #11281956

9,000 miles · Nov 19, 2019
Visibility/wiper

LESS THAN 5 MONTHS OLD AND THE WINDSHIELD RANDOMLY STARTING CRACKING ON PASSENGER SIDE UNDER VIPER. I HAVE NOT KNOWN ANYTHING TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK HAS NOW MOVED OVER THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ODI #11281039

10,900 miles · Nov 16, 2019
Visibility/wiper

BROKEN WINDSHIELD. THERE HAS BEEN NO IMPACT AND THERE IS NO SIGN OF IMPACT YET MY WINSHIELD ON A 5 MONTH OLD CAR IS CRACKED. ITS APPROXIMATELY 10 INCHES AND CIRCULAR FROM THE TOP DOWN BEHIND THE REARVIEW MIRROR. I NOTICED THE CRACK WHILE PARKED. POSSIBILITY AFTER GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH. ALSO THE HEAT FROM BEING PARKED ON THE H…

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BROKEN WINDSHIELD. THERE HAS BEEN NO IMPACT AND THERE IS NO SIGN OF IMPACT YET MY WINSHIELD ON A 5 MONTH OLD CAR IS CRACKED. ITS APPROXIMATELY 10 INCHES AND CIRCULAR FROM THE TOP DOWN BEHIND THE REARVIEW MIRROR. I NOTICED THE CRACK WHILE PARKED. POSSIBILITY AFTER GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH. ALSO THE HEAT FROM BEING PARKED ON THE HOT DRIVEWAY MAY HAVE BROUGHT OUT THE FLAW.

NHTSA ODI #11280532

Official recalls

3

21V587000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Subaru Outback problems