Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 61 of 296 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
Visibility/wiper. Review the 97 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Forward Collision Avoidance. Review the 29 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 reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
296 reports
Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 2021
Forward Collision AvoidanceUnknown Or Other
Automatic braking system activated abruptly and forcefully when a vehicle in the adjacent lane slowed down to make a turn. This has occurred numerous time both on the highway and in city driving. I have called Subaru to report the issue. They did not recommend taking it to a service center, although I plan to. The car otherwise …
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Automatic braking system activated abruptly and forcefully when a vehicle in the adjacent lane slowed down to make a turn. This has occurred numerous time both on the highway and in city driving. I have called Subaru to report the issue. They did not recommend taking it to a service center, although I plan to. The car otherwise has shown no warning of automatic braking malfunction prior to or after the incidents. However the automatic braking system has continued to malfunction. I now deactivate the automatic braking every time I start the car to avoid further incidents. Potentially related to the automatic braking malfunction, the car regularly alerts me to keep my eyes on the road while I have my eyes on the road. Common situations when this happens include when I scan an intersection on approach for potential hazards (e.g., pedestrians, people running red lights, etc.), fixing my glasses or hat while continuing to look straight ahead, and simply scratching my face all trigger the warning. Occasionally, the warning is activated for seemingly no reason. At best, it’s a nuisance; at worst it’s a distraction and a liability. I now deactivate this feature when I start my car.
NHTSA ODI #11425744
Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 2021
Visibility/wiper
The windshield cracked shortly after purchase. We had the windshield replaced and within 4 months the windshield is now chipped in three places. This is a safety issue because a cracked windshield impairs visibility while driving.
NHTSA ODI #11425481
Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 2021
Electrical System
I purchased this vehicle in May 2021 and since then have had four incidents where the battery was not able to start the vehicle. The first two incidents were when I was camping, so there was some heavy, battery only electrical system use, e.g. opening/closing the hatchback, turning on lights, etc.
NHTSA ODI #11425476
Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2021
Unknown Or Other
My 2021 Outback windshield just cracked. My 2020 Outback did the same thing. Apparently three class action lawsuits are not enough for them to fix the windshield problem. $1200 to fix, on a brand new car. looks like the St. Louis Arch.
NHTSA ODI #11425275
Mileage unknown · Jul 13, 2021
Visibility/wiper
Windshield spontaneously cracked where the mirror was atached to the glass. There is a concave indentation where the mirror was attached and we found the mirror hanging by a wire and small glass pieces on the dash. Temps were in the low 90s. No one has modified or put any unusual pressure on the mirror, no decorations were att…
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Windshield spontaneously cracked where the mirror was atached to the glass. There is a concave indentation where the mirror was attached and we found the mirror hanging by a wire and small glass pieces on the dash. Temps were in the low 90s. No one has modified or put any unusual pressure on the mirror, no decorations were attached. The outside of the glass has no chips or cracks anywhere in the glass which was confirmed by the local Safelite dealer. This vehicle was purchased new on May 7, 2021. Location of incident was Temecula, CA. I asked the local dealer to repair under warranty and was told that there is no manufacturer warranty on glass. Obviously having your windshield spontaneously crack and the rearview mirror falling off would be a distraction at highway speeds.
NHTSA ODI #11424705
Mileage unknown · Jul 9, 2021
Electrical System
We bought this car new about 3 weeks ago and tried to drive it this morning to find it completely dead. It was last driven about 60 hours ago. It has just over 1,000 miles on it. There was no warning lamp that came on when we last drove the car. I was able to jump the car and have it on a trickle charger now but this is complete…
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We bought this car new about 3 weeks ago and tried to drive it this morning to find it completely dead. It was last driven about 60 hours ago. It has just over 1,000 miles on it. There was no warning lamp that came on when we last drove the car. I was able to jump the car and have it on a trickle charger now but this is completely unacceptable for a brand new vehicle. I've reached out to the dealer but have not heard back.
NHTSA ODI #11424070
Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 2021
Visibility/wiper
Windshield cracked on the bottom left of driver's side and continued up and across. There was no point of impact. Getting gas and got back in the car and the crack had formed. Crack grew by 3" just sitting in the driveway. Brand new car with approximately 1400 miles on it when it happened.
NHTSA ODI #11423764
Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 2021
Visibility/wiper
Car was parked outside. We returned to vehicle and noticed that front windshield had large crack beginning in bottom right and was 2-3 feet in length. The crack grew overnight. This was in a place of business and we do not suspect vandalism. It was a hot day (over 90-degrees with humidity). The air conditioner had been running i…
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Car was parked outside. We returned to vehicle and noticed that front windshield had large crack beginning in bottom right and was 2-3 feet in length. The crack grew overnight. This was in a place of business and we do not suspect vandalism. It was a hot day (over 90-degrees with humidity). The air conditioner had been running inside the vehicle. Vehicle has less than 6,000 miles.
NHTSA ODI #11423173
3,000 miles · Jun 29, 2021
Visibility
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 75 mph, a small rock struck the windshield and made a small mark at the bottom of the passenger’s side windshield. The contact continued driving and the crack started to expand across the windshield. The contact stated that the next morning the crack was ap…
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The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 75 mph, a small rock struck the windshield and made a small mark at the bottom of the passenger’s side windshield. The contact continued driving and the crack started to expand across the windshield. The contact stated that the next morning the crack was approximately 3 feet in length. The vehicle was taken to a window shop and the front windshield was replaced. The contact stated that on June 25, 2021 while driving 20 mph, the windshield cracked. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.
NHTSA ODI #11422814
Mileage unknown · Jun 22, 2021
Visibility/wiper
While driving down the highway, a small object (based on sound) struck the windshield and caused a small chip. Approximately one minute later, the chip splintered into a four way crack, with two legs showing over 12 inches of crack. Over the next few hours, the cracks grew by over 6 inches. After 3 days the cracks have grown ve…
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While driving down the highway, a small object (based on sound) struck the windshield and caused a small chip. Approximately one minute later, the chip splintered into a four way crack, with two legs showing over 12 inches of crack. Over the next few hours, the cracks grew by over 6 inches. After 3 days the cracks have grown vertically to the edges, and horizontally to 3/4 of the windshield, with additional cracks spidering from original chip. The cracks continue to grow daily. Due to the specialized windshield, immediate replacement is not possible. Chip repair was never available due to immediate spidering of windshield. I am replacing the windshield next week (earliest appointment available).
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-24.
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:driveline:chain/belt
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2021 Outback and Impreza vehicles. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) select lever cable nut may not have been tightened properly, allowing the nut to loosen.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A loose nut can lead to a lost of retention in the CVT select lever cable and the gear selector not functioning properly, increasing risk of crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and, if necessary, tighten the nut, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-21.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗