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2023 Subaru Outback

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2023 Subaru Outback are lower than the model-year median of 207.5.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected 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

Limited mileage data: 12 of 89 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.

  • Forward Collision Avoidance. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

89 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 5, 2024
Latches/locks/linkages

While traveling at highway speeds (75 mph) the hood release mechanism released causing the hood to lift several inches. While the manual release kept the hood from opening completely, I had to immediately pull to the shoulder and firmly close the hood.

NHTSA ODI #11581272

Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2024
Forward Collision AvoidanceLane Departure

My entire infotainment system, including the "EyeSight" sensors regularly shut off, or won't turn on upon vehicle start. Happens to the radio and other parts of the infotainment system too. It's been happening since about September 2023. I purchased the car in March 2023.

NHTSA ODI #11577064

Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 2024
Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceFuel/propulsion SystemCrashFire

My son was traveling at an appropriate highway speed when the truck in front of him stopped suddenly. He braked immediately and was able to slow down significantly, but not enough to avoid colliding with the back of the truck in front of him. He was going approximately 20 mph, still braking, when the collision occurred. His best…

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My son was traveling at an appropriate highway speed when the truck in front of him stopped suddenly. He braked immediately and was able to slow down significantly, but not enough to avoid colliding with the back of the truck in front of him. He was going approximately 20 mph, still braking, when the collision occurred. His best recollection is that the vehicle's pre-collision system did not engage until after he collided with the truck. There was damage to the front end of the vehicle but it was not severe. My son moved the vehicle onto the shoulder of the highway and put it in park. The driver of the truck called the police. My sons got out of the vehicle. While they were talking with the other driver and the police, a fire started under the hood of the vehicle and within several minutes the entire vehicle was consumed. The wreckage was towed to 1022 Shannon Court, Livermore CA 94550. In July 2023 we were involved in an accident that impacted the front bumper, left front quarter panel, and Subaru EyeSight system of the same vehicle involved in this accident. Repairs after the July 2023 accident were performed by Kraft Body Shop in Santa Clara, CA. Repair and calibration of the Subaru EyeSight system were performed by Santa Cruz Subaru after that accident.

NHTSA ODI #11574953

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 2024
Visibility/wiper

Driving on the highway approximately 65 mph a rock hit the lower right side of the windshield on the passenger side. This caused a broken round style depression in the glass and 2 cracks that radiated out about 5-6 inches. This is will be the second replacement windshield and 3rd repair within 1 year of ownership.

NHTSA ODI #11572776

Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 2024
Unknown Or Other

It was 5:30 PM and I was driving 80mph (the speed limit) down interstate 84 near Mountain Home Idaho. There was no one near me and I heard a very loud bang and my sunroof had exploded. It exploded out as from the inside and not down as though something had hit it. I did not see anything that could have caused this is just exp…

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It was 5:30 PM and I was driving 80mph (the speed limit) down interstate 84 near Mountain Home Idaho. There was no one near me and I heard a very loud bang and my sunroof had exploded. It exploded out as from the inside and not down as though something had hit it. I did not see anything that could have caused this is just exploded on its own.

NHTSA ODI #11571827

6,000 miles · Jan 23, 2024
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the Eyesight feature of the vehicle was no longer operable. The dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH uphill, the accelerator pedal was released; however, the vehicle unintendedly…

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The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the Eyesight feature of the vehicle was no longer operable. The dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH uphill, the accelerator pedal was released; however, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated to 63 MPH. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that she continuously pumped the brake pedal until the vehicle responded. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that no issues were found. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 10-15 MPH around a roundabout, the failure recurred, and the front passenger's side tire struck the curb. The vehicle then decelerated and bounced. The contact depressed the brake pedal and stopped the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and test driven. The dealer informed the contact that due the vehicle striking the curb, the steering wheel was off center, the front passenger's side wheel was bent and imbalanced, and there was an abnormal wheel bearing sound. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the ball joint had detached from the knuckles, the brackets were shifted, and the tie rod and control arm showed marks. A Subaru field inspector inspected the vehicle but could not determine the cause of the unintended acceleration. The manufacturer later informed the contact that there were no abnormalities found. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.

NHTSA ODI #11567364

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2024
Unknown Or Other

The windshield immediately cracked from a small pebble. I’ve had bigger rocks hit glass in other vehicles and only left a chip. This impacted the upper passenger side corner of the windshield close to the edge, the windshield spider webbed immediately, I’ve never seen anything like it.

NHTSA ODI #11564658

Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 2023
Visibility/wiper

ON 12/15/23 TRAVELING ON A CITY STREET AT APROX. 40 MPH A ROCK/PEBBLE HIT THE WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE CAUSING A ROUNDISH CHIP CRACK THE SIZE OF A DIME/ .10 CENTS. THIS WAS REPAIRED AT A WINDSHIELD SHOP WITH EPOXY. THIS IS THE SECOND CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD IN 8 MOTHS ON A NEW VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #11560658

Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 2023
Visibility/wiper

WINDSHIELD CRACKED EASILY WITH A SMALL PEBBLE ON 2/2023 MIDWAY UP THE WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER SIDE. SIZE WAS ABOUT QUARTER/ .25 CENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS LESS THAN 1 MONTH OLD. WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED IN APRIL 2023 BECAUSE TOOK 2 MONTHS TO GET A NEW WINDSHIELD. ON 12/15/2023 TRAVELING UNDER 40 MPH ON A STREET NOT A HIGHWAY A ROCK/P…

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WINDSHIELD CRACKED EASILY WITH A SMALL PEBBLE ON 2/2023 MIDWAY UP THE WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER SIDE. SIZE WAS ABOUT QUARTER/ .25 CENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS LESS THAN 1 MONTH OLD. WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED IN APRIL 2023 BECAUSE TOOK 2 MONTHS TO GET A NEW WINDSHIELD. ON 12/15/2023 TRAVELING UNDER 40 MPH ON A STREET NOT A HIGHWAY A ROCK/PEBBLE HIT THE WINDSHIELD MIDWAY UP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE CREATING A ROUNDISH CRACK THE SIZE OF A DIME/.10 CENTS. THIS WAS FIXED AT A WINDSHIELD SHOP WITH EPOXY.

NHTSA ODI #11560656

Mileage unknown · Nov 23, 2023
Unknown Or OtherCrash

WHILE DRIVING ON A STATE HIGHWAY I HIT A DEER AND MY FRONT END WAS PUSHED IN TO WHERE I COULD NOT OPEN THE DOORS AND THE AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. I PAID EXTRA WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR FOR SUBARU STARLINK EMERGENCY SERVICES. THEY HAD GUARENTEED THAT IN ANY ACCIDENT ANYWHERE IF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED STARLINK WOULD CONTACT ALL EMERGEN…

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WHILE DRIVING ON A STATE HIGHWAY I HIT A DEER AND MY FRONT END WAS PUSHED IN TO WHERE I COULD NOT OPEN THE DOORS AND THE AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. I PAID EXTRA WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR FOR SUBARU STARLINK EMERGENCY SERVICES. THEY HAD GUARENTEED THAT IN ANY ACCIDENT ANYWHERE IF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED STARLINK WOULD CONTACT ALL EMERGENCY SERVICES SO THAT AMBULANCES AND POLICE WOULD COME TO THE SCENED OF THE ACCIDENT. THE STARLINK SERVICES DID NOT WORK AND I WAS FORCED TO GET OUT AND WALK UNTIL I WAS PICKED UP BY A PASSERBY TO TAKE ME TO A SPOT WHERE I WOULD HAVE CELL SERVICE. IF I HAD SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN SERIOUS TROUBLE.

NHTSA ODI #11556552

Official recalls

2

23V755000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:park/neutral Start Interlock Switch

Nov 9, 2023

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.

23V647000 · Power Train:driveline:driveshaft

Sep 21, 2023

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Separation of the front end of the driveshaft increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRN-23.

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.

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