THE BATTERY DIES IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN FOR A FEW DAYS. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE IN THE H LAST YEAR AND A HALF. THE SUBARU DEALER HAS CHECKED IT OUT SEVERAL TIMES AND CLAIMS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG
COMPONENT SPOTLIGHT
Subaru Outback electrical problems
2,277 distinct owner reports with an electrical-system component in this snapshot.
Includes the electrical-system component and its detailed subcategories. Related recalls and investigations must also name this component; they are not linked by narrative keyword alone.
26 crash reports35 fire reports7 injury reports
Reports by model year
YearTopic reportsRecallsInvestigations
20265
00202512
00202416
00202317
20202251
40202175
402020258
602019363
302018265
302017391
412016309
412015127
51201432
100201323
120201237
161201167
160201033
180200923
130200834
80200720
80200642
70200528
9220048
10220037
14220024
4020013
3020008
1019998
1019986
2019974
4019961
20Recall and investigation columns show each year’s full history. A report naming several years can appear in more than one row.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
4830–25K
23925–50K
14350–75K
8275–100K
83100–150K
41150K+
1,071 reports with mileage · 1,206 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 owners actually said
2,277 reportsBATTERY DRAIN WHICH CAUSED ELECTRICAL AND LIFT GATE TO STOP FUNCTIONING.
BATTERY CONTINUES TO GET DRAINED OF POWER FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I HAVE HAD TO GET A JUMP START SEVERAL TIMES EVEN AFTER DRIVING FOR 3 OR MORE HOURS. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT THE BATTERY WAS FINE, BUT NEEDED TO BE CHARGED. THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE REASON FOR THE DEAD BATTERY WAS BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOT …
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BATTERY CONTINUES TO GET DRAINED OF POWER FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I HAVE HAD TO GET A JUMP START SEVERAL TIMES EVEN AFTER DRIVING FOR 3 OR MORE HOURS. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT THE BATTERY WAS FINE, BUT NEEDED TO BE CHARGED. THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE REASON FOR THE DEAD BATTERY WAS BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOT STARTED FOR 2 OR MORE DAYS. LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER THIS VISIT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AGAIN AFTER A 4 HOUR DRIVE.
MY OUTBACK WAS BOUGHT NEW LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AGO AND NOW THE CAR BATTERY WILL NOT HOLD A CHARGE. MY CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 3,000 MILES ON IT, IT'S USED MOSTLY FOR CITY DRIVING. ONE MORNING MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD IN OUR DRIVEWAY, NOTHING WOULD TURN ON, SO WE JUMPED THE CAR BATTERY AND IT WORKED FINE THE REST OF THE DAY. WHEN THE …
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MY OUTBACK WAS BOUGHT NEW LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AGO AND NOW THE CAR BATTERY WILL NOT HOLD A CHARGE. MY CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 3,000 MILES ON IT, IT'S USED MOSTLY FOR CITY DRIVING. ONE MORNING MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD IN OUR DRIVEWAY, NOTHING WOULD TURN ON, SO WE JUMPED THE CAR BATTERY AND IT WORKED FINE THE REST OF THE DAY. WHEN THE CAR TURNED ON, NO LIGHTS WERE ON TO INDICATE THAT THE BATTERY HAD BEEN DRAINED DUE TO LIGHTS BEING KEPT ON. THE NEXT MORNING THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD AGAIN. WE JUMPED THE CAR AGAIN, BUT AFTER NOT BEING USED FOR SEVERAL HOURS THE CAR BATTERY WAS AGAIN COMPLETELY DEAD. WE ARE TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT IT APPEARS THERE IS ALREADY A LAWSUIT AGAINST SUBARU FOR THE SAME THING HAPPENING IN OTHER 2016-2020 OUTBACKS.
KEY INTERMITTENTLY CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION. IT IS OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY.
PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN MAY 2017. BOB MOORE SUBARU. I JUST REPLACED THE 4TH BATTERY ON MARCH 8,2021. FOUR BATTERIES IN LESS THAN 4 YEARS. SERVICE HAS CHECKED THE SYSTEM BEFORE ON 3/8/21. SUBARU JUST SAYS IT CHECKS OUT AND THATS IT. HOW WOULD THE OWNERS OF THE COMPANY LIKE TO REPLACE A BATTERY EVERY YEAR. HOW WOULD ANYONE…
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PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN MAY 2017. BOB MOORE SUBARU. I JUST REPLACED THE 4TH BATTERY ON MARCH 8,2021. FOUR BATTERIES IN LESS THAN 4 YEARS. SERVICE HAS CHECKED THE SYSTEM BEFORE ON 3/8/21. SUBARU JUST SAYS IT CHECKS OUT AND THATS IT. HOW WOULD THE OWNERS OF THE COMPANY LIKE TO REPLACE A BATTERY EVERY YEAR. HOW WOULD ANYONE LOOK YOU IN THE FACE AND SAY- IT CHECKS OUT FINE. ARE YOU KIDDING ME. CAR IS GARAGE KEPT, PERFECT CONDITION AND DROVE EVERYDAY. IT IS DEAD THE NEXT DAY WITH NO SIGNS OF BEING WEAK. FOB IS IN BACK OF MY HOUSE.
BATTERY DIES FREQUENTLY WITHOUT OBVIOUS CAUSE, EVEN AFTER REPLACING BATTERY SOONER THAN EXPECTED. IT HAPPENS AFTER DRIVING FOR 30 MINUTES, TURNING IT OFF FOR A SHORT PERIOD LIKE 15-20 MINUTES, THEN TRYING TO RESTART, AS WELL AS AFTER SITTING FOR 8-10 HOURS.
REPEATED BATTERY FAILURES. PURCHASED VEHICLE CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED IN SEPTEMBER 2020 WITH 11,000 MILES ON IT. BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP TWICE SINCE THEN, AND VEHICLE STILL INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO START UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, REQUIRING JUMP-START.
CONTINUING PROBLEMS WITH THE BATTERY BEING DEAD (FIVE). THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE AND HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED BOTH TIMES. THE SERVICE APPOINTMENTS OCCURRED NOV. 2019 AND MARCH 2021.
BATTERY HAS DIED 3 TIMES IN 4 YEARS, BATTERY REPLACED AFTER IT DIED THE FIRST TIME IN 2018. NEW BATTERY, ONLY APPROX. 2 YEARS OLD, DIED TWICE IN 2 WEEKS. ALL THREE TIMES THE CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER I HAD THE BACK HATCH AND/OR DOORS OPEN 20-30 MINUTES, SOMETIMES WHILE CLEANING THE INTERIOR. THE THIRD TIME THE CAR WOULD NOT STAR…
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BATTERY HAS DIED 3 TIMES IN 4 YEARS, BATTERY REPLACED AFTER IT DIED THE FIRST TIME IN 2018. NEW BATTERY, ONLY APPROX. 2 YEARS OLD, DIED TWICE IN 2 WEEKS. ALL THREE TIMES THE CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER I HAD THE BACK HATCH AND/OR DOORS OPEN 20-30 MINUTES, SOMETIMES WHILE CLEANING THE INTERIOR. THE THIRD TIME THE CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER HAVING THE BACK HATCH OPEN APPROX. 5 MINUTES AFTER TAKING SOME ITEMS OUT OF THE BACK. ALL THREE TIMES THE CAR WAS OFF AND IN THE GARAGE.
Related Official recalls
522V473000 · Electrical System:wiring; Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:engine Control Module (ecu/ecm)
Jul 1, 2022
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 Outback vehicles. The engine wiring harness may have been damaged, resulting in a loose electrical connection to the engine control unit (ECU).
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A loose electrical connection to the ECU may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine wiring harness and ECU, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRC-22.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:engine Control Module (ecu/ecm)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 Outback vehicles. The engine wiring harness may have been damaged, resulting in a loose electrical connection to the engine control unit (ECU).
Consequence: A loose electrical connection to the ECU may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine wiring harness and ECU, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRC-22.
Electrical System:wiring
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 Outback vehicles. The engine wiring harness may have been damaged, resulting in a loose electrical connection to the engine control unit (ECU).
Consequence: A loose electrical connection to the ECU may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine wiring harness and ECU, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRC-22.
19V297000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
Apr 11, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.
18V773000 · Electrical System:software; Fuel System, Gasoline
Nov 1, 2018
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The inaccurate fuel display may cause a driver to unexpectedly run out of fuel and the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the combination meter software, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTW-82.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System:software
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
Consequence: The inaccurate fuel display may cause a driver to unexpectedly run out of fuel and the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the combination meter software, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTW-82.
Fuel System, Gasoline
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
Consequence: The inaccurate fuel display may cause a driver to unexpectedly run out of fuel and the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the combination meter software, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTW-82.
16V738000 · Electrical System
Oct 13, 2016
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.
13V061000 · Electrical System; Equipment
Feb 25, 2013
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with an automatic or CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year 2013 XV Crosstrek vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. Additionally included are certain model year 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles that may have received replacement RES fobs. If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is a risk of carbon monoxide build-up which may cause headaches, dizziness or, in extreme cases, unconsciousness and/or asphyxiation.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Equipment
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with an automatic or CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year 2013 XV Crosstrek vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. Additionally included are certain model year 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles that may have received replacement RES fobs. If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button.
Consequence: The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is a risk of carbon monoxide build-up which may cause headaches, dizziness or, in extreme cases, unconsciousness and/or asphyxiation.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.
Electrical System
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with an automatic or CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year 2013 XV Crosstrek vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. Additionally included are certain model year 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles that may have received replacement RES fobs. If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button.
Consequence: The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is a risk of carbon monoxide build-up which may cause headaches, dizziness or, in extreme cases, unconsciousness and/or asphyxiation.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
Related NHTSA investigations
0No component-matched exact-year investigations in this snapshot.