2015 Subaru Outback Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 10,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the front windshield suddenly developed a crack which quickly extended approximately 8 inches horizontally and later extended more than 35 inches across the windshield. The contact stated that the crack began on the passenger’s side and…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 71,000 miles

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the sunroof glass exploded. There was no impact to the sunroof that could have caused the sunroof glass to explode. The shards of glass from the sunroof fell onto the contact, his wife, and his son; however, no injuries were sustained, and medical…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 30,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the horn was completely inoperative. The dealer was not notified the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 126,000.Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 126,000 miles

Odometer Fraud. The contact stated that he recently purchased a 2015 Subaru Outback. The vehicle was purchased through a private sale. At the time of purchase the odometer reading was 91,000. The contact stated while obtaining insurance was informed the mileage was 194,000. A Carfax report was not obtained. There was no other agency…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 194,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 46,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the exhaust manifold detached from the vehicle. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer advised the contact that a recall…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 244,000 miles

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, and while at a stop light, there was an abnormal exhaust fumes odor inside the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a cracked exhaust pipe. The vehicle…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 110,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 30,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

After a transmission replacement performed by Bud Clary Chevrolet, Inc. in Longview, WA on September 9, 2025, my vehicle was returned to me with critical components left unsecured. On November 19, 2025, an independent mechanic discovered loose suspension bolts connecting the ball joints to the spindles on both front wheels. On November…Owner complaint, filed 2025

When shifted into drive or reverse, with brakes applied, and after initial start the vehicle will surge forward or reverse with force enough to overcome standard braking.Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 18,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (22).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

Driver door interior, de-bonding of the horizontal crash protection from the outer door panel. Online research indicates this is a common issue.Owner complaint, filed 2025

2015 Subaru Outback Premium. Took in to a very helpful local Subaru Dealer and they discovered that the front subframe has rusted out seemingly prematurely. The vehicle just turned 10 years old with and upon doing research it seems to be a widely known commonly occurring problem. Would be handy if Subaru of America could do a recall on…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 39,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

While driving the Parking Brake warning light came on and the Subaru Eyesight system shut down. On stopping the car and restarting, the car got harder to drive. I pulled over again immediately as the parking brake was locking the wheels up. I got a tow truck to take the car to the Subaru dealer. By this time the rear wheels were…Owner complaint, filed 2024

The issue below has occurred previously and was addressed by a completed recall "EPB Reprogramming" - WTB63. However, issue has reappeared. Issue: The parking brake engages without engaging parking brake switch while parked and also blinks a red warning while driving. We had an issue a few days ago where brake engaged by itself in…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 25,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while making a right turn into a parking space, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration and lunged forward. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 70,000 miles

while attempting to come to a complete stop, depressing the brakes, the vehicle continued to accelerate even though the brake was depressed to the floor. At no time was the driver's foot on the accelerator. This is one of 2 incidents with the vehicle.Owner complaint, filed 2022

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 33,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Within the last few months, my 2015 Outback has been unreliable with the fuel gauge indicator, causing me to run out of gas three times, stranded roadside, with supposedly 30 miles in rank. Fortunately, there were no accidents, but two out of three times, I was left stranded on highways, that put me at risk of being struck.Owner complaint, filed 2025

Our 2015 Subaru Outback occasionally accelerates sharply without the driver's foot being on the gas peddle. It always happens when decelerating and applying the brakes. Suddenly, the engine roars and revs up, all while the driver is depressing the brake pedal, desperately trying to bring the vehicle to a safe stop. In our case, we've…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 33,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owned a 2015 subaru outback. While driving approximately 28 MPH, the contact fell sleep and struck a guardrail head on. The front air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The insurance company towed the vehicle to their lot and declared it destroyed. The vehicle was not taken to the…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 43,000 miles

My car horn stopped working. The dealership said the clock spring (steering roll connector) component has failed, confirmed by the resulting complete loss of the horn function. The dealership did not communicate the fact that my drivers airbag would not function properly in an accident. I couldn’t afford the repair at the time, putting…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 0 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The car horn is unable to be used when driving straight. It only works when setting the alarm and only when you steer the wheel left or right. There are no warning lights on the instrument panel.Owner complaint, filed 2024

Vehicle had recent periodic service performed prior to event at Gwinette Subaru, Gwinette, GA. Vehicle currently has 54K miles. The Vehicle was purcashed this year as a Dealer Certified pe-owned vehicle. While leaving the Walmart parkinglot and entering a busy intesection I lost control of the vehicle steering and I her severe knocking…Owner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 73,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera was inoperable. The maps and radio were glitching and then seized stuck. The screen was difficult to read. The screen was pixelated due to the brightness outside. The camera was inoperable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 73,022 miles

My Subaru is equipped with "Eye Sight". The major safety device failed. It didn't even slow me down. I had a crash that involved two vehicles and my own. Both other vehicles were seriously damaged. Mine was totaled.Owner complaint, filed 2024

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

Wheel Lug bolts continue to snap off. Have had 5 so far and this could effect the ability of the wheel to stay attached to the vehicle. I have several friends with the same vehicle (different years) that have had the same issue multiple times. In 50 years of vehicle ownership have never had this happen once, let alone 5 times.Owner complaint, filed 2023

Failure on multiple lug nuts due to rust and corroding bolts. The vehicle is mostly garaged, and exposed to the elements only when driven. For a < 68000 mile vehicle, this type of failure is on the higher side. Additionally, the lug nuts break when trying to open using company specific torque. The repair facilities advise me that it is a…Owner complaint, filed 2022

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

Front subframe is rusted out. Went to do brakes and found holes in frame. I contacted subaru of north olmsted and was told this is common. Was told to call subaru of America and complain and see if they would help. So I called and was told it's common because the car is exposed to snow salt. I have never seen anything like this. I joined…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Drivers side front wheel bearing failed at less than 8000 miles. Replaced under warranty by dealer. No history of driving through water or accident. Large portion of driving does occur on mild mountain road.Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 7,500 miles

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

Substantial rust has developed at the attach point of the driver's seat-belt to the driver's seat and of the attach-point of the driver's seat to the car. We're the original owner and the car was never flooded or exposed to water in any other way. I took it to the dealer two weeks ago and they didn't know what to make of it or do about…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 37,300 miles

I have a new 2015 subaru outback limited. Within a month of purchase, it started giving me lower back pain. Several owners of new 2015 outback including professional reviewers are also reporting back pain and injuries because of over extending lumbar support - some examples attached below. When contacted subaru, I was advised that…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 1,000 miles