How the 2023 compares
Too new to judge fully
It has been on the road 3 years, so complaints are still coming in. So far it has fewer than a typical older Outback year, which is normal for a newer car. The area owners report most so far is the lights, wipers and visibility.
Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Outback years from 2012 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.
Owners have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Subaru Outback. The most reported problem area is the lights, wipers and visibility (25, 28% of complaints), followed by the driver assist systems and the electrical system. That is the fewest complaints of any Outback year from 2012 to 2024 on file. It has 2 recalls.
Complaints89filed with NHTSA
Recalls2for this model year
Crashes83 injuries reported
Fires1reported in complaints
1 of these complaints came from Utah owners.
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Start my car searchMost reported problems
Problem areas ranked by how many complaints mention them. One complaint can name more than one area. Open an area to see what to check on a 2023 Subaru Outback before you buy.
Lights, wipers and visibility
25 complaintsHeadlights that dim or fail, wiper and washer failures, and windshield cracks.What to check before you buy
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
Windshield was struck by a small stone. There was no immediate damage but over a period of several weeks 5 cracks appeared traversing the windshield top to bottom.Owner complaint, filed 2025
I have had several times where tiny road pebbles have kicked up hitting the windshield and have caused cracks. There is now also a crack forming where there has not been any impact. This is my second windshield replacement in two years. I have never had a windshield that has been as fragile as this one. It seems to be a manufacturing…Owner complaint, filed 2025
Driver assist systems
23 complaintsPhantom braking, false collision warnings, and lane keeping or backup sensors that act up.What to check before you buy
Parts named most: Automatic emergency braking (17), Adaptive cruise control (10), Warnings (8).
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
While driving on the highway I had my cruise control on with my driving assist turned on. My car tried to veer to the left, hard, almost into the guardrail. It had happened before but not as severe as this time. Going highway speed, I was lucky enough no one was next to me. Someone could have got seriously injured!Owner complaint, filed 2026
Phantom Braking of Pre-Collision Braking 2023 Subaru Outback Turbo Wednesday, July 29, 2026. 9:30 am, sunny day Driving south on local city street. Brakes slammed on, car stopped, flashing yellow lights on left Combination Meter stating that Pre-Collision Braking was activated. There was no vehicle/obstacle/animal in the road. No parked…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Electrical system
17 complaintsDead batteries, warning lights, failed screens and cameras, and electrical shorts.What to check before you buy
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
Recently, in my 2023 Subaru Outback, I have been having pop-up ads for SirusXM take over my infotainment screen. The ad appears in the center, does not allow the user to interact with the screen - including air conditioning control and traction control selection - and will not go away until I acknowledge the ad. It has appeared when I…Owner complaint, filed 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outlook. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the Starlink system failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact was informed that it…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 24,200 miles
Brakes and stability control
7 complaintsBrakes that feel soft or grab, grinding, ABS and stability control faults.What to check before you buy
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
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while parked with the brake pedal depressed when the vehicle suddenly lunged forward and jumped the curb onto the sidewalk. The vehicle ended up in the glass of the store in front of the parking space. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. There…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 268,000 miles
Driving at speeds around 40 and when braking to turn, the brakes jerk and feel like they are not engaging properly. It has happened to a different driver, twice both times on a 90 degree day, a few minutes after the vehicle had been started and the air conditioner was running on high. After this happened we Googled the issue to see what…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Transmission and drivetrain
5 complaintsHarsh or delayed shifts, slipping, shuddering, CVT whine, and drivetrain clunks.What to check before you buy
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
The car will begin to jolt/shake when coming to a stop. It has been found to be the torque converter. We are at a loss. 10,000 miles and the car has major issues. Just bought the car 28 days ago with just about 6700 miles. We’ve put about 3,400 miles on the car and experience the issue almost every time we drive the car. Due to the…Owner complaint, filed 2023
Going down a steep incline shortly after staring car after it had been sitting about 3 hours after about 2500 feet the car had no power maximum speed was about 25MPH and could not accelerate. There was a wide edge that I was able to pull off on with about a 300 drop off on right side of car. After pulling off on edge. stopped turned…Owner complaint, filed 2022
Body, doors and structure
5 complaintsRust, doors and liftgates that will not latch, leaks, and frame or structure concerns.What to check before you buy
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
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while walking around the vehicle attempting to put her husband in the passenger seat, the hatchback opened independently, and they both got pushed independently from the vehicle on the ground from the impact. The contact mentioned by the standers came out of the office to…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 23,000 miles
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.Owner complaint, filed 2024
Cruise control and acceleration
3 complaintsHesitation, loss of power, sudden acceleration and cruise control problems.What to check before you buy
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 2023 Subaru Outback. While turning into a parking spot, the accelerator pedal was slightly depressed, and the vehicle unintendedly accelerated, crashing into a parked vehicle on the driver's side. The contact stated that the vehicle continued to move forward after the crash into the next parking spot. No warning lights…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 20,300 miles
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that his wife was driving the vehicle and as she was entering into a parking spot and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle experienced sudden unintended acceleration. The contact's wife reported that the vehicle had made an abnormal revving sound as if she had applied the…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 12,800 miles
Fuel system
2 complaintsHesitation, stalling, fuel smell, fuel pump and injector failures.What to check before you buy
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
My car had an unintended acceleration that caused me to go in a ditch and hit a tree. I could not get car to stop when I realized it was increasing speed. It all happened very fast. My car was totaled. All airbags deployed. front right side of car was completely destroyed. There were no warnings. My insurance company has the car on their…Owner complaint, filed 2025
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…Owner complaint, filed 2024
Steering
2 complaintsLoss of power steering assist, wandering, play in the wheel and noises when turning.What to check before you buy
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
On my 2023 Outback my Subaru Eyesight is intermittently inoperable, which causes my cruise control and automatic braking to not work.Owner complaint, filed 2023
My car's battery died when I was on vacation. A friend of mine tried to jump start with his car and he couldn't. Then a roadside service jump started the car. After the jump start I was told to drive the car around so that it can charge the battery. The car did two unexpected things: 1- The steering was jittery and sometimes moving to…Owner complaint, filed 2023
Air bags
2 complaintsAir bag warning lights, air bags that did not deploy, and inflator recalls.What to check before you buy
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
Passenger side a-pillar trim has come loose exposing airbag mechanism. Dealer unable to repair and indicates part was installed incorrectly at the factory. Awaiting new part to see if this can be corrected.Owner complaint, filed 2023
I get passenger air bag OFF indication although the passenger is an adult. Dealer claims that there is no issue, the car is less than one week old. I asked if they would escalate the problem to Subaru corporate so that they will address this issue but they refused.Owner complaint, filed 2023
Wheels and tires
2 complaintsTire failures, wheels and lug nuts, and tire pressure sensor faults.What to check before you buy
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
The original equipment Yokohama Avid GT tires experienced rapid, catastrophic structural degradation (extreme inner-edge wear and chunking of the exterior edge over ~7,000 mi.). I have photos of the tires, and Carr Subaru (Beaverton, OR) has one of the tires available for inspection. I am the original owner of this vehicle. It has been…Owner complaint, filed 2026
225/65r17 102h 535 inside side wall of tire blew out on the freeway was able to stop and change it out. when i got home i checked the other ones and they are almost the same way they have 30000Owner complaint, filed 2024
Engine and cooling
1 complaintStalling, misfires, oil consumption, leaks, overheating and engine failure.What to check before you buy
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 2023 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that his wife was driving the vehicle and as she was entering into a parking spot and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle experienced sudden unintended acceleration. The contact's wife reported that the vehicle had made an abnormal revving sound as if she had applied the…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 12,800 miles
Seats and seat belts
1 complaintBelts that will not latch or retract, seat adjusters and passenger occupancy sensors.What to check before you buy
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
The back of the passenger seat is shaking uncontrollably at higherspeeds. According to my local subaru dealership all 2023 outback they have with power seats are exhibiting the same issu, while the manual seats do not.Owner complaint, filed 2024
Subaru Outback complaints by year
Compare the 2023 with other years before you choose one. Tap a year to see its problems.
Compare with similar 2023 midsize SUVs
Each car is rated against its own other years, since popular models always get more complaints than rare ones.
| Car | Vs. its other years | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Subaru Outback | Too new to judge | 2 |
| 2023 Toyota Highlander | Too new to judge | 9 |
| 2023 Honda Pilot | Too new to judge | 5 |
| 2023 Kia Telluride | Too new to judge | 6 |
2023 Subaru Outback recalls
This is every recall issued for the 2023 Subaru Outback, not what is still open on one car. A recall that was fixed does not show up any differently here. Check a VIN at NHTSA to see what is still open on the car you are looking at, and ask the seller for proof any recall work was done.
Transmission and drivetrain Park / neutral start interlock switch
- Risk
- An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge.
Full recall summary
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.
Transmission and drivetrain Driveshaft
- Risk
- Separation of the front end of the driveshaft increases the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge.
Full recall summary
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.
2023 Subaru Outback questions
What are the most common problems with the 2023 Subaru Outback?
The most reported problem areas on the 2023 Subaru Outback are the lights, wipers and visibility (25 complaints), the driver assist systems (23 complaints) and the electrical system (17 complaints).
Is the 2023 Subaru Outback a good year to buy?
Too new to judge fully. It has been on the road 3 years, so complaints are still coming in. So far it has fewer than a typical older Outback year, which is normal for a newer car. The area owners report most so far is the lights, wipers and visibility. Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Outback years from 2012 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.
How many recalls does the 2023 Subaru Outback have?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2023 Subaru Outback. The most recent, from Nov 2023, covers the park / neutral start interlock switch. Recalls cover the whole model year, so check the VIN of the car you are looking at to see which are still open.
Which Subaru Outback years should I avoid?
The Outback years with the most complaints compared with the rest are 2019. Years with clearly fewer complaints are 2012, 2013 and 2014. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly yet.
Check the exact car
These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.
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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.
- Check a specific car for open recalls at NHTSA
- Decode a VIN to see recalls, safety ratings and complaints for that exact year, make and model