Owners have filed 6,592 complaints with NHTSA about the Subaru Outback from 2012 to 2024. Across every year, the most reported problem areas are the lights, wipers and visibility, the electrical system and the engine and cooling. The years with the most complaints are 2019, 2017 and 2020.
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Start my car searchComplaints by year
Tap a year to see its most reported problems, its recalls and what to check before you buy. Newer years have had less time on the road, so they always look better here. Red marks the worst years, orange years worse than most, and green the better ones.
Every year at a glance
| Year | Vs. other years | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Outback | One of the better years | 295 | 16 |
| 2013 Outback | One of the better years | 297 | 12 |
| 2014 Outback | One of the better years | 208 | 10 |
| 2015 Outback | About average | 510 | 5 |
| 2016 Outback | About average | 644 | 4 |
| 2017 Outback | Worse than most years | 921 | 4 |
| 2018 Outback | Worse than most years | 816 | 3 |
| 2019 Outback | Among the worst years | 1,036 | 3 |
| 2020 Outback | Worse than most years | 906 | 6 |
| 2021 Outback | One of the better years | 299 | 4 |
| 2022 Outback | Too new to judge | 465 | 4 |
| 2023 Outback | Too new to judge | 89 | 2 |
| 2024 Outback | Too new to judge | 106 | 0 |
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Subaru Outback questions
What are the worst Subaru Outback years?
Compared with its other years, the Outback years with the most owner complaints to NHTSA are 2019. The most reported problem area across all years is the lights, wipers and visibility.
What are the best Subaru Outback years?
The Outback years with clearly fewer complaints than a typical year are 2012, 2013 and 2014. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly, since complaints keep coming in as cars age.
What are the most common Subaru Outback problems?
Across 2012 to 2024, owners report problems with the lights, wipers and visibility, the electrical system and the engine and cooling most often. Each model year has its own pattern, so check the year you are looking at.
How many recalls does the Subaru Outback have?
NHTSA lists 73 recalls across the 2012 to 2024 Outback, counted per model year. A recall can cover several years.
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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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