Subaru Outback problems, recalls & best years
The deets on every Outback from 1995 to 2026: 9,759 owner complaints and 194 recalls across 32 model years.
The model years with the most owner complaints are 2019 (1035), 2017 (918), 2020 (899). Best fuel economy: 29 mpg combined (2022).
Problem areas across all years
Year by year
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Best mpg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 1996 | 2 | 46 | – | |
| 1997 | 4 | 79 | – | |
| 1998 | 2 | 127 | – | |
| 1999 | 1 | 111 | – | |
| 2000 | 1 | 207 | – | |
| 2001 | 3 | 171 | – | |
| 2002 | 4 | 143 | – | |
| 2003 | 14 | 93 | 22 | |
| 2004 | 10 | 90 | 21 | |
| 2005 | 9 | 273 | 22 | |
| 2006 | 7 | 277 | 22 | |
| 2007 | 8 | 129 | 22 | |
| 2008 | 8 | 226 | 22 | |
| 2009 | 13 | 106 | 22 | |
| 2010 | 18 | 360 | 24 | |
| 2011 | 16 | 652 | 24 | |
| 2012 | 16 | 292 | 24 | |
| 2013 | 12 | 297 | 26 | |
| 2014 | 10 | 208 | 26 | |
| 2015 | 5 | 510 | 28 | |
| 2016 | 4 | 643 | 28 | |
| 2017 | 4 | 918 | 28 | |
| 2018 | 3 | 813 | 28 | |
| 2019 | 3 | 1035 | 28 | |
| 2020 | 6 | 899 | 29 | |
| 2021 | 4 | 296 | 29 | |
| 2022 | 4 | 465 | 29 | |
| 2023 | 2 | 89 | 28 | |
| 2024 | 0 | 104 | 28 | |
| 2025 | 0 | 82 | 28 | |
| 2026 | 0 | 16 | 27 |
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Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the Subaru Outback.
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FAQ
What is the worst year for the Subaru Outback?
The model years with the most owner complaints are 2019 (1035), 2017 (918), 2020 (899).
How many recalls has the Subaru Outback had?
Across 1995–2026, NHTSA lists 194 vehicle recall campaigns by model year (a campaign that covers several years counts once per year).