2005 Subaru Outback: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2005 Subaru Outback: 9 recalls, 273 owner complaints and up to 22 mpg combined.
Recalls
9 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Airbags Vehicle recall #04V274000 · 2004 · 1,987 vehicles
What's wrong: The left and right side curtain air bags in certain vehicles involved in this campaign May not fully deploy rapidly enough when activated in a side impact collision. During a side impact test conducted by the insurance institute for highway safety (iihs), the test results indicated that there was a difference between the iihs test results and the result of side impact tests conducted by fhi.
Why it matters: This May result in failure to provide the intended head protection, increasing the risk of injury to a seat occupant.
The fix: Dealers will replace the left and right side curtain air bag modules. The recall began on June 11, 2004. Owners should contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. .
Brakes (hydraulic) Vehicle recall #13V110000 · 2013 · 274,402 vehicles
What's wrong: Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines.
Why it matters: Brake line corrosion May result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage May result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected area will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These…
Brakes (hydraulic) Vehicle recall #14V311000 · 2014 · 461,338 vehicles
What's wrong: Subaru of america, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 outback and legacy, 2008-2011 impreza and 2008-2014 impreza wrx/sti, and 2009-2013 forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west…
Why it matters: Brake line corrosion May result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage May result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected areas will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be…
Airbags Vehicle recall #14V763000 · 2014 · 4,175 vehicles
What's wrong: Subaru of america, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 legacy and outback vehicles, and 2003-2005 baja vehicles sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in puerto rico, hawaii, the u.s. Virgin islands, guam, saipan, american samoa, florida and adjacent counties in southern georgia, as well as the…
Why it matters: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengerâs frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Subaru will notify their owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2015.
Airbags Vehicle recall #15V323000 · 2015 · 432,016 vehicles
What's wrong: Subaru of america, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru baja vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to July 21, 2004, 2004-2005 impreza vehicles manufactured January 28, 2003, to May 31, 2005, 2003-2008 Subaru legacy vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to May 2, 2008, 2003-2008 Subaru outback vehicles manufactured February 18, 2003, to May 5, 2008, and 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles…
Why it matters: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Subaru will notify their owners and general motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The Subaru recall began on June 17, 2015.
Electrical Vehicle recall #19V297000 · 2019 · 511 vehicles
What's wrong: 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…
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: 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.
Airbags Vehicle recall #20V002000 · 2020 · 127,547 vehicles
What's wrong: Subaru of america, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 forester, 2003-2006 baja, 2004-2011 impreza, 2004-2014 wrx (including sti), 2003-2014 legacy and outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new mexico, north carolina,…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru
Airbags Vehicle recall #20V001000 · 2020 · 258,813 vehicles
What's wrong: Subaru of america, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 forester, 2003-2006 baja, 2004-2011 impreza, 2004-2014 wrx (sti included), 2003-2014 legacy and outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south carolina, texas, puerto rico, american samoa, guam, the northern mariana islands…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru
Airbags Vehicle recall #20V003000 · 2020 · 111,562 vehicles
What's wrong: Subaru of america, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 forester, 2003-2006 baja, 2004-2011 impreza, 2004-2014 wrx (including sti), 2003-2014 legacy and outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of alaska, colorado, connecticut, idaho, iowa, maine, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, montana, new hampshire, new york, north dakota, oregon, rhode island, south…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 3 mention a fire, 11 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Suspension (56): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Speed control / throttle (40): the most common themes are warning light on (16), sudden acceleration (4).
- Airbags (38): the most common themes are fails to deploy (3), deploys unexpectedly / inflator (3).
- Exterior lights (30): the most common themes are electrical failure (9), warning light on (5).
The 2005 Subaru Outback has 273 owner complaints, ranking #14 of 32 Outback model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 305). Complaints peaked in 2016 (30 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 7 years old, at a median of 82,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2004 (90 complaints, 10 recalls), 2006 (277 complaints, 7 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 20 | 26 | 22 | Regular |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl | Automatic (S4) | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 20 | 26 | 22 | Regular |
| 3.0 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S5) | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 17 | 23 | 20 | Premium |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl turbo | Manual 5-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 17 | 23 | 19 | Premium |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl turbo | Automatic (S5) | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 17 | 23 | 19 | Premium |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
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 2005 Subaru Outback.
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Most $25–$78, one-timePro-shop repair procedures, wiring diagrams and TSBs for your exact car.
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FAQ
Does the 2005 Subaru Outback have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 9 vehicle recalls for the 2005 Subaru Outback. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2005 Subaru Outback problems?
Owners have filed 273 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are suspension (56), speed control / throttle (40), airbags (38).
What gas mileage does the 2005 Subaru Outback get?
EPA ratings run up to 22 mpg combined (2.5 L, Manual 5-spd), across 5 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2005 Subaru Outback repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.