10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
63 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2010 Subaru Outback:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #3

Jul 102010

Outback

  • 100 miles
My 2010 Subaru Outback has front end shaking, and steering wheel shimmy at speeds over 65 mph, 1 trip to the dealer for this problem resulted in steering wheel shimmy at lower speeds.

- Dingmans Ferry, PA, USA

problem #2

Mar 162010

Outback

  • 90 miles
I purchased a Subaru Outback 2.5I premium (manual transmission) on 03/15/2010 and noticed moderate to severe steering wheel and front driver's side wheel vibration above 40mph on the second day. I subsequently checked tire pressure on all four tires, gave the car some time to "break in", and tested various road conditions and speeds to determine if the problem is more pronounced under certain conditions. The vibration can be felt at speeds above 50mph on the front driver and passenger side floors, seats, and in the steering wheel, with the intensity increasing with speed, regardless of road smoothness. After the car didn't self-correct, I scheduled an appointment at the dealership for 04/26/2010 to do an initial/routine check of the car. They rebalanced all four tires and said that should fix it, but asked that I advise any future issues. The vibration remains, but at speeds above 60mph (a mere 10mph increase) from both the steering wheel and tires, and - as before - is increasingly noticeable at higher speeds and during rain/wet weather. I called the dealer and have scheduled another appointment to address this vibration issue. I will post a follow-up once this service is complete.

- Portland, ME, USA

problem #1

Oct 122009

Outback

  • miles
There is an continuous vibration and shimmy in the front-end and steering wheel of my 2010 Subaru Outback that since new (Oct 2009) has not been able to be rectified by Subaru mechanics, even with cooperation by Subaru of America. This vibration can sometimes be dramatic through the steering wheel at highway speeds, and causes erratic drivability, especially in adverse conditions. This vibration may also cause premature wear on front tires, steering and suspension components that could lead to failure and injury, especially at highway speeds. In fact, Subaru initially blamed the tire manufacturer - Continental - for the issue, stating the tires were defective, and had Continental issue replacement tires for my Outback. This did solve the problem. If this problem is researched on popular and respectable automotive web sites, one can find that it has been affecting a considerable amount of 2010 Subaru Outbacks and to date, no owners have had their issue resolved by Subaru of America. Many other owners reported Subaru of America replacing what were considered "defective" Continental tires, with another set of exact tires from Continental. I am worried that this issue is not getting enough exposure and may take an unfortunate accident for anyone to seriously take notice. I have a customer service case open with Subaru, but it is evident from my repeated conversations with them that they are being evasive with where they are in fixing this issue, and I have now become deeply concerned for the safety of my family. They want to try another 'fix', but that will not be until mid-March, with no guarantee of resolution. This is a brand new car with only 6,000 miles on it, and I have been thoroughly disappointed with the issues it has had. This vehicle was heavily influenced by Toyota, who owns a considerable percentage of Subaru...if this says anything.

- Manassas, VA, USA