10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 3 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 2 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 14,916 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.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
We continue to have to change the battery in our Subaru Outback. This last one only lasted 2-3 months.
- Jacksonville, FL, USA
The battery dies if the vehicle is not driven for a few days. I have replaced the battery twice in the H last year and a half. The Subaru dealer has checked it out several times and claims there is nothing wrong
- Kalispell, MT, USA
Purchased the car new in May 2017. Bob moore Subaru. I just replaced the 4th battery on March 8,2021. Four batteries in less than 4 years. Service has checked the system before on 3/8/21. Subaru just says it checks out and thats it. How would the owners of the company like to replace a battery every year. How would anyone look you in the face and say- it checks out fine. Are you kidding me. Car is garage kept, perfect condition and drove everyday. It is dead the next day with no signs of being weak. Fob is in back of my house.
- Edmond, Oklahoma. 73013, OK, USA
Repeated battery failures. Purchased vehicle certified pre-owned in September 2020 with 11,000 miles on it. Battery has been replaced by dealership twice since then, and vehicle still intermittently fails to start under normal driving conditions, requiring jump-start.
- Brooklyn, NY, USA
Battery has died 3 times in 4 years, battery replaced after it died the first time in 2018. New battery, only approx. 2 years old, died twice in 2 weeks. All three times the car would not start after I had the back hatch and/or doors open 20-30 minutes, sometimes while cleaning the interior. The third time the car would not start after having the back hatch open approx. 5 minutes after taking some items out of the back. All three times the car was off and in the garage.
- Pendleton, IN, USA
The key gets stuck randomly in the ignition after driving around and parking the Outback. Have to play around with the shifter to hopefully get the key out. At this time, it's random and intermittent. It's a concern that it will be a constant problem and one day the key won't come out at all. It seems to be a known problem as Subaru has a tsb 16-112-18R for the problem. The problem started happening after four years of ownership at about 42,000 miles. There has not been any spills or contamination that I know of. It started in February 2021 and has happened about a half dozen times. Https://www.tsbsearch.com/Subaru/16-112-18R
- Sherwood, OR, USA
A new battery died after 7 months use. I replaced it. The newer one died in 5 days. I read there is a class action lawsuit about this model draining batteries prematurely. Each time, we went to use the vehicle, stationary, and found the battery completely dead.
- Atlanta, GA, USA
My battery dies often. Battery was replaced about 6 months ago and now it is dead again. I've replaced the battery 3 times in the past two years.
- Katy, TX, USA
Battery dies after the vehicle is idle more than a week. The original battery lasted three years. The problem continues with the replacement, which is less than a year old. I am the original owner and have driven this vehicle less than 20K miles.
- Bryn Mawr, PA, USA
Repeated problem of battery draining, usually when hatchback is opened for approx. 20 minutes, loading or unloading camping gear. This has happened almost half dozen times, and it is both frustrating and potentially dangerous, as I generally camp by myself. Now I have to leave the engine running when I put in or take anything out of the hatchback more than groceries.
- Boulder, CO, USA
Vehicle charging system seems to be working only part of the time. The battery has been drained more than once after driving the previous day. It's almost like something has been left on, draining the battery when I know every thing has turned off. Is there something that stays on after you shut the car off long enough to drain the battery ?
- Litchfield, NH, USA
Battery dies for no apparent reason. Vehicle is stationary parked in garage or in parking lot. The original battery was replaced and this still happens. This has happened at least 5 times.
- Anchorage, AK, USA
Slowing draining battery, increasingly harder to start over a few day, and eventual dead battery requiring jump start. Beeping sound (as if lift gate was open) occurred on last start before battery died.
- Falls Church, VA, USA
Defective electrical system causes battery to drain prematurely and requires jump starts if vehicle is not frequently operated.
- Roseville, CA, USA
I purchased brand new 2017 Subaru Outback 3.6R limited on December 27 2016, first battery was replaced in December 2019, second battery died in February 14 2021. Car has 30000 original miles
- Jeffersonville, NY, USA
1) windshield cracked overnight while parked in an enclosed garage. This occurred within the first few months of ownership. 2) the advanced collision detection/ lane tracking system called eyesight failed within the first few months of ownership. 3) battery has repeatedly failed and required roadside assistance. Car was parked in ab enclosed garage most of the times when this failure occurred. 3) currently, a flat tire indicator is on even though all tires are properly inflated. Note: Except for the windshield case, the dealer has been unable to diagnose or duplicate the problem and the only remedy provided was a battery replacement.
- Fairfax, VA, USA
Battery drain, on 2nd battery and it keeps draining.
- Louisville, KY, USA
Battery keeps dying with no apparent reason. Has been replaced 5 times with only 52,000 miles. Now battery is dead again after only 68 days after last replacement.
- Harleysville, PA, USA
This is the second battery failure on this car with less than 28000 miles. First one was replaced under warranty, less than 1 year ago.
- Venice, FL, USA
- Glen Allen, VA, USA