77 of the
12,381 complaints filed about the Subaru Outback
are about the stability control —
1% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2005.
77
Complaints
1%
Share of all complaints
7
Crashes
0
Fires
Stability & Traction Control complaints by model year
MY 2012 SUBARU IS HAVING NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS - ALL DASH LIGHTS COME ON: IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY WHEN DRIVING OVER BRIDGES OR SPEED BUMPS. STARTED ON 8/8/16 WHEN CAR BOGGED DOWN AND DIED WHILE DRIVING DOWN HWY. 360. I TOOK IT TO MY REGULAR SUBARU AUTHORIZED REPAIR PLACE ' CHRISTIAN BROTHERS ON SUBLET RD. IN ARLINGTON. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS BROKEN EGR (EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION) SYSTEM. I HAPPENED AGAIN & I TOOK IT BACK. THE FINAL REPAIR FOR THAT PROBLEM WAS 'REPLACE MASS FLOW SENSOR & MAJOR FUEL INDUCTION SERVICE. THE DASH LIGHTS CONTINUED TO COME ON BUT THE CAR DIDN'T BOG DOWN ANYMORE. I TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE WHO RAN THE FREE DIAGNOSTIC. SO I TOOK IT BACK TO CHRISTIAN BROTHERS. THEY CHARGED ME $99 TO RUN A MORE DETAILED DIAGNOSTIC & STILL SAID I NEED TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THERE WAS NO TEST OF THE EMISSIONS OTHER THAN THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC. I WAITED A LONG TIME & THE FIRST CODE THAT CAME UP WAS FOR CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I SUSPECTED THAT THEY JUST DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TO RESET THE LIGHTS) THE NEXT TIME I TOOK IT HILEY SUBARU 4/5/17 (FOR 60 K INSPECTION AND OIL CHANGE DATE). I ASKED THEM ABOUT THE DASH LIGHT PROBLEM. THE DASH LIGHTS WERE NOT ON THAT DAY BECAUSE I HAD LEARNED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY BUT THEY MENTIONED THAT THE 2012 OUTBACK RESEARCH INDICATED THAT 'REPOSITIONING THE BRAKE LINE' MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF OCCURRENCES HAPPENING WHEN CROSSING BRIDGES. THEY DID THAT, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED ' NOT EVERY TIME I CROSSED THE BRIDGES, THOUGH. I TOOK IT TO 5 STAR SUBARU FOR THE 90 K INSPECTION 4/10/18 AND MENTIONED THE NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS. THEY INSISTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BECAUSE OF THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC. NEITHER DEALERSHIP WOULD GUARANTEE THAT REPLACING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM PERSISTS BUT THERE IS NO REAL EVIDENCE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE EMISSIONS.
NHTSA complaint #11364804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I AM UNABLE TO REMOVE MY VEHICLE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AFTER PLACING MY 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK INTO THE PARK POSITION WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND I WANT TO GET OUT OF IT. THIS IS ALSO HAPPENING TO MY FATHER'S 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK. I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WHEN IT IS PARKED ON A STREET. I CAN'T LOCK THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION BECAUSE I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET BACK INTO IT UNLESS I CARRIED A SECOND KEY. PLEASE POST THIS FOR OTHER USERS. IT SEEMS A VEHICLE DEFECT AT LEAST WITH A SUBARU OUTBACK AS ANOTHER FRIEND ALSO HAD THIS HAPPEN TO HER. IT COST OVER $300 TO GET REPAIRED. THANK YOU.
NHTSA complaint #11354171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE REAR ENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT BECAUSE OF BRAKE FAILURE/POTENTIAL ACCELERATION AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH. THIS HAPPENED IN RAINY CONDITIONS, WHICH MY WIFE HAD NOTICED MANY WEEKS BEFORE. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE FOUND THESE RECALLS: AND LAWSUIT HTTPS://CARS.USNEWS.COM/CARS-TRUCKS/SUBARU/OUTBACK/2012/RELIABILITY HTTPS://WWW.CLASSACTION.ORG/NEWS/CLASS-ACTION-CLAIMS-SUBARU-CONCEALED-SUDDEN-ACCELERATION-DEFECT-IN-FORESTER-LEGACY-OUTBACK-MODELS#:~:TEXT=NEW%20JERSEY-,SUBARU%20OF%20AMERICA%2C%20INC.,FROM%20A%20SUDDEN%20ACCELERATION%20DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #11352327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK ALL OF SUDDEN HAD WARNING LIGHTS SUCH AS: BRAKE, ABS, AND STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL POPPED UP ON THE DASHBOARD WHEN THE CAR WAS IN PARK ANS WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WILL NOT GO AWAY. IT HAS MADE MY STEERING WHEEL REALLY HARD TO TURN.
NHTSA complaint #11343247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED HALFWAY ACROSS THE GLASS AFTER A PEBBLE KICKED UP WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CRACK SPIDERED OUT ON ITS OWN ACROSS THE ENTIRE FRONT WINDSHIELD WITHIN FIVE HOURS. CAMERA ON WINDSHIELD NOW HAS TO BE RECALIBRATED OTHERWISE WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.
NHTSA complaint #11320099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CAR HAS A FAULTY ELECTRONIC SYSTEM THAT CONTROLS THE STABILITY AND THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL. TRANSMISSION ALSO NEEDS REPLACEMENT. PROBLEMS HAPPEN AT HIGH SPEED ON FREEWAYS. DOCUMENTED THE PROBLEM WITH VARIOUS YOUTUBE FOOTAGE AS FOLLOWS: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=OXOJDP_T9LI HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=77WURJDTVZK HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=LGQL63LDQVI&T=10S HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=0ACRLYXYHQI&T=11S
NHTSA complaint #11319969 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING SYSTEM/CAR FEELS UNSTABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ESPECIALLY WHEN WINDY. CENTER DISPLAY CONTROL BUTTONS DON'T ALWAYS FUNCTION. WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED WITHOUT ROAD HAZARD INCIDENTS
NHTSA complaint #11311376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WINDOW SLOW/STOP GOING UP ON DRIVER SIDE DOOR, AUDIO SYSTEM WAS HAVING LOUD POPPING NOISE, SYSTEM THAT IS SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU WHEN HOW CLOSE YOU ARE TO ANOTHER CAR/AUTOMATICALLY BREAK- TURNS OFF ON OWN/SAYS NO SIGHT CAMERA.
NHTSA complaint #11309501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK HAS BRAKE FADE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, BRAKE LOSS (PETAL GOES TO FLOOR) AFTER BEING PARKED OR DRIVING, AND BRAKE LOSS IN X-MODE ( X MODE FEATURE CONTROLS BRAKING/SPEED ON STEEP SLIPPERY ROADS.SUBARU DEALER MADE 4 UNSUCCESSFUL REPAIR ATTEMPTS. SUBARU OF AMERICA FLEW IN A FIELD ENGINEER, TIED UP MY CAR 3 WEEKS BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL ALSO. MATHEW IN A RECORDED MESSAGE SOA'S SERVICE REP.CONFIRMED THE BRAKE ISSUES & CLAIMED SOA WAS TESTING ALL BRAKE COMPONENTS. ON 01/07/2020 MY 2018 SUBARU ,STILL UNDER NEW CAR WARRANT, FAILED TO PASS A NY STATE MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION. I CAN NOT LEGALLY DRIVE MY VEHICLE ON NY ROADS. SOA OFFERED ME $ 2,500.00 TO GO AWAY. I HAVE MADE VIDEOS OF MY BRAKE LOSS IT OCCURS SO FREQUENTLY. NHTSA HAS SEVERAL BRAKE FAILURE COMPLAINTS WITH ROLL OVER, INJURIES & 5 CAR PILE UPS. I BELIEVE SOA REFUSES TO HELP ME IN ORDER TO CIRCUMVENT A RECALL. THE 2017 OUTBACK HAD A BRAKE FADE ISSUE THAT SOA DID A SECRET REPAIR ACCORDING TO ONLINE INFO. PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #11308527 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I'VE HAD MY 2015 OUTBACK FOR 3 YEARS NOW (2020 NOW) I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY EVERY YEAR. THE FIRST YEAR I BELIEVED IT WAS TIME FOR A NEW BATTERY, WITHIN 6 MONTHS MY CAR DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING INTO A PARKING LOT. THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN AND I HAD TO MANUALLY MOVE IT. MY MECHANIC TOOK APART MY ENGINE AND DISCOVERED LOOSE SEALS THAT HAD ALLOWED MANY PARTS TO RUST OVER INCLUDING BROKEN BRACKETS AND A TORQUE CONVERTER. WARRANTY WON'T COVER ANY RUST BUT DID COVER THE $84 BROKEN SEAL. I SPENT CLOSE TO $3,000 ON REPAIRS AND A NEW BATTERY THEN. I WAS INITIALLY QUOTED FROM THE DEALERSHIP $6K. IT HAS BEEN 11 MONTHS AND I LEFT MY CAR ALONE FOR 3 DAYS AND THE BATTERY IS COMPLETELY DEAD ONCE AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #11307505 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AN ACCELERATOR THAT BECAME UNRESPONSIVE WHILE DRIVING 65MPH ON 3 LANE HIGHWAY. THIS PROBLEM IS PREVALENT WITH SUBARU AND YOU CAN READ ABOUT MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE PROBLEM WHICH IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE. IF YOU GO ONLINE AND SEARCH FOR SUBARU OUTBACK CODE P2138/THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR YOU WILL FIND THAT THE SENSOR HAS INTERMITENT FAILURES WHICH CAUSE THE ACCELERATOR TO BECOME UNRESPONSIVE. EVEN WHEN PEOPLE GET THIS RESET AT A MECHANIC AND SUPPOSEDLY FIXED IT WILL BEGIN RECURRING AGAIN. OR SOMETIMES THE MECHANIC CANNOT MAKE THE CAR FAIL BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS A SENSOR AND THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. SUBARU MUST FIX THIS PROBLEM!! THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 5 TIMES NOW OVER THE LAST YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #11299992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I FOUND A CRACK IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER OF MY WINDSHIELD (SUBARU OUTBACK 2018). THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT THE TIME. THERE WAS NO CAUSE FOR THE CRACK (HAIL STORM, ROCK/GRAVEL HITTING CAR). AT THIS TIME, THE CRACK HAS SPREAD AND THE SUBARU EYESIGHT PROGRAM (SENSOR PROGRAM) DOES NOT WORK.
NHTSA complaint #11291558 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY CAR OFTEN GETS STUCK WITH THE PARKING BRAKE ON AND I CANNOT MOVE THE CAR FORWARD OR BACKWARD. MOST TIMES I HAVE A CARLOAD OF GROCERIES AND NEED TO GET THEM TO THE FREEZER OR REFRIGERATOR. COMPUTER ENGINE ANALYSIS...... ABS C0054 BRAKE SWITCH ON MALFUNCTION C0057 ECM CONTROL...... EPB C0252 MOTOR MALFUNCTION DETAIL CODE 50A0 ..... C0234 VDC FAILURE DETAIL CODE C111..... C0242 POWER SUPPLY VOLTAGE FAILURE DETAIL CODE. I HAVE REPLACED BRAKES, REPLACED TIRES, CHECKED FLUID, CHECKED FUSES, ETC.
NHTSA complaint #11288603 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE CAR DRIVES, TURNS OFF, AND TURNS ON LIKE NORMAL HOWEVER, WHEN THE CAR IS PUT INTO PARK, TURNED OFF, AND THE THE KEY IS ATTEMPTED TO BE REMOVED THE KEY DOES NOT COME OUT. IT ONLY COMES OUT AFTER SOMETIMES AN HOUR OR MORE OF PUTTING THE CAR INTO DRIVE AND THEN INTO PARK AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE KEY.
NHTSA complaint #11283201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS (WHEN STARTING IN DRIVEWAY - STOPPED, WHILE DRIVING IN PARKING LOT - 5 MPH, DRIVING IN TOWN - 25 MPH, WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY - 60 MPH) ALL ADVANCED SAFETY FEATURES ARE DISABLED INCLUDING (BUT NOT LIMITED TO) EYE SIGHT (FAB - FORWARD AUTO BRAKE, ACC - ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, LAS - LANE ASSIST STEERING), RAB - REAR AUTO BRAKE, REAR CROSS TRAFFIC ALERT, BLIND SPOT DETECTION, PARK BRAKE, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, POWER STEERING. NOTE THAT THE FAILURE OF THESE SYSTEMS DOES NOT CAUSE A CHECK ENGINE CONDITION AND NO ERROR CODES ARE LOGGED. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE FIRST 4/5 FAILURES LEFT NO CODES. THE NEXT FAILURE WAS DELIVERED TO DEALER WHILE RUNNING IN A FAILED STATE. DEALER REPORTED NO CODES FOUND. SINCE THE DEALER DID NOT REPORT THIS TO SUBARU I WILL BE REPORTING THIS PROBLEM TO SUBARU.
NHTSA complaint #11280159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON ANY WET OR SNOWY PAVEMENT CAR IS GHOST WALKING, LIKE THE REAR END HAS MARBLES UNDER IT. SPEED OF 35 MPH, STRAIGHT DRIVING, ON WET PAVEMENT. LIKE A CAT WALKING ON ITS NAILS.TERRIFIED. HAD ALIGNMENT, NEW TIRES, NEW REAR STRUTS, SWAY BAR, TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS. DISABLED ABS SO AT LEAST I CONTROL BRAKING
NHTSA complaint #11278801 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I BOUGHT MY BRAND NEW 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK ON MAY 19, 2019. ON AUGUST 9, 2019 (82 DAYS AFTER BUYING THE VEHICLE), I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH DOWN A SIDE ROAD WITH VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC. A TINY ROCK STRUCK MY WINDSHIELD AND IMMEDIATELY CAUSED A CRACK. WITHIN MINUTES THE CRACK EXPANDED TO MORE THAN A FOOT LONG. WITHIN DAYS THE CRACK EXPANDED TO BE MORE THAN TWO FEET LONG. I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED AT THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP BY A THIRD-PARTY GLASS REPAIR BUSINESS (THAT CARTER SUBARU OF BALLARD USES FOR ALL GLASS REPLACEMENT). AFTER THE PART WAS INSTALLED, SUBARU HAD TO RECALIBRATE THE EYESIGHT CAMERAS TO ENSURE THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. THE WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT ($748.58) AND THE RECALIBRATION ($345.45) TOTALED $1,0494.03. I THOUGHT I WAS JUST UNLUCKY, HAVING CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD AND REQUIRED REPAIRS ONLY 82 DAYS AFTER BUYING THE CAR. THEN TODAY I READ AN ARTICLE THAT SAID THE WINDSHIELDS ON 2017-2019 OUTBACKS MAY BE DEFECTIVE. IF THIS IS THE CASE, I'D LIKE SUBARU TO PAY FOR MY WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT,ENT.
NHTSA complaint #11277298 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CAR ENGINE CUTS OFF WHEN SUDDENLY DECELERATING. MY WIFE AND CHILD STALLED TWICE ALREADY IN TRAFFIC, ONCE AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. ALSO WATER LEAKS INTO THE CENTER BRAKE LIGHT. PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT WORK.
NHTSA complaint #11269962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.