Problems · by component

2011 Subaru Outback vehicle speed control problems

26 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2011 Subaru Outback cite vehicle speed control, 4% of all 653 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
26
4% of all complaints
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2011 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated and crashed into a fence and a bystander. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss. The contact was injured but medical attention was not needed. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 123,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 20, 2026Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11772485
“1. Propulsion, acceleration, brakes, transmission- no longer available for inspection 2. The vehicle went completely out of control; I stood on the brakes as hard as I could but would not stop or slow the car at all. We careened down a hill and head on into a large tree 3. not reproduced or confirmed 4. Vehicle was inspected by insurance company and was declared a total loss 5. no signs of any malfunction prior to wreck”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 10, 2024Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion systemCrash reportedODI 11593358
“Vehicle is failing to shift correctly causing low acceleration and road safety issues. Cruise control and manual shift paddles not working, multiple warning lights on.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 2, 2022Vehicle speed control, Engine, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11491892
“OCCASIONALLY, PERHAPS 4 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR, WHEN I PUT MY CAR INTO 'DRIVE', THE ENGINE ENGAGES AND LURCHES FORWARD. IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE CAR WITH TAKE OFF FORWARD AT A HIGH SPEED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2021Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11386714
“P0700/P2764 CODE AFTER EVERY LIGHT ON THE DASH LIT UP AFTER DRIVING IN HARD RAIN. VEHICLE SHIFTS HARD AND IS RANDOMLY STALLING WHILE DRIVING. AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH TRANSMISSIONS ARE FAILING AND SUBARU REFUSES TO RECALL THE CVT TRANSMISSIONS IN EFFECTED VEHICLES. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 12, 2020Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 11328518
“I HAVE BEEN REPORTING PROBLEMS WITH MY TRANSMISSION SINCE 2012 TO MY REGULAR DEALERSHIP, STAR SUBARU WHEN THE CAR HAD JUST 23,472 MILES ON IT. AT THIS POINT, I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE BEEN WRONGFULLY DENIED WARRANTY COVERAGE. THEN AGAIN, IN 2017, WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY, I BROUGHT MY OUTBACK TO STAR SUBARU COMPLAINING THAT WHILE DRIVING SLOW, THE CAR TENDS TO 'JUMP' MID-DRIVE, ALMOST LIKE SOMEONE REAR ENDED YOU. THE CAR AT THIS POINT WAS AT ABOUT 94,467 MILES, UNDER THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY LIMIT. AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS I FINALLY RECEIVED A TEST DRIVE WITH A SUBARU MECHANIC AT STAR SUBARU IN BAYSIDE, QUEENS, NY. HE CONCLUDED THAT IT NEEDED TRANSMISSION PARTS, A TORQUE CONVERTER/VALVE BODY. AT THAT POINT I WAS SET TO HAVE IT REPLACED ONCE THE PARTS CAME IN. WEEKS WENT BY AND I HEARD NOTHING. I CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA WHO WAS ABLE TO SET ME UP WITH EAST HILLS SUBARU. THE SOA PERSON WAS VERY HELPFUL WITH THE TRANSITION. THEY PERFORMED THEIR OWN DIAGNOSTIC, AND THE CONDITION AT THE TIME WOULD NOT REPLICATE. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THIS 'JUMP/SLAM' HAPPENS, IT DOES SPONTANEOUSLY. WE CANNOT MAKE IT HAPPEN, NOR DO WE EVEN KNOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. IT WAS…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 6, 2020Steering, Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11327526

Showing 6 of 26 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.