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Problems · by component

2014 Subaru Outback air bags problems

38 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2014 Subaru Outback cite air bags, 18% of all 208 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 6 recalls on this component.

All 2014 Outback problems
Complaints
38
18% of all complaints
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The Roll Connector Harness failed, and use of the horn was disabled. It is due to the mechanical steering of the vehicle, and fails over time. As a multiple Subaru owner this has been a topic of safety with most of the owners with 2014 Subarus. Subaru changed the design/engineering of this part in 2016 due to the concern. Because they won't issue a recall, and the cost of repair is high ($400+), mainly due to the location of the part, many will not fix the issue. There is no way to warn other drivers or deer without use of the horn. This has put me in harm's way multiple times until I finally got it fixed. I have contacted my dealer who says it is one of the more common issues they see with this year and probably 2015 as well. It needs to be recalled so everyone with this problem can get their cars fixed instead of Subaru charging for a known problem and making money over safety.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 4, 2022Steering, Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11455192
“my air bags didn't deploy when I hit a tree, and the seat belt gave loose. A police report was filed, and the car was evaluated by a collision center. The insurance company has not yet evaluated the vehicle. The air bag indicator light indicated the air bags were in good working order. I slid off the road in snow and hit a tree dead on and my entire front end crumpled, but my air bags didn't deploy and my seat belt was fully extended when I exited the vehicle to get into the ambulance.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 30, 2021Air bags, Seat beltsCrash reportedODI 11445596
“The ODS in our 2014 Subaru Outback has failed, and there is a constant beeping indicating that the air bag system is not functioning properly. This was definitely an issue the last two winters, too, but with covid quarantine and illness, we were not able to address it then. The airbag warning lights and sounds persist whether the seat is unoccupied or occupied by a child (14 or 16) or adult. The dealer has diagnosed that the passenger seatbelt switch is also not working properly. Their recommended remedy is replacing the entire seat base (~$1,300). This vehicle also had a recall of the passenger side airbag inflator, which was replaced in May 2019 when our mileage was 88,000. The issue started when weather turned cold in the winter of 2019. When it is below about 45 degrees, the beeping starts, and it only ceases when the vehicle is warmed up and the engine is turned off then on again. Our temperatures here in Eastern Washington get up to 115 in summer and down to 10 in winter. We are thinking that this ODS defect may be due to a loosening of the components during the airbag service or the exact same faulty ODS component that was recalled in the Subaru…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2021Air bagsODI 11443248
“Horn malfunctions. Press horn on steering wheel is dead silent. However, if I enable the Panic button on key, the alarm sounds. When I start the car after pressing Panic button, the horn I steering wheel works. Sporadic operation.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 4, 2021Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11423392
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE T-BONED THE FRONT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE THE CONTACT SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR FIRST DEGREE BURNS AND A CUT ON ONE SIDE OF THE FACE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, HIS VEHICLE T-BONED THE FRONT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS A RESULT THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS PRESENT AND A REPORT WAS ISSUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 2, 2020Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11315685
“OVER THE LAST YEAR, THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD TWO DISTINCT TAKATA AIRBAG RECALLS. I HAVE RECEIVED NOTICES FROM OUR DEALERSHIP AND FROM SUBARU CORPORATE, ATTACHED. I AM LIVING IN BOSNIA AS A US DIPLOMAT. THERE IS NOT A SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN THIS COUNTRY. I ACCOMPLISHED THE LAST RECALL, WITH SIGNIFICANT LOGISTICAL DIFFICULTY, WITH THE HELP OF THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN CROATIA. HOWEVER, THERE IS A CURRENT OPEN RECALL FOR THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIRBAG (RECALL ID BTM3-EFX). DESPITE MULTIPLE EMAILS TO THE DEALER (BYER SUBARU IN ALEXANDRIA, VA) WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR AND TO MY CONTACTS IN CROATIA, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY ASSISTANCE. THE DEALERSHIP IN CROATIA WAS, SUPPOSEDLY, CONTACTING SUBARU ITALIA, BUT TO DATE, I HAVE NOT MADE ANY PROGRESS IN RESOLVING THIS RECALL. I VERY MUCH NEED GUIDANCE AS THIS IS A FAMILY CAR AND, ACCORDING TO THE RECALL NOTICES, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN I CONTACTED SUBARU CORPORATE IN THE PAST, I WAS ADVISED THAT, BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OVERSEAS, THEY BELIEVED THEY WERE ABSOLVED OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY, A RIDICULOUS CLAIM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 15, 2020Air bagsODI 11309305

Showing 6 of 38 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

6 recalls on this component

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

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 (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 2, 2020NHTSA 20V001000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

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, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 2, 2020NHTSA 20V002000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

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 Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 2, 2020NHTSA 20V003000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles 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 Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 9, 2019NHTSA 19V009000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles 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, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 9, 2019NHTSA 19V008000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles 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 (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 9, 2019NHTSA 19V007000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026

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