Research · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD

2023 Subaru OutbackRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 89 owner complaints for the 2023 Subaru Outback. Most complaints involve forward collision avoidance (22) and electrical system (17). The EPA rates it 25–28 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Combined MPG
25–28mpg
EPA · 2 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
2campaigns
Latest Nov 2023
Owner complaints
89
Top: forward collision avoidance
Fuel cost / yr
$2,300est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

2 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Power train: park

Free remedy

Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.

Power trainReported Nov 9, 2023NHTSA 23V755000

Power train: driveshaft

Free remedy

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.

Power trainReported Sep 21, 2023NHTSA 23V647000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

89 complaints filed with NHTSA · Oct 2022 – Sep 2026
  1. Forward collision avoidance22
  2. Electrical system17
  3. Visibility/wiper16
  4. Service brakes7
  5. Exterior lighting6
  6. Power train5
  7. Vehicle speed control3
  8. Latches/locks/linkages3
  9. Visibility3

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

By model year

Complaints for each Outback model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2005273
2006281
2007130
2008230
2009112
2010360
2011653
2012295
2013297
2014208
2015509
2016642
2017921
2018816
20191,036
2020905
2021299
2022465
202389
20242
202583
202621
Crashes reported
8
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
3
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Forward collision avoidance

22 reports3 crashes1 fire
“Phantom Braking of Pre-Collision Braking 2023 Subaru Outback Turbo Wednesday, July 29, 2026. 9:30 am, sunny day Driving south on local city street. Brakes slammed on, car stopped, flashing yellow lights on left Combination Meter stating that Pre-Collision Braking was activated. There was no vehicle/obstacle/animal in the road. No parked cars, no cars backing out of a driveway. Road was completely clear. No strange shadows, no cracks in street. Pre-collision braking system hallucinated an obstacle and activated, throwing me forward into steering wheel, and dog in the back seat thrown forward into back of driver’s seat. Restarted car and drove off. Turned off system every time I drove the car until I took it to the dealer 2 days later. Problem was not reproduced by dealer . No messages or warning lights prior to incident. The repair order stated that there was a "sticky" substance on the windshield, but I had just had the car washed. I didn't notice anything on the windshield.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2026Forward collision avoidanceODI 11754558

Electrical system

17 reports1 crash1 fire
“The Advanced Driver Assistance System (EyeSight/Automatic Emergency Braking), the Service Brakes, and the Central Electrical System malfunctioned. The vehicle is currently held at an authorized dealership and is available for inspection.On Monday, June 22, 2026, at approximately 4:47 PM, while traveling at highway speeds on I-295 South under clear weather conditions, the vehicle suffered a catastrophic, unprompted automatic emergency braking event. While my right turn signal was active and I was initiating a lane change to pass a truck, the autonomous braking system engaged with maximum force, pulling the brake pedal completely to the floorboards with zero obstacles present. A consumer mobile telematics application (Life360) officially registered the extreme hard-braking event at 4:47 PM. This unprompted stop caused the vehicle to violently lose traction, fishtail across highway lanes, and nearly roll over in high-speed traffic, placing my life and the safety of surrounding motorists at extreme risk.Symptoms of systemic electrical network instability occurred prior to this failure, including a dashboard GPS clock that precisely jumps four hours ahead in…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 8, 2026Electrical system, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11749144

Visibility/wiper

16 reports
“Windshield was struck by a small stone. There was no immediate damage but over a period of several weeks 5 cracks appeared traversing the windshield top to bottom.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 5, 2025Visibility/wiperODI 11659031
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

2 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Engines
2.5L 4-cyl · 2.4L 4-cyl turbo
Transmissions
Automatic (AV-S8)
Drive
All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Outback AWD
Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · All-Wheel Drive
263228$2,300314
Outback AWD
Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive
222925$2,550356
  • Outback AWD
    Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    26 city · 32 hwy · $2,300/yr
    28
    mpg comb.
  • Outback AWD
    Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Turbo
    22 city · 29 hwy · $2,550/yr
    25
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Subaru Outback SW AWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
18.5%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 18426
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2023 Outback questions

How many recalls does the 2023 Subaru Outback have?

2 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2023 Subaru Outback problems?

Owners filed 89 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are forward collision avoidance (22), electrical system (17), visibility/wiper (16). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2023 Subaru Outback get?

The EPA rates the 2023 Subaru Outback at 25–28 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (2 versions rated).

How safe is the 2023 Subaru Outback?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2023 Subaru Outback 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026