Power train: park
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.
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.
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.
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.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each Outback model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 273 |
| 2006 | 281 |
| 2007 | 130 |
| 2008 | 230 |
| 2009 | 112 |
| 2010 | 360 |
| 2011 | 653 |
| 2012 | 295 |
| 2013 | 297 |
| 2014 | 208 |
| 2015 | 509 |
| 2016 | 642 |
| 2017 | 921 |
| 2018 | 816 |
| 2019 | 1,036 |
| 2020 | 905 |
| 2021 | 299 |
| 2022 | 465 |
| 2023 | 89 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 83 |
| 2026 | 21 |
“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.”
“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…”
“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.”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outback AWD Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · All-Wheel Drive | 26 | 32 | 28 | $2,300 | 314 |
| Outback AWD Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive | 22 | 29 | 25 | $2,550 | 356 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
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.
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.
The EPA rates the 2023 Subaru Outback at 25–28 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (2 versions rated).
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2023 Subaru Outback 5 out of 5 stars overall.