2026 Subaru OutbackRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

“Brand new 2026 Outback experienced a "Sudden Unintended Acceleration / Brake Ineffectiveness. This occurred 3 times this week after the car had been driven over 90 miles or over 90 minutes. Engine and components were warmed up. Car was initially reported to dealer 10/6, car was examined by dealer and returned to me later that day.could not be replicated. Car sat at my home until today when it was driven over 90 minutes or 90 miles. Replicated failure by me same as earlier in the week . Car drivetrain felt surged. CVT fighting brake system when trying to turn car at street corner. Would not stop until on straight away ( seems to be triggered when turning and car was hot and when no power applied to engine. Only stops on straight away.. Could be related to cvt torque converter? Software glitch? Force of turning wheel?”

“I have owned this vehicle since January 2026. It's the first vehicle I have owned with a forward collision warning system and active emergency braking. And this is the first time this "failure" has happened, so far... On a 60mph 2 lane rural road with traffic behind me the forward collision warning system and active braking triggered of off a disabled vehicle parked safely on the side of the road on a sweeping left hand curve at 60 mph. There was nothing I could do as the vehicle actively emergency braked for no reason and unexpectedly, and the traffic behind me had to swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid colliding with me. With no automatic collision avoidance system, this situation would have NEVER occurred. In 45 years of driving I have never collided with anything in front of me and the closest to an accident I have been is due to the automatic "safety" system included in my new car. I am actively considering looking for a 10 year old replacement vehicle as these new safety systems appear to be VERY dangerous... So now I have a solution to a problem I have never had, and it has created problems I never expected and I have NO control over.”

“I experienced a serious loss of vehicle stability while driving a redesigned 2026 Subaru Outback provided as a loaner by Subaru of Port Richey, Florida. I was traveling approximately 70 mph on the highway in windy conditions. The pavement was completely dry. While making a necessary evasive lane change to avoid a road hazard, the rear of the vehicle began swinging from side to side uncontrollably. The maneuver was not unusually aggressive, yet the vehicle exhibited severe fishtailing, similar to the behavior of an improperly loaded trailer. I was forced to countersteer aggressively multiple times to regain control. The rear continued oscillating through several corrections before the vehicle finally stabilized. I have extensive experience driving different vehicles, including trucks, SUVs, and performance cars. I have never experienced this degree of instability from a modern vehicle during a comparable maneuver. I believe a less experienced driver could have lost control entirely, potentially resulting in a serious or fatal crash. Afterward, I discovered reports from other 2026 Subaru Outback owners describing similar rear-end instability, swaying, and…”