2011 Subaru Outback

Counts come from unverified consumer complaints filed with NHTSA and cannot be compared between models — how to read them.

Common problems reported on the 2011 Subaru Outback

Share of the 636 complaints on file that name each component group. A complaint can name more than one group, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
Component group	Complaints	Share
Power Train	212	33.3%
Exterior Lighting	117	18.4%
Engine	82	12.9%
Air Bags	73	11.5%
Service Brakes	72	11.3%
Electrical System	66	10.4%
Steering	36	5.7%
Unknown or Other	35	5.5%
Vehicle Speed Control	25	3.9%
Suspension	19	3.0%
Visibility/Wiper	18	2.8%
Fuel/Propulsion System	12	1.9%

636 complaints filed between July 22, 2010 and December 31, 2024.

At what mileage the Subaru Outback failed

Mileage at which owners reported the failure. The bar spans the middle half of the reports (25th to 75th percentile); the line inside it is the median. Shared scale within this page only.
Component group	Median	Reports
Power Train	114,000	175
Exterior Lighting	52,900	86
Engine	104,000	63
Air Bags	21,000	29
Service Brakes	80,500	44
Electrical System	60,000	53
Steering	1,200	29
Vehicle Speed Control	52,000	21
Suspension	9,300	12

Across all components, half the reported failures happened before 84,500 miles, with the middle half falling between 34,894 and 118,102. Based on the 460 complaints (72%) that record a mileage.

A low figure does not mean the car stops working at that mileage. It means the reported failures clustered early, which most often points to a fault built into a production batch — usually the kind of thing a warranty repair or a recall campaign addresses.

How this mix compares with other model years

Share of this model year’s complaints naming each group, against the median share across all 276 model years on this site. The tick marks that typical share.
Component group	Here	Typical
Engine	12.9%	16.6%
Electrical System	10.4%	13.4%
Power Train	33.3%	10.2%
Unknown or Other	5.5%	10.2%
Service Brakes	11.3%	6.4%
Steering	5.7%	6.2%
Air Bags	11.5%	5.8%
Fuel/Propulsion System	1.9%	4.5%

This compares the subjects of the complaints, not how many there are. A share needs no denominator, so unlike a count it can honestly be held against a norm — but a group sitting above the typical share means people complained about that part more often relative to everything else on this car, not that the car is worse than another.

Parts named by name

Part	Complaints	Median mileage
Structure: Body	9	—
Air Bags: Frontal	8	—
Power Train: Automatic Transmission: Torque Converter	7	—

Most filers pick a category and stop there; only 6% of this model year’s complaints name a specific part. This table is that minority, so treat it as detail on top of the distribution above rather than as the whole picture. A dash means too few of those complaints record a mileage to publish a median.

How serious the complaints were

3.3% Crash reported 21 of 636
0.9% Fire reported 6 of 636
0.8% Injury reported 5 of 636
0.0% Death reported 0 of 636

Reported across all complaints on file: 6 injuries and 0 deaths. These shares sit within this model’s own complaints — they say nothing about how it compares to another model.

Recall campaigns

16 campaigns. A recall repair is free at a dealer regardless of how many owners the car has had. Check the car’s own VIN — a campaign listed here may already have been carried out on it.

20V001000 Air Bags: Frontal: Passenger Side: Inflator Module January 2, 2020

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.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.

Campaign covered 258,813 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

20V003000 Air Bags: Frontal: Passenger Side: Inflator Module January 2, 2020

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.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.

Campaign covered 111,562 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

20V002000 Air Bags: Frontal: Passenger Side: Inflator Module January 2, 2020

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.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Campaign covered 127,547 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

19V297000 Electrical System: Ignition: Switch April 11, 2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.

Consequence: The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.

Campaign covered 511 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

19V007000 Air Bags: Frontal: Passenger Side: Inflator Module January 9, 2019

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.

Consequence: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-19.

Campaign covered 43,394 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

19V009000 Air Bags: Frontal: Passenger Side: Inflator Module January 9, 2019

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.

Remedy: Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-19.

Campaign covered 452,630 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

19V008000 Air Bags: Frontal: Passenger Side: Inflator Module January 9, 2019

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.

Remedy: Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-19.

Campaign covered 330,120 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

18V626000 Parking Brake September 13, 2018

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. The electronic parking brake (EPB) may not engage as intended, allowing the vehicle to rollaway if the transmission is not in the proper gear when parked.

Consequence: A vehicle rollaway can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPB actuator assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 19, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTV-81.

Campaign covered 27,175 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

18V012000 Air Bags: Frontal: Passenger Side: Inflator Module January 9, 2018

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 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.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-18.

Campaign covered 64,179 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

17V014000 Air Bags: Frontal: Passenger Side: Inflator Module January 10, 2017

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Subaru Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX 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. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-17.

Campaign covered 53,480 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011, 2012 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

16V694000 Visibility: Windshield Wiper/Washer: Motor September 27, 2016

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Legacy vehicles manufactured November 26, 2008, to June 7, 2013, and 2010-2014 Outback vehicles manufactured January 9, 2009 to June 7, 2013. Due to contamination, components within the windshield wiper motor bottom cover may interfere with each other. If an obstruction, such as a buildup of snow or ice prevents the wiper arms from being able to stop in the parked position, the wiper motor may overheat and the bottom cover may melt.

Consequence: If the windshield wiper motor overheats, the wipers may fail, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the wiper motor cover may melt, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor bottom cover assembly, free of charge. The recall began October 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTK-71. Note: This recall supersedes recall 11V-469. All vehicles that were remedied under that campaign are affected by this campaign, and need to have their wiper motor bottom cover replaced again.

Campaign covered 592,647 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

16V358000 Air Bags: Frontal: Passenger Side: Inflator Module May 25, 2016

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in 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 may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 26, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Saab owners may contact GM at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-16.

Campaign covered 302,127 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

13V061000 Electrical System · Equipment February 25, 2013

Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with an automatic or CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year 2013 XV Crosstrek vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. Additionally included are certain model year 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles that may have received replacement RES fobs. If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button.

Consequence: The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is a risk of carbon monoxide build-up which may cause headaches, dizziness or, in extreme cases, unconsciousness and/or asphyxiation.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.

Campaign covered 47,419 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

12V602000 Exterior Lighting December 26, 2012

Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 Legacy and Outback vehicles, certain model year 2006 through 2012 Tribeca vehicles sold before January 2012, and certain model year 2009 through 2012 Forester vehicles sold before January 2012. Up to 78,650 of these vehicles may have been equipped with accessory puddle lights that, when illuminated, brighten the area under the doors of the vehicle. A short circuit can develop when either the puddle light or connector are exposed to an electrolytic moisture source (such as road spray that has road salt in it) and it penetrates the circuit board of the puddle light or the pins of the puddle light connector(s).

Consequence: Over time, migration of the moisture into the circuit board and/or into the connector cavity, may result in a short circuit of the puddle light system. This may generate heat which may melt the plastic resulting in smoke or fire.

Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional fused-harness, free of charge. The recall began February 19, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.

Campaign covered 633,842 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011, 2012 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

11V467000 Visibility: Sun/Moon Roof Assembly September 7, 2011

SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 OUTBACK AND LEGACY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 3, 2010, THROUGH JULY 1, 2011. THE MOONROOF GLASS MAY COME LOOSE OR DETACH. THE AMOUNT AND POSITION OF THE ADHESIVE BETWEEN THE GLASS AND RETAINER WAS INADEQUATELY APPLIED.

Consequence: THE MOONROOF GLASS CAN LOOSEN AND DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE DURING DRIVING, RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL ROAD HAZARD FOR OTHER VEHICLES, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: SUBARU WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE GLASS ADHESION CONDITION AND EITHER APPLY ADDITIONAL ADHESIVE OR REPLACE THE MOONROOF GLASS, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

Campaign covered 69,590 vehicles across model year 2011 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

10V326000 Power Train: Manual Transmission July 20, 2010

SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 AND 2011 OUTBACK AND LEGACY PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 28 THROUGH JUNE 23, 2010. DUE TO A PROGRAMMING ERROR, A LUBRICATION HOLE WITHIN THE 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION WAS OMITTED.

Consequence: IF THE TRANSMISSION GEARS ARE NOT PROPERLY LUBRICATED, A GROANING SOUND MAY BEGIN TO DEVELOP ALERTING THE DRIVER OF A PROBLEM. IF THE SOUND IS IGNORED AND NO ACTION IS TAKEN, THE GEARS WILL EVENTUALLY BREAK AND THIS CONDITION WILL LEAD TO VEHICLE POWER LOSS, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

Remedy: SUBARU WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES BY DRILLING AN OIL LUBRICATION HOLE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE INTERNAL PARTS WITH NEW ONES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

Campaign covered 809 vehicles across model years 2010, 2011 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.

NCAP crash-test ratings

Variant

Overall

Frontal

Side

Rollover

2011 Subaru Outback 4 DR AWD

Ratings are out of 5 stars.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist

Written and checked by someone who does this work; it is not derived from the data. The complaint counts decide only the order: the assemblies this model’s owners complain about most come first.

Automatic transmission

Related complaint groups: Power Train (212)

Checking the fluid level during an inspection is usually not possible — many cars need a lift, some have no dipstick at all, and Honda’s procedure differs from the rest. So this assessment is built on behavior, not on fluid.

With the car parked

Move the selector P → R → D and back with the brake held. Each engagement should be a soft nudge, without a thump and without delay. Repeat two or three times in each direction.

On the road

Shifts without noticeable delay or thump, both under acceleration and when slowing down.
Pay particular attention to the 1-2-3 and 3-2-1 transitions — they carry the most load.
Hard acceleration at full throttle: the revs should not flare without the car gaining speed.
On a CVT the revs should rise smoothly, without steps, droning or jerking.

Questions for the seller

Has the fluid been changed, and is there proof. Regular changes are a substantial plus for the car; their absence at high mileage is reason for caution.

Red flags

A stored transmission fault code (a scan tool is worth having)
Slipping under load in any form
Recently cleared codes with no explanation
The seller offering to "just change the fluid" when it is black and burnt — that is cosmetic cover over wear that has already happened

Cost if it needs work: Expensive. The most expensive of the likely assemblies; a repair is often comparable to the value of the car.

Axles and CV joints

Related complaint groups: Power Train (212)

With the car parked

Turn the steering to full lock and inspect the outer CV boots on both sides for cracks, splits and thrown grease on the inner face of the wheel and in the wheel arch. A split boot on a joint that is still sound is a cheap repair today and an expensive one in six months.

On the road

Empty parking lot, steering at full lock, slow circles in both directions. A rhythmic clicking points to an outer CV joint; the side is identified by the direction of the turn.
Vibration under acceleration in a straight line that disappears when you lift off may indicate an inner CV joint.

Cost if it needs work: Relatively low. A good indicator of how the car has been treated overall.

Electrical system

Related complaint groups: Exterior Lighting (117), Electrical System (66)

With the car parked

With the ignition on, before starting, every warning light should come on and then go out once the engine runs. None coming on at all is worse than one staying lit: the bulb may have been removed or disabled in software.
Click through everything: windows from every switch, mirrors, heated elements, climate control on all settings, the radio, the camera, the parking sensors, cruise control.
Every exterior light, including running lights, brake lights, side repeaters and the license plate lamp.
Battery terminals for corrosion, and the date on the battery.
Cabin and trunk for signs of water: damp carpet under the mats, condensation in the headlights, rust on the seat mounts. Water in the electrics causes faults that are extremely hard to trace.

On the road

Whether anything dims when several high-draw consumers are switched on at once.
A second hot start after the drive.

Red flags

A dashboard with no warning lights at all when the ignition is on
Signs of water ingress
Homemade wiring, twisted joints, tape under the dash
Several small non-working functions at once — usually one common root cause

Engine and cooling system

Related complaint groups: Engine (82), Engine and Engine Cooling (8)

Come to a cold car. A warmed-up engine hides a hard start, smoke and knocking. If the car is already warm, that is a yellow flag: ask for 30–40 minutes to let it cool. A refusal to let it cool is a red flag.

With the car parked

Oil: level, color, consistency. Level above maximum plus a smell of fuel on the dipstick means the oil is being diluted with fuel.
A whitish film on the oil filler cap alone is usually condensation from short trips in cold weather, not cause for alarm. What matters is the dipstick: a coffee-with-milk emulsion on the dipstick requires serious further inspection. A further indication is coolant hoses that are hard and under excess pressure.
Coolant: level, color, no oil film. Open the reservoir only on a fully cooled engine.
Leaks: under the engine, along the sump seam, around the valve cover, along the hoses and the radiator.

On the road and after

Cold start: how long the starter cranks, smoke in the first seconds, knocking that goes away as it warms up.
Temperature over the whole drive. Idle with the air conditioning on: the fan should cut in and the needle should not climb.
After the drive, switch off, wait a couple of minutes and look for fresh drips under the car.

Red flags

A freshly washed engine bay on a high-mileage car
Thick white smoke after warm-up
Temperature climbing in traffic

Airbags and the VIN recall check

Related complaint groups: Air Bags (73), Seat Belts (4)

The most reliable procedure in this library — it does not depend on hearing, experience or inspection conditions.

Required procedure

Take the VIN from the car itself — the windshield on the driver’s side, the door pillar, the paperwork — not from the listing.
Check that VIN in NHTSA’s official recall lookup.
A recall repair at a dealer is free regardless of how many owners the car has had. An open recall is a reason to visit a dealer, not a reason to haggle.
An open airbag recall is grounds not to buy the car until it has been fixed.

Inspection

The SRS light should come on with the ignition and then go out. Not coming on at all probably means it has been disabled deliberately.
Airbag covers on the wheel and dash: uneven gaps, mismatched texture, marks from removal.
Seat belts: pull each one out to full length and check for chafing, tears and water marks. The inertia reel should lock when pulled sharply.

Brakes

Related complaint groups: Service Brakes (72)

With the car parked

Brake fluid level and color. Clear yellow is fresh; dark brown has not been changed in a long time.
Fluid at the lower mark with no leaks usually means worn pads: the pistons have extended and the fluid has moved into the calipers.
Pad thickness through the spokes of the wheel. Check the disc for a lip at the outer edge and for deep scoring.
Inside face of the wheels: an even dark dust film is normal; one wheel noticeably dirtier than the others may indicate a sticking caliper.
Hoses for cracks and bulges, lines for corrosion.

On the road

First stop at low speed: the pedal should be firm, with no sinking.
Accelerate to 40–45 mph and brake moderately. Pulsing through the pedal or the steering wheel usually means warped discs.
Braking on flat dry pavement: pulling to one side requires further inspection.
The ABS light should come on with the ignition and go out after the engine starts.
A feeling that the car is driving "as if towing a trailer" may indicate binding brakes.
The car squatting at the rear when pulling away may indicate parking-brake cables or stuck rear shoes.

After the drive

Hold your palm near each wheel without touching the disc or the caliper — after braking they will burn you. Compare only left against right on the same axle: the front is always hotter than the rear, and that is normal. A noticeable difference between the two wheels of one axle requires further inspection.

Red flags

The pedal slowly sinks to the floor when held down
An illuminated ABS or brake system warning light
Fresh fluid together with completely worn pads

Cost if it needs work: Moderate. Confirm actual cost against local prices at the time of purchase.

Suspension, control arms, steering

Related complaint groups: Steering (36), Suspension (19)

With the car parked

Rock the steering wheel briskly left and right. Knocking and free play point to ball joints, tie rod ends or the rack. This is the most productive check of this assembly without a lift.
Rock each wheel at 12 and 6 o’clock (ball joint, wheel bearing) and at 3 and 9 o’clock (steering linkage).
Inspect the bushings for cracks and separation, and the ball joint boots for damage.

On the road

Dull knocking from the front over small bumps. The cause cannot be determined without a lift: sway bar links are inexpensive, control arms cost several times more, and by ear the two are indistinguishable. A knock is grounds to require an inspection on a lift before purchase — not grounds to walk away from the car.
Whether it pulls to one side on a level road, and whether the wheel returns to center after a turn.

Red flags

Uneven tread wear — almost always alignment
A recent alignment in the paperwork with no explanation of why
One control arm noticeably newer than the rest

Cost if it needs work: Low to moderate. Depends on what turns out to be the source. Plus an alignment after the replacement.

The Subaru Outback year by year

Model year	Complaints	Median mileage	Recalls
2010	351	68,000	18
2011 (this page)	636	84,500	16
2015	478	19,059	5
2016	606	34,174	4

Read the mileage column down this table with care. A newer year has simply been driven less, so its median sits lower for that reason alone — the figure is censored from above by how long the cars have been on the road, not only by how they were built. The same applies to the complaint counts: an older year has had more years in which to collect them.

Where the mileage figure does compare cleanly is between different models of the same year, which have had the same time to accumulate miles.

Other Subaru model years

All model years