2015 Subaru Outback: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
509 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Outback's record is quiet through the fourth and fifth generations apart from the FB25 engine's oil-consumption complaints on 2013–2014 cars, which Subaru settled with a class action. The sixth generation launched for 2020 on a new platform with a new infotainment system and a turbocharged 2.4-litre option, and the 2019–2020 years carry the highest counts in the Outback's history: the Starlink touchscreen freezing and rebooting, the battery draining, the windscreen cracking. Read the full note on the model page. 2015 specifically: a year the record favours — 509 complaints, score 82/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Subaru Outback and Forester: oil consumption, then Starlink, then a clean run, including 2015 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 509 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 46.27
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Front subframe is rusted out. Went to do brakes and found holes in frame. I contacted subaru of north olmsted and was told this is common. Was told to call subaru of America and complain and see if they would help. So I called and was told it's common because the car is exposed to snow salt. I have never seen anything like this. I joined a subaru Facebook page and everyone confirmed that this really common. Some repo…
The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera was inoperable. The maps and radio were glitching and then seized stuck. The screen was difficult to read. The screen was pixelated due to the brightness outside. The camera was inoperable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall coverage for the head unit. The dealer referred the contac…
The Subaru's Starlink Radio has completely delaminated on the layer between the display and the digitizer, which does not allow the radio to be controlled in any way, shape, or form. This means that the touch screen is not working anymore, and because the radio is so delaminated, whenever the car is put into reverse during the daytime, the backup camera is nowhere near visible enough to be seen safely. The radio dela…
Recalls: 5 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 15V502000 | Power Train:Driveline:Driveshaft | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 and 2016 model year Subaru Legacy 4-Door and Outback vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to July 27, 2015. |
| 16V292000 | Steering:Column | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. |
| 15V366000 | Forward Collision Avoidance: Crash Imminent Braking | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX… |
| 14V577000 | Trailer Hitches | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Outback vehicles manufactured January 22, 2014, to August 18, 2014, and equipped with a Subaru accessory trailer hitch assembly. |
| 16V251000 | Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured on July 20, 2015. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 28 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,200
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Visibility/Wiper130 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Electrical System127 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other108 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine47 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train37 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Structure33 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
Other Subaru Outback years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Subaru Outback?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Visibility/Wiper (130 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2015 Subaru Outback a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 82/100, computed from 509 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2015 Subaru Outback's most common problem?
130 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2015 Subaru Outback sit in the Visibility/Wiper group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $490–$1,200 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2015 Subaru Outback cost to run per year?
About $5,289 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,445 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2015 Subaru Outback have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2015 Subaru Outback, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 10/08/2015. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2015 Subaru Outback really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 509 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 509 NHTSA complaints on record (46.3/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (64.2/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems