2017 Subaru Outback Problems

917 owner complaints filed with the United States safety regulator · top issue: Electrical System · verdict AVOID 20/100

Source NHTSA public complaint and recall record · methodology

What breaks, by owner reports

Electrical System391
Visibility/Wiper205
Unknown Or Other177
Power Train47
Engine43
Visibility30

In the owners’ words

“The CVT failed at 62 miles per hour on a busy interstate, XXX. This caused the drivetrain to lock. The car has been repaired and traded locally in [XXX]. The car was very difficult to steer with locked wheels in traffic. This was a rapid evasive manuver on a busy interstate. An undrivable vehicle on an interstate is life threatening to many. Flat bed driver told me I was lucky to steer off of lanes onto shoulder wit”NHTSA complaint, 2017 Subaru Outback owner
“Ignition key not releasing after turning engine off. Put shifter in park, foot on brakeii, turn Ignition key off. Key will not release. Have to cycle multiple times to get key released.”NHTSA complaint, 2017 Subaru Outback owner
“The front passenger window does not work correctly all the time. The driver is not able to put the window up when pressing button on driver’s side and the passenger needs to keep pressing button to have it go back up again. So if the driver puts the window down while driving, the driver cannot put it back up. It occurs every few months. It’s such a common problem that there are many sites on you tube on how to fix it”NHTSA complaint, 2017 Subaru Outback owner

Recall campaigns

ReportedComponentSummary
19/12/2019Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module SAFETYSubaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Outback vehicles. A replacement air bag control module may have been installed that is not compatible with the passenger air bag module, possibly affecting
03/08/2016SuspensionSubaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Outback vehicles manufactured June 20, 2016, to June 23, 2016. The affected vehicles may have improperly tightened attaching bolts for the front left
06/10/2016Steering:Column SAFETYSubaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured September 21, 2016, to September 23, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be prope
11/05/2016Steering:Column SAFETYSubaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperl

Questions owners ask

Is the 2017 Subaru Outback reliable?

On the federal record it scores 20/100: 917 owner complaints (101.89 per year on the road) and 4 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems.

What is the most common problem with the 2017 Subaru Outback?

The most-reported component in NHTSA complaints is Electrical System, with 391 of 893 categorised reports.

Share this verdict

The 2017 Subaru Outback scored 20/100 on the federal record.

Full 2017 data pagecosts, verdict, every numberAll Outback yearswhich year to avoid Most complained-about carsthe national ranking