Complaint volume
1025 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2019 Subaru Outback Complaints
1025 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2019 Subaru Outback, grouped by component category.
1025 Total complaints
22 Crash reports
2 Fire reports
11 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are electrical system, visibility/wiper, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 22 crash reports, 2 fire reports, 11 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 466 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 15,557 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to electrical system, visibility/wiper, unknown or other?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2019 Subaru Outback?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2019 Subaru Outback
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2019 Subaru Outback complaints?
22 Crash
2 Fire
11 Injury
0 Fatality
22 Towed
7 Medical attention
What are the most common 2019 Subaru Outback complaint categories?
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 280
VISIBILITY/WIPER 271
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 124
VISIBILITY 55
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 27
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER 23
STEERING 22
ENGINE 14
STRUCTURE 14
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 11
1,025 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACK APPEARED NEAR THE TOP, BY THE DRIVER ASSIST CAMERA. UNKNOWN HOW IT OCCURRED. OWNER ASSUMED CAUSED BY ROCK SLUNG BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT CRACK WAS NOT NOTICED UNTIL MANY DAYS LATER. INSURANCE REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD, BUT A SUBARU DEALERSHIP CHARGED $270 FOR EYESIGHT RE-CALIBRATION. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,900 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME, AND I HEARD A CLICK. I LOOKED AROUND AND NOTICED A 3' CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK HAS SINCE GROWN TO 24' | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,100 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. PARKED AT A CONVENIENCE STORE, NOTHING AROUND THE VEHICLE, CAME OUT AND NOTICED A CRACK FROM THE A POST INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. HAPPENED ON A SATURDAY, ATTEMPTED TO CALL INSURANCE COMPANY AND WAS TOLD I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL MONDAY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,500 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN A RAMP. THE CRACK IS AT THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,200 |
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | OUR WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWICE IN ONE YEAR. THE SECOND CRACK OCCURRED SIX WEEKS AFTER REPLACEMENT OVERNIGHT WHILE PARKED IN A GARAGE. IT EXTENDS THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR ATTACHMENT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,015 |
| Sep 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | FRONT WINDSHIELD JUST CRACKED ON A PARKED VEHICLE FROM THE MID LEVEL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. SEARCHING ONLINE FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER USERS HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEM. HAVE JUST 6000 MILES ON THE CAR AND IT HAS BEEN JUST 5 MONTHS SINCE I BROUGHT THE NEW CAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,500 |
| Sep 2019 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | A COUPLE DAYS AGO WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON A BACK ROAD AND USING CRUISE @35MPH, THE CAR FOR NO REASON SUDDENLY STARTED BREAKING AS IF TO AVOID A COLLISION. NOTHING WAS IN FRONT OF ME, NOT EVEN AN ONCOMING CAR AT A DISTANCE. NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. MY RESPONSE WAS TO MANUALLY APPLY THE BRAKE AND THAT KICKED OUT CRUISE. I HAVEN'T HAD IT HAPPEN AGAIN. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN USING CRUISE AT LOW SPEEDS? IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IT COULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS... | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,400 |
| Sep 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I GOT A BRAND NEW SUBARU 2019 SUV IN SECOND WEEK OF MAY 2019. CAR HAS AROUND 5500 MILES ON IT. WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK THAT I OBSERVED WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR NEXT MORNING. OVERNIGHT CAR WAS PARKED ON MY DRIVE WAY. THERE ARE NO TREES AND I DONT SEE ANY ROCKS HITTING. IT CRACKED OUT OF NO WHERE | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | DRIVING DOWN NORMAL HIGHWAY AND NOTICED A CRACK FORMING. WINDSHIELD CRACKED NEAR WIPER FROM MAYBE SOME ROAD DUST HIT IT THAT IS COMMON ON ANY HIGHWAY. NEVER HAD SUCH A BIG CRACK FROM NORMAL ROAD DUST BEFORE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,000 |
| Aug 2019 | STRUCTURE | THE REAR LIFTGATE ONLY HAS THE EXTERIOR ELECTRIC BUTTON TO OPEN LIFTGATE. A PANEL INSIDE THE GATE HAS TO BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO GIVE ANYONE TRAPPED INSIDE A SAFE EXIT. THE PANEL REQUIRES A TOOL TO PRY IT OFF IN ORDER TO GET TO THE LATCH INSIDE. THE KEY REMOTE FOB WILL ONLY UNLOCK THE ELECTRIC SWITCH, NOT RELEASE THE LATCH. ANYONE TRAPPED INSIDE WOULD STILL NOT BE ABLE TO ESCAPE THE BACK OF THE CAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2019 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | FIRST OIL CHANGE AT 5,850 MILES NO PROBLEM. AFTER SECOND OIL CHANGE AT 11,948 MILES, VEHICLE BECAME UNDRIVABLE AS IT STUMBLES AND LOSES POWER BETWEEN 2,000-2,700 RPM. DEALER HAS REPEATED OIL CHANGE 3 ADDITIONAL TIMES AS THEY ARE NOT CERTAIN IF THEY MAY HAVE OVERFILLED THE ENGINE (KNOWN SUBARU ISSUE). THEY HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE EXHAUST, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AIR FILTER, INTAKE SYSTEM, AND TRANSMISSION, ALL TO NO AVAIL. DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY AND GROUNDING THE CABLES TO DISCHARGE ALL CAPACITORS PROVIDED TEMPORARY RELIEF, BUT THE PROBLEM RETURNED WITHIN 36 HOURS AND 200 MILES. NOW ENTERING 3 WEEKS AND 600 MILES OF TROUBLESHOOTING AND TEST DRIVING BY THE DEALER, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS STILL UNSAFE AND UNDRIVABLE, AS 2000-2700 RPM IS THE HEART OF THE POWER BAND THAT IS ALWAYS USED WHEN DRIVING. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,948 |
| Aug 2019 | STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | PURCHASED VEHICLE IN MARCH 2019, SINCE OWNING VEHICLE MY MILES PER GALLON HAS BEEN OFF RANGING FROM 6 MILES TO 99 MILES PER GALLON AND THE SUBARU DEALER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS. ALSO, WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, YOU HAVE TO APPLY THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO STOP. THE VEHICLE HAS A SOFT PEDAL AND A BURNT SMELL IN THE ENGINE. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CRACK APPEARED ON WINDSHIELD WITHOUT ANY PRIOR DAMAGE TO THE AREA WHILE DRIVING. STARTED BELOW WINDSHIELD WIPER ON DRIVERSIDE AND CONTINUES FOR 24" ACROSS THE CENTER OF THE GLASS IN A CURVED 40 DEG ANGLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,600 |
| Aug 2019 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS EXITING A CAR WASH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND DROVE OVER A CURB. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WAS FLATTENED AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED AFTER THE CONTACT TURNED TO AVOID CRASHING INTO A WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE REPAIRED AFTER THE CLAIM BECOMES APPROVED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH SUBARU OF KINGS AUTOMALL (9536 KINGS AUTOMALL RD, CINCINNATI, OH 45249, (513) 583-9300) AND WAS INFORMED TO HAVE THE TIRE REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. AFTERWARDS, THE DEALER WOULD HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THEM FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,300. *DT *TR | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 4,300 |
| Aug 2019 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SMALL CRACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK EXPANDED IN HOT WEATHER. THE CONTACT CALLED LANCASTER COUNTY MOTORS SUBARU (1705 MANHEIM PIKE, LANCASTER, PA 717-569-4514), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY, BUT NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000. *TT*JB | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,000 |
| Aug 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUS CRACK UNDER WIPER DEICER CONNECTION VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Aug 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | SUBSTANTIAL WINDSHIELD CRACK WITH NO VISIBLE PREVIOUS DAMAGE. VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTDOORS AT APPROXIMATELY 2045 CENTRAL TIME ON 8/15/2019 FACING WEST. AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 CENTRAL TIME ON 8/16/2019 VEHICLE HAD A SUBSTANTIAL 7+ INCH CRACK DESCENDING FROM TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD DIRECTLY ABOVE AND DESCENDING VERTICALLY DOWN FROM NEAR THE DRIVER EYESIGHT CAMERA. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR FOR GLASS WHICH IS MEANT TO PROTECT THE DRIVER AND PROVIDE A VIEW PORT FROM WHICH MOST SAFETY SYSTEMS OF THE VEHICLE OPERATE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,500 |
| Aug 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES PER HOUR, COMING DOWN FROM A MOUNTAIN RANGE AND JUST REACHED THE BOTTOM. I CROSSED A CATTLE GUARD AND MY SUNROOF SHATTERED. I DO NOT BELIEVE I ROCK HIT AS THE DEALERSHIP BELIEVES AS THEIR WAS NO ONE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME AND I WAS IN A REMOTE AREA OF ARIZONA. I BELIEVE THE SUNROOF SHATTERED FOR EITHER NO REASON OR POSSIBLY CHANGE IN ELEVATION AND TEMPERATURES. THIS IS NOT SAFE. LUCKILY MY SHIELD WAS CLOSED, BUT THE SOUND ALONE WAS STARTLING AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2019 | AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | SLOWLY PULLING STRAIGHT INTO PARKING SPOT AT GROCERY STORE. APPLIED BRAKE WHEN CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL STEERING, BUT BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. STEERED CAR INTO EMPTY PARKING SPOT IN FRONT OF ME THEN TURNED HARD RIGHT TO AVOID HITTING PARKED CARS IN ROW ACROSS. SUBARU HIT A PICK UP TRUCK THAT WAS REVERSING OUT OF A DIAGONAL PARKING SPOT. THE CAR DIDN'T STOP UPON IMPACT, INSTEAD BOTH RIGHT SIDE WHEELS CLIMBED UP THE SIDE OF TRUCK AT AN ANGLE. AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY ON IMPACT. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE ACCELERATION WAS UNCONTROLLABLE AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | 3,000 |
| Aug 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WE HAD OUR FIRST SPONTANEOUS CRACK ABOUT A WEEK AFTER PURCHASING OUR OUTBACK IN NOVEMBER 2018. I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT HAPPENED BUT WE HAD NOT HAD ANY ROCKS HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED IT WAS A CHIP (THEY USED A BALLPOINT PEN TO INSPECT AND I BELIEVE THEY CREATED A SMALL CHIP ALONG THE CRACK LINE) BUT THEY REPLACED IT FOR FREE. THE SECOND CRACK OCCURRED ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THE NEW WINDSHIELD WAS INSTALLED. I WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME AND HEARD IT HAPPEN; THERE WAS NO APPARENT ROAD HAZARD THAT CAUSED THE CRACK.THIS TIME I DIDN'T ALLOW THEM TO INSPECT WITH A BALLPOINT PEN AND, SURE ENOUGH, THEY CONFIRMED IT WAS A SPONTANEOUS CRACK AND SUBARU REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD FOR US. THE THIRD CRACK JUST OCCURRED AND I BELIEVE IT IS ALSO A SPONTANEOUS CRACK THAT HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT. THERE IS NO APPARENT CHIP. ALL OF THEM START IN THE BLACK AREA BELOW THE WIPERS. I WONDER IF THERE COULD BE A DEFECT IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE CAR THAT CAUSES UNDUE STRESS ON THE WINDSHIELD. I WENT TO A LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT INSPECTED AND THE FIRST THING THEY DID WAS GET THEIR BALLPOINT PEN OUT. I WILL WAIT TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR AND WILL ALSO PURSUE ISSUE WITH SUBARU CUSTOMER RELATIONS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,000 |
| Aug 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITH NO ONE AROUND AT 7 AM ON SUNDAY AT 75 MPH THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. OUR SUN SHADE WAS CLOSED SO ALL GLASS WAS BLOWN ACROSS ROOF TAKING PAINT WITH IT. SUBARU REPLACED UNDER GOODWILL NOT WARRANTY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,000 |
| Aug 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWO TIMES IN THE 3 MONTHS I'VE OWN THE CAR. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY A TINY STONE HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND IT RAN ALL THE ACROSS IMMEDIATELY. I HAD IT REPLACED AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. JUST NOT NORMAL. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,500 |
| Aug 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WE WERE DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES PER HOUR. THE PASSENGER SLAPPED AT A MOSQUITO WITH HIS OPEN HAND AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITH A LOUD SOUND AND WITH A SPIDER WEB PATTERN ON IMPACT THE PASSENGER'S HAND WAS NOT RED, DID NOT HURT, AND DID NOT DEVELOP A BRUISE. THIS WAS HIGH IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER AND THE CRACKS ARE SPREADING ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. THE CAR IS A 2019 SUBARU AND HAS LESS THAN 9000 MILES ON. IT WAS PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 2018 AND WAS NOT DRIVEN DURING THE WINTER MONTHS THE WINDSHIELD WAS FREE OF ANY DINGS OR SCRATCHES. THIS IS BEING REPORTED BECAUSE OF OUR CONCERN THAT IF A SIMPLE SLAP ON THE INSIDE CAN BREAK THE WINDSHIELD, A ROCK THROWN BY ANOTHER VEHICLE COULD COME THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND HIT A PERSON. WE HAVE A WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT GUARANTEE SO THE WINDSHIELD WILL BE REPLACED AT NO COST, BUT WE ARE NOT COMFORTABLE HAVING IT REPLACED WITH AN ORIGINAL SUBARU WINDSHIELD. I HAVE PICTURES BUT I CANNOT GET THEM TO DOWNLOAD TO THIS SITE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,700 |
| Jul 2019 | STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | ENGINE DOES NOT BRAKE WHEN GOING DOWNHILL AS THE MANUAL SAYS IT SHOULD. MY PREVIOUS OUTBACKS (2006, 2011, 2017) DID HAVE ENGINE BRAKING. REGIONAL SERVICE OFFICE SUGGESTED I PLACE THE CAR IN CRUISE CONTROL IN ORDER TO CONTROL THE SPEED. CAR PICKS UP SPEED QUICKLY, SO USING THE BRAKE PEDAL IS THE BEST OPTION. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM IS NO ENGINE BRAKING WHEN THERE SHOULD BE AT LEAST SOME. THIS IS DANGEROUS ON ANY HILL. SECOND, STEERING IS PROBLEMATIC. FIRST, THERE IS TO MUCH PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. SECOND, WHEN IN CRUISE CONTROL, THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO HAVE A MIND OF ITS OWN, ESPECIALLY ON CURVES. I AM CONSTANTLY HAVING TO WORK AT CONTROLLING THE STEERING WHEEL. IT'S VERY TIRING. THE THIRD ISSUE IS IN REGARD TO THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM SHOWING INACCURATE SPEED LIMITS. I NOTICED THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN REPORTED AS EARLY AS FEBRUARY 2019. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE SINCE MAY 31, 2019. | Crash: No Fire: No | 500 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CAR WAS PARKED IN COVERED CAR PORT OVERNIGHT. IN MORNING, A HORIZONTAL CRACK HAD APPEARED IN FRONT WINDSHIELD. CRACK IS 18-24 INCHES LONG. RUNNING FROM PASSENGER SIDE PILLAR TO AREA NEAR CENTER OF WINDSHIELD. ABOUT 18 INCHES UP FROM DASH | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,713 |