Complaint volume
1030 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
1030 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2019 Subaru Outback, grouped by component category.
Buyer interpretation
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
1030 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
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.
Enriched records include 23 crash reports, 2 fire reports, 12 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage is available on 468 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 15,653 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
1,030 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Jul 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | BOUGHT JULY 6 @SUBARU OF PORT RICHEY FOUND IT HAD 1 UNREPAIRED RECALL ON IT, SUBARU WUH93 NHTSA'S #19V493000, DAYS AFTER I HAD TAKEN POSSESSION. THEY SOLD ME AS NEW A CAR WITH A RECALL GIVING ME KEYS AND SENDING ME HOME. SUBARU HAS CONFIRMED ALL DEALERS WERE NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL WUH93. HAVE ALL DOCUMENTS AND COPIOUS E-MAILS, TO UPHOLD MY CLAIM. I WANT THEM TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR BREAKING U.S.C 49 - 30112(A)(3). C.F.R.301120(I) AND SELLING, AND DELIVERING (KEYS) A VEHICLES TO AN ELDERLY COUPLE, WITH SAFETY RECALLS ON IT, TO DRIVE HOME,. AND THEN DAYS LATER NOTIFY ME OF THE RECALL. | Crash: No Fire: No | 68 |
| Jul 2019 | STEERING | WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY FROM 40-70 MPH, AND MAKING A TURN TO RIGHT OR LEFT, THE STEERING WILL SUDDENLY OVER STEER TOWARDS THE DIRECTION OF THE TURN, GIVING A FEELING OF LOSS OF CONNECTION BETWEEN STEERING WHEEL AND THE CAR'S WHEELS. FEELS LIKE TOO MUCH PLAY IN STEERING WHEEL. HAVE TO OVER CORRECT THE OTHER DIRECTION TO GET STEERING FEEL AND CORRECT DIRECTION FOR THE CAR BACK. DANGEROUS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Jul 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE CERTIFIED SUBARU WINDSHIELDS ARE TOO THIN. THEY BREAK WITH LITTLE TO NO IMPACT. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE TWO SO FAR WITH ONLY 3400 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. HAVE I MENTIONED HOW EXPENSIVE THESE WINDSHIELDS ARE TO REPLACE, UPWARDS OF $1600. I KNOW SUBARU HAD A PREVIOUS GLASS RECALL, BUT SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOOK, INTO THE 2019 WINDSHIELDS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,400 |
| Jul 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | FRONT WINDSHIELD SUSTAINED A SMALL CHIP IN THE UPPER AREA BEHIND THE REARVIEW MIRROR AND HAS SUBSEQUENTLY TURNED INTO A HUGE CRACK EXTENDING ACROSS AND DOWN THE PASSENGER SIDE. THERE WAS A PREVIOUS CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THE 15-16 OUTBACKS REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD. THE FACT THAT THE WINDSHIELD IS CRACKING THIS EASILY FROM A SMALL CHIP LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THEY DID NOT FIX THE ISSUES FROM THE PREVIOUS 15-16 MODEL YEAR WINDSHIELD DESIGN. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I CAME OUT OF MY HOME TO GET READY TO DRIVE WHEN I NOTICED THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. IT BEGINS WITH A VERTICAL SPLIT OF THE GLASS WITH NO SIGN OF A POINT OF IMPACT FROM DEBRIS. CAUSE: UNKNOWN. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THAT I HAD NOT BEEN DRIVING NOR HAD A ROCK HIT MY WINDSHIELD. THEY SAID THAT IT WOULD TAKE THEM A WEEK FOR THEM TO GET A REP AND SERVICE MANAGER TO INSPECT. THE CRACK HAD SINCE GROWN BY THE TIME THEY SAW THE VEHICLE. THEY SAID IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY TO REPLACE THE WINDSHEILD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,558 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | SPONTANEOUS WINDSHIELD CRACK THAT ORIGINATED DIRECTING UNDERNEATH WINDSHIELD WIPER ON PASSENGER SIDE WHILE PARKED OUTSIDE. WINDSHIELD WAS CLEANED HOURS BEFORE CRACK APPEARED, AND NO IMPERFECTIONS WERE OBSERVED; VEHICLE NOT DRIVEN OR MOVED. GOT IN VEHICLE IN EVENING AND CRACK WAS PRESENT EXPANDING ALMOST THE ENTIRE SIDE OF PASSENGER VIEW. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,300 |
| Jul 2019 | STRUCTURE | PANEL ABOVE DRIVER PEDALS FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THE GAS OR BREAK PEDAL. THE PANEL WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AND MISSING HOLDING CLIPS AND SCREWS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 50 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | OUR NEW 2019 OUTBACK EXPERIENCED A WINDSHIELD CRACK WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT ANY INDICATION OF IMPACT OF A FOREIGN OBJECT. THE CRACK APPEARED IMMEDIATELY AFTER TURNING ON THE DEFOG SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING. THE LOCAL DEALER INSISTED THAT THE CRACK WAS DUE TO OUTSIDE INFLUENCE AND NOT WINDSHIELD MATERIAL FAILURE. AFTER CONTACTING SUBARU OF AMERICA THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPAIRED AS A COURTESY AT THE DEALERSHIP. | Crash: No Fire: No | 7,000 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | SMALL ROCK HIT LOWER LEFT CORNER OF WINDSHIELD, APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES FROM EDGE. CONTINUED DRIVING. SUDDENLY, ENTIRE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ACROSS APPROXIMATELY 70% OF GLASS WITHIN 5 MINUTES, OBSTRUCTING VIEW. INITIAL IMPACT WAS TINY CHIP, BARELY VISIBLE WITHOUT CLOSE INSPECTION. NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, HIGHWAY, 60MPH, DRY ROAD & WEATHER, BEFORE SUNRISE. SINGLE OWNER VEHICLE, 10K MILES. COMPLAINT ALSO FILED WITH SUBARU. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | PURCHASED NEW 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHEN PARKED IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT AFTER JUST A COUPLE WEEKS A STRESS CRACK BEGAN TO FORM FROM THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD GOING DOWN. THE NEXT DAY IT WAS OUTSIDE ON A HOT DAY AND THE CRACK BEGAN TO GET WORSE. NO IMPACT ON WINDSHIELD FROM ROCK OR ANYTHING ELSE. MAY BE CAUSED FROM HEAT? VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN BOTH CASES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 600 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | JUST EXPERIENCED MY SECOND SPONTANEOUS CRACK WITHIN FOUR SIX MONTHS WHERE THE WINDSHIELD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ON MY 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CRACK STARTS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD BELOW THE WIPER BLADES AND THE CRACK EXPANDS UPWARD APPROXIMATELY 12-18 INCHES. IT IS BEYOND MESHY THESE WINDSHIELDS HAVE TO BE REPLACED SO OFTEN AND IT IS MY OPINION THEY ARE MADE WITH MATERIALS THAT CANNOT STAND UP TO DAY TO DAY TEMPERATURE CHANGES OF NEW ENGLAND. THE CAR WAS PARKED ALL WEEKEND AND HAD NO CRACK. HOWEVER, ON MONDAY MORNING, THE CRACK WAS THERE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | PLEASE REVIEW AND ESCALATE THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE SAME ISSUE RESULTED IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN CALIFORNIA. I PURCHASED MY 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK ON 12.31.18. AFTER WORK IN MID APRIL OF 2019, I RETURNED TO MY PARKED CAR. UNLOCKED AND ENTERED THE VEHICLE FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I LOWERED THE SUN SHADE AND NOTICED A LARGE CRACK IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. IT STARTED AT THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE GLASS ON THE DRIVER SIDE, ARCED UP AND CURVED TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS NOTICED INSIDE. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND CHECKED IT FOR ANY ADDITIONAL DAMAGE AND CHECKED THE WINDSHIELD FROM THE OUTSIDE. THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY OTHER DAMAGE THAN THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND A MINISCULE LEFT PASSENGER DOOR DING. AS IF THE EDGE OF ANOTHER CAR DOOR CAME IN CONTACT WITH MY SUBARU. NO ROAD HAZARDS OR DEBRIS WAS ENCOUNTERED ON THE WAY TO OR FROM WORK. I NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP, HILEY SUBARU OF FORT WORTH, AND REQUESTED TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED DURING MY NEXT SERVICE APPOINTMENT INDICATING THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT UNDER WARRANTY. AT THE SERVICE APPOINTMENT, THEY DECLINED TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD UNDER WARRANTY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,500 |
| Jul 2019 | STEERING | ON FREEWAY - TRAFFIC MOVING AT ABOUT 45 MPH ON CORNER - THE CAR VEERED SHARPLY TOWARDS THE FREEWAY INSIDE WALL. NO CONTROL OF STEERING WHEN I TRIED TO GENTLY CORRECT - WHEN THE CAR FINALLY RESPONDED IT VEERED SHARPLY I TOT HE LANES TO MY RIGHT. THE STEERING WAS OUT OF MY CONTROL. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR A WEEK - IT IS BRAND NEW AND THE STEER ASSIST WAS ON. THE SUBARU OUTBACK 2019 STEERING WAS OUT OF MY CONTROL ON A CORNER GOING APPROX 45 MPH - DANGEROUS. THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THE STEERING. MY 1998 AND 2016 OUTBACKS DRIVE AND CORNERED EXCELLENT RLY - THE SUBARU OUTBACK 2019 HAS A SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS STEERING PROBLEM. | Crash: No Fire: No | 500 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW MARCH 2019. I DEVELOPED A CRACK THAT STARTED AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD, CLOSER TO THE PASSENGER SIDE, THAT QUICKLY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE WINDSHIELD 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING AND WITH LESS THAN 6K MILES. IT APPEARED TO BE FROM A SMALL STONE CHIP. THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS VERY MINIMAL AND I HAVE HAD OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD MUCH LARGER CHIPS THAT HAVE 'SPIDERED' BUT NEVER SPREAD AS RAPIDLY AS THIS CRACK ON MY NEW OUTBACK. I WORKED WITH MY INSURANCE TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED, TOTAL COST WAS OVER $800. I DROVE THE CAR 4 TIMES IN 3 DAYS AFTER GETTING IT REPLACED, ALL ON PAVED ROADS. THIS MORNING I DEVELOPED A CRACK AT THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE THAT QUICKLY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE WINDSHIELD AGAIN. THEIR APPEARS TO BE A SMALL SANDSTONE CHIP THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE REASON FOR THE CRACK. I AM TAKING IT BACK TO THE PLACE THAT REPLACED IT AND HOPING IT'S COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY OF THE RECENT REPLACEMENT. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED BY SUBARU BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. | Crash: No Fire: No | 7,400 |
| Jun 2019 | STEERING | THE STEERING SEEMS TO FLOAT. YOU LOSE ROAD FEEL AND THE STEERING SEEMS TO CATCH. THERE IS ALSO A SINGLE BEEP HEARD WHEN THIS OCCURS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,933 |
| Jun 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER LESS THAN A MONTH OF OWNERSHIP. IT STARTED FROM THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE BELOW THE WIPER ON THE HEATING ELEMENT. IT MANIFESTED ONE MORNING BEFORE I LEFT FOR WORK IN LATE MAY. MY DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO REPLACE IT, CLAIMING IT WAS A ROCK, THOUGH THERE ARE NO CHIPS OR SPIDERING. IT'S A SINGLE LONG CRACK THAT WINDS ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. WHEN I ASKED THEM HOW IT COULD HAVE BEEN A ROCK WITHOUT A POINT OF IMPACT, THE RESPONSE FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS "ROCKS CAN DO FUNNY THINGS." MY 2016 IMPREZA HAD ITS WINDSHIELD REPLACED WITH THIS EXACT TYPE OF CRACK UNDER WARRANTY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,500 |
| Jun 2019 | STEERING | BASED UPON THE SUBARU REVIEW IN THE CONSUMER REPORTS APRIL AUTO ISSUE, I PURCHASED A 2019 OUTBACK. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. IT HAS ABOUT THIRTY DEGREES OF PLAY. IT TAKES CONSTANT ADJUSTMENT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN THE CENTER OF THE LANE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE STEERING. I JUST HAD TO GET USED TO DRIVING WITH THE SUBARU 'EYE SIGHT'. DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE IS STRESSFUL TO SAY THE LEAST. ON A TRIP TO TAMPA ON I-275 I ALMOST SIDE SWIPED ANOTHER CAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 754 |
| Jun 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | RECENTLY PURCHASED 2019 SUBARU FROM A SIMILAR 2017. CRUISE CONTROL SPEED SETTINGS HAVE CHANGED WHICH NOW REQUIRE YOU TO TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD TO WATCH FOR SPEED SETTINGS TO CHANGE. ON THE 2017 AND ALL OTHER VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED, TO INCREASE YOUR SPEED SETTING BY ONE MPH, YOU PUSH ONCE AND RELEASE. TO INCREASE BY 5 MPH, PUSH AND HOLD UNTIL IT SENSES THE INCREASE. NOW.... A QUICK PUSH OF THE BUTTON RESULTS IN A 5 MPH INCREASE WHILE YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE BUTTON AND WATCH THE DASHBOARD INDICATOR AS IT SLOWLY INCREASES YOUR SETTING 1 MPH AT A TIME. THIS IS DANGEROUS SINCE YOUR EYES ARE NO LONGER ON THE ROAD BUT ON THE DASH AREA. EVERYTHING ELSE I OWN, THERMOSTATS, KEYBOARDS, TV REMOTES....ALL MOVE UP OR DOWN ONE DEGREEE OR CHANNEL AT A TIME UNLESS YOU HOLD THE KEY PRESS LONGER, THEN YOU GET A FASTER REPEAT. I FEEL THAT TAKING MY EYES OFF THE ROAD TO WATCH MY SPEED SELECTION CHANGE IS AKIN TO TEXTING. DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS. THE DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THE NEW VEHICLE RESPONDS BY SAYING.... "THINGS CHANGE, GET USED TO IT". I FIND THIS SITUATIION UNACCEPTABLE! | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,225 |
| Jun 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, PARKED AT MY HOUSE WHEN I REALIZED THE BACK WINDSHIELD WAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED. IT WAS STILL IN PLACE BECAUSE OF THE TEMPERED GLASS. I OPENED THE DOOR TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THE CAR AND THE WINDSHIELD FELL APART INTO MY CAR AND ON THE GROUND. UNDER 7000 MILES ON THE CAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,000 |
| Jun 2019 | STEERING | STEERING WOBBLES VEERS IN AND OUT OF LANE AT RANDOM! BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT IS THAT IT FEELS LIKE 'ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING' FEELS LIKE I AM LOSING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING! NEEDS A TOTAL RECALL. ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN! | Crash: No Fire: No | 60 |