Complaint volume
289 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
2021 Subaru Outback Complaints
289 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Subaru Outback, grouped by component category.
289 Total complaints
7 Crash reports
1 Fire reports
2 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 visibility/wiper, electrical system, 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 7 crash reports, 1 fire report, 2 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 60 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 8,787 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to visibility/wiper, electrical system, 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 2021 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.
2021 Subaru Outback
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Subaru Outback complaints?
7 Crash
1 Fire
2 Injury
0 Fatality
6 Towed
0 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Subaru Outback complaint categories?
VISIBILITY/WIPER 86
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 44
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 37
AIR BAGS 14
VISIBILITY 10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 6
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 6
ENGINE 4
POWER TRAIN 3
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 3
289 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The front windshield is easily chipped or cracked. A rock hit it, and by the next morning it had starburst across the windshield. We replaced the windshield and two weeks later a second rock chipped it in the same spot. A couple weeks later a third rock chipped it above an inch above the last chip. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | LARGE CRACK FORMED IN WINDSHIELD AFTER PARKING ON AN OUTDOOR LOT ON A SUNNY DAY AND USING A SUNSHADE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE CAR. PARKED FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS AND RETURNED TO THE CRACK. THERE WERE NO CRACKS OR DINGS PRIOR TO PARKING, AND NO TRAUMA TO ANY OTHER PART OF THE CAR BODY OR GLASS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,500 |
| May 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACK WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR OBVIOUS IMPACT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,500 |
| May 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | AFTER 5000 MILES MY BATTERY HAS BEEN DRAINED AND IS CURRENTLY DEAD. I WAS TOLD I MUST LOCK IT EVERY TIME I AM NOT DRIVING TO ENSURE BATTERY LIFE IS EXTENDED. EVEN WITH DOING THIS BATTERY IS STILL DEAD AFTER BARELY 5000 MILES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| May 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD BROKE WITHOUT WARNING, HAPPENED DURING CITY DRIVING APPROX 25-30 MPH WHEN FIRST NOTICED. CRACK HAS CONTINUED TO SPREAD TO COVER ENTIRE WINDSHIELD FIRST CRACK NOTICED 4/15/2021, 2021 SUBARU OUTBACK, SUBARU CONTACTED AND THEY DENIED WARRANTY AND OR KNOWLEDGE WITH THEIR WINDSHIELDS BREAKING WITHOUT CAUSE | Crash: No Fire: No | 14,000 |
| Apr 2021 | WHEELS | DRIVING ON GROOVED CONCRETE HIGHWAY THE CAR WANDERED ALL OVER THE ROAD. IT FEELS VERY UN-SAFE AND THAT YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL OF THE CAR. THIS STARTED THE DAY I PICK UP THE CAR 2 WEEKS AGO, 1700 MILES | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | CRACK IN WINDSHIELD APPEARED WITH NO PUNCTURE. NOTICED CRACK WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. NOTHING HAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD, PASSENGER NOTICED THE CRACK. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,000 |
| Apr 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | PARKED MY CAR IN THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON WHEN I WENT BACK I HAD A STRESS CRACK ACCROSS THE PASSANGER SIDE | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,428 |
| Apr 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | I BOUGHT THIS 2021 SUBARU OUTBACK IN JAN 2, 2021. IN MID FEB, I DROVE THE OUTBACK TO LAKE TAHOE. ON MY WAY, I WENT TO COSTCO GAS STATION FOR GAS AFTER 1 HOUR HIGHWAY DRIVING. THE CAR WAS JUST DEAD AFTER REFUELING. I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE NOT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED. THE CAR WAS JUMPSTARTED. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE MY TRIP AND BACK HOME. AFTER I WAS BACK HOME, I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER THAT SOLD THE CAR. I WAS TOLD IT WAS BATTERY PROBLEM AND A NEW BATTERY WAS INSTALLED. A FEW WEEKS LATER, MY CAR COULDN'T START IN MY GARAGE ON A SATURDAY MORNING. I HAD TO JUMPSTART THE CAR USING A HANDHELD BATTERY MYSELF. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I THINK SUBARU OUTBACK HAS A DEFECT IN ELECTRIC SYSTEM THAT DRAIN THE BATTERY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,200 |
| Apr 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED LESS THAN 5 MONTHS AGO, HAS LESS THAN 1000 MILES AND THE BATTERY HAS DIED. CAR IS USED REGULARLY, AS A FAMILY CAR, TO RUN ERRANDS IN OUR NEIGHBORGHOOD. BATTERY DOES NOT HOLD A CHARGE. IT WILL CHARGE WITH A BATTERY TENDER, BUT WILL THEN DRAIN QUICKLY. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WENT OUT TO MY CAR TO GO HOME AND FOUND A 9 IN CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NO CRACK WHEN I GOT OUT OF MY CAR. THERE IS NO ROCK IMPACT AND NO MARKS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 9,200 |
| Apr 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED NEAR AIR CONDITIONING ELEMENT WITH NO EVIDENCE OF A CHIP | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Apr 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | AN EMPTY PLASTIC BOX FELL ON THE WINDSHIELD FROM MAYBE 2 FEET. THE WINDSHIELD BASICALLY SHATTERED, WITH PIECES OF GLASS IN THE CAR. WE INFORMED OUR DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS A NEW CAR, AND WE ARE VERY SCARED THAT THEIR IS A DEFECT BASED ON THE IMPACT THAT WE SAW. SUBARU DISCREDITED OUR CLAIM. WE HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING WE CAN DO INFORM THEM TO LOOK INTO THIS POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IN A GARAGE WHEN THE EMPTY BOX FELL ON THE WIND SHIELD. NOW WE ARE PAYING TO REPLACE THE CRACK WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Apr 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | WE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND 3 MONTHS INTO OWNERSHIP IT WON'T START DUE TO BATTERY ISSUES. NOTHING IMPROPER OR IRREGULAR WAS DONE WITH THE CAR. IT JUST DOESN'T FUNCTION BY DEFAULT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 550 |
| Mar 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WINDSHIELD FAILED TWICE IN FIRST SIX WEEKS, DEALER REPLACED IT ONCE, IT LASTED 9 DAYS, BOTH TIMES WINDSHIELD BROKE IN SNOW STORM WITH DEFROSTER ON HIGH | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,000 |
| Mar 2021 | WHEELS | EARLY IN FEBRUARY, MY CAR STARTED TO SEND ME INTERMITTENAT ERROR MASSAGES STATING THAT THE TIRES HAD LOST PRESSURE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE SOFTWARE, AND THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY THOUGHT THE SOFTWARE UPDATE WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IT DID NOT. THE NEXT FIX INVOLVED REPLACING THE MODULE THAT MONITORS THE TIRE PRESSURE. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM EITHER. IT HAS BEEN OVER A MONTH SINCE THE PROBLEM STARTED. AND THE DEALERSHIP DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THE ISSUE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,718 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, A CRACK FORMED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF WINDSHIELD WITHOUT IMPACT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRACK OBSTRUCTED HER VISION WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED HER INSURANCE PROVIDER AND HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. RECENTLY, WHILE HER DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH, ANOTHER CRACK FORMED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD, WITHOUT IMPACT. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,500. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,500 |
| Mar 2021 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE BRAKES ENGAGED INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HYMAN BROS. SUBARU (11960 MIDLOTHIAN TURNPIKE, MIDLOTHIAN, VA 23113) WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE EYESIGHT BY THE REAR VIEW MIRROR NEEDED TO BE RECALIBRATED. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER UNREPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900. | Crash: No Fire: No | 900 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | JUST GOT A NEW CAR IN JAN 2021. WINDSHIELD GOT CHIPPED EASILY. I ALREADY TRIED WITH GLASSES REPAIR KIT SEVERAL TIMES. AND RECENTLY IT GOT CRACKED LINE (AROUND 30CM 90 DEGREE). THE SAME ROUTE TO WORK I DROVE WITH MY OLD 2006 TOYOTA RAV4 AND NEVER GOT ANY CHIP FOR 6 YEARS. UNTIL I GOT THIS NEW 2021 OUTACK, I HAVE TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD FOR LESS THAN 60 DAYS OF DRIVING. ONE OF MY FRIENDS GOT THE SAME TRIM OF CAR THE SAME MONTH ALSO GO REPLACED WINDSHIELD LAST WEEK. THE ROUTE IS ON HWY880 FROM FREMONT TO SAN JOSE, CA AREA. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,800 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | SPONTANEOUS CRACK IN LOWER PART OF WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER SIDE. CRACK WAS OBSERVED AFTER CLOSING DOOR WHILE PARKED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,100 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 2 MONTHS THE FRONT WINDSHIELD ON MY 2021 OUTBACK HAS CRACKED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. BOTH TIMES HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY. NOT DRIVING THROUGH A CONSTRUCTION AREA OR ANYTHING. JUST DRIVING AND HEAR A NOICE AND SEE A 12 INCH CRACK. UPLOADING 2 IMAGES ONE IS FROM TODAY AND THE OTHER IS FROM 2/5/2021. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,250 |
| Mar 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | MULTIPLE TIMES ISSUE WITH BATTERY NOT PROVIDING SUFFICIENT CHARGE TO START THE CAR RESULTING IN INCONVENIENCE, STRESS AND MENTAL AGONY. FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE THE CAR WAS NOT PERFORMING AS PER COMMITTED STANDARDS AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS HAVE GOTTEN AFFECTED. ALSO THE BATTERY WAS LEAKING ACID FUMES CAUSING HEALTH RELATED HAZARDS. THIS DESPITE KEEPING THE CAR RUNNING IN IDLE MULTIPLE TIMES. FURTHER WHEN GIVEN TO TINDOL SUBARU THEY DID NOT RECTIFY THE PROBLEM BUT BLAMED ME FOR NOT RUNNING THE CAR ENOUGH WHICH IS A LIE AND FALSE. THEY SIMPLY KEPT THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS AND RETURNED IT TO ME!! I HAVE HAD CAR COLD CRANKED 5 TO 6 TIMES IN 2 MONTHS TILL BATTERY WAS EVENTUALLY REPLACED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 750 |
| Mar 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | PURCHASED THE CAR 7 DAYS AGO. DROVE APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES SO FAR. WENT OUT TO START THE CAR THIS MORNING AND THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. NO LIGHTS HAD BEEN LEFT ON. CAR NEEDED TO BE JUMPED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 210 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | ON MARCH 12, 2021, I WAS SITTING IN MY IDLE 2021 SUBARU OUTBACK WHEN I HEARD A QUICK POP SOUND. WHEN I LOOKED UP, THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD. I CURRENTLY HAVE 3600 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE CRACK IS VERY LINEAR. THE CAR WASN'T RUNNING AND THE WEATHER WAS PLEASANT AROUND 65 DEGREES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,600 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 4 MONTHS. IT HAS SEVEN THOUSAND MILES ON IT. A CRACK APPEARED OVERNIGHT AT THE LEFT SIDE (DRIVERS SIDE) TO THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NO ROCK AND DAMAGED DETECTED. IT JUST HAPPENED ON ITS OWN. | Crash: No Fire: No | 7,000 |