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 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Since we bought our 2021 Subaru Outback in May 2021, the vehicle hesitates when accelerating mainly after filling up with gas but also at other times. We have taken the vehicle in 4 times for service, but Subaru cannot duplicate the problem. Another issue we are having is that every time it rains, there is a puddle of water that forms on the passenger side floor board. We have taken the vehicle in 4 times for service, but Subaru cannot duplicate the problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2022 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | I have issues with the headlights on my Outback. They are very bright to the point that i get flashed on a regular basis by other drivers thinking i have my brights on. Just this morning coming to work I passed someone on the Ohio Turnpike and they must of been blinded by my lights because they then got right up behind me and started following me with their brights on. These lights are a danger to other drivers and It makes me worried for my safety because of the actions of other drivers if they think I'm not turning my brights off. I told the dealer service department where I bought my car and they didn't take me seriously. I found a forum on line where other subaru drivers complain about the headlights and it goes back a couple years. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Crack in windshield, line of sight of driver. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | vehicle about 14 months old, I purchased new Tried to start vehicle battery dead, no lights or other acc. had been left on. two weeks later battery would not start car, I jump started car according to directions in owners manual. After jump start several check engine lights came on, cruise control did not work. lane control and "EYESIGHT" failure warning light was on. Subaru dealer replaced battery under warranty | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | on January 3, 2022 my windshield cracked and spread right away. I took it to get it fixed. On May 4, 2022 my windshield cracked again and spread immediately. Both times it started from the edge and went inwards. I consider this as a safety hazard for the windshield to crack and spread so easily. This is the second time and we are only covered for 2 replacements on the warranty in a year. This expense can add up quickly | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Like many others have complained about, a small rock chip in the front windshield has spidered out across nearly the whole length of the windshield within a few hours of impact. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | We bought this vehicle new and since we have had issues with the infotainment shutting down multiple times while driving. The infotainment screen along with all safety features associated with the electronic panel turn off. We have taken it to the dealership multiple times and keep getting told that they can't replicate the problem. We have recorded the issue and sent proof but Subaru manufacturing keeps delaying any inquiries in hopes to bypass lemon law. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle independently accelerated. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle struck the curb before coming to a stop, causing damage to the rim and tire. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 16,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 16,000 |
| Apr 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | I believe there is a software defect associated with the infotainment system. The system also includes car information such as car data, audio/radio, navigation as well as other items related to modern car's functionality. The issue is when a mobile is plugged into one of the two from USB port, the infotainment will randomly reboot itself. When this happens the screen turns black/bland while rebooting occurs. This can happen even while the vehicle is in motion possibly causing severe distraction resulting a safety issue. (Imaging driving down the highway and your car reboots without warning.) Reboot takes about two minutes during this time the vehicle is drill drivable but is very disconcerting to the driver. This issue is also a major topic with online forums such as www.subaruoutback.org under the Gen 6: 2020-Future section. https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/2020-outback-software-gigathread.517684/page-340#post-6235066 Attempts to reach the dealership has not proven to be resolvable. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Tiny spec of one sand grain instantly put a 14” crack across a windshield of a 2021 Subaru Outback I have pictures, how does a spec of sand crack a windshield? | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,BACK OVER PREVENTION | I have had this vehicle since @ 6/30/21, under 4,000 miles. Sometimes when I'm driving, the car will suddenly brake or lurch when I am not near another object or person. I drove down the highway once when this happened and it was very concerning. I have also been in the middle of an intersection when this occurred, as I was turning left. It has happened approximately 10 other times since I've had the vehicle. Today it happened and a truck was behind me; thankfully I did not get hit.I brought this into the dealereship twice and they claim there is nothing wrong with the car. There is definitely something wrong with the car; it's dangerous. My car is available for inspection upon request. I and others are at great risk for an accident. I remember flashing lights on a few occasions, not today. When I went online to check for recalls, I noticed many other Subaru owners having the same issues. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Noticed a 6 inch crack on passenger side starting under the wiper. Crack started spreading across the windshield, now about 18 inches long. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | VISIBILITY | The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she noticed a crack on the center passenger’s side of the windshield. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the windshield to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure with the new windshields. The contact stated he had the windshield replaced a total of three times. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 17,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 17,000 |
| Mar 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | *Eyesight system detects collision hazard and applies brakes when entering certain curves. *Unexpected braking in curve, particularly when roadway is wet poses a danger to driver and other motorists. *Not reproduced by dealer or service center, problem is captured on dashcam video. *Vehicle has been inspected by dealer *Eyesight system seems to "glitch" frequently, causing a variety of warning lamps on dashboard, full shutdown of infotainment system, and disabling all built in eyesight safety features. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2022 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | I walked outside my house yesterday morning to find my 2021 Outback XT idling in the driveway. I may have failed to turn the engine off, or it may have started itself. Nonetheless, I calculate that it burned about five gallons of gasoline and probably ran all night. The car should not be able to run for hours on end! This is a clear problem--an overheated catalytic converter could start a fire, someone could have jumped in and driven away, or--much worse--it could have been running in an enclosed area and filled it with CO.. This car does have remote starting capability, so I wonder if that somehow played a role. It also has the start-stop function to save gas. I have noticed that if I stop the car and hit the start/stop button right away, it sometimes seems to stop but then runs on. I strongly believe that the car should not be able to run on like this. Couldn't Subaru build in a a timer to turn the engine off after, say, one hour? These are not police cars and do not need to be able to idle for hours on end. Thanks very much for your kind consideration! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Windshield has cracked for no reason. Heard a small cracking noise driving on the road. No accidents or anything, see a ding on the windshield and a crack growing after two days of parking in the garage. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | The windshield cracked from the bottom corner and slowly spread across the entire windshield. I took a picture before replacing the windshield, a repair that cost ~$900 to replace and recalibrate the eyesight system. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | THE MAIN COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT CONTROLS THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM, CRUISE CONTROL, LANE DEPARTURE, ALL HVAC CONTROLS, NAVIGATION, ETC. SHUTS DOWN (GOES BLACK), AND REBOOTS RANDOMLY. WHEN THIS OCCURS, ALL OF THE FUNCTIONS AND CONTROLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPUTER SYSTEM ARE LOST. CRUISE CONTROL DROPS OUT AND THE BUILT IN SAFETY FEATURES ARE DISABLED. IT IS DISTRACTING TO THE DRIVER AND REQUIRES THE DRIVER'S ATTENTION TO RESET FEATURES THAT WERE LOST. IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY SUBARU AND HAS NOT BEEN FIXED ON MY VEHICLE FOR OVER A YEAR NOW. THIS COMPLETE COMPUTER BLACKOUT EVENT OCCURS ALMOST EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The battery does not hold a charge. I have had to have AAA charge my battery on 10 occasions in the fourteen months since I purchased this vehicle. I also have had to have the battery jumped by friends to start the car. The battery was replaced by the dealership in early September 2021, claiming it was a deflected battery and I should have no more battery problems. The replaced battery has not held a charge either. There is no warning, just a dead battery. i have been informed by Subaru that the cause of a dead battery is because the car is not driven every day. I am retired and have no need to drive every day. However, when I have been able to start the car and use it frequently the battery still dies. The car is not safe to drive when the battery is unreliable. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | My windshield cracked within a few months and few thousand miles of purchasing my vehicle for no real apparent reason. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | We were literally sitting in the car, parked, and the lower left driver side windshield cracked! No visible chips. We will contact Subaru if America and out local dealership as well. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Upon entering my car I noticed a 7-8” crack on the driver side of my windshield. There was no evidence of anything chipping or causing the crack. It seems to be spontaneous. If the crack continues to spread it will affect visibility and the windshield cannot be replaced on site due to the forward facing camera and anti collision system. I will have to drive over and hour to get it repaired. Also need wait for a new windshield to be in stock. I have submitted pictures to my insurance company. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Cracked windshield from no sign of impact. This is clearly an issue, as there have been class action law suits regarding these windshields covering 2015-2020 outbacks. They've done nothing to fix the issue and deny that it's a problem, instead falsely claiming that there was a chip. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | The component that has failed twice is the windshield. They current windshield is available for inspection but not the first. In fact, I am taking it my Subaru dealer tomorrow so they can look at it. This is the second windshield in 13 months that has failed. The first one became heavily pitted across the entire windshield. This one has a crack starting from the passenger side, 2/3 of the way up and then continues 1/3 of the way towards the driver. I do not recall any impact on the windshield prior to the crack occurring. I am concerned about the frequency of this model's windshield issues and whether it can stay intact. As noted above, this problem has happened twice for me. I posted my concerns on Reddit to see if other owners of this vehicle are having issues and I have received numerous responses that others are also having quality issues and those issues are similar to mine. There was no warning prior to the issues with my windshield. It is interesting to note that Subaru had a class action lawsuit against them just a few years ago related to this very same issue with the windshields. I am concerned that the windshield issues have not been adequately addressed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | While driving down the interstate, no other vehicles in sight, heard a pop and immediately a crack formed in the windshield (at the bottom in the exact middle of the glass) which spread vertically and has since branched out horizontally. A matter of seconds before this happened, I engaged the defrost button. This is the SECOND windshield to crack spontaneously since I purchased the vehicle in December 2020. The first replacement was proven to not installed properly and Subaru paid for the replacement. As the crack continues to grow, I feel my safety could be affected if the EyeSight features fail as a result of this issue not being addressed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |