Subaru Outback Years to Avoid
By NHTSA owner-complaint volume from 2012 to 2024, the 2017, 2019, and 2020 Subaru Outback model years drew the most complaints — 2019 the highest, with 1,033 complaints. These are raw complaint counts, not a reliability score, and are not adjusted for how many were sold. Check the specific VIN before you buy.
Subaru Outback complaints & recalls by year
NHTSA owner-reported complaints and safety recalls per model year. Shaded rows are the three highest-complaint years.
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 292 | 16 | |
| 2013 | 296 | 12 | |
| 2014 | 208 | 10 | |
| 2015 | 509 | 5 | |
| 2016 | 642 | 4 | |
| 2017 | 917 | 4 | |
| 2018 | 811 | 3 | |
| 2019 | 1,033 | 3 | |
| 2020 | 896 | 6 | |
| 2021 | 296 | 4 | |
| 2022 | 462 | 4 | |
| 2023 | 89 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA complaints & recalls APIs (api.nhtsa.gov). Data refreshed 2026-09-15. Counts are totals per model year and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Looking at a specific Subaru Outback?
Year-level data tells you the pattern; the VIN tells you the car. Enter the VIN to decode it free and see the recalls, owner complaints, and — on eligible models — what buyers actually paid.
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Other models
Last reviewed September 2026· Data: free public NHTSA complaints & recalls
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru Outback years should you avoid?+
By NHTSA owner-complaint volume across 2012–2024, the 2017, 2019, and 2020 Subaru Outback model years drew the most complaints, with 2019 the highest at 1,033. Complaint counts are raw NHTSA totals and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so higher-volume years can show more complaints. Always check the specific VIN before buying.
How many recalls does the Subaru Outback have?+
Across 2012–2024, NHTSA lists 73 safety recalls for the Subaru Outback. Recalls are per model year — a specific vehicle may or may not have had the recall work completed. Run the VIN to see the recalls that apply to that car.
Where does this data come from?+
Owner complaints and safety recalls are pulled from the free public NHTSA APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), last refreshed 2026-09-15. This page reports counts only; it does not assign a reliability score or assert that any year is unsafe.