Subaru Outback 2000–2004
2nd generation (BH)
NHTSA data through 12 August 2026850 complaints, 515 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 35,000 and 107,650 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 20 complaints (3.9%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 8,500
- 25%
- 35,000
- Median
- 74,999
- 75%
- 107,650
- 90%
- 150,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 56 | 10.9% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 28 | 5.4% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 25 | 4.9% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 36 | 7.0% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 27 | 5.2% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 32 | 6.2% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 36 | 7.0% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 46 | 8.9% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 42 | 8.2% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 35 | 6.8% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 24 | 4.7% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 16 | 3.1% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 21 | 4.1% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 17 | 3.3% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 17 | 3.3% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 12 | 2.3% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 7 | 1.4% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 9 | 1.7% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 6 | 1.2% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 3 | 0.6% |
| 200,000+ | 20 | 3.9% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 850 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000–2004 Subaru Outback, and 515 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 35,000 and 107,650 miles. The median is 74,999 miles.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (12.9% of complaints, typically around 55,000 miles), the engine and its cooling system (12.8% of complaints, typically around 74,000 miles), the hydraulic brake circuit (9.4% of complaints, typically around 31,000 miles).
8 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Transmission and driveline55,000median 55,000 miles, middle half 25,000 to 74,000
- Engine and its cooling system74,000median 74,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 90,000
- Hydraulic brake circuit31,000median 30,555 miles, middle half 14,000 to 61,000
- Throttle and speed control53,000median 53,000 miles, middle half 23,000 to 83,000
- Suspension129,000median 129,000 miles, middle half 87,000 to 170,000
- Fuel system85,000median 84,900 miles, middle half 66,000 to 97,000
- Airbag system82,000median 82,024 miles, middle half 40,000 to 140,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 110 | 12.9% | 55,000 | 25,000–74,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 109 | 12.8% | 74,000 | 40,000–90,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 80 | 9.4% | 31,000 | 14,000–61,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 73 | 8.6% | 53,000 | 23,000–83,000 |
| Suspension | 63 | 7.4% | 129,000 | 87,000–170,000 |
| Fuel system | 60 | 7.1% | 85,000 | 66,000–97,000 |
| Airbag system | 57 | 6.7% | 82,000 | 40,000–140,000 |
| Tyres | 52 | 6.1% | — | — |
| Body structure | 43 | 5.1% | 125,000 | 60,000–170,000 |
| Electrical system | 32 | 3.8% | 36,000 | 1,500–124,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 74,999 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 12.9% of complaints (110 reports, 76 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 55,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 25,000 and 74,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 12.8% of complaints (109 reports, 79 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 74,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 90,200 miles.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 9.4% of complaints (80 reports, 42 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 30,555 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 13,800 and 61,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 8.6% of complaints (73 reports, 49 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 53,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 23,000 and 83,033 miles.
The suspension accounts for 7.4% of complaints (63 reports, 42 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 129,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 87,000 and 169,712 miles.
The fuel system accounts for 7.1% of complaints (60 reports, 47 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 84,900 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 66,500 and 96,543 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2000 model year drew the most — 247 complaints — while 2004 drew the fewest at 108. The median year sits at 172.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 8 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (8). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 850 complaints filed against this generation, 77 reported a crash; 22 reported a fire; 41 reported an injury; 5 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 9.1% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 35,000 and 107,650 miles, with a median of 74,999. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the engine and its cooling system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The transmission and driveline in particular shows a median failure mileage of 55,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Engine 2000–2004
EJ251/EJ253 SOHC external head gasket leak: composite gasket degrades at the outer edge and seeps oil and coolant down the block. Subaru's field remedy was a revised gasket plus a cooling-system conditioner additive, with extended coverage on some model years.
Suspension 2000–2004
Front and rear wheel bearing failure is a common recurring repair.
Emissions 2000–2004
Catalytic converter efficiency failures (P0420) frequently reported.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 247 | 126 |
| 2001 | 207 | 124 |
| 2002 | 172 | 103 |
| 2003 | 116 | 84 |
| 2004 | 108 | 78 |
Recalls (8)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 20V003000 | 2020-01-07 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 20V002000 | 2020-01-07 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 20V001000 | 2020-01-07 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 16V361000 | 2016-08-24 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 16V359000 | 2016-08-24 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 16V358000 | 2016-07-22 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 15V323000 | 2015-06-17 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 14V763000 | 2015-01-15 | Air Bags |
What owners reported
Clutch shudders & required replacement. Hindsight being 20/20, i realize the clutch appears to have been defective from date of delivery. My own review of automotive websites indicates that others have either heard of or have had this problem and Subaru of america has been of no assistance. I have had numerous…
2000 · 54 miles · Transmission and driveline
Engine coolant leaks. Now 90,000 miles. This has been leaking since new or shortly after causing a hot antifreeze smell like it is drippng on the exhaust. Dealer never could find the problem until after the recall. They added the stop leak solution but it continues to smell and use some fluid. Dealer says that…
2000 · 1,000 miles · Engine and its cooling system
Tire seam blew out in perfect circumference accompanied by profuse smoke. Extremely dangerous situation since i could not see what was happening to my car due to the smoke. I thought i blew a gasket. Brought tire to firestone dealer where they did a soap test. No punctures were there except the complete breakdown…
2000 · 16,000 miles · Tyres
Passenger side sun roof drain plugs up. Backed up water drains into inside rear cargo area. My vehicle came equipped with the large all weather rubber mat in the cargo area. Since the area where the water pours out is near the right rear of the car the most of the water ends up on the carpet under the mat and it is…
2000 · 25,000 miles · Body structure
Built from 515 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page