Subaru Outback 2005–2009 problems by year and mileage
3rd generation (BP)
NHTSA data through 24 September 20261,011 complaints, 761 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2005 Subaru Outback
Close- Median failure report
- 82,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 273
- Recalls naming this year
- 9
Most reported on the 2005
- Suspension56 reports · median 60,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control40 reports · median 90,000 mi
- Airbag system38 reports
9 recall campaigns name the 2005: Air bags — frontal; Electrical system — ignition; Air bags. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2006 Subaru Outback
Close- Median failure report
- 95,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 277
- Recalls naming this year
- 7
Most reported on the 2006
- Throttle and speed control98 reports · median 98,000 mi
- Engine43 reports · median 104,000 mi
- Electrical system42 reports · median 100,000 mi
7 recall campaigns name the 2006: Air bags — frontal; Electrical system — ignition; Service brakes, hydraulic — foundation components. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2007 Subaru Outback
Close- Median failure report
- 81,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 129
- Recalls naming this year
- 8
Most reported on the 2007
- Airbag system46 reports
- Electrical system20 reports
- Throttle and speed control17 reports
8 recall campaigns name the 2007: Air bags — frontal; Electrical system — ignition; Electrical system. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2008 Subaru Outback
Close- Median failure report
- 79,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 226
- Recalls naming this year
- 8
Most reported on the 2008
- Airbag system104 reports · median 79,000 mi
- Electrical system34 reports
- Brakes30 reports
8 recall campaigns name the 2008: Air bags — frontal; Electrical system — ignition; Electrical system. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2009 Subaru Outback
Close- Median failure report
- 70,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 106
- Recalls naming this year
- 13
Most reported on the 2009
- Airbag system30 reports
- Electrical system23 reports
- Engine15 reports
13 recall campaigns name the 2009: Air bags — frontal; Electrical system — ignition; Electrical system. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2006 reports latest and the 2009 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2006 has had 3 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.
The short answer
“Is the 2005–2009 Subaru Outback reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 85,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 163,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 761
- Recalls
- 16
Most reported
- Airbag system25.5% of complaints · median 84,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control16.1% of complaints · median 96,000 mi
- Electrical system14.5% of complaints · median 99,000 mi
Owners filed 1,011 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005–2009 Subaru Outback; the airbag system leads with 25.5% of them, and half of the 761 that record an odometer reading came by 85,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 50,000 and 122,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2005–2009 Subaru Outback last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2005–2009 Subaru Outback, half of the 761 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 85,000 miles and 90% by 163,000 miles.
117 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 20 past 200,000 — each one proof that an Outback reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Subaru Outback 2005–2009 · 761 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 63 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 20 complaints (2.6%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 17,600
- 25%
- 50,000
- Median
- 85,000
- 75%
- 122,000
- 90%
- 162,516
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 51 | 6.7% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 31 | 4.1% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 39 | 5.1% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 29 | 3.8% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 39 | 5.1% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 52 | 6.8% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 56 | 7.4% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 52 | 6.8% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 63 | 8.3% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 53 | 7.0% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 43 | 5.7% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 46 | 6.0% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 35 | 4.6% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 31 | 4.1% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 24 | 3.2% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 27 | 3.5% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 17 | 2.2% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 19 | 2.5% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 19 | 2.5% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 15 | 2.0% |
| 200,000+ | 20 | 2.6% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
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.
Common Outback problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Subaru Outback 2005–2009
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Suspension124 reports59,00026,000–92,000Suspension: 124 reports, median 59,000 miles, middle half 26,000 to 92,000 miles.
- Exterior lighting65 reports62,00020,000–102,000Exterior lighting: 65 reports, median 62,000 miles, middle half 20,000 to 102,000 miles.
- Airbag system258 reports84,00056,000–119,000Airbag system: 258 reports, median 84,000 miles, middle half 56,000 to 119,000 miles.
- Throttle and speed control163 reports96,00064,000–131,000Throttle and speed control: 163 reports, median 96,000 miles, middle half 64,000 to 131,000 miles.
- Electrical system147 reports99,00072,000–120,000Electrical system: 147 reports, median 99,000 miles, middle half 72,000 to 120,000 miles.
- Engine97 reports105,00075,000–130,000Engine: 97 reports, median 105,000 miles, middle half 75,000 to 130,000 miles.
- Brakes79 reports159,000111,000–190,000Brakes: 79 reports, median 159,000 miles, middle half 111,000 to 190,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag system | 258 | 25.5% | 84,000 | 56,000–119,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 163 | 16.1% | 96,000 | 64,000–131,000 |
| Electrical system | 147 | 14.5% | 99,000 | 72,000–120,000 |
| Suspension | 124 | 12.3% | 59,000 | 26,000–92,000 |
| Engine | 97 | 9.6% | 105,000 | 75,000–130,000 |
| Brakes | 79 | 7.8% | 159,000 | 111,000–190,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 65 | 6.4% | 62,000 | 20,000–102,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 63 | 6.2% | 60,000 | 26,000–96,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 56 | 5.5% | 112,000 | 95,000–157,000 |
| Steering | 39 | 3.9% | 69,000 | 44,000–107,000 |
System by system, in words
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 85,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The airbag system accounts for 25.5% of complaints (258 reports, 134 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 84,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 56,000 and 119,000 miles.
A single system taking 25.5% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 16.1% of complaints (163 reports, 150 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 96,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 64,000 and 131,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 14.5% of complaints (147 reports, 124 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 99,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 72,000 and 120,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 12.3% of complaints (124 reports, 110 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 59,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 26,000 and 92,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 9.6% of complaints (97 reports, 88 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 105,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 75,000 and 130,000 miles.
The brakes account for 7.8% of complaints (79 reports, 50 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail late — a median of 159,000 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 111,000 and 190,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2005–2009 Outback
Engine 2005–2009
EJ253 external head gasket seepage continues; Subaru's TSB coverage on this failure extends through the 2008 model year.
Turbocharger 2005–2009
EJ255 turbo failure from oil starvation - the banjo bolt oil supply filter clogs and oil cokes in the turbo center section, destroying the bearings and often sending debris into the engine.
Before you buy a 2005–2009 Outback: the 3-minute check
Generated from 761 mileage-tagged complaints, 16 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 16 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check engine on 2005–2009 cars. EJ253 external head gasket seepage continues; Subaru's TSB coverage on this failure extends through the 2008 model year.
- Check turbocharger on 2005–2009 (2.5 XT) cars. EJ255 turbo failure from oil starvation - the banjo bolt oil supply filter clogs and oil cokes in the turbo center section, destroying the bearings and often sending debris into the engine.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 50,000 and 122,000 miles, with a median of 85,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the airbag system and throttle and speed control are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The airbag system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 84,000, 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.
Outback problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi32% below | At 90k mi54% below | At 120k mi73% below | At 150k mi85% below | At 200k mi97% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag system | 56,000–119,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Throttle and speed control | 64,000–131,000 | later | in window | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Electrical system | 72,000–120,000 | later | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Suspension | 26,000–92,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine | 75,000–130,000 | later | in window | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Brakes | 111,000–190,000 | later | later | in window | in window | earlier |
| Exterior lighting | 20,000–102,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Subaru Outback 2005–2009 · 761 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 32% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 54% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 73% of reports below
- 150,000 mi — 85% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 97% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 97%: the remaining 2.6% of reports (20) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2005–2009 Subaru Outback recalls (16)
NHTSA records 16 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 (12), the electrical system (2), the hydraulic brake circuit (2). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.
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.
Jan 2020 · 2005–2009 · Air BagsAn inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…
What can happen. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may…
Jan 2020 · 2005–2009 · Air BagsAn inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…
What can happen. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may…
Jan 2020 · 2005–2009 · Air BagsAn inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…
What can happen. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7…
Apr 2019 · 2005–2009 · Electrical SystemThe engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash.
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition…
What can happen. The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer…
Jan 2018 · 2009 · Air BagsAn explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana…
What can happen. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or…
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Jan 2018 · 2009 · Air BagsAn explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2010 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky…
What can happen. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or…
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Jan 2018 · 2009 · Air BagsAn explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana…
What can happen. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or…
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Jan 2017 · 2009 · Air BagsAn inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Baja, 2009 Forester, Legacy and Outback and 2006-2009 Impreza (including WRX and STI models) and Tribeca vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas…
What can happen. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783.…
Jan 2017 · 2009 · Air BagsAn inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Subaru Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…
What can happen. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783.…
Oct 2016 · 2007–2009 · Electrical SystemIf the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air…
What can happen. If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
May 2016 · 2009 · Air BagsAn inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in…
What can happen. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The free fix. Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 26, 2016. Owners may…
May 2015 · 2005–2008 · Air BagsIn the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to July 21, 2004, 2004-2005 Impreza vehicles manufactured January 28, 2003, to May 31, 2005, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy vehicles…
What can happen. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious…
The free fix. Subaru will notify their owners and General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The Subaru recall began on June 17, 2015. Owners may…
Dec 2014 · 2005 · Air BagsIn the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger’s frontal air bag, the inflator could…
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy and Outback vehicles, and 2003-2005 Baja vehicles sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever…
What can happen. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger’s frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious…
The free fix. Subaru will notify their owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's…
Jun 2014 · 2005–2009 · Service Brakes, HydraulicBrake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage.
The defect. Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana…
What can happen. Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected areas will be…
Mar 2013 · 2005–2009 · Service Brakes, HydraulicBrake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage.
The defect. Subaru is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy vehicles manufactured from December 2003, through April 2009 and currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts…
What can happen. Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected area will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is…
Jun 2004 · 2005 · Air BagsThis may result in failure to provide the intended head protection, increasing the risk of injury to a seat…
The defect. The left and right side curtain air bags in certain vehicles involved in this campaign may not fully deploy rapidly enough when activated in a side impact collision. During a side impact test conducted by the insurance institute for highway safety (iihs), the…
What can happen. This may result in failure to provide the intended head protection, increasing the risk of injury to a seat occupant.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the left and right side curtain air bag modules. The recall began on june 11, 2004. Owners should contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. .
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,011 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 42 (4.2%)
- Fires
- 14
- Injury reports
- 21
- Fatality reports
- 0
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Outback problems by model year
The 2006 drew the most complaints of this generation, 277, most of them about throttle and speed control, and the 2009 the fewest, 106. A typical year drew about 226.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 273 | 208 | 82,000 | Suspension (56) | 9 |
| 2006 | 277 | 222 | 95,000 | Throttle and speed control (98) | 7 |
| 2007 | 129 | 93 | 81,000 | Airbag system (46) | 8 |
| 2008 | 226 | 160 | 79,000 | Airbag system (104) | 8 |
| 2009 | 106 | 78 | 70,000 | Airbag system (30) | 13 |
What Outback owners reported
The contact owns a 2009 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front headlights became inoperative. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the daytime running light module needed to be replaced. The dealer stated…
2009 · 51,000 miles · Exterior lighting
The contact owned a 2009 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle had failed to accelerate above 60 MPH without warning. The contact soon began to notice heavy white smoke in her rear-view mirror as the smoke quickly spread to the front end of the vehicle. The contact immediately…
2009 · 200,000 miles · Engine
The contact owned a 2009 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard, and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact swerved to avoid a crash and moved over to the median. The contact stated that the vehicle spun around, and the contact used…
2009 · 106,000 miles · Hydraulic brake circuit
The contact owns a 2008 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to depress the brake pedal, the brakes failed to function. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed the failure and replaced the brakes. The contact stated that while attempting to start the…
2008 · 100,000 miles · Electrical system
Built from 761 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Outback generations
- Outback 1995–1999 155 reports with mileage, most about the engine and its cooling system
- Outback 2000–2004 418 reports with mileage, most about the transmission and driveline
- Outback 2010–2014 1,292 reports with mileage, most about the transmission and driveline
- Outback 2015–2019 2,164 reports with mileage, most about the electrical system
- Outback 2020–2025 572 reports with mileage, most about visibility/wiper