Illustration99 SUBARU OUTBACK HIT IN REAR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY MINOR NECK AND LOWER BACK BRUISES. ALSO, ANOTHER FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE AFTER 50,000 MILES. *TR
1999 Subaru Outback
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Subaru Outback do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 207.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Outback years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
20–25K
1025–50K
1150–75K
1075–100K
20100–150K
5150K+
58 reports with mileage · 53 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
13 crash reports1 fire reports14 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
7 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE GUARDRAIL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND HE WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 39,000.
COLLISION AT APPROX 40 MPH, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO RT FRONT QUARTER AND BUMPER. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER. *NM
WE WERE IN A RATHER HARD FRONT END COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS IN OUR VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY. *NM
SLID OFF THE ROAD ON ICE AT @ 35 MPH, WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, JUMPED A CREEK AND HIT THE SIDE OF A HILL HEAD ON HOWEVER THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAD MORE DAMAGE SO IT PROBABLY HIT FIRST. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *NM
TRAVEL AT APPROX 30-35 MPH HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF ONCOMING VEHICLE - NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON RAINY ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND PICKED UP SPEED TO 35 MPH, AND HIT TELEPHONE POLE HEAD-ON. BUT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING HEAD AND JAW INJURIES. SEATBELTS WERE NOT WORN AT THE TIME.*AK
Official recalls
101V216000 · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs
Jun 25, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN, AND IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE SALT, CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE SPRING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE FRACTURE, A BROKEN SPRING COULD MOVE PAST THE SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT A FRONT TIRE. SOME TIRES HAVE DEFLATED DUE TO CONTACT WITH A BROKEN SPRING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL NOTIFIY CUSTOMERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE A SPRING GUARD INSTALLED ON BOTH FRONT STRUTS TO PREVENT TIRE PUNCTURE AND REPLACE ANY BROKEN SPRINGS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 18, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.