IllustrationA VEHICLE SLOW STARTING. WOUND NOT START AT TIMES. BATTERY FAILED TESTING. REPLACED AT DEALER.
2019 Subaru Outback
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Outback years
Owner complaints for the 2019 Subaru Outback are substantially higher than 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
3730–25K
7725–50K
1050–75K
575–100K
4100–150K
0150K+
469 reports with mileage · 564 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 363 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility/wiper. Review the 326 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
24 crash reports2 fire reports12 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
363 reportsBRAND NEW 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK EXPERIENCES REPEATED PARASITIC BATTERY DRAIN LEAVING MY STRANDED WHILE TRAVELING. SUBARU ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE STATES THAT THERE IS MOST LIKELY AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE REAR HATCH BUT SUBARU REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED 5 TIMES INCLUDING ONCE IN A REMOTE PART OF CANADA.
PROBLEM: KEYLESS PUSHBUTTON START. WOULD NOT START CAR ON VACATION. VEHICLE MANUAL VERY CONFUSING. AFTER SEVERAL NERVE RACKING MINUTES (1/2 TO 45 MINUTES OF TRYING). NO OTHER WAY KNOWN TO START CAR. THIS WAS NOT A BATTERY ISSUE! VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AFTER FUELING UP AT GAS STATION.
BOUGHT NEW 11/2019.BATTERY WILL NOT STAY CHARGED...NOW ON 3RD BATTERY INSTALLED BY DEALER.TODAY,(02/27/2020) THIS BATTERY IS NOW DEAD.MY WIFE IS DISABLED AND HAS A 95 YEAR OLD MOTHER LIVING 300 MILES FROM MY HOME THAT SHE VISITS ON A REGULAR BASIS...I DO NOT TRUST THIS VEHICLE NOT TO LEAVE HER STRANDED! SUBARU HAS A PROBLEM ACCO…
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BOUGHT NEW 11/2019.BATTERY WILL NOT STAY CHARGED...NOW ON 3RD BATTERY INSTALLED BY DEALER.TODAY,(02/27/2020) THIS BATTERY IS NOW DEAD.MY WIFE IS DISABLED AND HAS A 95 YEAR OLD MOTHER LIVING 300 MILES FROM MY HOME THAT SHE VISITS ON A REGULAR BASIS...I DO NOT TRUST THIS VEHICLE NOT TO LEAVE HER STRANDED! SUBARU HAS A PROBLEM ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH AND THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF IT LEAVES YOU STRANDED.
STEERING SYSTEM/CAR FEELS UNSTABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ESPECIALLY WHEN WINDY. CENTER DISPLAY CONTROL BUTTONS DON'T ALWAYS FUNCTION. WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED WITHOUT ROAD HAZARD INCIDENTS
APPLE CARPLAY AND STARLINK WILL FREEZE AND MAKE A LOUD "RINGING SOUND" UNTIL VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND TURN BACKED ON.
WINDOW SLOW/STOP GOING UP ON DRIVER SIDE DOOR, AUDIO SYSTEM WAS HAVING LOUD POPPING NOISE, SYSTEM THAT IS SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU WHEN HOW CLOSE YOU ARE TO ANOTHER CAR/AUTOMATICALLY BREAK- TURNS OFF ON OWN/SAYS NO SIGHT CAMERA.
CAR BATTERY COMPLETELY DRAINED AFTER SITTING OVER NIGHT IN GARAGE. NO ELECTRICAL LEFT ON TO CAUSE DRAINAGE, CAR WAS LOCKED AFTER USE. APPROX 6K MILES ON VEHICLE, NO PRIOR INDICATION OF BATTERY FAILURE.
FOR THE SECOND TIME IN ONE MONTH, MY BATTERY HAS FULLY DRAINED AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 5 MONTHS AND IT ONLY HAS 5,000 MILES ON IT.
RECENTLY PURCHASED 2019 SUBARU FROM A SIMILAR 2017. CRUISE CONTROL SPEED SETTINGS HAVE CHANGED WHICH NOW REQUIRE YOU TO TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD TO WATCH FOR SPEED SETTINGS TO CHANGE. ON THE 2017 AND ALL OTHER VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED, TO INCREASE YOUR SPEED SETTING BY ONE MPH, YOU PUSH ONCE AND RELEASE. TO INCREASE BY 5 MPH,…
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RECENTLY PURCHASED 2019 SUBARU FROM A SIMILAR 2017. CRUISE CONTROL SPEED SETTINGS HAVE CHANGED WHICH NOW REQUIRE YOU TO TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD TO WATCH FOR SPEED SETTINGS TO CHANGE. ON THE 2017 AND ALL OTHER VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED, TO INCREASE YOUR SPEED SETTING BY ONE MPH, YOU PUSH ONCE AND RELEASE. TO INCREASE BY 5 MPH, PUSH AND HOLD UNTIL IT SENSES THE INCREASE. NOW.... A QUICK PUSH OF THE BUTTON RESULTS IN A 5 MPH INCREASE WHILE YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE BUTTON AND WATCH THE DASHBOARD INDICATOR AS IT SLOWLY INCREASES YOUR SETTING 1 MPH AT A TIME. THIS IS DANGEROUS SINCE YOUR EYES ARE NO LONGER ON THE ROAD BUT ON THE DASH AREA. EVERYTHING ELSE I OWN, THERMOSTATS, KEYBOARDS, TV REMOTES....ALL MOVE UP OR DOWN ONE DEGREEE OR CHANNEL AT A TIME UNLESS YOU HOLD THE KEY PRESS LONGER, THEN YOU GET A FASTER REPEAT. I FEEL THAT TAKING MY EYES OFF THE ROAD TO WATCH MY SPEED SELECTION CHANGE IS AKIN TO TEXTING. DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS. THE DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THE NEW VEHICLE RESPONDS BY SAYING.... "THINGS CHANGE, GET USED TO IT". I FIND THIS SITUATIION UNACCEPTABLE!
Official recalls
321V587000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
Jul 29, 2021
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
20V218000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
Apr 16, 2020
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-20.
19V493000 · Structure
Jun 26, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Legacy and Outback vehicles. Spot welds located on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, impacting the vehicle's body strength.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash, the reduced strength of the vehicle body may increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and repair or repurchase the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUH-93.
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.