2015 Subaru Outback
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Visibility/wiper is the leading concern among 509 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 7th highest complaint count among 26 Outback model years with reports.
Of the 2015 reports, 19 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 16 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Steering, columnDo not drive until repairedMay 11, 2016
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.
The loss of steering ability would increase the risk of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting http://www.wtd65.service-campaign.com. Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65. Note: Until the vehicles have been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles.
Campaign 16V292000 on NHTSA.gov
Electronic stability control (ESC)Apr 27, 2016
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured on July 20, 2015. The brake fluid used in these vehicles may contain excess moisture which may adversely affect the performance of the electronic stability control system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Poor performance of the electronic stability control system when it is activated may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will perform an ABS activation, then flush and replace the brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTC-64.
Campaign 16V251000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, driveline, driveshaftAug 10, 2015
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 and 2016 model year Subaru Legacy 4-Door and Outback vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to July 27, 2015. Transmission oil may leak from a deformed seal cap on the propeller shaft yoke.
If the transmission oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, there is a possible risk of fire.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the propeller shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2015. Owners may contact 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQU-56.
Campaign 15V502000 on NHTSA.gov
Forward collision avoidance, crash imminent brakingJun 12, 2015
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function.
If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.
Campaign 15V366000 on NHTSA.gov
Trailer hitchesSep 19, 2014
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Outback vehicles manufactured January 22, 2014, to August 18, 2014, and equipped with a Subaru accessory trailer hitch assembly. During installation, the trailer hitch mounting nuts may have been overtightened, potentially resulting in failure of the trailer hitch mounting studs.
The mounting nut(s) may not provide sufficient force to remain attached to the studs or the studs themselves might break. If this were to happen while a trailer is being towed, the driver might not be able to operate the vehicle as desired or the trailer may detach from the vehicle. Either situation could increase the risk of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace all eight mounting nuts for the trailer hitch assembly, and will inspect all eight mounting studs for damage, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2014. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQN-50.
Campaign 14V577000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
108 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jun 28, 2015
WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW 2015 SUBARU 3.6 R OUTBACK (CURRENTLY LESS THAN 600 MILES) AND THE SRVD (BLIND SPOT & REAR CROSS TRAFFIC DETECTION) SYSTEM KEEPS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED AND DOES NOT GO AWAY WHEN DRIVING. A SMALL YELLOW " I " ICON DISPLAYS IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BUT IS EASY TO OVERLOOK SINCE THERE IS NO AUDIBLE WARNING. THE SYSTEM STARTS WORKING AGAIN IF THE CAR IS STOPPED, AND THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF AND ON - UNTIL OF COURSE THE NEXT RANDOM FAILURE. THIS IS A CASE OF A "FALSE NEGATIVE" ERROR, BECAUSE THE THE SIDE BLIND-SPOT MIRRORS INDICATE THAT THE SIDES ARE CLEAR TO PASS, WHEN THEY MAY BE NOT. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PREFERABLE WITH A "FALSE POSITIVE" ERROR, NAMELY THE SIDE BLIND-SPOT MIRRORS INDICATE THAT THE SIDES ARE NOT CLEAR TO PASS EVEN IF THEY ARE! WHAT IS TRULY ALARMING IS THAT THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM CODES EVEN AFTER KEEPING THE CAR OVERNIGHT FOR FURTHER TEST DRIVES. SINCE MY FAMILY HAS COME TO RELY ON THIS SAFETY SYSTEM IT IS POTENTIALLY A VERY SERIOUS HAZARD. I HOPE SUBARU TAKES THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY AND (UNLIKE TOYOTA) ALERTS ALL THEIR CUSTOMERS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, AND COMES UP WITH A FIX ASAP.
Other or unspecified, Jun 24, 2015
THERE ARE TWO PROBLEMS. ONE HAPPENED TWICE. WHEN IN DRIVE AND FOOT ON THE BRAKE FOR A LONG TIME -ABOUT 3 OR 4 MINUTES. THE BRAKE GOES SOFT, THE ENGINE SPEEDS UP AND THE CAR TAKES OFF. IF SOMEONE OR CAR IS IN FRONT OF ME THE CRASH WHEN BE BAD. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS WHEN TURNING LEFT INTO A PARKING SPACE THE SAME THING HAPPENED ABOUT 5 TIMES. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS LOOKED FOR THE PROBLEM BUT DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. A FIELD ENGINEER HOOK UP A COMPUTER AND RODE WITH ME FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS. OF COURSE NOTING HAPPENED. ALSO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT KEPT THE CAR OVER NIGHT AND DROVE IT WITH NO PROBLEMS. AS THEY ALL HAVE TOLD ME IF NO PROBLEM HAPPENS WHEN THEY HAVE IT THEY CAN NOT FIX IT. NOW I MAY TURN THE CAR BACK IN (A LEASE CAR) AND BE OUT MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OR DRIVE WITH FEAR AND HOPE NOTHING BAD HAPPENS.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Jun 15, 2015
VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OVERNIGHT. IN THE MORNING A 12" S SHAPED CRACK HAD APPEARED IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NO DETECTABLE PRIOR DAMAGE AND NO KNOWN IMPACT TO CAUSE THE CRACK. THE CRACK HAS CONTINUED TO GROW AND BRANCH. DEALER STATES THE WINDSHIELD FAILS THE "PEN TEST," I.E. THERE IS A TINY NICK AT ONE POINT OF THE CRACK WHICH, THEY SAY, PROVES THE CRACK IS DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE. I BELIEVE THE CHIP APPEARED AFTER THE CRACK FORMED, BUT CANNOT PROVE THIS (NOR CAN THE DEALER PROVE THE OPPOSITE). ONLINE RESEARCH SUGGESTS THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK WINDSHIELDS, WHICH FAIL AT REMARKABLE RATE.
Other or unspecified, Jun 9, 2015
WAS DRIVING AND A SMALL ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD. I DIDN'T THINK ANY THING OF IT AT THE TIME. I PARKED CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY. WHEN I CAME OUT A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER THERE WAS A HUGE CRACK.
Other or unspecified, May 29, 2015
WINDSHIELD HAS FAILED TWICE WITH NO IMPACTS. LATEST CRACK STARTED AFTER I CLOSED THE DRIVER DOOR...HEARD A POP, THEN WATCHED A CRACK RUN FROM THE UPPER RIGHT ACROSS THE DRIVER'S LINE OF SIGHT OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW SECONDS. THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE GLASS, WHICH HAD BEEN REPLACED LESS THAN 10 DAYS EARLIER, WHICH ALSO FAILED MYSTERIOUSLY.
Other or unspecified, May 17, 2015
ON 4/19/2015 WAS DRIVING AT 40 MILES PER HOUR IN A HEAVY RAIN STORM (I-75) IN GEORGIA A CRACK DEVELOPED IN THE WINDSHIELD. WE COULD NOT IDENTIFY A SOURCE OF IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK STARTED AT THE VERY BOTTOM CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK THEN SPLIT INTO A "Y" SHAPE AND CONTINUED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. WE TRIED TO GET A NEW WINDSHIELD IN SARASOTA, FL OUR FIRST DESTINATION. LOCAL AUTO GLASS COMPANY RECOMMENDED BY SARASOTA SUBARU DEALER ATTEMPTED TO ORDER ONE TO REPLACE DURING OUR WEEK IN TOWN. THEN CALLED TO ADVISE US IT WOULD BE AT LEAST ANOTHER WEEK. WE WERE INFORMED THERE WAS A NATIONWIDE BACK LOG OF OVER 600 WINDSHIELDS FOR THE 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK. ON 4/27/2015 CONTACTED THE SUBARU DEALER IN SILVER SPRING, MD. FOR POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT DURING OUR SECOND STOP OF TRIP. WE WERE AGAIN ADVISED OF A BACK LOG ON THAT WINDSHIELD. THEY SUGGESTED TO CONTACT THE DEALER NEAR MY HOME. ON 4/27/15 CONTACTED INTERNATIONAL SUBARU OF TINLEY PARK, IL AND ALL STAR GLASS AS RECOMMENDED BY DEALER. WINDSHIELD ORDERED 4/27/2015 AND WAS ADVISED AGAIN OF A NATIONWIDE BACK ORDER OF 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK WINDSHIELDS BY GLASS COMPANY AND MY DEALER. AS OF 5/14/15, NO WINDSHIELD AVAILABLE, CHECK BACK IN ANOTHER WEEK. SUBARU DEALER AT HOME THINKS IT WAS CAUSED BY A SMALL STONE. INDEPENDENT MECHANICS THINK THERE IS A PRESSURE POINT ON THE VEHICLE THAT AFFECTED THE WINDSHIELD. IF THERE IS NOT A CONTRIBUTING VEHICLE PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD THEN WHY THE VERY LONG BACK LOG FOR A NEW VEHICLE WINDSHIELD? REALLY THAT MANY 2015 SUBARU OUTBACKS WITH WINDSHIELD PROBLEMS? AND, 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS IN 3 DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING THE PART. WHEN THE WINDSHIELD IS FINALLY REPLACED, WILL HAVE THAT AREA CAREFULLY INSPECTED FOR POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Other or unspecified, Mar 22, 2015
AFTER JUST PICKING UP MY NEW 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK AND DRIVING IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT, I REALIZED THERE IS A HAZARDOUS CONDITION RELATED TO THE CAR'S INFOTAINMENT CENTER. THE AREA SURROUNDING THE DISPLAY SCREEN IS AN EXTREMELY GLOSSY BLACK MIRROR-LIKE REFLECTIVE SURFACE. WHILE DRIVING, THE SUN REFLECTS OFF OF THIS SURFACE INTO THE EYES OF THE DRIVER. THIS INTENSITY IS ENOUGH TO CAUSE EYE PAIN, AS WELL AS DISTRACT THE DRIVER. NOW WHEN DRIVING ON A SUNNY DAY, RATHER THAN KEEPING BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL, I NEED TO USE MY RIGHT HAND TO SHIELD MY EYES FROM THIS DISTRACTING REFLECTED GLARE. I ATTEMPTED TO PURCHASE AN ANTI-GLARE SHIELD, BUT THEY ONLY COVER THE DISPLAY AREA (WHICH ACTUALLY IS NOT REFLECTIVE). I NEED TO COVER THE REFLECTIVE PERIMETER TRIM AREA. SUBARU NEEDS TO PROVIDE AN ANTI-GLARE SHIELD THAT COVERS THE ENTIRE INFOTAINMENT CENTER. *TR
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Feb 26, 2015, crash
I HAVE 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH EYESIGHT AND BLIND SPOT DETECTION. I HAD STOPPED THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY, ABOUT 10 FT FROM THE GARAGE, WAITING FOR MY HUSBAND TO CLEAN THE FLOOR. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. WHEN MY HUSBAND CAME OUT OF THE GARAGE AND SIGNALED ME TO PARK THE VEHICLE INSIDE, I WAS ABOUT TO MOVE THE VEHICLE SLOWLY IN THE GARAGE. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED LIKE A BULLET, AS IF IT WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE TO THAT SET SPEED, QUICKLY. MY HUSBAND HEARD THE WHEELS SCREECHING AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATING. HE JUMPED ON THE SIDE AND SURVIVED BY AN INCH OR SO. WITHIN A FRACTION OF A SECOND, THE VEHICLE HIT THE CENTER SUPPORT WHICH SUPPORTS THE GARAGE DOORS, THEN THE SNOW BLOWER AND FURTHER STRUCK THE ITEMS KEPT AGAINST THE WALL BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE GARAGE, BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. IT APPEARS THAT, IN ADDITION TO THE BRAKE I APPLIED, EYESIGHT MAY HAVE HELPED STOP THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IN THE US FOR OVER 18 YEARS WITHOUT A SINGLE INCIDENT. PARKING IN THE GARAGE IS THE SIMPLEST OF ALL THE TASKS. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE VEHICLE MAY HAVE ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN DUE TO SOME MALFUNCTION.