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: visibility/wiper
130 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Feb 17, 2015
TWO INCIDENTS RELATED TO THE IGNITION/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR THIS CAR HAPPENED DURING A SECOND START AFTER A SHORT TRIP IN COLD WEATHER. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN TEMPERATURES AT OR BELOW 5 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE CAR STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY, THEN AFTER I DROVE FOR SHORT TRIP (BETWEEN 5 AND 10 MINUTES LONG) I PARKED THE CAR, TURNED IT OFF AND LEFT IT FOR ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES. FOR THE FIRST INCIDENT: THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE ACCESSORIES, INCLUDING THE HEAT/FAN SYSTEM AND RADIO WORKED, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT CRANK. THE DASHBOARD "SECURITY IMMOBILIZER" INDICATOR FLASHED AS IF THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION. AFTER LEAVING THE KEY IN THE "ON" POSITION FOR 5 MINUTES, ALL OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS BRIEFLY ILLUMINATED AND THE CAR WAS ABLE TO START AGAIN. THE SECOND INCIDENT: THE CAR STARTED, BUT THE ACCESSORIES, INCLUDING THE HEAT/FAN SYSTEM WOULD NOT TURN ON. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE, BUT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO HEAT OR FAN, THE WINDSHEILD SOON BEGAN TO FOG-OVER, DIMINISHING VISIBILITY, DISABLING THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM, AND FORCING ME TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER. AFTER THE CAR RAN FOR ABOUT 4 MINUTES TOTAL, THE ACCESSORIES TURNED ON AGAIN. I HAVE CONTACTED BOTH MY DEALER AND SUBARU OF AMERICA OF THIS PROBLEM, AND HAVE NOT YET BEEN ADVISED OF A SOLUTION OTHER THAN TO AVOID SHORT TRIPS IN COLD WEATHER. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Feb 16, 2015
AFTER OWNING CAR ROUGHLY 1.5 MONTHS, FRONT WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A ROUGHLY 15 - 20 INCH CRACK STARTING FROM TOP LEFT SIDE STARTING FROM THE EDGE, WORKING DOWN AND ACROSS. CRACK APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED IN THE EDGE HEATING ELEMENT. POSSIBLE MINOR ROCK SCRAPE, BUT NO "PIT" OR "STAR." *TR
Structure, Visibility/wiper, Feb 9, 2015
WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK WITH NO NOTICEABLE IMPACT FROM DEBRIS. FIRST INCIDENT DECEMBER 1, 2014, WINDSHIELD REPLACED WITH IDENTICAL MODEL BY CARLEX (MINUS THE SUBARU OEM STICKER). THE REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD HAS EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS (DEVELOPED A CRACK WITH NO NOTICEABLE IMPACT) ON JANUARY 15, 2015. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE FOR STRUCTURAL AND VISIBILITY REASONS. BOTH CRACKS BEGAN IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER HEATER AREA. *TR
Structure, Visibility/wiper, Jan 30, 2015
NOTICED AN 18 INCH CRACK IN MY 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK WINDSHIELD STARTING AT THE TOP UNDER THE HEATING ELEMENT TWO MONTHS AGO. WAS NOT HIT BY A ROCK AND NO IMPACT SPOT FOUND. HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED THREE WEEKS AGO. WHILE DRIVING YESTERDAY, HEARD A CRACKING SOUND AND NOTICED A 12 INCH CRACK APPEAR IN THE LOWER LEFT (AGAIN, STARTING WHERE THE HEATING ELEMENT IS AND AGAIN, NO ROCK SOUND OR IMPACT SPOT). MY SISTER HAS THE EXACT SAME CAR WITH A CRACK IN THE *EXACT* SAME SPOT THAT DEVELOPED LAST WEEK OUT OF THE BLUE (I HAVE PHOTOS OF BOTH OF OUR CRACKS FOR COMPARISON). FROM DOING RESEARCH, IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARU WINDSHIELDS (WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG HAS SEVERAL FORUM THREADS DETAILING SIMILAR REPORTS). *TR
Structure, Visibility/wiper, Dec 11, 2014
THIS CAR HAS A SCREEN IN THE DASHBOARD THAT CONTROLS THE STEREO, PHONE, AND OTHER FUNCTIONS. IT HAS A VERY REFLECTIVE GLASSY FINISH. THE SCREEN IS NOT SURROUNDED BY A HOOD OF ANY SORT AND IT IS TITLED AT ABOUT A 50-DEGREE ANGLE. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS SCREEN REFLECTS A LOT OF SUNLIGHT, BUT IT WAS MORE OF AN ANNOYANCE THAN ANYTHING. ON THIS OCCASION, I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT ABOUT 1:30 IN THE AFTERNOON, GOING EAST ON A HIGHWAY. THE DASHBOARD SCREEN WAS REFLECTING THE SUN INTO MY EYES SO DIRECTLY THAT IT WAS PAINFUL. IT WAS ALSO DISTRACTING. THE LIGHT WAS SO BRIGHT AND SO CONSISTENT THAT I HAD TO DRIVE WHILE HOLDING MY RIGHT HAND IN FRONT OF THE SCREEN TO BLOCK THE LIGHT. I HAD TO DRIVE THAT WAY FOR PROBABLY HALF AN HOUR. I DID NOT HAVE ANY SORT OF "ACCIDENT." HOWEVER, I CAN FORESEE THAT UNDER THE WRONG CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR COULD BLIND OR DISTRACT A DRIVER FROM SEEING OTHER TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC SIGNALS, ETC. AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. IT COULD ALSO CAUSE SOMEONE TO KEEP ONE HAND OFF THE WHEEL AND MAYBE CAUSE AN ACCIDENT THAT WAY. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. *TR