2017 Subaru Outback
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 917 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 2nd highest complaint count among 26 Outback model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 32 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 25 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, air bag/restraint control moduleDec 19, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Outback vehicles. A replacement air bag control module may have been installed that is not compatible with the passenger air bag module, possibly affecting air bag deployment.
In the event of a crash necessitating passenger frontal air bag deployment, the air bag may not deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 3, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUX-09.
Campaign 19V910000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, columnOct 6, 2016
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured September 21, 2016, to September 23, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be properly attached to the steering beam assembly.
If the knee guard is not properly attached and the driver is not wearing a seatbelt, the knee guard may not be able to properly restrain the driver's lower body in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the knee guard welding on each vehicle's steering beam, replacing the beam as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTL-72.
Campaign 16V716000 on NHTSA.gov
SuspensionAug 3, 2016
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Outback vehicles manufactured June 20, 2016, to June 23, 2016. The affected vehicles may have improperly tightened attaching bolts for the front left and right brake calipers, wheel hubs, and the right stabilizer clamp.
If any of the front brake caliper, wheel hub or stabilizer clamp attaching bolts loosen or detach, the related components would also become loose and may detach possibly making the vehicle unstable and reducing the braking capability. These conditions would increase the risk of a crash.
Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the bolts for proper torque, and replace any loose bolts, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTE-66.
Campaign 16V576000 on NHTSA.gov
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
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
391 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Jan 2, 2022
I have just over 33,000 miles. I already had to replace the battery. Its 60 degrees out this past week and with a 1 year battery the car doesnt start. I have had to get my car jumpstarted 5 times in the past 5 days because the battery goes completely dead. Not even enough power to unlock the doors. I have to use the manual key.
Electrical system, Jan 1, 2022
The battery goes dead prematurely. This is a 2017 Outback and I am having to replace the battery for the third time already. Something is wrong with the electrical system.
Electrical system, Dec 20, 2021
I have had a number of unexplainable dead batteries. I have AAA and had battery jumped or battery replaced. In the last week I've had to call AAA assistance twice. Each time the battery and alternator test came back okay.
Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Dec 14, 2021
My battery has died seven times. I have received three battery replacements. Never a full solution. Windshield wipers never work properly either, despite changing brands.
Electrical system, Dec 9, 2021
Several times, sometimes overnight, car battery is dead when attempting to start. So far, I have found a .03A leak in the STOP circuit.
Electrical system, Nov 28, 2021
I purchased a used 2017 Subaru Outback Premium in January 2020 from Johnson Subaru in Raleigh, NC. It was a Certified car and had a brand new Subaru brand battery as part of the prep before the sale. That battery failed on Aug 23, 2021...less than 18 months old. A Subaru dealer agreed to replace it under the 2 year battery warranty. The free replacement Subaru brand battery that was installed in my Subaru Outback in August 2021 failed on November 28. 2021...less than 4 months old. The tests at O'Reilly Auto Parts on Nov 28th show the battery was delivering 0 volts. The alternator was tested, too, and it was providing 14 volts to the replacement battery. When Subaru installed this battery last August the Subaru Service Adviser told me that there was no warranty on a replacement battery because Subaru would only replace it once. Why aren't replacement parts guaranteed? They are brand new. Subaru batteries are defective and cannot supply sufficient voltage to the car's electrical system. They don't last as long as their 2 year warranty. I have pictures of the battery test and the alternator test below. Poor quality Subaru brand batteries are a known issue and Subaru should take action to provide better replacement parts and the replacement parts should also be warranted. I can't depend on Subaru brand batteries. I bought a battery from O'Reilly while I was there at a cost of $159.95 plus tax and core. I would like for Subaru to reimburse me for at least part of that expense.
Electrical system, Nov 27, 2021
Since purchasing this vehicle in May, 2017, I have had a dead battery 5 times. The original battery was replaced by Subaru in 2020 as it wasn’t holding a charge & a leak was found. I routinely drive my car a few times each week whether I need to or not as the dealership maintains that this is required to keep the battery charged. Today I attempted to start my car for another useless drive around town & it wouldn’t start. I cannot rely on my car being available to start when necessary.
Electrical system, Nov 26, 2021
The vehicle has an electrical problem or problems that drain the 12-volt battery leaving us stranded, unable to start the car. The problem or problems also lead to unreasonably short battery lifespans (average lifespan = 19-months). Subaru replaced the original battery under warranty after only 23-months. The Subaru warranty replacement battery (#2) died after only 12-months, and we paid for an emergency replacement through AAA at a cost of $145.88. Today, Subaru informed me that the third battery needs to be replaced after only 21-months at a cost of $198.80. The AAA battery (#3) remains under warranty, but it seems unreasonable for AAA to bear the cost of failures due to a faulty electrical system.
Electrical system, Nov 9, 2021
My battery is constantly dying. I upgraded the battery to a much larger one yet it keeps dying. If the car sits for more than three days it dies. If the car is driven for a very long time then it will stay working for about three days, then die. Today it is dead. It was dead yesterday. I jumped it yesterday, drove it around, restarted it to make sure, drove it around some more and then parked it. Today it is dead. The battery voltage is fine (a bit low, perhaps) at 12.8V, when charging at 14V. If I jump the car in my driveway, run it for a while, it essentially does not charge the battery. It is almost like the car is designed not to actually charge the battery unless you drive it a lot, which seems counter-intuitive. Engine RPMs doesn't seem to affect the charging ability even though it should. I have one after-market device installed: a remote car starter, built and installed by Subaru. Otherwise, this is a stock, 2017 Subaru Outback. All interior lights are switched off, the head lights are left in the Off position, yet the car continually dies. When I do drive it on a daily basis, it usually is fine. However, I did have it die one time while doing a bunch of errands. Basically, drive 10 minutes, stop, run the errand, drive 10 minutes, stop, run the errand, etc. After the fourth or fifth errand the car was dead. As this is a continual problem I have a lithium power pack designed to jump the car, so that provided the rescue I needed. But I should not need this type of rescue!
Electrical system, Nov 6, 2021
Battery totally dead. No sounds or lights came on. The battery tested 500 miles before and was good. The car was functioning 7 hours earlier and then was totally drained the next morning.
Electrical system, Nov 5, 2021
In five years, we have needed 3 batteries. On two occasions we were stranded. Car would not start. Dealer changed battery on first occasion. New garage had to replace twice. The first occasion was during a service where battery was tested and failed. Third occasion found me stranded in a parking lot. There were no warnings. Car just failed to start without a jump. Something seems to be draining the battery and a solution has not been found. Car has approximately 41,000 miles. Doesn't feel reliable at this point. Thank you.
Electrical system, Nov 3, 2021
I am experiencing frequent battery drain and have already had to replace the battery once since purchasing the product as a new vehicle. I'm now on my second battery and experiencing the same battery drain issue. This issue has left my family stranded.
Electrical system, Oct 26, 2021
2 battery failures… First failure 15 Mar, 2018 (4,381 miles) and the second of which was 26 Oct 2021 (16,237 miles). Batteries were completely drained. The first battery actually failed when I attempted to start the vehicle. Instead of engaging the starter, the accessories light went out along with a strange audible sound. Because of this I had the vehicle towed to the dealership where they replaced the battery. Second….went to start the vehicle and battery was completely dead. No accessories…nothing. Jumped vehicle and drove for about 30 minutes. Noticed that window controls were not working correctly on the drivers control panel for the drivers and front passenger windows.
Electrical system, Oct 25, 2021
Battery is draining at a faster rate than expected. Replaced 2 batteries with 3 year warranties in 5 year time.
Electrical system, Oct 18, 2021
Battery Dies often if vehicle not driven for couple of days, or short trips
Electrical system, Oct 14, 2021
2017 Subaru Outback: The vehicle has become completely unreliable due to battery drain issues that result in battery failure. The battery has been replaced and upgraded and it continues to have issues. My children and I have been left stranded many times over the years. The dealer has tested the battery multiple times and the alternator, all tests have come back normal. The dealership has not offered other alternatives or have they been willing to do further investigations on the issue. There seems to be an electrical issue in the vehicle that has not been addressed by Subaru.
Electrical system, Oct 8, 2021
Battery prematurely dies. I have replaced it 3 times in the short life of the car. It's especially a problem when I'm running errands and make several stops, turning.off vehicle. It struggles to start and maybe by 4th stop, it doesn't start and I'm left stranded. There is something draining the battery and it's not reliable.
Electrical system, Oct 6, 2021
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - The battery failed and car was inoperable. this happened after 2 years of purchase. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - Me and family including children were left stranded in cold outdoors until help arrived. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - Yes the battery problem was reproducible and Dealer confirmed the issue and replaced the battery that was under warranty. The replaced battery also failed after 2 years and they replaced again with similar battery, which is prone to fail at any moment, according to my experience. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? - The dealer inspected the battery and found unusable. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? - Intermittent lock-outs and needing jump starts. Then it failed totally. Second battery was a sudden failure. One morning the car was found inoperable. Upon towing to the service center, they discovered the battery was dead.
Electrical system, Oct 1, 2021
Car has 22,000 miles on it and we are on our third battery. Just replaced second battery last week. Hopped in car to go run errands and car is completely dead. Second battery was bought in June 2019, third September 2021. Taking car to Subaru next week to have it diagnosed. Battery was dead with in three days.
Electrical system, Sep 19, 2021
Original battery died while away from home, replaced with new battery which then also died 5 months after installation. I do not feel I can safely use the vehicle with my family for fear of battery drain/dying while we are away from home. No warning lights or other indication anything is wrong. No aftermarket parts installed. Took car to Firestone for diagnosis and they said that alternator is working fine, no other issues identified.
Electrical system, Sep 9, 2021
I have to jump-start my vehicle several times a week, sometimes multiple times per day. The battery drains dead in minutes, even after an hour long trip. I have about 42,000 miles on my car and I'm on my third battery - about to purchase a fourth battery. I also had to purchase a jump box to store in my car due to being stranded several times with a car that does not operate. I leave all cabin light switches set to the OFF position, I do not use the trunk lift if the car is not running, I do not leave the headlights on, and I drive roughly 4 days per week. This is unacceptable, and dangerous - Subaru brands these cars as adventurous and outdoorsy, but I have been stranded in dangerous snow storm and I'm sure others have as well. There were never any system or dash warnings - it just fails to start without warning.
Electrical system, Aug 26, 2021
AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICHLE IN DECEMBER OF 2019 IT HAS REQUIRED 2 NEW BATTERIES UP TO JANUARY OF 2021. THAT MEANS THIS CAR IS ON IT'S THIRD BATTERY. BOTH INSTANCES ENDED UP STRANDING MY SPOUSE. SUBARU COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND JUST REPLACED THE BATTERY IN EACH INSTANCE. EVEN AFTER I COMMUNICATED THAT THE ISSUE IS OUT OF THE ORDINARY AND THERE MAY BE AN ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SO REPLACING A BATTERY IS NOT THE SOLUTION. THEY JUST CLAIMED THE CAR NEEDS TO BE DRIVEN MORE FREQUENTLY. THIS SAME PROBLEM JUST OCCURED AGAIN TODAY, 8/26 AND REQUIRED ME TO JUMP START THE CAR. THERE ARE NO OTHER WARNING LIGHTS OR MESSAGES. I'M CONVINCED THERE IS SOME SORT OF ECLECTRICAL DRAW ON THE CAR'S SYSTEM AFTER IT IS TURNED OFF THAT IS CAUSING THIS, BUT SUBARU REFUSES TO ADDRESS IT.
Electrical system, Aug 16, 2021
I have had issues with battery drain since purchasing the car. On 6-7 occasions the battery died through no identified cause. Once it was in the mountains where we went skiing for the day and returned to the car and the battery was dead. The other 5-6 occasions, I did not use my car for durations ranging from a few days to 3 weeks and when i went to use it, the battery was dead. It should not lose charge for that short of a duration of non-use. I took it to the dealer for an electrical and battery inspection and they found no issues. They refused to replace the battery since they said it was fine. I decided to replace it on my own dime due to the issues. But even after replacing it with a brand new battery, the issue has persisted. I've had to purchase a portable charger that i carry with me at all times because I am nervous of it dying and being stranded like it did on the mountain especially because I have small children.
Electrical system, Aug 15, 2021
The battery have prematurely drained on me twice in the last two years.
Electrical system, Aug 9, 2021
Battery kept on dying. The latest happened after I drove it daily for 3 days, so it's an active car and no unattended light to cause drain. It's a well maintained, low mileage (17,800 miles) car and I'm the original owner. When battery died 2 years ago, Subaru admitted malfunction and replaced the battery. Since then I had multiple jump starts wasting time to call roadside assistance, missed school/ meetings and I'm afraid deadly risk if I'm off road to call for help.