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: other or unspecified
177 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Nov 3, 2020
BATTERY ISSUES ARE NON STOP! BATTERY DIES ALL THE TIME. WE HAD A NEW 2016 OUTBACK PREVIOUSLY, THAT HAD TO BE TOWED BECAUSE IT WOULD JUST DIE. WE TRADED IT IN FOR A NEW 2017 OUTBACK AND IT'S EVEN WORSE. BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED (NOT SURE HOW MANY TIMES), AND ISSUE IS STILL THE SAME. LEAVES US STUCK/STRANDED IN RANDOM PLACES, AND BACK HATCH WILL SOMETIMES BEEP NON STOP EVEN THOUGH IT'S COMPLETELY CLOSED. WE HAVE TO KEEP AN EMERGENCY JUMP KIT WITH US CONSTANTLY. THE BACK HATCH WON'T OPEN WHEN BATTERY IS DEAD/LOW, WHICH IS CRAZY THAT THERE ISN'T SOME TYPE OF OVERRIDE TO THIS. I HAVE SEEN COUNTLESS BATTERY ISSUES FOR THIS VEHICLE AND I'M BEYOND SHOCKED THAT THIS HASN'T BEEN FIXED/ADDRESSED BY SUBARU. WE ARE FED UP WITH THE BATTERY DRAIN, AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN SO WE CAN (HOPEFULLY) PROACTIVELY START OUR VEHICLE (HAVE ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS OFF, RADIO OFF, AIR OFF - ALL SYSTEMS POSSIBLE TURNED OFF). EVEN THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK. WE SPEND EXTRA MONEY ON GAS JUST TO RECHARGE THE CAR BY DRIVING IT MORE MILES THAN WE WANT TO. I'M GONNA BE DONE WITH SUBARU AFTER THIS.
Other or unspecified, Oct 10, 2020
KEY NOT RELEASING FROM IGNITION AFTER PUTTING CAR INTO PARK. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AS SUBARU PUT OUT SUBARU SERVICE BULLETIN 16-112-18R. SUBARU STATES "THE CAUSE IS CONTAMINATION OF THE PARK-RANGE SWITCH INTERNAL COMPONENTS." SO IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT BUT SUBARU HAS NOT MADE A RECALL, COSTING OWNERS $400-$800 TO GET IT REPAIRED IF THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY.
Other or unspecified, Oct 2, 2020
DEALERSHIP REPLACED BATTERY TWICE WITHIN 12,000. BATTERY CHECKED ON THREE OCCASIONS BEFORE REPLACED. SECOND BATTERY REPLACED AFTER 12,000 MILES.
Other or unspecified, Sep 26, 2020
WINDSHIELD CHIPS/CRACKS WITH NO KNOWN CAUSE.
Other or unspecified, Aug 26, 2020
WHEN PUTTING MY CAR INTO 'P' FOR PARK, AND TURNING MY CAR OFF WITH MY KEY, MY KEY WILL NOT TURN ALL THE WAY INTO THE OFF POSITION FOR ME TO TAKE MY KEY OUT. I HAVE TO TURN MY KEY INTO THE ON POSITION, SHIFT THE GEAR INTO EITHER 'N' OR 'D', THEN BACK INTO THE 'P' POSITION SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE I CAN GET MY KEY OUT. THIS IS SUCH A SAFETY HAZARD. THIS HAPPENS WHEN MY CAR IS STATIONARY AND PARKED, AND I AM ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE MY VEHICLE. APPARENTLY, MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE AND SUBARU DOESN'T CARE ENOUGH ABOUT THEIR CLIENTS TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. THEY ONLY CARE ABOUT THEIR $$$.
Other or unspecified, Aug 22, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING IN A HIGHWAY WITH LITTLE TO NO REASON OF PHYSICAL IMPACT FROM OUTSIDE. IT STARTED AS A 2 INCH LINE CRACK THAT GROW TO ALMOST A FOOT WHILE DRIVING. EVIDENCE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST SUCH AS DASHCAM VIDEOS AND PHOTOS.
Other or unspecified, Aug 14, 2020
MUTIPLE TIMES WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED AND PUT INTO PARK,REGARDLESS OF WHERE, THE KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE SWITCH CAN BE TURNED OFF, BUT THE KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE GEAR SHIFT HAS TO BE MANIPULATED MULTIPLE TIMES BETWEEN DRIVE AND PARK IN ORDER TO EVER REMOVE THE KEY. THIS MAKES IT QUITE DIFFICULT TO RUN ERRANDS OR TO TAKE A TRIP, NOT KNOWING IF THE ABILITY TO REMOVE THE KEY WILL BE POSSIBLE. AND, OF COURSE, IF THE KEY HAS TO BE LEFT IN, THE POSSIBILITY OF THEFT WOULD BE GREAT. CAR IS NOT RECOGNIZING THE GEAR SHIFT IS IN PARK. ON ONE OCCASION, I HAD TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY, BUT THIS RUNS THE BATTERY DOWN. DEALER WHERE I AM TAKING CAR TO BE REPAIRED AS WELL AS THE SUBARU OF AMERICA CONTACT, ADVISED ME THIS IS A REGULAR OCCURRENCE AND SUBARU IS WELL AWARE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE PUT ON THE RECALL STATUS! THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS SINCE BUYING THE CAR ON JUNE 5, 2020. TODAY'S DATE IS 08/14/20. REPAIR WILL BE MADE MONDAY, 08/17/20.
Other or unspecified, Jul 30, 2020
WON'T LET ME REMOVE THE KEY WHEN IN PARK. DIAGNOSIS IS THE SHIFTER PLATE ASSEMBLY NEEDS REPLACED.
Other or unspecified, Jul 28, 2020
BATTERY SEEMS TO BE DRAINING FOR NO REASON. MY CURRENT BATTERY IS 2 MONTHS OLD AND WAS STONE DEAD THIS MORNING(TUESDAY) IN MY CARPORT. I HAD NOT DRIVEN IT SINCE SATURDAY, BUT THE SATURDAY TRIP WAS ABOUT 100 MILES.
Visibility, Other or unspecified, Jun 3, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE WINDSHIELD THE SPIDER WEB CRACKED ACROSS WINDSHIELD. *TR
Other or unspecified, May 2, 2020
SUNROOF EXPLODED WITH A FAIR SIZE HOLE IN IT! ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD GLASS HAS CRACKED LINES IN IT. STATED WITH A SMALL STONE DING AND NOW HAS EXPENDED TO A CRACK LINE HALD WAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. TO ME, SUBARU HAS A GLASS ISSUE WITH MY 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE AUTO HAS ALL OF THE SAFETY FEATURES, SO REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD IS NOT CHEAP, DUE TO THE SENSOR CAMERAS. THE ROOF BLOW OUT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING IT. ALSO, THE SMALL STONE DING OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IT AS WELL. ALL OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING THE SUBARU ON CITY STREETS. SUBARU DID REPLACE THE SUNROOF AT NO COST; THE OUTBACK WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE WINDSHIELD STARTED TO CRACK SHORTLY AFTER HAVING SAFE LITE REPAIR THE DING. THAT OCCURRED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO.
Other or unspecified, Apr 21, 2020
WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED WHILE PARKED OVERNIGHT ON THE DRIVEWAY.
Other or unspecified, Mar 25, 2020
WINDSHIELDS, PARTICULARLY THE EYESIGHT EQUIPPED MODELS, ARE EXTREMELY PRONE TO CRACKING, ARGUABLY DEFECTIVE. 5 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING NEW, I GOT A ROCK CHIP WHILE DRIVING. WHEN GETTING IT REPAIRED IT SPIDERWEBBED, REQUIRING TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD. 2 WEEKS AFTER REPLACEMENT(AT THE PRICE OF $900), IT GOT ANOTHER ROCK CHIP WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. A YEAR LATER IT GOT ANOTHER ROCK CHIP WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING, AND A CRACK HAS STARTED TO SPREAD DESPITE BEING REPAIRED. DEPENDING ON HOW FAR IT SPREADS, I'LL BE ON THE THIRD WINDSHIELD IN LESS THAN 50K MILES/3 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. MY OTHER HIGH MILEAGE CARS(130K AND 225K) ARE BOTH STILL ON ORIGINAL FACTORY GLASS.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Mar 23, 2020
MY 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK HAS PARASITIC BATTERY DRAIN THAT KILLS THE BATTERY. THE CAR WON'T START MAKING THE VEHICLE UNRELIABLE. THIS IS A ROUTINE ISSUE WITH SUBARU AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Mar 14, 2020
I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK, IN NOV 2019, WINDSHIELD CRACK BY ITSELF WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL INFLUENCE DURING NORMAL DRIVING @ 9200 MILES, GOT NEW ONE REPLACED ON 12/5/19, THEN AFTER 3 MONTHS DRIVING LESS 500 MILES, IT CRACKED AGAIN. MADE REPORT TO SUBARU OF AMERICA, THEY DENY THE DEFECTIVE OF THEIR WINDSHIELD AND REFUSE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT COST..
Other or unspecified, Mar 13, 2020
WINDSHIELD LARGE CRACK DEVELOPED UNEXPECTEDLY FROM VERY SMALL CHIP WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. WINDSHIELD HAD BEEN REPLACED WHEN PURCHASING THE CAR 4 MONTHS EARLIER.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Mar 9, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND SPREAD AT MULTIPLE POINTS DURING MODERATE TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATION. CRACKED CONTINUED TO SPREAD OVER THE COURSE OF A WEEK. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE TIME THE CRACKS FORMED AND WAS PARKED WHEN THEY SPEAK. AMBIENT TEMPERATURE INSIDE THE VEHICLE WAS 75 DEGREES F WHILE DRIVING AND APPROX 40-55 F OUTSIDE.
Other or unspecified, Mar 3, 2020
MY "EYESIGHT" DOES NOT FUNCTION APPROPIATELY SINCE MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED. TURNS OFF AND ON RANDOMLY, CRACK DOES NOT GO THROUGH THE SENSOR.
Other or unspecified, Feb 24, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED, OVER FOOT LONG
Other or unspecified, Feb 22, 2020
THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED A FEW INCHES ABOVE THE DASH BOARD, IT WAS ABOUT 6" LONG, THE NEXT DAY IT GREW TO 24". IN MOTION ON HIWAY 50 SOUTH LAKE TAHOE IN A 40 MPH ZONE
Other or unspecified, Feb 21, 2020
WHILE I WAS IN MY PARKED CAR I TURNED ON MY WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS. WHEN I DID THIS - THE WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED.I WATCHED THE CRACK SPREAD ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AT THE TIME OF THE CRACK. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2017 - 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK, FORESTER AND CROSSTREK MODELS. BOTH THE DEALERSHIP (FLOW SUBARU OF WINSTON-SALEM)AND SUBARU OF AMERICA REFUSE TO FIX THIS KNOWN ISSUE.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Feb 21, 2020
TWO EPISODES OF SPONTANEOUS CHIPPING/CRACKING. FIRST CHIP HAPPENED IN THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER WHEN PARKED IN PARKING LOT. THIS HAPPENED BEFORE THE FIRST 3 MONTH CHECK-UP. WE CHOOSE NOT TO REPLACE IT AS THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF SPIDERING AND IT DID NOT AFFECT DRIVER VISION. SECOND CRACK HAPPENED TODAY, WHILE PARKED IN A GARAGE, AT AROUND 40K MILES. THIS IS A LARGE CRACK THAT IS ARISING FROM THE MEDIAL BOTTOM ASPECT OF THE WINDSHIELD.
Other or unspecified, Feb 17, 2020
SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY
Other or unspecified, Feb 10, 2020
I WAS WAITING ON MY WIFE AT THE GROCERY STORE AND THE WINDSHIELD STARTED TO CRACK A LITTLE AT A TIME. FIRST IT WAS ABOUT 1/2 CRACK AND NOT ITS ABOUT 10-11" CRACK RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE DRIVERS SEAT
Other or unspecified, Feb 8, 2020
UNABLE TO GET KEY OUT OF IGNITION WHEN VEHICLE IS IN PARK (IN GARAGE OR ANYWHERE ELSE). FOUND ISSUE ON FORUMS MANY TIMES. SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO GEAR ASSEMBLY. MESSING WITH SHIFTING, BACK INTO PARK, WIGGLING KEY EVENTUALLY GET IT OUT. SOMETIMES IT TAKES 5 MINUTES. HAPPENS AT LEAST 40% OF TIME.