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
917 reports, newest first.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 14, 2020
WITHIN ONE YEAR OF OWNING MY NEW SUBARU I WENT THROUGH 3 WINDSHIELDS. ALL 3 TIMES I WAS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY WHILE ON VACATION. EACH TIME I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TOTALING $1500. EARLY LAST YEAR 2018 I ONCE AGAIN HAD TO HAVE MY WINDSHIELD FIXED.
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..
Visibility/wiper, Mar 14, 2020
REPLACED CRACKED WINDSHIELD WITH OEM TWICE, 6/17/2017 AND 6/7/2018
Visibility/wiper, Mar 14, 2020
REPLACED CRACKED WINDSHIELD WITH OEM REPLACEMENTS TWICE, 6/19/2017 AND 6/7/2018
Visibility/wiper, Mar 14, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON A LOCAL STREETS STREET. IT'S THE BAY AREA IN CALI, SO THE WEATHER WAS AROUND 60 F. THERE WERE NO SIGN OR CHIPPED OR ANYTHING.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 14, 2020
IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY, WINDSHIELD CRACKED. CRACK COULD NOT BE REPAIRED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF WINDSHIELD. REPLACEMENT COST WAS IN THE AMOUNT OF AUTO INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE OF $500.
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.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 13, 2020
WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND A CRACK APPEARED IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK QUICKLY GREW TO COVER A LARGE PORTION OF THE DRIVER'S FIELD OF VIEW.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 13, 2020
ON FEB, 22, 2018 WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ON I35 FROM NORMAN TO PURCELL, OKLAHOMA THE FRONT WINDSHIELD OF OUR 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK SHATTERED COMPLETELY. THE GLASS REMAINED IN THE FRAME OF THE CAR BUT WAS FRACTURED INTO INNUMERABLE PIECES. THE TRAFFIC AHEAD OF US WAS GREATER THAN 100 YARDS AND I WITNESSED NO DEBRIS AIRBORNE BEFORE THE GLASS FAILED. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION SEVERAL PEOPLE INSPECTED THE WINDSHIELD YET NONE OF US COULD DETERMINE A POINT OF IMPACT,EITHER BY THE DIRECTION OF THE FRACTURES OR BY AN INDENT IN THE GLASS.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 13, 2020
MY FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO REASON. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE
Structure, Visibility/wiper, Mar 13, 2020
MY WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM CENTER, RIGHT WHERE THE WINDHIELD HEATING ELEMENT IS. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION BUT NOTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD, I JUST HEARD A POP AND SAW THE CRACK APPEAR AND IN A MATTER OF MINUTES IT WAS HALF WAY UP. ENDED UP REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD WITH AN AFTERMARKET ONE AFTER SUBARU OF AMERICA SAID THEY WON'T COVER IT.
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.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 4, 2020
WHILE DRIVING ON RESIDENTIAL ROAD WITH AND NOT HIT BY ANY DEBRIS OR STONES - , WINDSHIELD CRACKED STARTING FROM LOWER EDGE SECTION AND THEN ACROSS WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER SIDE.
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.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 2, 2020
PARKED THE CAR WITH NO CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. WARMED UP THE CAR IN THE MORNING AND FOUND A CRACK WHEN LEAVING FOR WORK. VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN IT HAPPENED. CRACK IS LOCATED RIGHT ABOVE THE WIPER BLADE AND SPANS IN THREE DIRECTIONS RIGHT WHERE THE WIPER DEICER IS LOCATED. BECAUSE OF WHERE IT IS LOCATED IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY NORMAL DRIVING SUCH AS A ROCK OR DEBRIS. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 25, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON
Visibility/wiper, Feb 25, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD NEAR THE MIDDLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE CHICO SUBARU (2522 COHASSET RD. CHICO, CA) WHO REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD HOWEVER, SOMETIME THEREAFTER THE REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD ALSO SUSTAINED A SIMILAR CRASK. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,500.
Other or unspecified, Feb 24, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED, OVER FOOT LONG
Visibility/wiper, Feb 24, 2020
IRONICALLY ON THE SAME DAY THAT I HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED PER RHODE ISLAND INSPECTION LAWS, I PARKED THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY AFTER THE INSPECTION. I CAME OUT A WHILE LATER TO FIND THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. WHEN I FIRST OBSERVED IT, THE CRACK WAS ABOUT 6 INCHES LONG. IT HAS NOW EXCEED 2 FEET IN LENGTH. I WAS BAFFLED AS TO HOW THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED BUT THEN I SUBSEQUENTLY READ ABOUT HOW THERE WERE LAWSUITS BEING FILED AGAINST SUBARU BECAUSE THERE WERE NUMEROUS OTHERS WHOSE WINDSHIELD WERE CRACKING FOR NO REASON.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 24, 2020
I PARKED MY CAR IN MY APARTMENT'S PARKING GARAGE OVERNIGHT. WHEN I WENT OUT TO MY VEHICLE IN THE MORNING THERE WAS A LARGE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD APPROXIMATELY 24". THERE WERE NO CRACKS OR CHIPS IN THE WINDSHIELD PRIOR TO THE WINDSHIELD FAILING, NOR DID ANY OBJECT STRIKE THE WINDSHIELD WHEN IT WAS PARKED.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2020
MY WINDSHIELD STARTED CRACKING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I NOTICED IT AFTER GETTING READY TO TRAVEL HOME AFTER WORK. MY CAR WAS PARKED IN A COVERED GARAGE.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2020
I PURCHASED NEW 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK ON AUGUST 2017. HOWEVER, THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED WITHOUT ANY REASON AFTER TWO WEEKS. I FOUND IT IN THE MORNING. I CALLED TO LOCAL DEALER, BUT THEY SAID THAT I NEED TO PAY OVER $800 TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. TO SAVE MONEY, I REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD ON SAFELIFE AUTOGLASS. I PAID AROUND $500, BUT MY EYESIGHT WAS NOT ADJUSTED.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2020
I HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD AFTER DISCOVERING A CRACK. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN OUR CAR PORT AND WAS CRACK FREE WHEN LAST DRIVEN THE DAY BEFORE.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2020
STRESS CRACK ON WINDSHIELD FOR NO APPARENT REASON. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD STARTED TO CRACK FROM THE BOTTOM CENTER TO MIDDLE. THERE IS NO CHIP MARK FROM ROAD DEBRIS. JUST STARTED TO CRACK. NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER AND HAS TRAVELED MORE THAN 15 INCHES TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAUSE OF THE CRACK IS UNKNOWN