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.
Electrical system, Dec 28, 2022
My 2017 Subaru Outback will not start after sitting all night I’ve had diagnostics ran on the battery and it shows 100% charge. After charging the battery it held until the next day it was drained again. It was snowing with winds 50 mph, and I had to jump my car to start it. The faun doesn’t work when the battery is dead and that causes the theft alarm to go off once the battery is charged. Now my check surroundings before backing up sensor stays on well after shifting into Drive and beeps incessantly while driving, the back up camera also stays on while in drive. Now I have to drive 2 hours to a dealer and pay $130 in diagnostics. I feel this is the same situation thousands of Subaru owners are experiencing and why they have filed a class action law suit. Subaru should be liable for my expenses to repair this known systemic issue in a product they manufacture that is not safe, it it leaves you stranded on the side of the road in the cold. Thank you
Power train, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Dec 27, 2022
2 yo 2017 Subaru Outback was left untouched for 2 weeks. When trying to start, it had a dead battery. 2 years later, 2017 Subaru Outback was left untouched for 1 week. When trying to start, it had a dead battery. 2017 Subaru Outback was left untouched for 2 days. When trying to start, it had a dead battery with a 1 - and 8 month old battery. Basically, when this 2017 Subaru Outback hasn't been started every day, it will have a dead battery.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 18, 2022
I was warming up my car and clearing it off after a snow storm. The windshield had no problems when I wiped it clear of the snow with the wipers up (I always leave them up before a storm to prevent damage to the blades). When I put the drivers side wiper down, a large crack formed on the windshield starting at the blade on the passenger side and crossing over the driver's side. This was clearly caused by some part of the wiper and is unacceptable. Since it happened on a Saturday morning I had to drive to get my daughters (2 hours away) and ride with them with the cracked windshield until I can get it in for repair on Monday. This is clearly unsafe because there is greater chance for the crack to expand in the cold weather and if an accident should happen our safety is severely compromised. I will report this to my dealer on Monday (I have a scheduled oil change). No problems with the windshield had been found in any previous appointments or inspections.
Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 14, 2022
On December 1, 2022, as I jockeyed my car out of my garage it accelerated as I tried to break and I slowly drove into a stack of boxes at the back of the garage. No damage and I was able to back out and continue my journey. My wife was in the car with me. I continued on my trip to North Carolina without incident. On Dec 5, 2022, on our return home I exited the highway in southern Pa. to get supper. After I entered the off ramp and then prepared to obey a yield sign, the car again accelerated despite my attempt to brake. I swerved to the right to avoid any traffic and the car did eventually stop. Again no damage. Subsequently we resumed our travel and arrived home with no further incident. On December 6, 2022, as I backed out of the garage again it accelerated as I tempted to brake. Fortunately no damage and the car did finally stop in the driveway. I called the dealer and drove the car in for a checkup. They found no problems and reported the car ran as designed. While in the service department they replaced the muffler, put in new spark plugs and replaced a wheel bearing. I have had no further problems since I picked up the car on December 12, 2022. The dealership was very cooperative but I wanted to issue this concern with your agency in case there have been other complaints of this nature. I drive my car with some anxiety that another incident may recur. Thank you for your review and anticipated response. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Electrical system, Dec 8, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact was able to jump start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the battery was replaced; however, the failure recurred several times. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the contact would be notified of what the manufacturer was responsible to cover. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Dec 5, 2022
Despite a replacement and multiple visits from AAA, the battery in our 2017 Subaru Outback dies constantly and leaves us stranded. Mechanics insist the batteries (both the original and the replacement) are fine and there must be a greater issue with the car itself. We drive regularly, run the engine in the driveway otherwise, and still continue to wake up and find the car dead.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 2, 2022
On June 27th, 2022 my 2017 Subaru Outback developed a large crack on the windshield extending from the passenger side diagonally up the windshield to the driver side. Obviously I had to replace the entire windshield to keep myself and others safe. Today, December 2nd, 2022, a crack has developed while the vehicle was parked starting at the same point as the June incident and extending in the same direction. Having the windshield crack in the same place twice in one year with no apparent impact from debris is highly suspect.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Nov 27, 2022
Battery goes dead, known problem with unusual drain on battery due to electrical issue. If car sits unused for a few days, battery dies.
Electrical system, Nov 25, 2022
I have had the battery replaced 4 times in less than 6 years. There seems to be something wrong with the electrical systems ability to keep a battery charged, or something draining the battery constantly.
Other or unspecified, Nov 23, 2022
We have replaced the battery every 2 years.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Nov 22, 2022
I was driving my 2017 Subaru Outback on a trip from New York to Florida. On I-95 in heavy traffic I hit a bump in the road, and at that instant, nearly every warning light on my dash came on, including EyeSight, lane departure, and emergency braking. My adaptive cruise immediately disengaged causing the vehicle to suddenly slow (this incident was at highway speed). The "brake" light was also illuminated. Not knowing what happened, I pulled over on the side of the highway and found that the wire to the electric parking brake on the passenger side had disconnected from the brake module. I tried to plug it back in, but it would not stay. I secured the cable with a hair tie and continued on the trip. Approximately 500 miles later, I hit another bump or pothole, and the same thing happened. I checked under the car again, and discovered that the driver side had failed in the same manner. I secured the cable with another hair tie and was able to complete my trip. When I returned home, I discovered that this is a known issue and there is a Subaru TSB published, 06-63-18R. There is no warranty on this issue, and I was charged nearly $750 to fix a KNOWN PROBLEM caused by a plastic retainer. In my opinion, this issue should be treated as a safety defect and subject to a recall to replace with the newer part. Having all of your vehicle assists suddenly fail at highway speed in heavy traffic is a disconcerting and dangerous event.
Vehicle speed control, Nov 17, 2022
Yesterday, I was accelerating at a reasonable rate from a stop. My Outback stopped responding to the accelerator pedal and kicked up to 3500-4000 rpm. My brakes could barely hold the vehicle back and it forced me to slip my transmission in and out of neutral to prevent a crash. I pulled over twice to restart the car, hoping to reset something and address the issue, but it was still present when I pulled into my driveway and stopped the car for the evening. This morning, I started the vehicle and to my surprise, it started normally. I took it to my local mechanic who checked for codes or lights ( and carpets on the accelerator, etc,) and there were none. He also went under the hood and checked air filters and the entire intake system and found nothing. This is the third time I have experienced this issue. The first time I was making a right hand turn into a parking lot. I restarted the car and the issue went away. The second time it lasted a little longer but also was resolved by restarting the car. This third time, I was also making a right turn, but this time from a parking lot to the road, where I continued to drive. Two attempts at restarting did not resolve and it remained in this out-of-control condition until I turned it off.
Electrical system, Nov 10, 2022
Battery dead and needing replaced within 2 months
Electrical system, Nov 6, 2022
I have had to replace the battery multiple times since purchasing the vehicle in 2017. Each time the battery was determined to be unusable by qualified service staff. Battery replacements occurred on (1) 2019-10-18 at 34,877 miles and on (2) 2022-02-24 at 67,339 miles. The first occurrence left me stranded at a hotel on a sub-freezing day. The second occurrence left me stranded in a parking lot. Both required me to obtain commercial service to get on the road. Both occurrences were subsequently diagnosed by a reputable service shop (Les Schwab) as a battery failure and replacement was recommended. The battery failures occurred without warning from the vehicle (no lamps).
Electrical system, Oct 31, 2022
The battery consistently "dies". It doesn't matter how often I drive it. I never know when it won't start. In 5 years, I've had 2 batteries & about 6+ jump starts.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Oct 28, 2022
I purchased a used 2017 Subaru Outback in December 2020 from a friend whose mother had owned the car before her death in Nov. 2019. That owner purchased it used from dealer in Sevierville TN in 2019 and had to replace a battery at least once according to records. The battery has failed three times since Dec. 2020, totally drained and would not recharge so a replacement was needed. I replaced the first battery then took it to dealer for other two replacements. The previous owner had a garage under her mountain house. She was found dead in her den chair. After her burial the family later found the 2017 Subaru Outback parked in her garage underneath the house was totally empty of gas. I believe from reading issues other Subaru owners have had that this car did not turn off and this lady died from carbon monoxcide poisoning. This is an issue well documented over many years and it is way past due for a recall by the manufacturer. Since it continues even to 2020 models there should at least be a stop production order until this issue is corrected. It is not just an inconvenience but a very real danger for owners who park in a home garage. As the government agency trusted to oversight of manufacturing defects presenting a danger to the safety of the public it is way past time for you to act.
Electrical system, Oct 26, 2022
When the car is not driven the car battery is drained completely and requires replacement. I have replaced the car battery three (3) times in less than one year. Alternator is functioning properly. This costs $165 each time I replace a car battery. I cannot see mileage as car is dead (approx 12,000).
Electrical system, Oct 12, 2022
While driving, advance driver assist systems became disabled, car intermittently stopped and resumed responding to accelerator, power steering became inoperative, car eventually lost all power. Gear would not shift out of drive. Emergency brake would not engage. Fortunately, I was able to coast the car to the shoulder of the road. Had to keep foot on brake until roadside assistance arrived. Car was towed to repair shop where battery was replaced. Similar system failures occurred while my wife was driving a couple of weeks prior. She was able to coast car into a parking lot just off the road. In the past month, the dealer has replaced parts that diagnostics said created parasitic drain. The alternator has been replaced and the battery has been replaced twice in the last couple of months. Car had body work performed last week and the car will not start without being jumped. We are going to drive it to the dealer with fingers crossed that the electrical system will not shut the car down while in transit.
Electrical system, Oct 10, 2022
The Vehicle's electrical system is actively draining the battery of power. This is a known problem by Subaru.
Exterior lighting, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 30, 2022
I have been stranded repeatedly by my subaru since it was purchased with drained batteries, no explanation from subaru. Safety issues arise from the stranding. There is a lawsuit now with subaru but they are not acutally fixing the cars? No warnings were given and I now have a unreliable vehicle with no proposed fix from the manufacturer.
Electrical system, Sep 28, 2022
The battery constantly drains completely when the car is not used for several days. We have been replacing or recharging the battery several times.
Electrical system, Sep 28, 2022
Battery is not holding a charge, causing electrical issues (windows not working properly, locks not functioning) and for the vehicle to fail to start. The battery is brand new and this is still an issue. 45,000 miles on the vehicle, there were no warning lights indicating a bad battery. This has not been confirmed yet by a dealership/mechanic/insurance.
Electrical system, Sep 27, 2022
Battery discharged on multiple occasions, necessitating jump starts and eventual battery replacement.
Electrical system, Sep 27, 2022
Battery died prematurely. Also, there was a lot of corrosion on the battery that might have started a fire had the battery not died before further danger had happened.
Electrical system, Sep 27, 2022
I bought the car new. 2 years later the battery died. I had to replace the battery again this summer. That’s 2 batteries in less than 5 years. I just received the notification about the electrical problem Subaru knew about since 2017.