2019 Subaru Outback
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 1,034 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 26 Outback model years with reports.
Of the 2019 reports, 24 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 18 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpJul 29, 2021
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
Campaign 21V587000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpApr 16, 2020
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.
If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-20.
Campaign 20V218000 on NHTSA.gov
StructureJun 26, 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Legacy and Outback vehicles. Spot welds located on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, impacting the vehicle's body strength.
In the event of a crash, the reduced strength of the vehicle body may increase the risk of injury.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and repair or repurchase the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUH-93.
Campaign 19V493000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
204 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Feb 21, 2024
My 2019 Subaru outback has a defective screen. The screen has begun to delaminate from the inside and causes the screen to jump around and not be able to stay on one screen. The power button also seems to not be working and is cause the radio to turn on and off. Because of those two issues, the radio screen jumps around and turns off and on, posing a major safety risk. I tried taking the car to the place I bought it and a Subaru dealer, and they will not help financially or with the repair even though they have this issue with other year models of the same car. Picture is attached. Has sense gotten worse.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Feb 5, 2024
Windshield has been cracked and replaced 3 times and currently has another crack, all within 17 months. Also head unit has internal malfunction and must be replaced at cost of $1700 +/-
Other or unspecified, Jan 29, 2024
The head unit (radio) on my 2019 Subaru Outback began developing "bubbles" behind the touch screen which is causing phantom touches. Without any human interference, the radio will suddenly start switching channels and functions on the radio in a very rapid sequence. When this occurs while driving, it is EXTREMELY distracting for the driver. The only solution is to turn the entire head unit off and go without radio, navigation, nor bluetooth capabilities. Subaru prides itself on safety, and yet Subaru of America seems to not take this issue seriously. I have filed a case with Subaru of America, but they seem satisfied to make customers foot the bills for diagnostic testing, meanwhile the head unit in question is on a backorder and simply not available. Harman Kardon is the maker of the head unit and should be made to pay for the development of a new head unit without serious defects. But if Subaru is truly the company they say there are, then they need to take responsibility as well and provide the replacement of the defective units regardless of warranty status. At first this may appear as a "cosmetic issue," but I can honestly say that my initial experience was so distracting and confusing, and occurred in an area where I was not able to pull over. I consider myself very lucky that I was involved in any kind of accident.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jan 26, 2024
Ignition and battery failure - unable to unlock certain parts of the car, all electrical is dead This is the second incidence in 6 months. Not weather dependent. One incidence in June and another in January. Entered car, pressed ignition button, no ignition, the icons all lit up in red on the indicator dash. Previously AAA indicated that the battery was totally dead, no amps, appeared to be an electrical problem and not strictly a battery problem according to AAA. At dealership they performed a "drain test." They told me that is all they could do. Customer Service gave me a battery for "free." I don't know if it was a used battery or a new one. This time I will pay for the battery to make sure it is new. No words of why this occurred to my car were stated. They just pushed the repair invoice towards me with the keys and said I was ready to go. This time when I called they told me they could only do the "drain" test again. I knew I had to investigate since they were not helping me find the source of the problem. This could be a major problem if one was locked in the car and the electrical failed. Worse yet if a fire occurred and one could not get out, death could occur. When I left the car after the ignition did not work, the ignition light on the ignition button stayed on. (lit up in red) Please help me out with this. The auto is a Touring Outback - year 2019.
Other or unspecified, Jan 25, 2024
I purchased this 2019 Subaru Outback new. In less than three months, the windshield cracked at the edge on the driver's side. I had the window replaced and two years later it cracked again in exactly the same place. I have not had the vehicle inspected since then and there were no warning lights or other symptoms prior to the crack appearing.
Other or unspecified, Jan 23, 2024
The DCM Fuse was draining my battery. Which lead to me having a dead car battery. I had the battery replaced and paid out of pocket. The less than a week later it drained that new battery, which I had to pay for again. This lead to having my car dead on the side of the road because this DCM Fuse was draining power from my battery when the car was off. This is a major issue and should be a recalled part ASAP.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Lane departure, Jan 2, 2024
My 2019 Infotainment systems has begun delamination from the outer glass on the back side. It is causing ghost operations of the systems. Access to my safety features are through the system.
Other or unspecified, Dec 28, 2023
I purchased this vehicle brand new in 2020 and had never experienced any issues with the battery this year alone(2023) I have had to replace the battery 4 times. I would used the jump method leaving the to car running for at least 15 minutes before driving and then within the next month or two the battery is drained and dead again. When I took my vehicle to the dealership the mechanic already knew what the DCM would be the issue. I then called the manufacturer after doing more research and noticed that this is a very common issue and it has not been recalled yet. After performing the DCM test it was confirmed that was the issue and I am still being ask to pay the 1200.00 bill.
Other or unspecified, Dec 21, 2023
Windshield started to crack despite no incident and crack has rapidly expanded
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Dec 19, 2023
I have submitted for Extended Warranty Battery Service in the Subaru Battery Settlement confirmation number is SB68712430. This battery settlement should include the DCM as replacing the battery does not fix the problem. I believe this is an electrical fault (parasitic current draw) is caused by the the faulty DCM. There are hundreds of people posted the same issue. This should be a recall.
Other or unspecified, Dec 12, 2023
Starlink system is malfunctioning. The radio spontaneously begins scanning through stations and will not stop even when "scan" icon is pressed or preset station pressed. Also, the bluetooth connectivity to my phone is randomly lost. This has caused distractions while driving and loss of "hands free" features for my phone and is a safety hazard.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Dec 10, 2023
Cracked windshield (2nd incident in less than 18 months). Windshield cracked without any impact with rocks or other objects. This is an OEM windshield that was installed and calibrated at Sheehy Subaru Springfield, VA. This windshield easily cracks or is damage (impacts blemishes) by minor/small objects, which is unreasonable. This latest incident that I am reporting is a hair line crack, about 14” in length that runs from the edge of the windshield to the middle; there was no impact; this appears to be a temperature change like crack. It adversely affects visibility. This is a very expensive repair $1,500 for OEM and calibration.
Other or unspecified, Dec 7, 2023
2019 Subaru Outback, 3.6R limited, approx. 3.5 years old with around 36000 miles, when I noticed small bubbles forming near the upper right hand corner of the infotainment touch screen. Shortly thereafter, the number of bubbles increased, the radio would change stations on its own, sometimes turn on by itself, and the navigation would not work. Took it to the dealer and was told I would need a new info system at my expense and they were on back order.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Oct 27, 2023
Defective Infotainment System. There is a known issue with the touchscreen Starlink system that can experience the dynamic or phantom input, i.e. a “ghost touch” that causes the system to change sources, shut off, reboot, or work intermittently or not at all. Even when the input does not change, the system emits the audible beep sound as if changes are being selecting via the touch screen. The distraction resulted in me taking my eyes off the road. The touch screen has ghost blobs or prints on the underside of the touch screen. Reported the issue to Subaru of America, who was already aware of the issue; they have received complaints for 2019-2023 models. The same issue was resolved via a class action suit for previous models.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Oct 25, 2023
Battery keeps draining. Was reading about a known issue with DCM
Other or unspecified, Oct 18, 2023
Failing and malfunctioning head unit. This is a known problem with Subaru Outbacks. The inside is delaminating causing bubbles inside screen. The touch screen thinks you are touching it so it will skip stations, press all kinds of buttons on the menu screen, and even call contacts on your phone. I had to shut the radio off completely to a black screen as it’s dangerous while driving. I’ve been waiting almost a year for a replacement with no ETA from Subaru, told on “indefinite back order”. I paid the car off intending to keep it many years and purchased an extended warranty that is useless.
Other or unspecified, Oct 17, 2023
The 2019 Subaru Outbacks have a Data Communication Module (DCM) which allows hands-free access to audio features of the car. The DCM (Generation 1) was designed to work on 3G networks and also provides access to Starlink which could be used in an emergency. With the deactivation of the 3G network, the DCM drains the car's main battery. Thus the car will not start if left unattended for any length of time. If the DCM is disabled by pulling the fuse, the hands-free features of the car are also disabled as well as Starlink. There is a class action lawsuit regarding this problem, however, it only covers the batteries that are damaged due to being drained and does NOT address the root cause of the problem.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Oct 5, 2023
My battery died and I replaced it. Suddenly my radio/screen system started to malfunction. It no longer works at all other than interrupting phone calls by switching from car to phone speaker. I have no access to any safety features. Now my brand new battery of one month isn’t working. When I had an oil change at the dealership last month, they were familiar with the issue but stated there was a recall on the exact issue for a different year. They said I’d have to pay $1000 for a new radio interface. My question is why is the radio/screen and the battery failing at the same time? Why is there a recall one year off and my car is costing me a fortune and so much time.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Lane departure, Sep 28, 2023
On July 28th, my touch screen (head unit) in my Subaru Outback suddenly delaminated overnight. From that point foward, all systems connected to the head unit have been either unusable or intermittent--often dangerously so. My backup camera and blind spot indicators are randomly unusable; the GPS system turns itself on and off in use (and half the time, screen itself cycles through "ghost touches" and is unable to be directed in any way); my car calls random people through the Bluetooth system while driving, which is a major distraction, and Starlink is unusable. Internet searching has revealed a proposed class action lawsuit against Subaru for the known issues with their head units; the 2018 models were recalled, but as mine is a 2019, I have been told I'm ineligible for support with repairs and would need to pay 3k out of pocket. I can't sell the car with the level of defects it currently has, and driving the vehicle is at best irritating and at worst, dangerous (depending on how the head unit behaves that day). I purchased this car because I wanted to have a backup camera, blind spot indicators, access to GPS support, and more.
Other or unspecified, Sep 11, 2023
I am the owner of the 2019 Subaru Outback. Since I purchased the car back in 2019, I replaced the windshield 3 times already in 4 years of car ownership (10/2019, 11/2021, 8/2022) and only ~30k miles driven. Every time even a minor struck into the windshield caused a major crack (over 1 foot length) within minutes of continued driving. This significantly impairs the clear vision through the windshield. Additionally, rapid advancement in the size of the crack means that it has to be fully replaced every time with the cost of additional calibration of safety systems which makes the cost of the replacement extremely high. Every windshield has been replaced in the Subaru dealership with Subaru-made components. This rate of replacement is highly unusual and I never experienced before such frequent windshield failure.
Other or unspecified, Aug 16, 2023
Driving normally with no other vehicles nearby, Crack developed in windshield almost half way up, from the left side, and within seconds crossed most of drivers side in a near direct line. This is the third windshield to Crack in a 12 month period. Both times replaced at my local Subaru Dealership where the vehicle was originally purchased. I have received a warning ticket from police for the prior crack, just before replacement due to safety issue. This newest crack is in drivers field of vision.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jul 17, 2023
Power Rear lift gate does not work on a consistent basis. It will work normally for several days, then without warning, not work. Will not work with remote or interior opening mechanism. Only the manual release in the rear will unlatch the rear gate, which is quite heavy to lift and not designed to be done so in a manual fashion. Unable to duplicate issue at Subaru dealer. Obviously, this is a know issue after reviewing similar complaints here.
Other or unspecified, Jul 16, 2023
"Infotainment" touch screen in front dashboard delaminating. What can be described as bubbles or splotches, sponaneously appear, and cause system to constantly register touches. Depending on location of "bubble(s)" highly dangerous and scary as system can randomly navigate, call, play music, etc. as if possessed by a ghost. Back up camera affected too. Anything which is attached to display can seemingly randomly switch, turn off, turn on, etc. Seems to be worse in hot weather. Can not turn off 'infotainment" panel/screen because system turns itself back on (as if registering the touch by a user).
Other or unspecified, Jul 13, 2023
The infotainment center is consistently cycling through radio stations and apps. Driving down the road you see this consistent blinking as it cycles through. Cannot not turn the unit off. Tentative date is November 2023 for the unit to be replaced. 10 months from start of problem that has gotten progressively worse.
Other or unspecified, Jul 2, 2023
Windshield just cracked from mirror straight down middle to hood. No accident… happened while parked in personal garage. Looks like a history of faulty windshields. Is Subaru paying yet?