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: visibility
387 reports, newest first. Show all
Visibility/wiper, Oct 27, 2019
EYESIGHT WINDSHIELD BROKE WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY IN LIGHT RAIN. NO KNOWN CAUSE. CRACK CONTINUED EXPANDING FOR 2 DAYS IN WARM, DRY WEATHER. HAD WINDSHIELD REPLACED ON AN INSURANCE CLAIM WITH SAFELITE AND THEY ALSO CALIBRATED THE EYESIGHT CAMERAS.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 27, 2019
WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. PARKED AT A CONVENIENCE STORE, NOTHING AROUND THE VEHICLE, CAME OUT AND NOTICED A CRACK FROM THE A POST INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. HAPPENED ON A SATURDAY, ATTEMPTED TO CALL INSURANCE COMPANY AND WAS TOLD I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL MONDAY.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 27, 2019
WINDSHIELD CRACK APPEARED NEAR THE TOP, BY THE DRIVER ASSIST CAMERA. UNKNOWN HOW IT OCCURRED. OWNER ASSUMED CAUSED BY ROCK SLUNG BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT CRACK WAS NOT NOTICED UNTIL MANY DAYS LATER. INSURANCE REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD, BUT A SUBARU DEALERSHIP CHARGED $270 FOR EYESIGHT RE-CALIBRATION.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 25, 2019
MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN A RAMP. THE CRACK IS AT THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 3, 2019
I GOT A BRAND NEW SUBARU 2019 SUV IN SECOND WEEK OF MAY 2019. CAR HAS AROUND 5500 MILES ON IT. WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK THAT I OBSERVED WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR NEXT MORNING. OVERNIGHT CAR WAS PARKED ON MY DRIVE WAY. THERE ARE NO TREES AND I DONT SEE ANY ROCKS HITTING. IT CRACKED OUT OF NO WHERE
Visibility/wiper, Aug 30, 2019
DRIVING DOWN NORMAL HIGHWAY AND NOTICED A CRACK FORMING. WINDSHIELD CRACKED NEAR WIPER FROM MAYBE SOME ROAD DUST HIT IT THAT IS COMMON ON ANY HIGHWAY. NEVER HAD SUCH A BIG CRACK FROM NORMAL ROAD DUST BEFORE.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 21, 2019
CRACK APPEARED ON WINDSHIELD WITHOUT ANY PRIOR DAMAGE TO THE AREA WHILE DRIVING. STARTED BELOW WINDSHIELD WIPER ON DRIVERSIDE AND CONTINUES FOR 24" ACROSS THE CENTER OF THE GLASS IN A CURVED 40 DEG ANGLE.
Visibility, Aug 19, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SMALL CRACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK EXPANDED IN HOT WEATHER. THE CONTACT CALLED LANCASTER COUNTY MOTORS SUBARU (1705 MANHEIM PIKE, LANCASTER, PA 717-569-4514), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY, BUT NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000. *TT*JB
Visibility/wiper, Aug 18, 2019
WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUS CRACK UNDER WIPER DEICER CONNECTION VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY
Visibility/wiper, Aug 17, 2019
SUBSTANTIAL WINDSHIELD CRACK WITH NO VISIBLE PREVIOUS DAMAGE. VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTDOORS AT APPROXIMATELY 2045 CENTRAL TIME ON 8/15/2019 FACING WEST. AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 CENTRAL TIME ON 8/16/2019 VEHICLE HAD A SUBSTANTIAL 7+ INCH CRACK DESCENDING FROM TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD DIRECTLY ABOVE AND DESCENDING VERTICALLY DOWN FROM NEAR THE DRIVER EYESIGHT CAMERA. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR FOR GLASS WHICH IS MEANT TO PROTECT THE DRIVER AND PROVIDE A VIEW PORT FROM WHICH MOST SAFETY SYSTEMS OF THE VEHICLE OPERATE.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 13, 2019
WE HAD OUR FIRST SPONTANEOUS CRACK ABOUT A WEEK AFTER PURCHASING OUR OUTBACK IN NOVEMBER 2018. I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT HAPPENED BUT WE HAD NOT HAD ANY ROCKS HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED IT WAS A CHIP (THEY USED A BALLPOINT PEN TO INSPECT AND I BELIEVE THEY CREATED A SMALL CHIP ALONG THE CRACK LINE) BUT THEY REPLACED IT FOR FREE. THE SECOND CRACK OCCURRED ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THE NEW WINDSHIELD WAS INSTALLED. I WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME AND HEARD IT HAPPEN; THERE WAS NO APPARENT ROAD HAZARD THAT CAUSED THE CRACK.THIS TIME I DIDN'T ALLOW THEM TO INSPECT WITH A BALLPOINT PEN AND, SURE ENOUGH, THEY CONFIRMED IT WAS A SPONTANEOUS CRACK AND SUBARU REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD FOR US. THE THIRD CRACK JUST OCCURRED AND I BELIEVE IT IS ALSO A SPONTANEOUS CRACK THAT HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT. THERE IS NO APPARENT CHIP. ALL OF THEM START IN THE BLACK AREA BELOW THE WIPERS. I WONDER IF THERE COULD BE A DEFECT IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE CAR THAT CAUSES UNDUE STRESS ON THE WINDSHIELD. I WENT TO A LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT INSPECTED AND THE FIRST THING THEY DID WAS GET THEIR BALLPOINT PEN OUT. I WILL WAIT TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR AND WILL ALSO PURSUE ISSUE WITH SUBARU CUSTOMER RELATIONS.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 3, 2019
WE WERE DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES PER HOUR. THE PASSENGER SLAPPED AT A MOSQUITO WITH HIS OPEN HAND AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITH A LOUD SOUND AND WITH A SPIDER WEB PATTERN ON IMPACT THE PASSENGER'S HAND WAS NOT RED, DID NOT HURT, AND DID NOT DEVELOP A BRUISE. THIS WAS HIGH IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER AND THE CRACKS ARE SPREADING ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. THE CAR IS A 2019 SUBARU AND HAS LESS THAN 9000 MILES ON. IT WAS PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 2018 AND WAS NOT DRIVEN DURING THE WINTER MONTHS THE WINDSHIELD WAS FREE OF ANY DINGS OR SCRATCHES. THIS IS BEING REPORTED BECAUSE OF OUR CONCERN THAT IF A SIMPLE SLAP ON THE INSIDE CAN BREAK THE WINDSHIELD, A ROCK THROWN BY ANOTHER VEHICLE COULD COME THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND HIT A PERSON. WE HAVE A WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT GUARANTEE SO THE WINDSHIELD WILL BE REPLACED AT NO COST, BUT WE ARE NOT COMFORTABLE HAVING IT REPLACED WITH AN ORIGINAL SUBARU WINDSHIELD. I HAVE PICTURES BUT I CANNOT GET THEM TO DOWNLOAD TO THIS SITE.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 25, 2019
CAR WAS PARKED IN COVERED CAR PORT OVERNIGHT. IN MORNING, A HORIZONTAL CRACK HAD APPEARED IN FRONT WINDSHIELD. CRACK IS 18-24 INCHES LONG. RUNNING FROM PASSENGER SIDE PILLAR TO AREA NEAR CENTER OF WINDSHIELD. ABOUT 18 INCHES UP FROM DASH
Visibility/wiper, Jul 15, 2019
MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I CAME OUT OF MY HOME TO GET READY TO DRIVE WHEN I NOTICED THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. IT BEGINS WITH A VERTICAL SPLIT OF THE GLASS WITH NO SIGN OF A POINT OF IMPACT FROM DEBRIS. CAUSE: UNKNOWN. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THAT I HAD NOT BEEN DRIVING NOR HAD A ROCK HIT MY WINDSHIELD. THEY SAID THAT IT WOULD TAKE THEM A WEEK FOR THEM TO GET A REP AND SERVICE MANAGER TO INSPECT. THE CRACK HAD SINCE GROWN BY THE TIME THEY SAW THE VEHICLE. THEY SAID IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY TO REPLACE THE WINDSHEILD.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 15, 2019
SPONTANEOUS WINDSHIELD CRACK THAT ORIGINATED DIRECTING UNDERNEATH WINDSHIELD WIPER ON PASSENGER SIDE WHILE PARKED OUTSIDE. WINDSHIELD WAS CLEANED HOURS BEFORE CRACK APPEARED, AND NO IMPERFECTIONS WERE OBSERVED; VEHICLE NOT DRIVEN OR MOVED. GOT IN VEHICLE IN EVENING AND CRACK WAS PRESENT EXPANDING ALMOST THE ENTIRE SIDE OF PASSENGER VIEW.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 10, 2019
OUR NEW 2019 OUTBACK EXPERIENCED A WINDSHIELD CRACK WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT ANY INDICATION OF IMPACT OF A FOREIGN OBJECT. THE CRACK APPEARED IMMEDIATELY AFTER TURNING ON THE DEFOG SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING. THE LOCAL DEALER INSISTED THAT THE CRACK WAS DUE TO OUTSIDE INFLUENCE AND NOT WINDSHIELD MATERIAL FAILURE. AFTER CONTACTING SUBARU OF AMERICA THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPAIRED AS A COURTESY AT THE DEALERSHIP.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 9, 2019
SMALL ROCK HIT LOWER LEFT CORNER OF WINDSHIELD, APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES FROM EDGE. CONTINUED DRIVING. SUDDENLY, ENTIRE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ACROSS APPROXIMATELY 70% OF GLASS WITHIN 5 MINUTES, OBSTRUCTING VIEW. INITIAL IMPACT WAS TINY CHIP, BARELY VISIBLE WITHOUT CLOSE INSPECTION. NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, HIGHWAY, 60MPH, DRY ROAD & WEATHER, BEFORE SUNRISE. SINGLE OWNER VEHICLE, 10K MILES. COMPLAINT ALSO FILED WITH SUBARU.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 6, 2019
PURCHASED NEW 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHEN PARKED IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT AFTER JUST A COUPLE WEEKS A STRESS CRACK BEGAN TO FORM FROM THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD GOING DOWN. THE NEXT DAY IT WAS OUTSIDE ON A HOT DAY AND THE CRACK BEGAN TO GET WORSE. NO IMPACT ON WINDSHIELD FROM ROCK OR ANYTHING ELSE. MAY BE CAUSED FROM HEAT? VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN BOTH CASES.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 5, 2019
JUST EXPERIENCED MY SECOND SPONTANEOUS CRACK WITHIN FOUR SIX MONTHS WHERE THE WINDSHIELD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ON MY 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CRACK STARTS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD BELOW THE WIPER BLADES AND THE CRACK EXPANDS UPWARD APPROXIMATELY 12-18 INCHES. IT IS BEYOND MESHY THESE WINDSHIELDS HAVE TO BE REPLACED SO OFTEN AND IT IS MY OPINION THEY ARE MADE WITH MATERIALS THAT CANNOT STAND UP TO DAY TO DAY TEMPERATURE CHANGES OF NEW ENGLAND. THE CAR WAS PARKED ALL WEEKEND AND HAD NO CRACK. HOWEVER, ON MONDAY MORNING, THE CRACK WAS THERE.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 4, 2019
PLEASE REVIEW AND ESCALATE THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE SAME ISSUE RESULTED IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN CALIFORNIA. I PURCHASED MY 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK ON 12.31.18. AFTER WORK IN MID APRIL OF 2019, I RETURNED TO MY PARKED CAR. UNLOCKED AND ENTERED THE VEHICLE FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I LOWERED THE SUN SHADE AND NOTICED A LARGE CRACK IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. IT STARTED AT THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE GLASS ON THE DRIVER SIDE, ARCED UP AND CURVED TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS NOTICED INSIDE. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND CHECKED IT FOR ANY ADDITIONAL DAMAGE AND CHECKED THE WINDSHIELD FROM THE OUTSIDE. THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY OTHER DAMAGE THAN THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND A MINISCULE LEFT PASSENGER DOOR DING. AS IF THE EDGE OF ANOTHER CAR DOOR CAME IN CONTACT WITH MY SUBARU. NO ROAD HAZARDS OR DEBRIS WAS ENCOUNTERED ON THE WAY TO OR FROM WORK. I NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP, HILEY SUBARU OF FORT WORTH, AND REQUESTED TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED DURING MY NEXT SERVICE APPOINTMENT INDICATING THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT UNDER WARRANTY. AT THE SERVICE APPOINTMENT, THEY DECLINED TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD UNDER WARRANTY.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 1, 2019
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW MARCH 2019. I DEVELOPED A CRACK THAT STARTED AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD, CLOSER TO THE PASSENGER SIDE, THAT QUICKLY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE WINDSHIELD 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING AND WITH LESS THAN 6K MILES. IT APPEARED TO BE FROM A SMALL STONE CHIP. THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS VERY MINIMAL AND I HAVE HAD OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD MUCH LARGER CHIPS THAT HAVE 'SPIDERED' BUT NEVER SPREAD AS RAPIDLY AS THIS CRACK ON MY NEW OUTBACK. I WORKED WITH MY INSURANCE TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED, TOTAL COST WAS OVER $800. I DROVE THE CAR 4 TIMES IN 3 DAYS AFTER GETTING IT REPLACED, ALL ON PAVED ROADS. THIS MORNING I DEVELOPED A CRACK AT THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE THAT QUICKLY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE WINDSHIELD AGAIN. THEIR APPEARS TO BE A SMALL SANDSTONE CHIP THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE REASON FOR THE CRACK. I AM TAKING IT BACK TO THE PLACE THAT REPLACED IT AND HOPING IT'S COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY OF THE RECENT REPLACEMENT. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED BY SUBARU BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A VERY COMMON PROBLEM.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 25, 2019
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER LESS THAN A MONTH OF OWNERSHIP. IT STARTED FROM THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE BELOW THE WIPER ON THE HEATING ELEMENT. IT MANIFESTED ONE MORNING BEFORE I LEFT FOR WORK IN LATE MAY. MY DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO REPLACE IT, CLAIMING IT WAS A ROCK, THOUGH THERE ARE NO CHIPS OR SPIDERING. IT'S A SINGLE LONG CRACK THAT WINDS ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. WHEN I ASKED THEM HOW IT COULD HAVE BEEN A ROCK WITHOUT A POINT OF IMPACT, THE RESPONSE FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS "ROCKS CAN DO FUNNY THINGS." MY 2016 IMPREZA HAD ITS WINDSHIELD REPLACED WITH THIS EXACT TYPE OF CRACK UNDER WARRANTY.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 21, 2019
VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, PARKED AT MY HOUSE WHEN I REALIZED THE BACK WINDSHIELD WAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED. IT WAS STILL IN PLACE BECAUSE OF THE TEMPERED GLASS. I OPENED THE DOOR TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THE CAR AND THE WINDSHIELD FELL APART INTO MY CAR AND ON THE GROUND. UNDER 7000 MILES ON THE CAR.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 5, 2019
I TOOK DELIVERY OF A 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK IN MID-JANUARY 2019. IN MARCH (03/12/2019) A SMALL ROCK HIT THE DRIVERS EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD RESULTING IN A LARGE CRACK. I WORKED IT THROUGH MY INSURANCE AND THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED BY A THIRD-PARTY INSTALLER WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP. AT THE TIME, I HAD ONLY 2K MILES ON THE VEHICLE. IN MAY (05/09/2019), A SMALL ROCK HIT THE REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD AND THERE IS NOW A LARGE CRACK. THE WINDSHIELD WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 5K MILES ON IT. I'VE HAD TWO (2) BROKEN WINDSHIELDS BEFORE I HAVE EVEN HAD MY FIRST OIL CHANGE. MY PREVIOUS VEHICLE WAS A 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK. I DROVE IT FOR 12 YEARS AND 235K MILES AND NEVER HAD A CRACKED WINDSHIELD EVEN THOUGH IT HAD BEEN HIT BY COUNTLESS ROCKS AND HAD NUMEROUS CHIPS. TWO WINDSHIELDS IN THREE MONTHS SUGGESTS THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE MODERN GLASS THAT IS DESIGNED TO WORK WITH THE SUBARU EYESIGHT SYSTEM. I WROTE AND ASKED SUBARU TO REPLACE THE SECOND WINDSHIELD AS A WARRANTY ITEM BUT THEY DECLINED. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURED WHILE DRIVING ON PAVED HIGHWAYS.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 5, 2019
MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED BELOW THE WIPER.IT STARTED DEAD CENTER AND CRACK SPREAD RAPIDLY.RESEARCH SHOWS OTHER SUBARU OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. SUBARU WILL NOT ADMIT TO A DEFECT. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. NO VEHICLE WAS IN FRONT OF ME