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
1,034 reports, newest first.
Power train, Sep 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20-25 MPH, the vehicle started reversing unintendedly while the gear shifter was in drive(D). The contact stated that the vehicle reversed on a steep road, drove onto a curb, and onto the poles that were lying down, and the vehicle stopped. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained pain on the right side of the lower back but had not yet received medical assistance. The vehicle sustained damage. The vehicle was towed to the Executive Auto Body repair shop. A police report was filed. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 1, 2025
Good Morning. I am the victim of a lemon of a car, a 2019 Subaru Outback and no one, I mean no one wants to get involved with exposing this disgraceful uncaring car manufacturer. I am forwarding the 10, yes 10 issues with this dangerous piece of junk I am unfortunately driving putting our lives at risk!! Please see the information below and my hope is that you will care enough to expose and help us get a resolution with this horrible company manufacturing rolling death traps. Thank you [XXX] [XXX] Listed below are the continuing problems with my 2019 Subaru Outback which was purchased new: 3 new batteries in a mileage span of 40,000 or 50,000 miles up to 80,000 miles. These replacements were done at no cost as a result of a class action lawsuit. A windshield settlement which only extends the warranty mileage and not an automatic replacement. Talk about a huge safety risk if this windshield just cracks or breaks, especially if on a major highway. A fuel pump settlement which only extends the warranty mileage and not an automatic replacement unless the fuel pump fails. Very unsafe in my opinion. What if the fuel pump fails while on a major highway. This puts us and our safety at serious risk if this fuel pump were to fail especially going at a high rate of speed. Engine burns a quart of oil, by the way at $11.00 per quart every 3,000 miles which is not normal, and in my opinion, is an engine problem. Replacement of an ECM or Engine Control Module. Received a letter about the VCT or variable control transmission, more ridiculous problems going on. A broken right front axle replaced and then that same axle which was replaced by an incompetent mechanic, the axle seal on the replaced axle started leaking and I was charged $100 for that incompetence. Just this past week, the car was in for a radio issue with radio stations and the cd arbitrarily jumping around only to find out the radio needs to be replaced. While on my way to the dealership my tire press INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 26, 2025
I was driving my 2019 Subaru Outback North on [XXX] just North of Alanson, Michigan on [XXX] when it applied the brakes and made a noise similar to driving on the rumble strip. There were no vehicles in front of me. Scary and now I am nervous driving this car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jul 31, 2025
"Parasitic" draw. Battery replaced, less than year old, almost daily need to "jump" vehicle to start. Always have to have booster pack. Multiple mechanics trips. Dash screen touch option does not work, have videos of the screen randomly "fluttering" through various screens and or radio stations. Leave the radio off, will randomly come on, on its own.
Electrical system, Jul 29, 2025
Repeated battery drain within 48 hours use of the vehicle, to the point the battery will no longer start the car. I believe this has come to be known as a parasitic battery drain, and has been traced to the Data Communications Module in these Subarus.
Other or unspecified, Jul 25, 2025
Failures of the radio Failures of the main head unit Nagivation errors and failures Display screens that go black, frozen
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 25, 2025
My name is [XXX] [XXX] Phone Number: [XXX] My complaint is with Subaru of America, 1 Subaru Drive, Camden, NJ 08103 Phone Number: 800-782-2783 I would like the Pennsylvania State Attorney General’s Office to become involved with the two lemons/pieces of junk my wife and I have been sold. My Subaru is a 2019 Outback and my wife’s Subaru is a 2020 Forester. My ongoing problems with my 2019 Subaru Outback are as follows and in my opinion, I am driving a very unsafe car putting our lives at risk: 3 batteries prior to 80,000 miles resulting from a class action lawsuit filed against Subaru. Replacement of the ECM or Engine Control Module. Burns a quart of oil at the price of $11.00 per quart every 3,000 miles, that’s an engine problem. Right front axle broke and had to be replaced. After replacement of the right front axle, the right front axle seal, which is the axle replaced started to leak and I was charged to replace the axle seal due to a mechanics incompetence. I received a card from Subaru stating a windshield issue. Received another card regarding a fuel pump issue. A letter received this past week from an apparent CVT or continuously variable transmission issue. Now my radio stations jump around arbitrarily changing stations, tracks on my CD, and my hatch doesn’t open, but gets stuck shortly upon opening. This car is a lemon, a piece of junk and very unsafe. How many more problems are unknown to us and when will any of them occur while we are driving putting our lives in danger. If Subaru had any ethics character integrity or business morality they would have replaced this piece of junk. They are a horrible company to work with INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Jul 10, 2025
The windshield of my 2019 Subaru Outback Touring Edition has begun to split and crack, starting at the frame. The crack split and spread in a matter of days. My car was sitting unused in the driveway when this occurred. The damage started where the windshield meets the frame and has spread. I am not able to drive the car safely other than to get the windshield repaired. I contacted Subaru, and they told me they will not honor their extended warranty to my car because their warranty is on for 2020 and newer Outbacks. I have researched and spoken to many other owners who complain that the 2019 Outback's windshield is just as dangerous as the 2020 model and that once it starts cracking, it is only a matter of time until it will fall apart. Subaru has installed a very expensive (about $1000 to replace and calibrate) yet faulty windshield in their cars without a willingness to correct their mistake.
Engine, Jul 8, 2025
2019 Subaru Outback passenger side cam carrier started to seep at 42k miles. 63K continues to seep and Subaru suggested monitoring oil levels. Estimated cost to fix $6k. If leak gets worse and/or proper monitoring of oil in the engine is not done could lead to engine failure and costly repairs.
Other or unspecified, Jun 22, 2025
My Infotainment system randomly places phone calls, changes or cancels maps, and otherwise takes random actions that create distractions that makes for unsafe driving. It appears that the screen may be delaminating in multiple spots which would cause the above problems.
Electrical system, Jun 6, 2025
Parasitic draw of the battery. (DCM) class action lawsuit.
Electrical system, May 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start as intended. The contact inspected the battery and determined that the battery needed to be charged. The contact stated that the battery needed to be recharged every three days due to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. Additionally, the contact stated the failure was persistent. The contact stated that the dealer had replaced the battery with a genuine Subaru battery three months prior to the failure. However, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,879.
Electrical system, May 27, 2025
Purchased 2019 Subaru outback June 2019. Have had multiple batteries replaced. Approximately every year at least the battery fails and I am left stranded. January 2021 the fuel pump was not working properly and they said that was from low drain on the battery but that when the car went to sleep, the draw was normal so they didn’t do anything. February 5, 2025 I was in for an oil change and everything was working well. March 17, 2025 battery going dead again. I got a jump and drove to the dealership. They said that they replaced the DCM and installed the new battery. It is now May 27, 2025 and my car will not start again not even with the jump. Called the dealership and they said I have to pay for a tow which is 45 miles away and I am not under Warranty any longer so I will have to pay for it. He also suggested that I call my local tow company and get them to try to jump it.
Visibility/wiper, May 21, 2025
I have experienced two separate incidents of spontaneous windshield cracking on my 2019 Subaru Outback, with no external impact or road debris involved. The first windshield crack occurred, and Subaru replaced it under warranty after inspection showed no signs of impact. The second crack occurred again without any collision or impact. However, Subaru has now refused to cover the second incident, even though it clearly follows the same pattern. There is no visible point of impact. The cracks appear to originate near the bottom edge of the windshield and spread rapidly. I park the vehicle in a safe residential area and have not driven over rough terrain or been involved in any accidents. I have also referenced a known class action lawsuit involving similar spontaneous cracking issues with windshields in Subaru vehicles, including the 2017–2020 Outback and Legacy models. This suggests a manufacturing or design defect affecting structural integrity. This issue creates a serious visibility and safety hazard for drivers and passengers, especially if the windshield fails further while the vehicle is in motion. Subaru’s failure to cover a known defect and repeated issue puts drivers at risk. I am requesting that the NHTSA investigate this recurring defect in Subaru windshields to determine whether a recall or broader corrective action is necessary.
Other or unspecified, May 15, 2025
I was driving 75mph in heavy, morning traffic. I was behind a large tractor trailer, switching lanes. My car’s ‘obstacle ahead’ warning was attempting to slow me down or stop me. The air pressure inside my car changed suddenly and I could feel the pressure difference. Then there was a huge explosion. It sounded like my back windshield broke. Instead, it was my sunroof. It had exploded outwards from the inside. It just shattered and blew up spontaneously.
Electrical system, May 7, 2025
Battery draining fast. installed new battery last month. Car is dead and had to be towed to dealer. DCM issues. System prematurely drains battery because system is trying to connect to 3g even when car is off. There should be a recall. Not just an extended warranty that Subaru may not accept for rebuilt titled cars
Other or unspecified, Apr 26, 2025
Subaru did not notify consumers or aftermarket retailers that the Subaru battery in my vehicle was underamped. As a result, I unknowingly bought an underamped battery from Autozone to replace my dying battery in 2024, b/c their records indicated it was the right battery. I found out in 3/25 from Subaru service about the underamped battery issue when my car was dying. Autozone can’t replace it because their system (info they get from Subaru) says this is the right battery, because Subaru didn’t notify anyone. Subaru will not replace the battery for free because it’s not a Subaru battery. I have an internal service memo from 2023 that states what the right battery should be. However, Subaru didn’t notify the public or companies and so several people are probably driving around with underamped aftermarket batteries. I should not have to pay for a new battery, I should have received notice in 2023 about this issue and then I would have replaced it with the right Subaru battery. The battery I replaced in 2024 was the original Subaru underamped battery.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 24, 2025
On April 14, 2025, I experienced my fourth windshield break- others- 2 that were 3 months apart in 2023 and another in 2024. I do not know how this most recent crack occurred as I noticed it when I went to drive my car, which was parked inside my garage. I had driven 2 places earlier in the day with no signs of a crack and there were no noted strikes to the windshield during that time. I did ride on a highway the day prior, but did not hear any strikes to the windshield. The prior incidences I did hear something hit the windshield. I have been a car owner for decades and this is the first car I have ever had with any windshield crack. This complaint seems typical for this vehicle as many of the same issues were recently included in a class action lawsuit regarding a defect in the glass. Wile the 2019 model was not included for some reason, many NHTSA complaints from people with this model were included in this lawsuit so I certainly hope that NHTSA will seriously look into why these are a common occurrence for this vehicle.
Steering, Electrical system, Lane departure, Apr 19, 2025
Car will lane correct when it's not needed. And all warning lights will come on in car when it's very hot. Cannot access touchscreen - because it constantly glitches as if it's being touched passenger side window continues to roll up and down when you click auto control on window and will not stop. I am afraid to drive because of these Electrical issues.
Electrical system, Apr 16, 2025
Every few days of car not being used battery is being completely drained. We replaced 3 new batteries with a span of a 1 year.
Electrical system, Apr 14, 2025
I am on my third battery for this car. It apparently has a known software issue of a parasitic battery drain that destroys the battery, leaving me stranded.
Air bags, Apr 4, 2025
According to my Subaru service technician the Occupant detection control module is faulty on my car. Research has found that this is a known problem with 2020-2022 Subaru outbacks that is under recall. I believe the recall should be extended to include the 2019 year model because a faulty occupant detection module means that the air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash which is a serious safety concern.
Vehicle speed control, Mar 31, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while reversing into a parking spot and depressing the brake pedal, the engine revved and the vehicle seemed to attempt to accelerate unintendedly. The contact maintained the brake pedal depressed. The contact stated that the failure occurred while at a complete stop at the stop sign and while driving over a speed bump. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Electrical system, Mar 26, 2025
The Radio has what looks like water spots under the screen, this causes the infotainment system to go crazy, no hands free and I’m afraid it won’t show the backup screen while it is like this.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 25, 2025
Noticed a huge crack in my windshield this morning before leaving for work. Definitely some sort of stress fracture. Not from any kind of impact or rock chip. It was not there yesterday. This is a huge safety issue due to the suddenness and size of the crack right down the center of the windshield and then branching off to both the driver side view and the passenger side. Difficult to see while driving to work and very worried that the crack will continue to expand. I’m contacting the dealership where I purchased the car in June of 2024.