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.
Steering, Dec 6, 2019
VEHICLE STEERING IS DANGEROUS...VEHICLE SUDDENLY LUNGED HARD RIGHT THEN HARD LEFT ...ALL WHILE IN MOTION ON THE ROAD ABOUT 35 MPH...WAS VERY PERPLEXED AND I'M SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE NOW...AFTER GOOGLING MAKE & MODEL RECALLS EARLIER YEARS HAD STEERING ISSUES RECALLED...PERHAPS THIS IS THE CASE FOR THIS VEHICLE? TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE...
Visibility/wiper, Dec 6, 2019
WE SUSTAINED A CRACKED WINDSHIELD FROM A SMALL STONE IMPACT WHILE TRAVELING AT 60MPH ON A MULTI-LANE HIGHWAY. THE ROAD AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE GOOD, WITH NO OBVIOUS DEBRIS ON ROAD, AND ONLY PASSENGER CARS IN FRONT AND NEXT TO US SUGGESTING STONE MAY HAVE COME FROM ANOTHER CARS TIRE TREAD. THE IMPACT LEFT A SMALL (~1MM) CRATER ON PASSENGER SIDE ABOUT MID-WAY UP AND ~2 INCHES FROM EDGE, BUT GENERATED A CURVED CRACK NEARLY A FOOT IN LENGTH (AND STILL EXPANDING) AND REACHING ALL THE WAY TO THE EDGE OF WINDSHIELD. I OWNED A 2007 SUBURU FOR OVER TEN YEARS PRIOR TO THIS VEHICLE AND SUSTAINED MANY MINOR GRAVEL IMPACTS ESPECIALLY POST-WINTER STORM AND NEVER SUSTAINED DAMAGE REQUIRING WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT. LIKEWISE WITH OVER 40-YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH NUMEROUS CARS I HAVE NEVER SEEN A WINDSHIELD FAIL GIVEN IMPACT BY SMALL STONE. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE COMPONENT AND PRESENTS SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. THE COST FOR REPLACEMENT IS HIGH BECAUSE SENSORS REQUIRE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FROM SUBURU AND CHANCE OF SUBSEQUENT FAILURE IS ALSO HIGH GIVEN REPLACEMENT WOULD LIKELY ALSO BE DEFECTIVE.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 3, 2019
VEHICLE HAD TWO SPONTANEOUS CRACKS WITHIN THE FIRST 1700 MILES OF USE.
Power train, Nov 23, 2019
UNKNOWN ORIGIN. CURRENTLY APPROXIMATE MILES 12500. TRAVEL 450-550 MILES PER WEEK, 400-450 MILES ARE HIGHWAY MILES. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10,000-11,000 MILES I STARTED NOTICING A HIGH-PITCHED SQUEALING/WHINING ONLY WHILE IN MOTION. IT STARTS AROUND 20-30 MPH, AND EITHER GOES AWAY OR BECOMES UNNOTICEABLE AFTER ~50 MPH. COULD NOT PINPOINT WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. WHEN SCHEDULING REGULAR MAINTENANCE, DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED OF NOISE. AT THE TIME OF MAINTENANCE, SERVICE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATED SAID NOISE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT IT WAS THE CARRIER BEARING. HE DID NOT MAKE IT SOUND URGENT, THAT IT WAS "MORE OF AN ANNOYANCE RIGHT NOW" AND WOULD CAUSE "MORE SERIOUS ISSUES EVENTUALLY ".
Visibility/wiper, Nov 19, 2019
LESS THAN 5 MONTHS OLD AND THE WINDSHIELD RANDOMLY STARTING CRACKING ON PASSENGER SIDE UNDER VIPER. I HAVE NOT KNOWN ANYTHING TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK HAS NOW MOVED OVER THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 16, 2019
BROKEN WINDSHIELD. THERE HAS BEEN NO IMPACT AND THERE IS NO SIGN OF IMPACT YET MY WINSHIELD ON A 5 MONTH OLD CAR IS CRACKED. ITS APPROXIMATELY 10 INCHES AND CIRCULAR FROM THE TOP DOWN BEHIND THE REARVIEW MIRROR. I NOTICED THE CRACK WHILE PARKED. POSSIBILITY AFTER GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH. ALSO THE HEAT FROM BEING PARKED ON THE HOT DRIVEWAY MAY HAVE BROUGHT OUT THE FLAW.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 11, 2019
WINDSHIELD HAS SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED TWICE IN 6 MONTHS, ONCE WHEN DRIVING DOWN AN IN TOWN ROAD, ONCE WHEN SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT ALL DAY WHILE I WAS AT WORK.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 11, 2019
WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED DURING THE YEAR'S FIRST FREEZE. CAR WAS GARAGE PARKED AND NO IMPACT OCCURRED. SUBARU PROVIDES NO SUPPORT FOR THIS ISSUE, SO I'M JUST GOING TO DRIVE AROUND WITH A BROKEN WINDSHIELD AND TAKE ON THE ASSOCIATED RISKS.
Other or unspecified, Nov 8, 2019
AFTER OWNING 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK FOR 6 MONTHS, WASHING IT I FOUND 6 TO 7 CHIPS SCATTERED AROUND THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED DUE TO LIVING IN FLORIDA, NOT WANTING TO TAKE ANY CHANCES. I DRIVING VEHICLES FOR MORE THAN 45 YEARS, I DON'T THINK THAT I HAD 6 CHIPS ON ALL THE VEHICLES COMBINED. I BELIEVE THAT SUBARU HAS INFERIOR QUALITY WINDSHIELD GLASS.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 8, 2019
THE VEHICLE HAS HAD WINDSHIELD CRACKS APPEAR THREE TIMES IN THE SIX MONTHS WE HAVE OWNED IT (PURCHASED NEW). BOTH THE DEALER AND THE GLASS REPAIR SHOP INDICATE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL. IN THE FIRST TWO INSTANCES, THERE WAS A MINOR IMPACT WITH A SMALL PEBBLE OR BIT OF SAND AT CITY SPEEDS (LESS THAN 40 MPH) AND IN THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT, THE CRACK APPEARED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT OBVIOUS IMPACT WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH. NONE OF THE IMPACTS WERE SUFFICIENT, IN MY ESTIMATION, TO CAUSE DAMAGE SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD, BUT, IN ALL CASES, THE CRACK SPREAD ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD WITHIN MOMENTS. BASED ON OTHER REPORTS ON THE INTERNET, IT WOULD APPEAR THE WINDSHIELD ON THESE VEHICLES IS POORLY DESIGNED AND/OR MANUFACTURED, CREATING A SAFETY ISSUE.
Other or unspecified, Nov 6, 2019
WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STATE HIGHWAY ON 9/26/19 AT 55 MPH MY PASSENGER AND I HEARD A SMALL LITTLE TICK SOUND AND SHE SAID, "THAT'S THE SAME SOUND MY CROSSTREK MADE ON MONDAY WHEN IT CHIPPED AND CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD". SO WE STARTED LOOKING AROUND THE WINDSHIELD AND SURE ENOUGH NOW MINE WAS CHIPPED AND CRACKED AT 5 WEEKS OF AGE, BOTH VEHICLES WERE BOUGHT NEW. THEN A FEW WEEKS LATER, 10/12/19, ON AN INTERSTATE AT 70MPH ANOTHER SMALL, INSIGNIFICANT TICK AND I START LOOKING AROUND AND AGAIN, SAME THING. YESTERDAY (AS OF THIS POST) ON A STATE HIGHWAY AT 55MPH, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME THIS TIME THE SAME SMALL TICK SOUND YET ANOTHER CHIP AND CRACK! I'VE HIT BUGS HARDER THAN THESE HITS THAT ARE PRODUCING CHIPS AND CRACKS!! BOTH MY 2019 CROSSTREK AND 2019 OUTBACK NOW HAVE MULTIPLE CHIPS AND CRACKS IN THEIR BRAND NEW WINDSHIELDS AND NONE OF THEM ARE FROM LEGITIMATE IMPACTS WITH A STONE OR ROCK.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 6, 2019
I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND HAVE DRIVEN IT LESS THAN 6,000 MILES. IT WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH NO CRACKS OR DINGS IN IT AS OF TWO DAYS AGO AND COMING OUT TO MY CAR THIS MORNING THERE IS NOW AN 18 INCH HAIRLINE CRACK. THERE IS NO IMPACT AREA AND NO ROCKS HAVE HIT MY WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING IT. I HAVE TO BELIEVE THIS IS SPONTANEOUS BREAKAGE, ESPECIALLY READING THESE OTHER COMPLAINTS. THE WINDSHIELD HAS NOT BEEN TOUCHED AND THE WEATHER HAS BEEN MILD. THIS IS UNREAL.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 6, 2019
THE FRONT WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. IT WAS SNOWING, WE HAD THE WIPERS GOING AND THE VENTS TO DEFROST ON. ON OUR 3 MINUTE DRIVE TO WORK, WHILE WE WERE STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT THE CRACK FORMED, AND THEN SPREAD. IT COVERS NEARLY THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE WINDSHIELD. AT FIRST WE THOUGHT IT WAS A WATER STREAK - BUT IT DID NOT FOLLOW THE PATH OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. WE DID NOT HIT A ROCK OR A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THERE WAS NO DEBRIS ON THE ROAD, THERE WAS NO HAIL, THERE WAS NO REASON TO EXPLAIN THE CRACK. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE SUBARU DEALER WHICH WE PURCHASED THE CAR. THEY TOLD US THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER OUR WARRANTY AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW WINDSHIELD FROM SUBARU AND THEN HAVE IT INSTALLED BY THEM. WE NEEDED TO DO THIS SO THEY COULD RE-CALIBRATE THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM. I AM INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATED THAT A 2019 VEHICLE REQUIRES SUCH AN EXPENSIVE WINDSHIELD REPAIR AFTER NO FAULTY DRIVING OR CLEAR INCIDENT THAT CAUSED DAMAGE. WE WERE QUOTED $1700 TO REPLACE AND RECALIBRATE.
Exterior lighting, Nov 5, 2019
HEADLIGHTS ARE AIMED TOO HIGH. ACCORDING TO SUBARU THIS CAN'T BE ADJUSTED. THIS IS THEIR STEERING ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHT. I GET HIGH-BEAM BLINKED BUT TOO MANY ONCOMING CARS. ON DARK NIGHTS I CAN SEE THEIR ANGLE IS UP NOT DOWN TOWARD ROAD. I SEE GREAT BUT ONCOMING MUST BE DIFFICULT. YOU MUST BE ABLE TO HAVE ABILITY TO ADJUST.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 5, 2019
THE WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED IN OCTOBER OF 2018 WHILE DRIVING ON I-64 ON MY WAY TO WORK. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED AND AGAIN CRACKED IN NEARLY THE SAME LOCATION IN DECEMBER OF 2018 WHILE DRIVING ON I-64. THIS WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED AND IN JULY 2019 CRACKED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON I-70.
Structure, Visibility/wiper, Nov 4, 2019
WINDSHIELD IN MY VEHICLE CRACKED TWICE WITHIN 11 MONTHS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE DUE TO LITTLE OR NO CAUSE. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE WINDSHIELD OUT OF MY POCKET.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 3, 2019
THE WINDSHIELD HAS TAKEN MORE ROCK CHIPS AND CRACKS THAN ANY OTHER WINDSHIELD I'VE HAD. I WAS TOLD I HAD TO HAVE MY WINDSHIELD REPLACED BY THEIR CERTIFIED GROUPS DUE TO THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM AND THEY WANTED ME TO REPLACE MY BRAND NEW WINDSHIELD FOR $1500. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR IN JULY. SEPTEMBER A ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND IT WAS ON A SUNDAY AND THERE WASN'T A REPAIR SHOP OPEN ON SUNDAY AND WHEN I CAME OUT THE THE CAR MONDAY MORNING IT SPREAD OVER 2 FEET. I'M RELUCTANT TO REPLACE SINCE I KNOW I WILL CATCH ANOTHER ROCK AS SOON AS I SHELL OUT WAY TOO MUCH FOR GLASS.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 3, 2019
WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN MULTIPLE PLACES. FIRST CRACK OCCURRED 1 WEEK AFTER PURCHASE OF BRAND NEW VEHICLE. MULTIPLE CRACKS OCCURRED OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING. LAST TWO SIGNIFICANT CRACKS OCCURRED WHILE CAR PARKED.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 1, 2019
I WAS DRIVING MY BRAND NEW SUBARU OUTBACK 2019 WITH LESS THEN 1200 MILES ON IT AND I NOTICED A CRACK IN THE CENTER BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK WORKED IT'S WAY UP FROM THE BOTTOM. I DID NOT HEAR OR SEE ANY IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD. I IMMEDIATELY REPORTED THE ISSUE TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND SUBARU OF AMERICA (SR #:1-46794058270). THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MY LOCAL DEALER WAS CONVINCED THE GLASS CRACK WAS CAUSED BY AN IMPACT AND SAID THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT. I HAD TO GO THROUGH INSURANCE TO GET THE REPAIRS FIXED. THERE SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT WITH THESE WINDSHIELDS THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED.
Air bags, Oct 31, 2019
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHEN CHARGING SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 9 PHONE WITH STAPLES CHARGER PLUGGED INTO 12V SOCKET. THIS IS NOT ONLY HAPPENING IN MY SUBARU. I RENTED A 2019 NISSAN PICK UP AND THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED. THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ARE: ARE THE AIRBAGS STILL FUNCTIONAL WHEN THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. IS IT AN ISSUE WITH THE SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 9. IS IT AN ISSUE WITH A QUICK CHARGER PLUGGED INTO THE 12V SOCKET. SINCE IT HAPPENED ON 3 CARS (2 DIFFERENT SUBARUS, NISSAN TRUCK), MY ASSUMPTION IS THE PHONE, CHARGER OR COMBINATION OF THE TWO. HAPPENS WHEN I PLUG THE PHONE IN, WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, I'M USUALLY IN MOTION. DOESN'T MATTER CITY, HIGHWAY, TURNING, ETC. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING REGULARLY FOR SOME TIME.
Electronic stability control (ESC), Visibility/wiper, Oct 31, 2019
I BOUGHT MY BRAND NEW 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK ON MAY 19, 2019. ON AUGUST 9, 2019 (82 DAYS AFTER BUYING THE VEHICLE), I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH DOWN A SIDE ROAD WITH VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC. A TINY ROCK STRUCK MY WINDSHIELD AND IMMEDIATELY CAUSED A CRACK. WITHIN MINUTES THE CRACK EXPANDED TO MORE THAN A FOOT LONG. WITHIN DAYS THE CRACK EXPANDED TO BE MORE THAN TWO FEET LONG. I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED AT THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP BY A THIRD-PARTY GLASS REPAIR BUSINESS (THAT CARTER SUBARU OF BALLARD USES FOR ALL GLASS REPLACEMENT). AFTER THE PART WAS INSTALLED, SUBARU HAD TO RECALIBRATE THE EYESIGHT CAMERAS TO ENSURE THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. THE WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT ($748.58) AND THE RECALIBRATION ($345.45) TOTALED $1,0494.03. I THOUGHT I WAS JUST UNLUCKY, HAVING CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD AND REQUIRED REPAIRS ONLY 82 DAYS AFTER BUYING THE CAR. THEN TODAY I READ AN ARTICLE THAT SAID THE WINDSHIELDS ON 2017-2019 OUTBACKS MAY BE DEFECTIVE. IF THIS IS THE CASE, I'D LIKE SUBARU TO PAY FOR MY WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT,ENT.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 29, 2019
I HAVE HAD 4 WINDSHIELD CRACKS ON MY 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK SINCE PURCHASE IN MARCH 2019. THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY ALL 4 TIMES AND WAS HIT BY A ROCK. THIS CANNOT BE NORMAL- I HAD A HONDA CIVIC FOR 7 YEARS AND 150,000 MILES AND NO CRACKS (EVEN THOUGH ROCKS HIT IT MANY TIMES).
Other or unspecified, Oct 29, 2019
WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON, LARGE CRACK ON PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON CITY STREETS WHEN THIS HAPPENED.
Structure, Visibility/wiper, Oct 29, 2019
I PURCHASED A NEW 2019 OUTBACK AT THE END OF MARCH IN 2019. IN MAY 2019, MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED, DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN JULY TO NOTE THE CRACK AND REQUEST THEY REPLACE IT SINCE IT SEEMED TO HAPPEN WITHOUT ANY IMPACT. THE CRACK BEGAN FROM THE TOP EDGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM SUBARU OR THE DEALERSHIP.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Oct 29, 2019
WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF DRIVING MY BRAND NEW 2019 OUTBACK, I HAD AN 10-TO-12-INCH CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. I AM AN INCREDIBLY CAREFUL DRIVER AND HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVING ON PAVED ROADS AT MODERATE SPEEDS. I ALSO WAS DRIVING A PASSENGER AROUND DURING THIS TIME PERIOD AND NEITHER ONE OF US HEARD A SOUND (E.G., A ROCK OR PEBBLE FLYING UP AND HITTING THE WINDSHIELD). I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE HOW I COULD HAVE GOTTEN A LARGE CRACK WITHIN THE FIRST TEN DAYS ON THE ROAD, ESPECIALLY SINCE NEITHER I NOR MY PASSENGER ENCOUNTERED ANY SORT OF ROAD CONDITION OR ENVIRONMENTAL/WEATHER CONDITION THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED IT. IT JUST MYSTERIOUSLY APPEARED IN THE WINDSHIELD ONE DAY. I HAVE BEEN CONFUSED FOR THE PAST 6 WEEKS BUT THEN I HEARD THAT THERE HAD BEEN SIMILAR ISSUES WITH SUBARU WINDSHIELDS, AND I BELIEVE MINE IS SIMPLY DEFECTIVE. I CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX IT, AND THIS REPAIR IS NOT COVERED BY MY EXTENDED 10-YEAR WARRANTY. THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP CONNECTED ME WITH SAFELITE, WHICH GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF OVER $1500 TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD.