SUV · model years 2020-2024 · NHTSA recalls, complaints & NCAP ratings
Across model years 2020-2024, the Subaru Outback has
11 NHTSA recall campaigns on
record (a high number of recall campaigns for these model years) — most often the power train system,
plus 1,716 owner complaints and a NCAP overall rating of about 5/5 stars.
This is the model's recall history, not your car's status — the only way to know if a recall
is still open on your vehicle is to
check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Verify with your VIN. Recalls are issued continuously and tie to your exact vehicle.
Confirm open recalls for your Subaru Outback at
nhtsa.gov/recalls — or use our
VIN check helper. Data as of June 2026.
The most recent recall campaigns on record for 2020-2024. The remedy (repair) is free at a franchised Subaru dealer; quote the campaign number.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER · NHTSA #24V227000 · filed 2024-03-22 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.
Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-24.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH · NHTSA #23V755000 · filed 2023-11-09 · model years 2021, 2022, 2023
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Consequence: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT · NHTSA #23V647000 · filed 2023-09-21 · model year 2023
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.
Consequence: Separation of the front end of the driveshaft increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRN-23.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD · NHTSA #22V712000 · filed 2022-09-22 · model year 2022
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 Impreza and Outback vehicles. The incorrect paint clearcoat may have been applied, which can cause the windshield to be insufficiently bonded to the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 212, "Windshield Mounting."
Consequence: An insufficiently bonded windshield can detach during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Subaru will offer owners a vehicle exchange or repurchase, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 21, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-22.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM) · NHTSA #22V485000 · filed 2022-07-08 · model years 2020, 2021
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM) · NHTSA #22V473000 · filed 2022-07-01 · model year 2022
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 Outback vehicles. The engine wiring harness may have been damaged, resulting in a loose electrical connection to the engine control unit (ECU).
Consequence: A loose electrical connection to the ECU may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine wiring harness and ECU, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRC-22.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM) · NHTSA #21V955000 · filed 2021-12-09 · model year 2020
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 19, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855. Vehicles previously recalled under 19V-855 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall once available. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-21.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP · NHTSA #21V587000 · filed 2021-07-29 · model year 2020
Summary: 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.
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
POWER TRAIN:SHIFT LINKAGE/CABLE/ROD · NHTSA #21V024000 · filed 2021-01-26 · model year 2021
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2021 Outback and Impreza vehicles. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) select lever cable nut may not have been tightened properly, allowing the nut to loosen.
Consequence: A loose nut can lead to a lost of retention in the CVT select lever cable and the gear selector not functioning properly, increasing risk of crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and, if necessary, tighten the nut, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-21.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION · NHTSA #20V766000 · filed 2020-12-10 · model year 2020
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with "high" grade and "mid" grade multimedia navigation. The August 2020 over-the-air software update may have timed out without completing the installation, corrupting the data, and causing the rearview display to shutoff intermittently. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the software and, if necessary, replace the Cockpit Control Module, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRH-20.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES · NHTSA #19V664000 · filed 2019-09-18 · model year 2020
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Outback and Legacy vehicles. The brake pedal mounting bracket may have a missing or insufficiently tightened bolt.
Consequence: A missing or loose bolt may cause the brake pedal mounting area to deform over time, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal mounting bracket hardware and replace the hardware or brake pedal assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUL-97.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA, not confirmed defects. Newer model years often have fewer simply because fewer are on the road and less time has passed.
NCAP stars are federal crash-test results. A blank means that test was not separately published; "Not rated" means NHTSA did not crash-test that configuration.
How the Subaru Outback compares
Similar suvs by recall-campaign count:
Subaru Outback and peer vehicles. Source: NHTSA, model years 2020-2024.
Vehicle
Recall campaigns
Complaints
Subaru Outback (this vehicle)
11
1,716
Toyota RAV4
11
1,411
Honda CR-V
11
1,702
Chevrolet Equinox
11
656
Chevrolet Traverse
11
580
Kia Sorento
10
447
Frequently asked questions
Does the Subaru Outback have any recalls?
Across model years 2020-2024, the Subaru Outback has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns on record, most often involving the power train system. This is a recall history, not your car's status. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if any recall is still open on your specific Subaru Outback.
How do I check if my Subaru Outback is under recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN at the free NHTSA recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls). It shows any unrepaired safety recall on that exact Subaru Outback. The repair, called the remedy, is free at a franchised Subaru dealer.
How many complaints does the Subaru Outback have?
NHTSA has 1,716 owner complaints on file for the Subaru Outback across 2020-2024, of which 44 mention a crash. Complaints are unverified owner reports, useful as a signal of possible issues, not confirmed defects.
What is the Subaru Outback crash-test rating?
The Subaru Outback has a NHTSA NCAP overall safety rating of about 5 out of 5 stars across the tested model years in 2020-2024. See the year-by-year frontal, side and rollover stars on this page.
Recalls, complaints and crash-test ratings: NHTSA
(model years 2020-2024), US public domain, captured June 2026. This is a dated snapshot of a
model's history and can lag NHTSA. It is not your vehicle's recall status and is not safety advice —
always verify open recalls with your VIN at
nhtsa.gov/recalls. See the
methodology and disclaimer.