Owner complaints
292NHTSA recordsUSED VEHICLE RESEARCH
2021 Subaru Outback
Is This A Good Car? organizes available NHTSA-derived research for the 2021 Subaru Outback. This page includes owner complaint records, safety recall campaigns, manufacturer communications, defect investigations, and information about the completeness of the available evidence.
DATA CONFIDENCE: ModerateSubaru Outback2021 · VERIFIED IMAGE PENDING
Recall campaigns
4Year, make and model lookupManufacturer communications
0Matched NHTSA recordsInvestigations
0Matched NHTSA recordsEVIDENCE AVAILABILITY — NOT VEHICLE RELIABILITY
DATA CONFIDENCE
ModerateData Confidence measures how much usable evidence CarIQ has for this vehicle. It does not measure how reliable the vehicle is.
Why this rating?
- Owner complaint data
- Available
- Manufacturer communications
- Available
- Recall data
- Available
- Investigation data
- Available
- Production denominator
- Unavailable
- Complaint component completeness
- 100%
- Mileage completeness
- 0%
- Incident-date completeness
- 100%
DESCRIPTIVE ANALYTICS
DATA INSIGHTS
Derived from official NHTSA source records. These statistics are descriptive and are not a reliability score.
- Complaint records analyzed
- 292 NHTSA complaints
- Most reported component
- Visibility/wiper 33% of categorized complaint records
- Top-three component concentration
- 75% Records mentioning at least one top-three component
- Median reported incident mileage
- Not available from current source 0 valid mileage observations
- Recall campaigns
- 4 NHTSA recalls
- Most recent recall report
- March 22, 2024 NHTSA recalls
- Manufacturer communications
- 0 NHTSA manufacturer communications
- Most documented component
- Not available NHTSA manufacturer communications
- Top-three communication concentration
- Not available Share of categorized manufacturer communications
SOURCE COMPLETENESS
DATA QUALITY
- Complaint records analyzed
- 292
- Component classification available
- 100%
- Incident date available
- 100%
- Mileage available
- 0%
- Structured outcome fields available
- 100%
Completeness describes fields present in the retrieved complaint records. It is not a data-quality grade or a vehicle assessment.
Learn about CarIQ methodologyPRODUCTION-ADJUSTED DESCRIPTIVE METRIC
NORMALIZED COMPLAINT CONTEXT
Production-normalized complaint data is not currently available for this vehicle.
This metric compares the number of NHTSA owner complaint records retrieved by CarIQ with NHTSA-reported production volume for the corresponding vehicle population.
It is not a vehicle failure rate. Complaint reporting behavior, vehicle age, time on the road, production definitions, and other factors can affect the result.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Early Warning Reporting, Light Vehicle Production Data. Read the methodology.
OFFICIAL NHTSA OWNER COMPLAINT DATA
OWNER-REPORTED COMPLAINTS
COMPONENT CATEGORIES
A complaint may list more than one component and therefore contribute to multiple categories. Percentages show the share of categorized complaint records that mention each component—not the percentage of vehicles affected. Category percentages may overlap.
INCIDENT REPORTS BY YEAR
Grouped from complaint records with a valid incident date.
RECENT OWNER COMPLAINTS
Electrical System · Unknown or Other
Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11754037Read complaint narrative
My 2021 Subaru Outback suffered a failure of the Oil Control Valve (OCV), a sealed Subaru component with no maintenance interval, no inspection procedure, and no preventative service. This failure allowed engine oil to migrate into multiple wiring harnesses and modules, causing extensive electrical contamination. This is not normal wear and tear. It is a latent defect in a Subaru component. Due to the failure of this sealed component the Subaru dealership and a second independant shop have recommended replacing the entire electrical wiring harness at over and estimated $15,000. Even if the entire harness is repalaced the extensive contamination may find its way into electrical connectors even after replacement of the harness. The fact that this contamination was so wide spread, and there were absolutly no warnings that indicated the widespread contamination is alarming. I guess the thought is that different electrical components could just stop working. This seems like a serious safety concern. It is impossible to know how long the contamination was spreading through the car since there are no errors or warnings that indicated an issue.
Vehicle Speed Control · Back Over Prevention · Forward Collision Avoidance
Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11748480Read complaint narrative
I was already parked in a spot in a public parking lot. I tapped the accelerator pedal to move the car a few inches. The vehicle responded by violently accelerating, hitting a vehicle directly in front of me in another parking space. I applied my brake but the car would not stop. The force of the acceleration pushed the car out of the it's spot and it hit a curb and tree appox 30 ft away. In defensive move I turned my wheels to the right and continue to try and brake. This caused my car to hit the car on the right side of me. Property Damage occured. No injuries. Vehicle defect.
Unknown or Other
Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11744188Read complaint narrative
First battery drain in car. Bought a new battery and it drained again for the second time. Called Suburu to ask about a parasitic drain from the DCM and they said it was likely that and told me to call Suburu America. Did that but they wanted me to take it to a Suburu dealer to get the problem verified. I don’t have the $ to do that. I notice there is a class action in court right now for this exact problem.
Air Bags · Unknown or Other
Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11739672Read complaint narrative
We are VERY concerned about the failure of some very important safety features of our 2021 Subaru Outback Touring Edition. We were involved in a bad car accident caused by a person under the influence who was in handcuffs when we were taken away by ambulance. As you can see by the photos, there was MAJOR damage to the other car and significant damage to ours. What is most concerning is the fact that NONE of the airbags deployed and the safety and security plan also failed - it did not call 911. I had to find my phone on the floorboard and call 911 myself. I am not sure if the insurance company will call it a total loss but I really don't think I want the car back BECAUSE of the failures of these very important safety features. I truly feel like Subaru has some explaining to do on this.
Unknown or Other
Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11736398Read complaint narrative
The battery zapped out in December of 2024 in the wintertime and left me stranded. Subaru towed it the next morning and replace for free only bc I mentioned the previous law suit but the battery issue is the same
Power Train · Engine
Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11736441Read complaint narrative
Thermo Control Valve Failure- Contact Subaru of Cherry Hill, NJ for Inspection 177,4XX Miles P26A5 code Check engine Light on, Disabled Safety Systems (Eyesight System), Car may have overheated if not pulled over and turned off. Part of warranty extension but did not qualify due to mileage.
Steering · Suspension · Unknown or Other
Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11735647Read complaint narrative
I am filing this complaint regarding multiple serious safety defects in my 2021 Subaru Outback purchased in July 2021, currently at 48000 miles THERMO CONTROL VALVE FAILURE (26,307 miles) While traveling in the center lane on [XXX] southbound in [XXX] the evening of 1/6/2024 my vehicle suddenly experienced a complete loss of control. It seemed that the car was accelerating and braking at the same time without driver input making it impossible to operate safely. It started shaking and several lights were illuminated on the dashboard, power steering was not working. The car coasted to the right shoulder and starlink was used to call for help. The car was towed to the dealership for repairs. The diagnosis was a failed thermo control valve and related sensor circuit. There were no dashboard lights before the incident that fore shadowed this event. This failure rendered the vehicle completely inoperable at highway speed and posed and extreme risk to the safety of the driver, passenger and other motorists. I am aware that Subaru has extended the warranty on the thermo controls valve to 15 years/150000 miles for 2020-2022 Outback’s which suggests that Subaru had knowledge of the defect. Since the incident several other premature “wear” defects have presented under 48000 miles on a 2021 vehicle: - 41,402 miles: driver side rear strut replaced - 41,402 miles: rear brake pads and rotors - 41,402 miles: driver side front window motor, regulator and run Chanel - 41808 miles: rear knuckle assembly, rear wheel bearing and backing plate replaced - 45,768 miles: front brake pads and and rotors replaced - 48,000 miles: complete exhaust system - 48,000 miles: passenger side front window motor, regulator and run chanel This vehicle has proven to be uncharacteristically unreliable for a Subaru Outback. The intended use for this vehicle is for my children to drive to college nearly 600 miles from home in the fall. This car is not appropriate for this purpose. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical System · Unknown or Other
Owner-submitted NHTSA complaint · ODI 11732036Read complaint narrative
This 021' outback XXX purchased in 023'/ 24k Mi Freehold subaru. freehold NJ 'if purchased new would've been on the desk of a local lemon law attorney by now. Over the few years the lock unlock function of key fobs stubbornly, randomly & repeadedly dont work. Freehold subaru saw no problem. Front passenger window months ago wouldn't go up. Freehold subaru supposed repaired at a cost to me. Recent cold weather with a brand new battery of 6 Mos old rendered the car unable to start or boost. Vehicle towed to Freehold tire center st freehold NJ, replaced a $400 battery. brought the 6 mo. old battery back to auto zone who load tested and advised nothing Wrong w battery? Not to mention the sub standard BS feature of coming to a stop, foot on brake & engine stopping-starting when proceeding? this is something of concern of being rolled over by an approaching truck in the rear of this 021' outback because 3 times when stopping at a red light the engine shut off and when proceeding, foot off the brake the engine wouldn't re-start & all the indicators on instrument cluster lit up, had to restart the car. Recent event where my wife, [XXX] old legally disabled- primary driver comes out of a store, starts the outback, puts in reverse to back out of a spot and the car dies. This vehicle is being brought into Freehold subaru south st. Freehold NJ Tues morning Apr. 21st 026' south st and is not being picked up due to it being unsafe to operate. Until all the issues are corrected. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaints are reports submitted by vehicle owners and other consumers. Complaint counts do not represent the percentage of vehicles affected and do not by themselves establish that a safety defect exists.
A higher complaint count can partly reflect how many vehicles were sold, vehicle age, and other factors. CarIQ does not yet normalize complaint counts by vehicles sold.
Data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This site is not endorsed by NHTSA.
OFFICIAL NHTSA MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION DATA
MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATIONS
No NHTSA manufacturer communication records were returned for this year, make, and model.
Manufacturer communications include service bulletins and other technical information submitted by manufacturers to NHTSA. The existence or number of communications does not establish how often a condition occurs or whether an individual vehicle will experience it.
Some manufacturers may issue more detailed service documentation than others, so communication counts should not be used alone to compare vehicle reliability.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration manufacturer communicationsNATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
NHTSA DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS
No applicable NHTSA defect investigation records were returned for this year, make, and model.
NHTSA investigations evaluate potential motor-vehicle safety defects. The existence of an investigation does not by itself establish that a safety defect exists, and the absence of an investigation does not establish that a vehicle is problem-free.
Open and closed describe NHTSA's process status, not a CarIQ reliability judgment.
View official NHTSA investigation data ↗DESCRIPTIVE SOURCE OVERLAP
CROSS-SOURCE VEHICLE DATA
CarIQ compares categories appearing across independent NHTSA datasets. Overlap can help identify areas with more available documentation, but it does not establish defect frequency or prove that an individual vehicle will experience a problem.
| Component | Owner complaints | Manufacturer communications | Recall campaigns | NHTSA investigations | Official sources containing records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 97 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 of 4 |
| Electrical System | 73 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 of 4 |
| Unknown or Other | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 of 4 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 of 4 |
| Engine | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 of 4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 of 4 |
| Air Bags | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 of 4 |
| Power Train | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 of 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 of 4 |
| Visibility | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 of 4 |
Displayed first by the number of source categories containing the component, then by owner complaint count, then alphabetically. This is a presentation rule, not a vehicle ranking. Complaint reports, manufacturer communications, recalls, and investigations describe different events and are never added into a combined total.
- complaint
- Available
- communication
- Available
- recall
- Available
- investigation
- Available
- production
- Unavailable
OFFICIAL NHTSA SAFETY RECALL DATA
SAFETY RECALLS
4 recall campaigns found
01AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGERCampaign 24V227000March 22, 2024
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.
Safety 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.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
02POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCHCampaign 23V755000November 9, 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.
Safety 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.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
03POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)Campaign 22V485000July 8, 2022
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.
Safety 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.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
04POWER TRAIN:SHIFT LINKAGE/CABLE/RODCampaign 21V024000January 26, 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.
Safety 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.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Recall results shown here are based on year, make, and model. A specific vehicle may or may not be affected. Check the vehicle's VIN with NHTSA to confirm open recalls before purchasing. Data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
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