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Subaru · NHTSA safety record

2019 Subaru Outback

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 1,034 safety complaints about the 2019 Subaru Outback with the US government. Of those, 24 describe a crash, 2 mention a fire, 18 people were injured and no death is recorded. 3 recall campaigns are open against it, covering the gasoline fuel system and the body structure.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 363 complaints, 35% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 10,188 miles, the median across the 469 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers August 2018 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

1,034 complaints on file

1,034

Complaints

24

Describe a crash

2

Mention fire

18

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

Complaints halved year on year: 27 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 78 in the twelve before.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 363 · 35%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 326 · 32%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 204 · 20%
VISIBILITY 63 · 6%
ENGINE 39 · 4%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 36 · 3%
STEERING 36 · 3%
STRUCTURE 27 · 3%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 26 · 3%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 23 · 2%
SERVICE BRAKES 21 · 2%
LANE DEPARTURE 18 · 2%
0 146 292

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 1,034.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2020 at 230.

244 183 122 61
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2018 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2019 Subaru OUTBACK, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SW AWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 17.4%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

3 on file

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

21V587000 · July 29, 2021

The defect
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.
The risk
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.

Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 175,968 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

20V218000 · April 16, 2020

The defect
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.
The risk
If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
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.

Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 188,207 vehicles across all model years covered

STRUCTURE

19V493000 · June 26, 2019

The defect
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.
The risk
In the event of a crash, the reduced strength of the vehicle body may increase the risk of injury.
The remedy
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.

Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 2,107 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

4 injured · crash · towed

While turning left from left turn lane, eyesight failed to detect oncoming traffic resulting in right front side impact. No warning, no braking action. This is an advertised safety system supposedly designed to prevent this type of accident. In addition, passenger side airbag deployed (no passenger in the passenger seat) but driver side airbag did not deploy. Newton's third law of motion says both should deploy. Significant injury occurred to the driver as a result.

NHTSA complaint 11688632. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

2 injured · crash · towed · 50 miles

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT AN ISSUE WITH WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE BRAKING SYSTEM IN THE 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING NORTHBOUND ON THE DALLAS NORTH TOLL WAY, AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 65 TO 70 MPH, I TAPPED ON THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN FOR THE UPCOMING DECLINE. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR SUDDENLY AND ABRUPTLY STOPPED. IT WAS AS IF THE BRAKES "LOCKED", I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. WE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE TOLLWAY AND WERE UNABLE TO ACCELERATE THE CAR. WE WERE HIT FROM BEHIND. THE STOPPAGE WAS SO SUDDEN THAT IT RESULTED IN A THREE-CAR COLLISION. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AFTER THE COLLISION. THE POLICE OFFICER INSTRUCTED ME TO TRY TO DRIVE THE

NHTSA complaint 11171019, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 5,700 miles

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND WAS HIT FROM THE REAR, TOTALING MY 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. BOTH MY DAUGHTER AND GRANDDAUGHTER REPORTED HITTING THE DASHBOARD OR THE WINDSHIELD. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND THE DRIVER'S HEADREST ENDED UP ON THE DRIVER'S LAP. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE FRONT AUTO WAS ABOUT TO START FORWARD OR HAD STARTED FORWARD WHEN THE SIGNAL LIGHT HAD JUST TURNED GREEN.. THE POLICE REPORT IS ATTACHED, WITH A LETTER FROM THE MERIDIAN, IDAHO POLICE DEPARTMENT. MY CONCERNS ARE 1) SHOULD THE AIRBAGS HAVE DEPLOYED AND 2) SHOULD THE DRIVER'S HEADREST HAVE DETACHED FROM THE SEAT? IF THE DRIVER'S CONTACT INFO IS NEEDED, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

NHTSA complaint 11343356. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed

I was involved in a car crash where another car crashed into me at an angle and hit the driver side door and part of the front and the wheel air bag not deploy. The side air bags did. I was going 30, this other car was going 40-50 mph.

NHTSA complaint 11706222. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
Subaru has a tsb for a steering rack pinion rattle noise problem front end rattle, Subaru refused to repair it

NHTSA complaint 11766804. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The Starlink infotainment touchscreen in my 2019 Subaru Outback Touring has progressively failed. Visible bubbles have formed under the glass, consistent with screen delamination. The screen registers phantom inputs on its own without being touched ("ghost touch"), changing settings, and interrupting functions while the vehicle is being driven. The touchscreen has now become completely unresponsive to actual touch input. Because the head unit controls and displays the backup camera, this failure interferes with the rear visibility display when reversing, creating a safety concern. The ghost inputs also present a driver distraction while the vehicle is in motion. I first documented this

NHTSA complaint 11761781, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

crash · towed

My complaint/safety issue is that while I was in my 2019 Subaru Outback, I experienced Unintentional acceleration. While waiting for the large chain-link fence at my storage unit to open, the Outback raced into the gate! I had one foot on the brake waiting for the gate, then I stomped the pedal with both feet, and I held that position while the car smashed through the gate. This happened in July of 2021. I don't recall if I shut the car off or if it just finally came to a stop. I was terrified to drive it for fear of it happening again, but this time hitting a person in a crosswalk! I did take the car to Subaru, and they said that they would go through it thoroughly. After one month, they

NHTSA complaint 11756599, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY

40,250 miles

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH the front windshield cracked approximately 6 inches from the heat sensor, no warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was contacted however the vehicle was not diagnosed as the contact was advised that the vehicles VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,250.

NHTSA complaint 11754601. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Driver controls for windows do not work for front windows .. Can not put windows down. Therefore if window on passenger side or driver side gets foggy, can not lower to see out Dealer has stated that there is dirt in window. Not dirt , bad window motor per my experience. This has been occurring for about 2/3 years.

NHTSA complaint 11751582. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The touch screen monitor which controls the audio system, navigation, phone, and other car systems has delaminated. It turns on and off, makes phone calls, switches car systems like the audio, and turns off navigation. At best, it is a very annoying distraction. At worst, it is a safety issue when the screen is making emergency phone calls, canceling navigation, or turning on and off constantly and beeping and causing distraction to the driver. It is possible to turn the entire screen off, but it then randomly comes back on. A safety recall has been issued for 2018 but not 2019 Subaru Outbacks. I strongly urge you to consider a safety recall for the 2019 Subaru Outback as the very common

NHTSA complaint 11748449, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Subaru Outback

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 81 0 —
2024 102 0 —
2023 89 2 —
2022 464 4 —
2021 296 4 —
2020 899 6 —
2018 812 3 —
2017 917 4 —
2016 643 4 —
2015 510 5 —
2014 208 10 —
2013 297 12 1
2012 292 16 —
2011 652 16 —
2010 360 18 —

Other 2019 Subaru models

Forester 833 Ascent 441 Crosstrek 284 Impreza 194 Legacy 123 WRX 30

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Subaru on this site — 99 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst