Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

89 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
9

Most reports here involve unintended acceleration. Of these, 4 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

unintended acceleration 5sudden stalling 2transmission slipping 1
A recent report: Driving at speeds around 40 and when braking to turn, the brakes jerk and feel like they are not engaging properly. It has happened to a different driver, twice both times on a 90 degree day, a few…
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Driving at speeds around 40 and when braking to turn, the brakes jerk and feel like they are not engaging properly. It has happened to a different driver, twice both times on a 90 degree day, a few minutes after the vehicle had been started and the air conditioner was running on high. After this happened we Googled the issue to see what the problem could be. The Google search shows a Subaru Service Bulletin #16-150-24R, 09/13/24, revised 12/03/24, showing our year and model of vehicle and a VIN # for all those models as TBD. The service bulletin list the exact problem that we had, and listed the AC running. The service bulletin list a fix of replacing the Transmission Control Module. This would be covered under 5 year 60K miles warranty for the Powertrain. Local Subaru dealer doesn't want to fix it because they can't replicate it by driving it. Subaru Customer Advocacy doesn't want to do anything because my VIN is not listed and they say the TSB are not for the customers to see. They refuse to let me talk with anyone further who would determine which VINs are going to be covered in this TSB.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11758281 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Worth reading
23

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

software faults 13electrical shorts 3
A recent report: Recently, in my 2023 Subaru Outback, I have been having pop-up ads for SirusXM take over my infotainment screen. The ad appears in the center, does not allow the user to interact with the screen -…
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Recently, in my 2023 Subaru Outback, I have been having pop-up ads for SirusXM take over my infotainment screen. The ad appears in the center, does not allow the user to interact with the screen - including air conditioning control and traction control selection - and will not go away until I acknowledge the ad. It has appeared when I start the vehicle and while I am driving. I contacted Subaru of America; they first told me to contact SiriusXM. I asked why I was being told to contact SiriusXM for a pop-up ad in my Subaru - of course SiriusXM wants to advertise to consumers, but why would Subaru allow them to display ads in my car whenever they chose? I own my car outright; it is neither a lease nor do I owe money on it, so I should control what sort of media is presented to me and when, and I definitely shouldn't have third party ads appearing in my car at random times without my consent. I was persistent with the Subaru of America representative, and then they claimed they would push an over-the-air software update to my car to resolve the issue, but that has not happened. Now I read that other people have been having this same issue, so I am very disappointed that Subaru would first tell me to call SiriusXM and second pretend like it was a software fluke, but I later read that hundreds of other consumers are having similar problems.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11702638 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
16

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 3 mention a crash.

software faults 12sudden stalling 1unintended acceleration 1
A recent report: Phantom Braking of Pre-Collision Braking 2023 Subaru Outback Turbo Wednesday, July 29, 2026. 9:30 am, sunny day Driving south on local city street. Brakes slammed on, car stopped, flashing yellow…
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Phantom Braking of Pre-Collision Braking 2023 Subaru Outback Turbo Wednesday, July 29, 2026. 9:30 am, sunny day Driving south on local city street. Brakes slammed on, car stopped, flashing yellow lights on left Combination Meter stating that Pre-Collision Braking was activated. There was no vehicle/obstacle/animal in the road. No parked cars, no cars backing out of a driveway. Road was completely clear. No strange shadows, no cracks in street. Pre-collision braking system hallucinated an obstacle and activated, throwing me forward into steering wheel, and dog in the back seat thrown forward into back of driver’s seat. Restarted car and drove off. Turned off system every time I drove the car until I took it to the dealer 2 days later. Problem was not reproduced by dealer . No messages or warning lights prior to incident. The repair order stated that there was a "sticky" substance on the windshield, but I had just had the car washed. I didn't notice anything on the windshield.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11754558 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
3

Most reports here involve premature wear.

premature wear 2loss of steering 1
A recent report: While driving on the highway I had my cruise control on with my driving assist turned on. My car tried to veer to the left, hard, almost into the guardrail. It had happened before but not as severe…
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While driving on the highway I had my cruise control on with my driving assist turned on. My car tried to veer to the left, hard, almost into the guardrail. It had happened before but not as severe as this time. Going highway speed, I was lucky enough no one was next to me. Someone could have got seriously injured!

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11761486 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Minor
3

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying.

airbags not deploying 1
A recent report: Problem occurred after several months of use. The chest straps will not consistently lock into position, despite the release button not being engaged. They can easily be pulled to loosen again. This…
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Problem occurred after several months of use. The chest straps will not consistently lock into position, despite the release button not being engaged. They can easily be pulled to loosen again. This does not secure the child into the seat. We have ensured that the strap mechanism is not clogged with debris. We have submitted a claim to the Nuna company. Videos of problem are available if needed.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11607089 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Worth reading
34

Most reports here involve premature wear. Of these, 2 mention an injury.

premature wear 2software faults 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while walking around the vehicle attempting to put her husband in the passenger seat, the hatchback opened independently, and they both…
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The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while walking around the vehicle attempting to put her husband in the passenger seat, the hatchback opened independently, and they both got pushed independently from the vehicle on the ground from the impact. The contact mentioned by the standers came out of the office to check on them and called 911 immediately. The contact stated that she sustained injuries to the knee and left shoulder, and her husband sustained injuries from the left elbow to the arm. Medical attention was required, and they were transported to the ER by ambulance. The contact stated that a police report was not filed. The contact stated that the failure was not diagnosed by a dealer or independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 23,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11700576 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: The back of the passenger seat is shaking uncontrollably at higherspeeds. According to my local subaru dealership all 2023 outback they have with power seats are exhibiting the same issu, while the…
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The back of the passenger seat is shaking uncontrollably at higherspeeds. According to my local subaru dealership all 2023 outback they have with power seats are exhibiting the same issu, while the manual seats do not.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11603496 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 89 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2022 and 2026, roughly 23 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.