2017 Subaru Outback: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 917 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 4 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
917
Complaints
4
Recalls
32
Crash reports
3
Fire reports
25
Injuries
37.7
Severity index
Severity index 37.7 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 136 2017 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2017 Subaru Outback ranks 98 of 136 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 28% of its model-year peers. See the full 2017 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 391 | 42.6% |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 205 | 22.4% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 177 | 19.3% |
| POWER TRAIN | 47 | 5.1% |
| ENGINE | 43 | 4.7% |
| VISIBILITY | 30 | 3.3% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 28 | 3.1% |
| STRUCTURE | 26 | 2.8% |
The single most-reported system is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, cited in 391 of 917 complaints (42.6%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 44 |
| 2018 | 42 |
| 2019 | 99 |
| 2020 | 214 |
| 2021 | 260 |
| 2022 | 127 |
| 2023 | 57 |
| 2024 | 31 |
| 2025 | 23 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 13 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V910000 | 19/12/2019 | AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Outback vehicles. A replacement air bag control module may have been installed that is not compatible with the passenger air bag module, possibly affecting air bag deployment. |
| 16V576000 | 03/08/2016 | SUSPENSION | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Outback vehicles manufactured June 20, 2016, to June 23, 2016. The affected vehicles may have improperly tightened attaching bolts for the front left and right brake calipers, wheel hubs, and the right stabili |
| 16V716000 | 06/10/2016 | STEERING:COLUMN | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured September 21, 2016, to September 23, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be properly attached to the steering beam assembly. |
| 16V292000 | 11/05/2016 | STEERING:COLUMN | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.