2019 Subaru Outback: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 1,030 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 3 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
1,030
Complaints
3
Recalls
23
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
18
Injuries
24.1
Severity index
Severity index 24.1 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 123 2019 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2019 Subaru Outback ranks 98 of 123 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 20% of its model-year peers. See the full 2019 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 362 | 35.1% |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 326 | 31.7% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 203 | 19.7% |
| VISIBILITY | 62 | 6.0% |
| ENGINE | 39 | 3.8% |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 36 | 3.5% |
| STEERING | 35 | 3.4% |
| STRUCTURE | 27 | 2.6% |
The single most-reported system is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, cited in 362 of 1,030 complaints (35.1%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 118 |
| 2020 | 230 |
| 2021 | 201 |
| 2022 | 170 |
| 2023 | 129 |
| 2024 | 114 |
| 2025 | 49 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 15 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V493000 | 26/06/2019 | STRUCTURE | 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. |
| 21V587000 | 29/07/2021 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 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. |
| 20V218000 | 16/04/2020 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative. |
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.