Subaru Outback Years to Avoid
Based on federal records, the Subaru Outback years to avoid are 2023, 2020, 2015: the 2023 alone has 87 NHTSA owner complaints and 301 manufacturer service bulletins on file, led by forward collision avoidance issues. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2024 and 2022 model years.
Sources: NHTSA complaints, manufacturer service bulletins, recall campaigns, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Updated 2026-08-09 · By CarWhere Research
| Model year | NHTSA complaints | Service bulletins | Recall campaigns | Avg. price buyers paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015AVOID | 0 | 536 | 5 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | 464 | 4 | — |
| 2017 | 0 | 381 | 4 | — |
| 2018 | 0 | 420 | 3 | — |
| 2019 | 0 | 410 | 3 | — |
| 2020AVOID | 0 | 587 | 6 | — |
| 2021 | 0 | 455 | 4 | — |
| 2022BEST | 0 | 371 | 4 | — |
| 2023AVOID | 87 | 301 | 2 | — |
| 2024BEST | 2 | 210 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 69 | 132 | 0 | — |
| 2026 | 10 | 32 | 0 | $43,257 (4 deals) |
Methodology: complaint counts are owner reports filed with NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; service bulletins are manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA; counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume. Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year).
Common Subaru Outback problems by year
Across NHTSA owner complaints, the most-reported problem areas on the Subaru Outback are electrical system, equipment, power train, engine. The years below carry the highest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record.
2023 Subaru Outback: 87 owner complaints, 301 service bulletins, 2 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: forward collision avoidance, electrical system, unknown or other.
2020 Subaru Outback: 0 owner complaints, 587 service bulletins, 6 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: electrical system, equipment, power train.
2015 Subaru Outback: 0 owner complaints, 536 service bulletins, 5 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: equipment, electrical system, power train.
2024 Subaru Outback: cleanest recent federal record (2 complaints, 210 bulletins).
2022 Subaru Outback: cleanest recent federal record (0 complaints, 371 bulletins).
Know what to pay for the right Subaru Outback — then negotiate it
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FAQ
What are the worst years for the Subaru Outback?
Based on federal records, the Subaru Outback years to avoid are 2023, 2020, 2015: the 2023 alone has 87 NHTSA owner complaints and 301 manufacturer service bulletins on file, led by forward collision avoidance issues. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2024 and 2022 model years. Counts are raw federal filings (NHTSA complaints, manufacturer communications, open recall campaigns) and are not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Subaru Outback?
Among recent model years, the 2024 and 2022 Subaru Outback show the lowest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record.
Is the Subaru Outback reliable?
The Subaru Outback's reliability varies by model year. Across 168 NHTSA owner complaints on federal record, 2023, 2020, 2015 stand out as the years to avoid, while the 2024 and 2022 model years show the cleanest records — see the year-by-year table above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Subaru Outback?
The most-reported problem areas for the Subaru Outback are electrical system, equipment, power train, based on NHTSA owner complaints. See the year-by-year table above for how these cluster by model year.
How do I check a specific Subaru Outback before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for that VIN — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for the exact model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Where does this data come from?
Three federal sources — NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), manufacturer service bulletins filed with NHTSA, and open recall campaigns — plus CarWhere's verified buyer-paid transaction prices. Counts are presented raw and refreshed regularly.