2009 Subaru Outback Airbags Problems

The airbag light stays on all the time.

NHTSA ID

11720674

Incident

Dec 31, 1969

airbag light is on.

NHTSA ID

11717564

Incident

Feb 12, 2026

Car stalling at stops. Received a report on all work done on this car stating issues with catalytic converter and that Subaru repaired before I bought the car. I also had loss of all brakes when the lines leaked out November 2022 . I had brakes repaired cost of $1000.so far since buying this car I have not been able to drive the car because of the stalling issues.

NHTSA ID

11501460

Incident

Nov 19, 2022

DASHBOARD IS VERY STICKY AS THOUGH MELTING. NOTICED FOR OVER A YEAR NOW AND GETTING WORSE.

NHTSA ID

11364902

Incident

Jun 1, 2018

Mileage

100,000 mi

WENT TO LOCAL SUBURB DEALERSHIP AND WAS EXPECTING A FREE LOANER VEHICLE BUT WAS NOT AND THAT WAS IN THE RECALL SO THEY LOCAL DEALERSHIP DID NOT DELIVER THE SERVICE THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO FIX FOR THE RECALL!

NHTSA ID

11245213

Incident

Aug 20, 2019

WHILE DRIVING THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. IF CAR IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED IT GENERALLY STAYS OFF. RESEARCH STATES THAT THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF THIS LIGHT IS ON WHEN AN ACCIDENT. THIS APPEARS TO BE DUE TO PART NEEDING TO BE SOLDERED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. SUBARU SHOULD RECALL THE VEHICLES INVOLVED. THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY CARS.

NHTSA ID

11154040

Incident

Nov 26, 2018

Mileage

114,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL I COMPLIED WITH THE RECALL BY TAKING IT TO KENDALL SUBARU IN EUGENE, OREGON ON MARCH 1, 2018 AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. I HAD SPOKEN TO ONE OF YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT THIS AND SHE GAVE ME A RA#1271579.

NHTSA ID

11144981

Incident

Mar 1, 2018

WHEN CAR IS RUNNING, THE RED AIIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ON DASHBOARD CONSOLE STAYS ON. A SUBARU DEALER MENTIONED THE CONTROL MODULE (CIRCUIT BOARD) IN THE OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT CONSOLE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE FOUND THAT THE SOLDERING ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD IS FLIMSY AND PRONE TO CRACKING. APPARENTLY THERE IS A DANGER THAT THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF THE WARNING LIGHT IS ON.THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ONLINE FORUMS THAT DETAIL OTHERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THE FORUMS RECOMMENDED FIX IS TO APPLY SOLDER. HERE IS ONE EXAMPLE: HTTP://WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG/FORUMS/109-GEN-3-2005-2009/42574-2006-OBW-AIRBAG-LIGHT-MY-FIX.HTML

NHTSA ID

11098473

Incident

May 1, 2018

Mileage

115,000 mi

TL-CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK -- VEHICLE HAS 113,000 MILES ON IT AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR TWO WEEKS HAS NOT GONE OFF SINCE . -- 0 RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VIN TK HOLDINGS POSTCARD CB

NHTSA ID

11063762

Incident

Sep 8, 2017

Mileage

113,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL: NO ISSUE YET BUT SCARED TO DRIVE CAR -TKA-16

NHTSA ID

10995462

Incident

Jun 16, 2017

MY AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD HAS BEEN TURNING ON AND OFF WITH NO APPARENT CONSISTENCY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY. SOMETIMES, ITS ON, SOMETIMES NOT, I MADE AN APPT TO TAKE IT TO A SUBARU DEALER, MONTHS AGO, THEN A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE, IT WENT OFF AND STAYED OFF FOR MANY WEEKS. (I HAD CANCELLED THE APPT.) THEN IT CAME ON AGAIN, SO I TOOK IT TO A SUBARU DEALER THAT DAY AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS A PROBLEM WITH THE OVERHEAD MAP LIGHT ASSEMBLY. THEY SCANNED THE SYSTEM AND FOUND CODE 26. APPARENTLY THE AIRBAG SENSOR RUNS THROUGH THAT ASSEMBLY AND THERE IS A CONNECTION THAT WEARS OUT AND BECOMES DISCONNECTED, RESULTING IN THE AIRBAG NOT BEING ABLE TO DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED. THE SUBARU SERVICE REP SAID THAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE MADE MANY OF THOSE REPAIRS. UPON RESEARCHING THIS ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM AND THAT SUBARU DEALERS CHARGE BETWEEN $200-$500 TO REPAIR THIS. THERE ARE ALSO VIDEOS AND INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO FIX THIS BY TAKING APART THE ASSEMBLY AND RE-SOLDERING THE CONNECTION. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TO SUBARUS THAT HAVE LOW MILEAGE AS WELL AS SOME WITH HIGHER MILEAGE. MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS SEEM TO COME FROM PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN AREAS WHERE IT IS VERY COLD IN THE WINTER, WHICH IS MY CASE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WHEN ILLUMINATED THE AIRBAG WILL NOR DEPLOY. THIS NATURALLY SCARES PEOPLE SO THEY OPT FOR THE REPAIR ASAP. THIS APPEARS TO BE A FREQUENT PROBLEM AND IS A GRAVE SAFETY CONCERN THAT SUBARU SHOULD ADDRESS. I BELIEVE THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED!

NHTSA ID

10983507

Incident

Jan 3, 2017

Mileage

85,000 mi

I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WHERE WE PURCHASED THIS CAR.THEY TOLD ME THEY DO HAVE THE PARTS BUT ARE NOT FIXING ALL CARS SO I AM ON A LIST AND CAN NOT GET MY CAR IN FOR MANY MONTHS. MEANWHILE MY HUSBAND AND CHILDREN STILL DRIVE THIS CAR. THEY SAID IN AUGUST APPROX. 6 MONTHS AFTER I TRIED TO GET THEM TO FIX IT WE ARE ON THE SCHEDULE.

NHTSA ID

10969851

Incident

Feb 17, 2017

THE RED LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD (WHERE THE SPEEDOMETER IS) FOR DRIVER'S AIR BAG COMES ON WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GOES BELOW ABOUT 44 DEGREES. IT STAYS ON 95% OF THE 8 WINTER MONTHS. I BOUGHT THIS USED (2014) FROM A DEALER, AND TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT IT. HE SAID UNLESS IT COMES ON 100% OF THE TIME, THEN DONT WORRY ABOUT IT. I CAME BACK 1 TIME AND COMPLAINED AGAIN, HOPING A "SENSOR CHECK" MIGHT BE COVERED SINCE I HAD BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON IT. HE AGAIN SAID "DONT WORRY ABOUT IT." -- THE PASSENGER RED LIGHT ON THE OVERHEAD BOX ALSO STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. IT DOES NOT FLASH OR BEEP UNLESS I HAVE SOME HEAVY BOXES ON THE SEAT, SO I IGNORE IT. I AM JUST WORRIED THAT NEITHER AIR BAG WILL WORK IN AN EMERGENCY. I CANNOT GET AN ANSWER (OR SEARCH) THAT ANSWERS THAT. IT IS FRIGHTENING. WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED, AND WHEN MOVING, THIS HAPPENS. ONLY SHUTTING THE CAR OFF SHUTS OFF THE LIGHT. SPEED, MOVEMENT OR STREET DOES NOT AFFECT IT. IT DOES NOT FLICKER; IT STAYS ON.

NHTSA ID

10945224

Incident

Oct 1, 2014

Mileage

40,000 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" 9/7/2016 VOICE MAIL SVC.MGR @ LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP ([XXX]), NO REPLY 9/12/2016 CALLED SVC REP TOOK VIN, WILL HAVE SVC ADV CALL ME. 9/13/2016 SVC. ADV. [XXX] CALLED ME - BACK ORDERED AIRBAG, WILL CALL ME BACK. 10/28/2016 CALLED [XXX] DEALERSHIP FOR STATUS, THEY NEVER RETURNED MY CALL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10937232

Incident

Sep 7, 2016

Mileage

95,000 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V358000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10934699

Incident

Sep 2, 2016

AIR BAGS HAVE BECOME DISABLED DUE TO EITHER THE SWITCH IN THE SEAT OR IN THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE. THE ENGINE ALSO CONSUMES AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF OIL (HAS SINCE NEW) ABOUT 2 QUARTS EVERY OIL CHANGE OR 3000 MILES SOMETIMES MORE

NHTSA ID

10928352

Incident

Feb 28, 2012

Mileage

300 mi

TAKATA RECALL. ON 7/29/16 WE RECEIVED NOTICE OF THE RECALL FROM SUBARU OF AMERICA. WE CONTACTED HANSEL SUBARU IN SANTA ROSA TO SCHEDULE THE REPLACEMENT. THEY SAID THEY DID NOT HAVE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS AND PUT US ON A WAITING LIST. I'VE TRIED TO CALL THEM AGAIN 10/13/16 & LEFT VOICE MESSAGE, SENT THEM EMAIL 10/14/16. HANSEL IS NOT RETURNING CALLS OR ANSWERING CALLS TO THEIR SERVICE DEPT. I CALLED THE SUBARU OF AMERICA NUMBER TODAY, 10/17/16 AND ONLY GOT A BUSY SIGNAL. AS INSTRUCTED, WE ARE NOT USING THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS A REAL INCONVENIENCE AND WE ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THE DELAY IN GETTING THE REPLACEMENT..

NHTSA ID

10916526

Incident

Jul 29, 2016

Mileage

75,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY DURING HOT WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR FAILED. THE MECHANIC DID NOT SPECIFY IF THE AIR BAG MODULE OR INFLATER WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID

10908423

Incident

Sep 11, 2016

Mileage

200,000 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V358000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10898156

Incident

Aug 2, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V358000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10892413

Incident

Aug 2, 2016

TAKATA RECALL: I RECEIVED NOTICE OF THIS RECALL ON JULY 27, 2016. WITHIN TWO HOURS OF RECEIPT I WENT TO CLASSIC SUBARU OF ATLANTA (7700 ROSWELL RD., ATLANTA, GA) TO DROP OFF MY CAR FOR THIS RECALL. I WAS TOLD THAT THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER UNTIL DECEMBER 2016 AND THAT UNTIL THEN I SHOULD CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ANYONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. OVER FIVE MONTHS LEAD TIME TO REPAIR A KNOWN SAFETY RISK SHOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE.

NHTSA ID

10891884

Incident

Jul 27, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED FROM BEING DRIVEN, THE ENGINE REMAINED ABNORMALLY HOT AND THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS CONSISTENTLY ILLUMINATING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN RESTARTED AFTER BEING DRIVEN AND PROGRESSED DURING HUMID WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 1/19/16 LN THE DEALER FOUND A CODE INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. THE DEALER REPLACED THE MAP LIGHT ASSEMBLY WHICH INCLUDED THE AIR BAG CONTROL ELECTRONIC MODULE. UPDATED 03/29/16*JB *CN

NHTSA ID

10790280

Incident

Sep 1, 2014

Mileage

50,000 mi

THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATES (COMES ON) RANDOMLY WHEN DRIVING. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. OCCASIONALLY, TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE & RESTARTING CAUSES THE LIGHT TO TURN OFF. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10746512

Incident

Mar 15, 2015

Mileage

70,503 mi

PROBLEM 1: EXPERIENCED REAR WIPER (STATION WAGON) NOT WORKING. CAR STILL UNDER WARRANTY, TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE WIRING HARNESS THAT GOES THROUGH THE HINGE AREA WAS BROKEN. IT WAS REPAIRED. NOW THE CAR HAS 72,000 MILES AND I AM HAVING REAR WIPER PROBLEMS AGAIN AS WELL AS THE REAR DOOR NOT LOCKING. WIRES FRAYED AND BROKEN AGAIN. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BOTH WITH SUBARU AND ON THE FORUMS ON THE WEB. THIS IS A POOR DESIGN AND POSSIBLY DANGEROUS AS IT CAN CAUSE THE REAR LIGHTS TO FAIL. FAILURE TIME FRAME WAS ALMOST DOUBLE MILEAGE FROM THE PREVIOUS FAILURE. (35,251 - 72,000). PROBLEM 2: AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. HAVE HAD IT TO THE MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES TO BE CHECKED OUT AND RESET. THIS IS ALSO A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SUBARU AND ON THE WEB FORUMS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THE AIR BAGS COULD FAIL TO DEPLOY. SUBARU MAY SAY THE AIRBAGS ARE A "SECONDARY" SAFETY FEATURE, BUT TO ME THEY ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10679625

Incident

Jan 16, 2012

Mileage

35,251 mi

"AIR BAG" WARNING LIGHT IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL (COMBINATION METER) IS ON. THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS COME ON SINCE IT HAS BEEN COLD OUT. IT KEEPS ON EVERY COLD DAY. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IF POSSIBLY NOT DEPLOYING THE SRS TO PROTECT DRIVER AND PASSENGER IN A COLLISION. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPORTED BY MANY DRIVERS OF SUBARU, BUT SUBARU COMPANY IS STILL NO RESPONSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10651873

Incident

Nov 1, 2014

Mileage

56,789 mi