2019 Subaru Outback Airbags Problems

The driver lost control of the vehicle, possibly due to a failure involving the rear driver's-side tire. The vehicle initially made contact with the guardrail, causing moderate damage to the driver's side. Following this impact, the vehicle began to fishtail, and the automatic braking system activated. The driver recalls being thrown about within the seat during the incident, as the seat belt's emergency locking retractor appeared to fail. The seat belt did not lock during the collision sequence, which is supported by the absence of visible bruising across the chest area. Prior to the vehicle's final impact with the embankment, the seat belt unexpectedly released and struck the driver on the right cheek, resulting in visible bruising. Upon the final impact, after the seat belt had released, the driver was lifted from the seat and struck her head against the door frame. The vehicle's airbags did not deploy at any point during the crash. There were no warning messages, alerts, or noticeable symptoms indicating a mechanical issue prior to the incident. The vehicle has since been towed to a local body shop for a damage assessment and further inspection.

NHTSA ID

11744208

Incident

Jun 12, 2026

I was involved in a car crash where another car crashed into me at an angle and hit the driver side door and part of the front and the wheel air bag not deploy. The side air bags did. I was going 30, this other car was going 40-50 mph.

NHTSA ID

11706222

Incident

Dec 18, 2025

While turning left from left turn lane, eyesight failed to detect oncoming traffic resulting in right front side impact. No warning, no braking action. This is an advertised safety system supposedly designed to prevent this type of accident. In addition, passenger side airbag deployed (no passenger in the passenger seat) but driver side airbag did not deploy. Newton's third law of motion says both should deploy. Significant injury occurred to the driver as a result.

NHTSA ID

11688632

Incident

Jul 31, 2025

According to my Subaru service technician the Occupant detection control module is faulty on my car. Research has found that this is a known problem with 2020-2022 Subaru outbacks that is under recall. I believe the recall should be extended to include the 2019 year model because a faulty occupant detection module means that the air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash which is a serious safety concern.

NHTSA ID

11652831

Incident

Apr 4, 2025

After driving 5 miles or so, the Air Bag indicator light goes on. After stopping for 10 minutes for shopping, etc., Y starting the car again the light is out until I drive a few more miles & then the light comes on again. This started last week when it was very cold here. Today, it was in the 50s & the same thing happened. I have not contacted the dealer yet because of the inconsistency. I have to search the internet more to see if others are having the same problem.

NHTSA ID

11567860

Incident

Jan 16, 2024

SRS Safety Issue: 2019 Subaru OUTBACK Limited purchased New on Jun 2019 from Austin Subaru in Texas. NO Accident or minor collision AT ALL. SRS warning light illuminate since Jan 2023, three and half years after purchase. No other warning light illuminate before. Front Passenger Seat SRS malfunction and falsely detect present or absent of passenger. The on/off status even alters during the vehicle operations. The airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied. Such safety issue greatly increasing the risk of injury or potential death to the front passenger in case of accident. Repair hx: On March, 2023 Vehicle has been brought up to Brandon Tomes Subaru for diagnosis and service provider recommended to replace front passenger seat sensor. This issue has been informed Subaru American. Inc for safety concerns and requesting repair cost coverage. The case has been procrastinated till April and cost is not fully covered. After brought the vehicle to a local Auto-Repair shop to replace the Sensor and completed the calibration by an Subaru Technician, the SRS still persists. I am keeping working on repairing and expecting more cost. Strongly recommended RECALL for 2019 Subaru Outback SRS safety Issue. Similar recalled before 2015-18MY Forester: Occupant Detection Wiring Harness Inspection.

NHTSA ID

11518595

Incident

Jan 16, 2023

I own a 2019 Subaru Outback Touring. This is the second Subaru Outback I have owned. In Aug of 2022, my windshield cracked out of nowhere. The crack came up from the center and spread out across the windshield. I had it replaced at the Subaru dealership in which I bought the car. Everything seemed fine until 12/23/22, when we got some heavy rain and I get in my car only to see water steadily dripping inside via the vehicle the left A-pillar on the front drivers side. I return to the dealer where it turns out that there was a problem with the brand new factory-brand windshield that was replaced in August, and it had been slowly leaking water into my car over those 4 months, resulting in massive damage to the airbag system, electrical system, among other things. These damages came to over $10,500. The water had gathered under my carpets and padding and started growing mold. All of this needed to be replaced. This was the third time I had to replace a windshield on the two Subarus that I have owned. Due to this, I have been without a vehicle for over 60 days now. It has caused me incredible stress, time out of work, and money. I am a caretaker for my paraplegic father who has also suffered due to my being without a vehicle to care for him, run errands, and food shop for him. Throughout my research, I have come to learn that this is a known problem in the Subaru brand vehicles yet they choose to ignore it and do nothing about it. I am not comfortable driving my car any longer, which still has electrical issues and unfortunately, I am losing trust in Subaru as a brand. It is unfortunate that they will not address this and fix this issue because I believe it is damaging their reputation. I have not been left in a good position here, with a junked car that is only 3 years old, 40k miles, and that I owe $15,000 on still, and I now need to find a new vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11510159

Incident

Dec 23, 2022

The air bag warning light has come on multiple times and I have received notice from Subaru StarLink to have the vehicle serviced. Upon taking the vehicle to multiple dealers I was advised that there is no problem detected. The vehicle was last checked out at Reedman Toll Subaru on January 17, 2023 and no problems were found. The vehicle was previously checked out at Glanzmann Subaru and again no problems were found. On January 28, 2023 the air bag light came on and I received a StarLink notification. I reported the incident to Subaru and they are looking into the possible cause.

NHTSA ID

11504225

Incident

Jan 28, 2023

2019 Outback 2.5 Limited purchased new Feb 2019. Driving car with no passengers when Airbag Warning Light and Red Exclamation light came on along with warning message to consult owners manual. Manual says the airbag system is turned off when these lights come on and take car to authorized repair center. Found pulling passenger seat belt out all the way would turn off the lights but then they would turn back on a short time later. Dealer found all harnesses where properly plugged in and no wiring damage. Dealer said vehicle needed a new front passenger occupant detection seat frame as a result of the malfunction. Service advisor stated they have seen several cars with the same fault and that our Outback was not under a manufactures recall for this problem. Dealer was well aware other Subaru models have recalls for this problem. Service advisor recommended contacting NHSTA over this problem since when the airbag system shuts down occupant safety is severely compromised if an accident were to occur. Total cost of repair was $1,922.07

NHTSA ID

11503643

Incident

Jan 16, 2023

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED HIS VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED HIS WIFE (SEATED AT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT) SUSTAINED 2 FRACTURED RIBS, 2 FRACTURED VIBRATES AND HAD SURGERY ON HER BOTH LUNGS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE INSURANCE DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TOW LOT. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,000.

NHTSA ID

11388978

Incident

Nov 20, 2020

Mileage

9,000 mi

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND WAS HIT FROM THE REAR, TOTALING MY 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. BOTH MY DAUGHTER AND GRANDDAUGHTER REPORTED HITTING THE DASHBOARD OR THE WINDSHIELD. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND THE DRIVER'S HEADREST ENDED UP ON THE DRIVER'S LAP. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE FRONT AUTO WAS ABOUT TO START FORWARD OR HAD STARTED FORWARD WHEN THE SIGNAL LIGHT HAD JUST TURNED GREEN.. THE POLICE REPORT IS ATTACHED, WITH A LETTER FROM THE MERIDIAN, IDAHO POLICE DEPARTMENT. MY CONCERNS ARE 1) SHOULD THE AIRBAGS HAVE DEPLOYED AND 2) SHOULD THE DRIVER'S HEADREST HAVE DETACHED FROM THE SEAT? IF THE DRIVER'S CONTACT INFO IS NEEDED, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

NHTSA ID

11343356

Incident

Jul 29, 2020

Mileage

5,700 mi

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHEN CHARGING SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 9 PHONE WITH STAPLES CHARGER PLUGGED INTO 12V SOCKET. THIS IS NOT ONLY HAPPENING IN MY SUBARU. I RENTED A 2019 NISSAN PICK UP AND THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED. THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ARE: ARE THE AIRBAGS STILL FUNCTIONAL WHEN THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. IS IT AN ISSUE WITH THE SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 9. IS IT AN ISSUE WITH A QUICK CHARGER PLUGGED INTO THE 12V SOCKET. SINCE IT HAPPENED ON 3 CARS (2 DIFFERENT SUBARUS, NISSAN TRUCK), MY ASSUMPTION IS THE PHONE, CHARGER OR COMBINATION OF THE TWO. HAPPENS WHEN I PLUG THE PHONE IN, WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, I'M USUALLY IN MOTION. DOESN'T MATTER CITY, HIGHWAY, TURNING, ETC. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING REGULARLY FOR SOME TIME.

NHTSA ID

11277360

Incident

Oct 31, 2019

Mileage

10,000 mi

SLOWLY PULLING STRAIGHT INTO PARKING SPOT AT GROCERY STORE. APPLIED BRAKE WHEN CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL STEERING, BUT BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. STEERED CAR INTO EMPTY PARKING SPOT IN FRONT OF ME THEN TURNED HARD RIGHT TO AVOID HITTING PARKED CARS IN ROW ACROSS. SUBARU HIT A PICK UP TRUCK THAT WAS REVERSING OUT OF A DIAGONAL PARKING SPOT. THE CAR DIDN'T STOP UPON IMPACT, INSTEAD BOTH RIGHT SIDE WHEELS CLIMBED UP THE SIDE OF TRUCK AT AN ANGLE. AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY ON IMPACT. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE ACCELERATION WAS UNCONTROLLABLE AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11244551

Incident

Aug 13, 2019

Mileage

3,000 mi