2022 Subaru Outback Owner Complaints

In September 2026, after a jump start, my vehicle's battery emitted a strong sulfur/rotten-egg odor, indicating overheating and overcharging. I was advised to shut it off immediately. The vehicle is now undrivable and parked, and I am concerned it presents a fire risk. This is the latest failure of a chronic electrical defect documented in the dealer's own repair orders since early ownership: •⁠ ⁠March 16, 2023 (4,985 mi): vehicle needed a jump start. Dealer tested the battery, said it passed, and blamed my driving habits. •⁠ ⁠May 16, 2023 (5,503 mi): vehicle again needed a boost. Battery failed the dealer's test and was replaced under warranty; dealer cited Subaru bulletin 07-213-22R. •⁠ ⁠August 4-8, 2025 (15,188 mi): vehicle again needed a boost. Battery failed the dealer's DCA8000 test (low CCA) and was replaced a second time. A dark-current draw test found the Telematics Data Communication Module (DCM) causing a parasitic draw (code B2A0C); the DCM was replaced. When I arrived to collect the vehicle after being told it was repaired, it would not start in the dealer's own shop. Subaru paid for the DCM repair as one-time goodwill while stating it was not covered by warranty. These repair orders understate the frequency: throughout ownership the vehicle needed a jump start roughly 80-90% of the times I used it, even the day after being driven, and I used roadside assistance several times. I believe this matches the known parasitic battery drain defect on 2021-2022 Subaru vehicles (control modules, including the DCM, failing to enter low-power sleep mode), the subject of pending class action litigation (Taylor v. Subaru of America, No. 2:26-cv-4935) and Subaru technical service bulletins. My dealer replaced the implicated module, the problem recurred, and the vehicle has now had an overcharging event that left it undrivable.

NHTSA ID

11764582

Incident

Jan 1, 2022

During normal vehicle operation, the castle nut came off the control arm causing it to disengage from the wheel. It is currently with the dealer for inspection and service. They still have not confirmed if this and the associated damage will be covered under the extended warranty. I have also reached out to Subaru of America as this is a safety concern and is same as the recall on the 2023 model.

NHTSA ID

11760978

Incident

Aug 26, 2026

My 2022 Subaru Outback Premium has had repeated intermittent stall/no-start events. The exact failed component is UNKNOWN, but the issue appears related to the fuel system, engine control, electrical system, or heat-related sensor/relay failure. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The first event occurred while parked: the engine shut off/would not start, while the dashboard and screen remained powered. After about 30 minutes, it started again. A later event occurred while driving: the engine suddenly shut off, but the dashboard and infotainment screen stayed on. I could not restart the engine for about 10 minutes. When it restarted, the vehicle would not accelerate past about 30 mph, suggesting reduced-power/limp mode. This created a serious safety risk because the vehicle lost motive power while in traffic. The vehicle was taken to a Subaru dealership. The dealer diagnosed the high-pressure fuel pump as failing and replaced it under the powertrain warranty. About one month later, the same issue occurred again while parked: the vehicle shut off, all dashboard warning lights illuminated, and it took several minutes before it would restart. The dealer then stated the battery was weak and replaced the battery. The new battery tested good after replacement. One week later, the issue returned again. A consistent pattern is that the problem occurs when it is hot outside and the vehicle has been running for more than one hour. The vehicle has been inspected by a Subaru dealership multiple times. The problem has not been reliably reproduced by the dealer, but the dealer previously confirmed a failing high-pressure fuel pump and later a weak battery. Warning lamps appeared at the time of failure, including multiple dashboard lights/check engine-type warnings after the engine shut off. There were no consistent warning messages before the stall/no-start events.

NHTSA ID

11757581

Incident

Aug 17, 2026

I am submitting a complaint regarding the battery in my 2022 Subaru Outback. The original battery failed after only approximately 2½ years of normal use. This issue became a serious safety concern when my vehicle stopped at a traffic light at a very busy intersection and died. I was unable to safely move the vehicle and felt that I was in a dangerous situation because of the surrounding traffic. I was so concerned for my safety that I had to call 911 for assistance. After experiencing battery problems, it was determined that my Subaru Outback needed a larger, higher-capacity battery. This raises concerns that the original battery supplied with the vehicle may not have been adequate for the vehicle’s electrical demands. I do not believe a vehicle of this age should experience a battery-related failure that leaves the driver stranded in an active intersection and creates a potentially dangerous situation. I am requesting that Subaru issue a recall On model year 2022 Subaru Outback. Im requesting a reimburse for the costs I incurred as a result of replacing the original battery. Most importantly, I believe Subaru should address whether this battery issue presents a safety risk to other Subaru Outback owners, since a sudden loss of vehicle operation in traffic could potentially result in a serious accident. Unfortunately, the problem did not end there. Roughly a year and a half after the replacement battery was installed, I had to replace the battery again. Having multiple batteries fail within such a relatively short period of time makes me concerned that there may be an underlying issue with the vehicle’s electrical or charging system rather than simply a problem with the batteries themselves Thank you for your time

NHTSA ID

11756543

Incident

Oct 19, 2024

When traveling eat 6-65 mph and needing to merge and stepping on the gas pedal all the way the car would just sit there and do nothing for 1-2 seconds. this was not a one off situation. The car would do this regularly until I found out subaru had a fix for the transmission software. I recently had to pay to have this done even though my car was still within the powertrain warranty because Subaru said it is maintenance .

NHTSA ID

11754982

Incident

Apr 30, 2022

Vehicle is exhibiting signs of a possible design defect which causes windshields to prematurely crack, break, or shatter. My vehicle is a 22 Subaru Outback that when bought new, in the first week of ownership developed a windshield crack that the dealer ship refused to replace under warranty. We worked a deal out and were responsible for a percentage of the repair on our part, and they replaced the windshield. The 2nd Windshield cracked after a few months, no visible impact this incident either. We had it replaced, and this would be our 3rd windshield (we tried another brand of glass called FUYAO). Now this 3rd windshield suddenly cracked again, without a sign of impact. vehicle has about 38,000 miles and considering the driving conditions and care the vehicle experiences, i believe it to be some sort of design defect which will crack any new windshield within several months.

NHTSA ID

11753956

Incident

Jul 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the message "EyeSight Disabling" was displayed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle then lost motive power and was unable to restart. The contact called 911, and two bystanders assisted in pushing the vehicle to a Jiffy Lube. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the battery had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon research, the contact associated the failure with the engine. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

NHTSA ID

11752666

Incident

Jul 20, 2026

Mileage

58,000 mi

I parked my 22 Subaru Outback in my enclosed garage about 11:00 AM. I was in and out of the garage at least five times between 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM and in a room next to the garage the rest of the time. At 6:00 PM I went into my backyard. Upon returning inside the house about 7:30 PM I heard the car running in the garage. The car had remotely started sometime between 6:00-7:30.The keys had been hanging up all day and were not touched. My phone had been placed on a shelf and was also untouched between 6:00-7:30. There was no explanation for why the car started in the garage. Fortunately it wasn't while we were asleep. We took the car to the dealer the next day and were told it was impossible for the car to start under the conditions described above and there was nothing wrong with the car. Although we never had issues with the car previously We drove it from that dealer to another dealer down the road and traded the Subaru for another car so we no longer own it. I just wanted to report it in the event this is not an isolated incident.

NHTSA ID

11752413

Incident

Jul 13, 2026

While day driving on a clearly marked interstate in slightly hazy weather from fires, the car suddenly, unprompted, steered to the left without any warning or any indicators going off. This caused the car traveling at highway speed to crash into a barrier wall, drive half way up before driver could regain control of the steering and then spun out across 4 lanes of traffic. Driver said cars lane assist was on and it was ping ponging for a moment before it suddenly steered to the left unprompted causing the crash. A witness behind stated they saw the car behave the same as did the two passengers in the car.

NHTSA ID

11751418

Incident

Jul 16, 2026

I was driving and I heard a crack on my windshield.

NHTSA ID

11749906

Incident

Jul 11, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and coming to a stop, the vehicle then failed to accelerate or drive forward. While depressing the accelerator pedal, the engine revved excessively to approximately 7,000 RPM, but the vehicle failed to respond. The failure reoccurred consistently after coming to a complete stop. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The dealer was notified of the failure on several occasions but was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 157,777.

NHTSA ID

11746719

Incident

May 1, 2025

Mileage

157,777 mi

On May 19th 2026 around noon time, while we (me and my wife passenger) were driving my 2022 Subaru Outback Touring (2.5L, non-turbo) in active congested traffic on our way to airport, the engine shut off as expected by the Auto Start-Stop system when I came to a stop. When I released the brake pedal to proceed, the engine failed to automatically restart. The vehicle became immobilized in a live traffic lane, creating a serious safety hazard with traffic backed up behind me and oncoming vehicles unable to predict my situation. No warning lights or alerts preceded the failure. After shifting to Park and pressing the ignition button multiple times, the engine eventually restarted. There was no prior history of stalling, no check engine light, and the battery and vehicle have been maintained per Subaru's schedule. This is a critical safety defect: a vehicle that disables its own engine in traffic and fails to restart on demand puts the driver, passengers, and surrounding traffic at immediate risk of rear-end collision. The Auto Start-Stop system should never leave a vehicle stranded in a live roadway. The vehicle is available for inspection. I have/have not yet taken the vehicle to a Subaru dealer for diagnosis.

NHTSA ID

11746625

Incident

Jun 19, 2026

On June 15th 2026, I was at a red light and the Auto Start-Stop feature shut off the engine. When light turned green, my car lost power and started rolling downhill. During this rolling downhill, the brakes stopped working, I was unable to engage parking brake, and I wasn't able to do anything except find a place to safely use gravity to slow the vehicle down. If the hill was steeper, this scenario could have been deadly. It was so scary, I called 911 for assistance but got lucky I was able to stop the car before there was an accident. It turns out the battery didn't have enough power to allow the vehicle to restart and if this happens when the Auto Start-Stop feature is engage you lose the ability to use the brakes. I spoke to the local dealership and acknowledge that is a problem.

NHTSA ID

11744690

Incident

Jun 15, 2026

This car has had 3-5 windshield replacements since 2022. I bought the car new. It (a) cracks for no reason or (b) cracks if a tiny pebble size rock taps the windshield. Additionally, I took the car in to get an alignment as the steering wheel is pulling left. Guy tells me driver front strut is defective / blown / poorly mounted and that he has seen this issue with a lot of Subaru’s. Also that they are aware of the problem and replacing the struts in the 24 and 25’s. Also, I already had to replace the starter, as the started went out after having the car for 2.5 years. Subaru seems to be selling lemons and I hope to be getting rid of mine soon.

NHTSA ID

11742554

Incident

Jan 1, 2022

Recently, the 2022 Outback my mom drives has been having some strange electrical issues. About a year-or-so ago the battery in her outback died. Not unusual in Arizona. I replaced it with an upgraded AGM (Interstate) version—same group, same cranking power. No issues. Recently, after an oil change at the dealer, she called back to report that a “Check Engine” light had come on. She was told that she probably had not put the gas cap on properly. Gas cap was on properly; light went off the next day. A few days later the Auto Stop/Start (ASS) feature started acting up (not functioning). A few days later the ASS turned the engine off and did not restart automatically—in the middle of heavy traffic during rush hour. The ASS light came on. The engine started manually, and we got it home. Battery was dead the next morning. I charged it up and took the car to the local mechanic for a quick assessment. The battery was fine, charging, but the car threw a Code: P0871 Transmission Fluid Pressure Sensor Switch. This mechanic told us that there was a Technical Service bulletin through Subaru that addressed this issue but was also aware that it could be caused by the ASS killing the battery OR other electronic modules which fail to enter sleep mode—which would also cause random lights to come on. An appointment was made to take the car into Peoria Subaru, thinking it would be something they could diagnose easily. It had previously been in for the routine oil change with the inspection. When we dropped the car off, I provided the Advisor the code and a associated TSB for the code. We got the car back that day and were told the following: The tech found that the car currently has a “Aftermarket” AGM battery. Subarus require a “Enhanced Flooded Battery” which would explain multiple codes found for loss of communications and parasitic battery drain--for systems that don't go to "sleep" when the car is not running.

NHTSA ID

11742391

Incident

May 22, 2026

I was in start and stop traffic in the left lane of a fast highway. The feature that shuts the battery on and off when starting the car was turned on. Upon trying to move, the battery decided to die and I was stranded in traffic. I needed to get towed out of there and the car needed a jump.

NHTSA ID

11741463

Incident

May 31, 2026

I have a meticulously maintained 2022 Subaru Outback LTD that has now had 3 out of 4 OEM installed wheel bearings replaced due to failure with less and/or near to 40,000 miles on the vehicle. The power train has a warranty until 2027, however, I felt that this is a recall worthy event and asked Subaru of America to either extend the powertrain warranty or replace the one remaining, original bearing. Case # 260430-1901212 They will not replace it after many email exchanges and escalations. Having had a older car with a bearing seizing and tearing off from the vehicle into oncoming traffic, I feel this warrants notification.

NHTSA ID

11740345

Incident

May 1, 2026

while driving , simultaneously radio sound stops working randomly and cell phone connected to car play sound stops working

NHTSA ID

11739496

Incident

Dec 31, 1969

Parasitic drain on battery. Can be available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ID

11739157

Incident

May 20, 2026

After highway driving for 50 miles, stopped for a red light. Engine died but all lights stayed on. Sat 5 minutes with dead engine and when I tried again, the car started. Drove 1 mile to next light and it happened again. Went to Auto Zone (it was a Sunday and dealerships were closed) and they tested the battery which was 100%. Two days later, drove car for 10 minutes then parked for errand; 15 minutes later, car wouldn't start. Let it sit for a minute and it started right up. This happened 8 months ago (engine died at stop light after having been driven 30+ miles) but Subaru dealership could find nothing wrong. Also, radio speakers randomly will blast so loud it startles and distracts everyone in the car.

NHTSA ID

11739030

Incident

May 17, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while coming to a stop on several occasions, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed that the battery was functioning properly. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 36,249.

NHTSA ID

11735108

Incident

May 1, 2026

Mileage

36,249 mi

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving and coming to a stop, there was an abnormal oil-burning odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer determined that there was an oil leak coming from the lower oil pan. There was oil dripping onto the exhaust system, creating a potential fire hazard. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 53,400.

NHTSA ID

11734535

Incident

Jan 14, 2026

Mileage

53,400 mi

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was a whining sound coming from the transmission, and the vehicle was jerking while driving. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID

11731926

Incident

Jan 1, 2024

Mileage

45,000 mi

The component that failed is the cowl panel weather stripping/seal located at the base of the windshield on my 2022 Subaru Outback. The material is visibly peeling and deteriorating despite the vehicle having only approximately 23,000 miles. The defective component is still installed on the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. While this issue has not yet caused a direct accident, it creates a potential safety concern due to possible water intrusion and degradation of sealing integrity in an area critical to protecting components beneath the windshield. Over time, this could lead to visibility issues, corrosion, or damage to surrounding systems. The issue has been confirmed by an authorized Subaru dealership, which inspected the vehicle. Subaru of America also reviewed the case in coordination with the dealership. Subaru of America has acknowledged that design changes were made to the cowl panel in later model years, but denied assistance for my vehicle. The manufacturer concluded—without providing specific evidence—that the failure was due to “outside influence and environmental factors.” The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives, as no accident has occurred. There were no warning lamps, messages, or prior indicators before the failure. The deterioration appears to have developed prematurely under normal usage conditions. Given the low mileage, the visible material failure, and the existence of design revisions, I believe this issue is consistent with a premature failure and potential design or material defect, rather than environmental wear.

NHTSA ID

11730063

Incident

Jan 1, 2025

I am reporting a critical safety failure involving an improperly installed (wrong year) passenger-side airbag in my 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness, which was negligently missed for nearly two years by multiple Subaru service departments. This is a pervasive life-safety defect and an extensive failure in manufacturer inspection protocols. Chain of Negligence: 1. Initial Misleading Certification: Shortly after my purchase, the vehicle underwent a "certified" multi-point safety inspection at a Subaru retailer in Ohio, which negligently certified the vehicle as safe with a critical safety defect present. 2. Systemic Dealer Misdiagnosis: Over the subsequent nearly two years, I took my vehicle to multiple other Subaru dealership service departments, actively showing them a persistent visual misalignment of the passenger-side trim. Despite active complaints, no dealership took the proper time to diagnose the underlying cause, and they missed the critical safety defect. 3. Discovery by Chance: Critically, there were no warning lights, messages, or other electronic indicators. The only symptom was the visual misalignment. The true cause was only traced back to the wrong part after I personally spoke with a Subaru parts department team member who was resourceful enough to figure it out. This finding was subsequently officially certified as correct by the service team at Mike Shaw Subaru, which finally provided documentation that the component was incorrect. Safety Risk: The incorrect airbag component poses an immediate and incalculable life-safety risk, as its deployment behavior is unknown and potentially compromised. This unaddressed safety risk was allowed to continue for nearly two years due to repeated inspection failures. Manufacturer Response Failure: Subaru of America has been formally notified of this systemic safety defect and the complete failure of their retailer network’s inspection protocols. After missing multiple self-imposed deadlines, they continue t

NHTSA ID

11727605

Incident

Jul 15, 2024