RoadVitals

2024 Subaru Outback

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
94
+4 complaints in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
7
4 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 94 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2024 Subaru Outback, most frequently naming the visibility, driver assistance and electrical categories. 225 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Visibility
Filed Aug 12, 2026

Large crack spontaneously formed in window whiled parked overnight. No visible indications of impact. Suspect related to it being very hot out.

NHTSA ID
11756608
Incident
Aug 12, 2026
Electrical
Filed Aug 2, 2026

My battery prematurely drained and it caused my car to not start at all. It's a new car and was checked at the dealership and was confirmed to be in perfect working order when I bought it. Not even six months of owning it and then battery died, I had to pay out of pocket for a replacement battery. I can't imagine what could've happened, had I been actively driving it. It has not been taking to a dealership to officially confirm the issue but I've seen the recent lawsuits and know my vehicle falls within the affected vehicles. There was absolutely NO warnings. My car just would not turn on. All the dash lights would just quickly flash at me and then go dark, I'd get an "Ignition on" message but couldn't do anything at all. Car would even try turning on.

NHTSA ID
11754295
Incident
Jul 14, 2026
Engine
Filed Jul 27, 2026
Fire reported

Vehicle was not accelerating properly, so took to the dealership (Mike Shaw Subaru) to have work completed. Technicians indicated that the engine valves (shim valves) all had to be replaced and other work needed to be performed such as: Intake manifold, shim valves, gasket throt chamber. After dealership assured me that all work was performed and car was okay to take home, the next time it was driven it burst into flames. After filling the tank with gas the vehicle was at a red light. Once accelerator was pushed the vehicle engine burst into flames. Unsure if it is a faulty part or incompetent technician

NHTSA ID
11753053
Incident
Dec 1, 2025
Interior & seats
Filed Jul 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer for routine service. After retrieving the vehicle, approximately two days later, while driving 30 MPH on a windy day, the hood opened unexpectedly and crashed onto the front windshield. The driver was able to close the hood. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer. The dealer determined that the hood was bent. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer provided a loaner vehicle. The manufacturer declined liability for the damages. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.

NHTSA ID
11752150
Incident
Jun 17, 2026
Mileage
32,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 11, 2026
Crash reported

Accident! Deer walked out in front of car resulting in front end collision then semi truck smashed into rear of vehicle car then spun around resulting in side impact. No air bag deployed in the vehicle. Vehicle was considered a total loss! Both individuals in the vehicle were transported to hospital and subsequently released. Vehicle was inspected by insurance adjuster and the Ohio highway patrol.

NHTSA ID
11749698
Incident
May 8, 2026
Airbags
Filed Jun 21, 2026

This is a follow-up to NHTSA Complaint #11744977 regarding the Occupant Detection System on a 2024 Subaru Outback. The passenger airbag indicator showed "off" twice, on separate drives, with two different adult passengers seated normally during regular highway driving. Shifting the seat made the light come back on both times. Since filing the original complaint, the dealer kept the vehicle for multiple weeks, opened a national technical case with Subaru, and performed a "zero-point calibration" of the ODS sensor. Subaru of America opened Case #260618-1500443. A Subaru of America specialist then told us a technician took one test drive, could not reproduce the issue, found no mechanical problem, and concluded the vehicle is "operating as designed." They suggested the original incidents may have been related to "passenger positioning," but did not identify or test any specific position. Subaru has closed the case on this basis. We do not believe a single test drive that failed to reproduce an intermittent fault proves there is no defect. The known failure mechanism in related Subaru ODS recalls — degraded sensor connections and moisture-related circuit damage — is intermittent by nature and would not reliably show up on demand. This vehicle has an unresolved passenger airbag issue that was recalibrated, not diagnosed. The case was closed without identifying a root cause. We are filing this update so the pattern is part of the record.

NHTSA ID
11745452
Incident
May 7, 2026
Airbags
Filed Jun 18, 2026

Driver and adult passenger were traveling at highway speed on the NJ Turnpike. The passenger noticed that the airbag light on the display showed "Passenger Airbag OFF" We stopped at the next rest area and found guidance online that the Occupant Detection System sometimes doesn't properly register the weight in the seat so shifting the seat could turn the airbag back on. We did this and the light did come back on. We continued our trip. Shortly after the same issue occurred again. We shifted the seat again and the light came on again. We are not satisfied that the ODS is working properly and the risk is too great to have the burden of readjusting the seat to make a sensor work properly so that airbags, which are consequential safety features, will deploy in the event of a crash. Airbags must function to protect passengers and this is not functioning correctly. The dealer said there is nothing wrong, yet we are aware of an ODS recall for prior year Subaru Outbacks that were displaying similar issues. We want this fixed so we don't have to worry. It is not safe to be traveling in a car and to have to worry about whether your air bag is turned on or adjusting a seat to hope it turns back on.

NHTSA ID
11744977
Incident
May 7, 2026
Filed Jun 3, 2026

The entertainment system is dangerous and actively so. The system pushes pop up advertisements for sirius xm among other distracting features that require taking attention away from the roadway to dismiss

NHTSA ID
11741760
Incident
May 16, 2026

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

09-123-24R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

This bulletin announces the design change made to the high-pressure fuel pump developed to prevent DTC P0087 (Fuel Rail/System Pressure – Too Low Bank 1). (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)

16-159-26

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides new diagnostic steps for DTC P0851 and P0852 to be used in conjunction with the applicable Service Manual.

07-242-26

ENGINE; STEERING

This bulletin outlines a repair procedure to be performed if DTC B2781 is set in the steering lock control module.

15-311-23R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides instruction for use (FOTA) of a new reprogramming procedure to optimize the Denso Gen 4.5 Audio and Navigation system utilized in the models listed. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin).

15-246-19R

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This Service Information Bulletin outlines a new required procedure to follow when performing immobilizer-related repairs on the vehicles listed. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)

02-193-24R

ENGINE

This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and combustion chambers). (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Subaru Outback by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026120048.4
2025710046.3
2024Viewing940044.9
2023872051.5
20224604052.5
20212934049.4
20208956049.6
20191,0323047.9
20188073050.2
20179174155.1
20166414156.3
20155085157.0
201420810053.9
201329612053.9
201229116157.6
201165116050.6
201036018049.8
200910513053.9
20082268052.0
20071298051.9
20062767047.4
20052739257.6
20049011260.9
20039315257.1
20021435049.8
20011714053.1
20002072050.3
19991111044.8
19981272049.6
1997794052.9
1996462055.2
1995210

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.