2014 Subaru OUTBACK

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2014 Subaru OUTBACK has 275 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (15% of all complaints), specifically: with a passenger in the front seat and the seat belt fastened, the seat belt warning chime and light activated and the passenger air bag was deactivated. in a later incident, the passenger moved to the back seat and the seat belt warning chime and light continued to be activated with no one in the . ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 17 crash reports 20 injuries

275

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

41 complaints

15%

• WITH A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT AND THE SEAT BELT FASTENED, THE SEAT BELT WARNING CHIME AND LIGHT ACTIVATED AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WAS DEACTIVATED. IN A LATER INCIDENT, THE PASSENGER MOVED TO THE BACK SEAT AND THE SEAT BELT WARNING CHIME AND LIGHT CONTINUED TO BE ACTIVATED WITH NO ONE IN THE
• THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT WENT OFF WHEN NO ONE WAS IN THE SEAT. THE DEALER SAID ALL SYSTEMS WERE FINE AND THAT THIS MIGHT BE DUE TO THE SEAT AND SENSOR BEING WET OR DAMP. THIS IS NOT TRUE AS IT IS A PROBLEM AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK NOW. I WILL RETURN AGAIN TO THE DEALER BUT HAVE NO FAITH IN THEM OR
• I WAS HIT BY A 1979 DODGE PICKUP THAT RAN A RED LIGHT ON 6TH STREET WHILE I WAS DRIVING 30 MPH HEADED NORTH ON JACKSON STREET IN TOPEKA, KANSAS. IT IMPACTED MY SUBARU ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IN THE AREA OF THE FRONT FENDER AND FRONT DOOR. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED NOR DID MY SEAT BELT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 6 crashes

“WITH A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT AND THE SEAT BELT FASTENED, THE SEAT BELT WARNING CHIME AND LIGHT ACTIVATED AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WAS DEACTIVATED. IN A LATER INCIDENT, THE PASSENGER MOVED TO THE BACK SEAT AND THE SEAT BELT WARNING CHIME AND LIGHT CONTINUED TO BE ACTIVATED WITH NO ONE IN THE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

36 complaints

13%

• ZERO OIL PRESSURE (RED) INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT SAFE AND PRUDENT OPERATING SPEED. LOW OIL INDICATOR LIGHT (YELLOW) NEVER ILLUMINATED. LIGHT REMAINED ON FOR THREE MILES, ONE AT SPEED 55 MPH TO ZERO AND TWO AT 20 MPH. THEN WENT OUT. INSPECTION OF OIL LEVEL SHOWED LEVEL APPROXIMATELY ONE
• DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY BEGINS TO SMELL OF GASOLINE. SOON THEREAFTER, ACCELERATION BECOMES HESITANT AND THE LOW-FUEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES. THE VEHICLE QUICKLY BECAME INOPERABLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROAD. THE VEHICLE IS A MODEL YEAR 2014 AND WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW, L
• THERE IS A HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING, IT HAPPENS FROM COMPLETE STOPS BY STEPPING ON THE GAS, AND WHILE TURNING YOUR VEHICLE. I WAS ON A 35MPH. BACK ROAD AND WENT TO TURN LEFT ONTO A SIDE STREET, I YIELDED FOR 2 CARS AND THEN WENT INTO THE TURN AND STEPPED ON THE GAS, IT HESITATED AND THEN I WAS H

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“ZERO OIL PRESSURE (RED) INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT SAFE AND PRUDENT OPERATING SPEED. LOW OIL INDICATOR LIGHT (YELLOW) NEVER ILLUMINATED. LIGHT REMAINED ON FOR THREE MILES, ONE AT SPEED 55 MPH TO ZERO AND TWO AT 20 MPH. THEN WENT OUT. INSPECTION OF OIL LEVEL SHOWED LEVEL APPROXIMATELY ONE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

31 complaints

11%

• THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE ENGAGES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS UNDERWAY. WHEN THE FAULT IS CLEARED AND DRIVING RESUMES THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE AGAIN ENGAGES. THE MFG ( SUBARU) PROVIDES A SMALL TOOL & INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO CRAWL UNDER THE CAR, USE THE TOOL TO MECHANICALLY RELEASE THE ELECTRIC PARKIN
• THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT WHERE THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE LIGHT INDICATES THE BRAKE HAS BEEN SET & NOT RELEASED. THE CAR WAS TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP YESTERDAY (5/22/2014) FOR SAME REASON. DEALER STATED THEY SPOKE WITH SUBARU & WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANY REASON FOR THE FAULT. THEY STATED COMPUTER IND
• THIS IS AN UPDATE: DEALER CALLED US TO HAVE [XXX] DRIVE THE CAR WITH A SERVICE TECHNICIAN PRESENT ( TECH NAMED [XXX]) CAR WAS DRIVEN APROX 5-6 MILES WITHOUT INCIDENT ...SYSTEM DID NOT FAULT. DEALER TOLD US THEY HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH SUBARU TECH CENTER & COMPLETED ALL THE TEST PROCEDURES B

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE ENGAGES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS UNDERWAY. WHEN THE FAULT IS CLEARED AND DRIVING RESUMES THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE AGAIN ENGAGES. THE MFG ( SUBARU) PROVIDES A SMALL TOOL & INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO CRAWL UNDER THE CAR, USE THE TOOL TO MECHANICALLY RELEASE THE ELECTRIC PARKIN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

25 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PUMP THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RESPOND AND DRIVE NORMALLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGH
• NEW CAR. OK FIRST 200 MILES. THEN; STOPPED FOR RED LIGHT, ON GREEN PRESSED ACCELERATOR ( CONFIRMED BY VISUAL OBSERVATION, FOOT AND ACCEL. TO FLOOR ). HELD FOR 10 TO 15 SECONDS, WITH MUCH HONKING, THEN POWER RESUMED, AND I FINISHED LEFT TURN. NO WARNING LIGHTS ON DURING EPISODE, STEERING, BRAKES, AND
• THERE IS A LAG OF APPROX. 2 SECONDS LENGTH WHEN SHIFTING OUT OF REVERSE AND INTO DRIVE. THE DRIVER CANNOT MOVE THE CAR DURING THIS LAG (IN FACT, THE CAR WILL ROLL BACKWARDS IF ON A HILL). I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALER 3 TIMES, & SENT A COMPLAINT TO SUBARU OF AMERICA, AND EACH TIME THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PUMP THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RESPOND AND DRIVE NORMALLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

23 complaints

• HAVING WARMED UP THE CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR FIVE MINUTES AND HAVING DRIVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES, BRAKING SEVERAL TIMES, DRIVER APPROACHED THE STOP SIGN AT THE TOP OF THE HILL WHERE THE ROAD INTERSECTS WITH A BUSY HIGHWAY. SHE TRIED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES AND NOTHING HAPPENED. TO STOP THE
• I BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE AND THERE WAS A LONG, ABOUT 7 SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE CAR MOVED FORWARD. IT WAS IN GEAR AND MY FOOT WAS ON THE GAS BUT NOTHING HAPPENED.
• THE SUNGLASSES STORAGE COMPARTMENT DOOR OF THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE WILL NOT STAY LATCHED UP. IN THE UNLATCHED POSITION THE DOOR BLOCKS THE REAR VIEW MIRROR.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“HAVING WARMED UP THE CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR FIVE MINUTES AND HAVING DRIVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES, BRAKING SEVERAL TIMES, DRIVER APPROACHED THE STOP SIGN AT THE TOP OF THE HILL WHERE THE ROAD INTERSECTS WITH A BUSY HIGHWAY. SHE TRIED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES AND NOTHING HAPPENED. TO STOP THE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 275 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: WITH A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT AND THE SEAT BELT FASTENED, THE SEAT BELT WARNING CHIME AND LIGHT ACTIVATED AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WAS DEACTIVATED. IN A LATER INCIDENT, THE PASSENGER MOVED TO THE BACK SEAT AND THE SEAT BELT WARNING CHIME AND LIGHT CONTINUED TO BE ACTIVATED WITH NO ONE IN THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: ZERO OIL PRESSURE (RED) INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT SAFE AND PRUDENT OPERATING SPEED. LOW OIL INDICATOR LIGHT (YELLOW) NEVER ILLUMINATED. LIGHT REMAINED ON FOR THREE MILES, ONE AT SPEED 55 MPH TO ZERO AND TWO AT 20 MPH. THEN WENT OUT. INSPECTION OF OIL LEVEL SHOWED LEVEL APPROXIMATELY ONE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE ENGAGES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS UNDERWAY. WHEN THE FAULT IS CLEARED AND DRIVING RESUMES THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE AGAIN ENGAGES. THE MFG ( SUBARU) PROVIDES A SMALL TOOL & INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO CRAWL UNDER THE CAR, USE THE TOOL TO MECHANICALLY RELEASE THE ELECTRIC PARKIN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PUMP THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RESPOND AND DRIVE NORMALLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)