1998 Subaru OUTBACK problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
102 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
91,486 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 59 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 18 of 102 complaints (17.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 13 | 12.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 7.8% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 4.9% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 3.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 2.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 18 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 11 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 7 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 5 |
| Air Bags | 4 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 3 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 18; Engine And Engine Cooling: 11; Vehicle Speed Control: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 7; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Air Bags: 4; Air Bags:Frontal: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 12 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 16 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 17 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 16; 100,000 to 149,999: 17; 150,000 and above: 7
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (17). 43 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 13 |
| 2002 | 13 |
| 2003 | 16 |
| 2004 | 22 |
| 2005 | 9 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
2000: 5; 2001: 13; 2002: 13; 2003: 16; 2004: 22; 2005: 9; 2006: 6; 2007: 1; 2008: 4; 2009: 3; 2010: 5; 2011: 2; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 13 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 8 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10001073 · 2002-12-17 (December 17, 2002)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED AND APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE CAN EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, VEHICLE SUFFERED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001073 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10010006 · 2003-03-18 (March 18, 2003)
THE ENGINE OVER HEATED, AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED, AND THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK ALSO THE BRAKE LIGHT AND MARKER LIGHTS WERE REPLACED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 75,462 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010006 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041305 · 2003-10-06 (October 6, 2003)
INTERMITTENTLY, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR. IT GOES INTO NEUTRAL AND WILL CONTINUE TO REV UP TO ANYWHERE BETWEEN 5500 RPM AND REDLINE BEFORE IT SHIFTS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR THE PAST YEAR. IT USUALLY HAPPENS AT LEAST ONCE EACH TIME IT IS DRIVEN. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO SUBARU OF SANTA CRUZ IN THE PAST AND THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY A PROBLEM. WHEN THE 'CHECK ENGINE' AND 'AT OIL TEMP' LIGHTS CAME ON, WE TOOK IT TO SUBARU OF SANTA CRUZ. THE DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER INDICATED THAT THE SPEED SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLAC…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041305 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10074014 · 2004-06-29 (June 29, 2004)
WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A LIGHT POLE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S DESIGNATED REPAIR FACILITY. *AK THIS WAS QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY 2-3 MORE ACCELERATIONS IN WHICH THE VEHICLE GAINED SPEED EACH TIME. THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WERE BEING SHIFTED INTO THE NEXT GEAR. *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 40,691 miles reported. Look up ODI 10074014 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10029690 · 2003-07-21 (July 21, 2003)
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL ,AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10029690 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10039680 · 2003-09-10 (September 10, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL. OWNER HAD CONTACTED DEALERSHIP ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10039680 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10136561 · 2005-09-15 (September 15, 2005)
1998 SUBARU OUTBACK - STEERING BECOMES JERKY WHEN BACKING OR GOING FORWARD AT SLOW SPEEDS AND WHILE MAKING TIGHT TURNING RADIUSES. LOCAL REPAIR SHOP CALLED A LOCAL SUBARU DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE SEEN SOME INCIDENTS OF THIS PROBLEM BUT KNOW OF NO FIX. IT WAS SAID THAT THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE. THE SUSPECTED PROBLEM IS THOUGHT DUE TO UNEVEN REGULATION OF THE WHEEL SPEED IN THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE REGULATOR AS ONE TURNS SHARPLY. IN A SHARP TURN THE WHEELS ON THE INNER CURVE OF THE TRAVEL OF PATH NEED TO TRAVEL AT A SLOWER RPM THAN …
Owner-reported narrative. 77,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10136561 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10146907 · 2006-01-04 (January 4, 2006)
THE FRONT AIRBAGS ON MY 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT WENT OUT AT 76,000 MILES WITHOUT EVER DEPLOYING OR ANY OTHER INDICATORS. THE LIGHT ON THE DASH WAS THE ONLY SIGN THAT THE BAGS WERE NO LONGER WORKING. THE DEALER SAID TWO MODULES WENT OUT. THE ONE IN THE STEERING WHEEL WILL BE OVER $300 TO REPLACE AND THE ONE IN THE FLOOR OVER $700. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT SAFETY FEATURES DON'T HAVE A LIFETIME WARRANTY. I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO HAVE THEM FIXED! *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10146907 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007058 · 2002-10-07 (October 7, 2002)
BOTH FUSES ON THE COOLING SYSTEM FANS FAILED WITHIN THE SAME DRIVE. I CHECKED THE ONE MARKED IN THE 1998 LEGACY OWNERS MANUAL FOR THE COOLING FAN AND IT WAS NUMBER 13 IN PAGE 11-7. I CHECKED FOR THE OTHER ONE AND IT WAS UNDER THE HOOD AND IT WAS NIGHT TIME AND I DIDN'T HAVE A FLASHLIGHT OR LIGHT. I COULD COUNT WHERE THE FUSE WAS AND IN THE BOOK IT STATED IT WAS # 25. I PULLED THE FUSE 25 AND IT CHECKED OUT GOOD AND I PUT IT BACK IN THE SLOT. HOWEVER, I CHECKED IN THE DAY TIME UNDER THE FUSE COVER UNDER THE HOOD AND IT INDICATES THAT FUSE #…
Owner-reported narrative. 100,147 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007058 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10170869 · 2006-10-15 (October 15, 2006)
SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. SUBARU PLAZA P.O. BOX 6000 CHERRY HILL, NJ 08034-6000 ATTN: CUSTOMER/DEALER SERVICES RE: SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK VIN [DELETED FOR PRIVACY] TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT A SITUATION WITH OUR OIL AT TEMP WARNING LIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN OUR PAYING $130 FOR A FALSE POSITIVE WARNING ABOUT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. AFTER THE WARNING LIGHT APPEARED, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CARLSEN SUBARU. THEY PERFORMED THE DIAGNOSIS AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IN FACT, THEY SAI…
Owner-reported narrative. 79,252 miles reported. Look up ODI 10170869 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10507047 · 2013-04-04 (April 4, 2013)
ON MARCH 19, 2013, I WAS RETURNING TO MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT AFTER PICKING UP MY OUTBACK FROM BLOOMINGTON ACURA SUBARU, BLOOMINGTON, MN AFTER A CLUTCH REPLACEMENT WHEN THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM HAD A TOTAL FAILURE RESULTING IN A NEAR CATASTROPHIC COLLISION WITH SEVERAL VEHICLES. THIS VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR EVALUATION. DEALER INSPECTION CONFIRMED THAT THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LINE BY THE FUEL TANK PROTECTOR HAD EXCESSIVE CORROSION RESULTING IN SEVERE FLUID RELEASE THUS NOT ALLOWING THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM TO PROPERLY PRESSURIZE RESU…
Owner-reported narrative. 168,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10507047 at NHTSA ↗