1999 Subaru OUTBACK problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
99 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
89,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 58 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 99 complaints (11.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 18 | 18.2% |
| Braking behavior | 13 | 13.1% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 5.1% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 4.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 3.0% |
| 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 | 11 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 10 |
| Power Train | 7 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 6 |
| Electrical System | 5 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 5 |
| Unknown Or Other | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 11; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 10; Power Train: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling: 6; Electrical System: 5; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 5; Unknown Or Other: 5; Vehicle Speed Control: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 10 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 11 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 10 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 20 |
| 150,000 and above | 5 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 10; 100,000 to 149,999: 20; 150,000 and above: 5
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 41 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 | 11 |
| 2001 | 7 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 20 |
| 2004 | 18 |
| 2005 | 13 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2016 | 2 |
2000: 11; 2001: 7; 2002: 2; 2003: 20; 2004: 18; 2005: 13; 2006: 7; 2007: 5; 2008: 1; 2009: 6; 2010: 3; 2011: 2; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2016: 2
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 18 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 13 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 10007850 · 2003-02-20 (February 20, 2003)
WE HAVE AN AUTO REPAIR GARAGE, AND WE HAVE SEEN A RECURRING PROBLEM ON 1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK CARS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. THESE CARS DEVELOP A "TWEETY" CLUTCH RELEASE BEARING. WHEN WE GO IN TO REPLACE THE BEARING, WE HAVE FOUND THAT ONE OF THE TWO CLIPS FOR THE BEARING IS ALWAYS MISSING. THIS IS WHAT CAUSES THE BEARING TO GO BAD PREMATURELY. EACH TIME WE FIND THE SAME THING. ONE OF THE CLIPS ON THE CLUTCH RELEASE BEARING HAD BROKEN, CAUSING THE BEARING TO SIT CROOKED. THIS THEN ALLOWED THE CLUTCH RELEASE BEARING TO WEAR A GROOVE ON …
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007850 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007852 · 2003-02-20 (February 20, 2003)
ONLY THREE MONTHS AFTER MY PURCHASE THE CAR DEVELOPED A NOISE. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE CLUTCH RELEASE BEARING. I WAS SHOCKED THAT THIS PIECE HAD GONE BAD SO EARLY, AND I COULDN''T UNDERSTAND WHY. I AUTHORIZED THE REPAIRS, AND AS THEY BEGAN WORKING ON IT THEY DISCOVERED WHY IT HAD GONE BAD PREMATURELY. ONE OF THE CLIPS ON THE CLUTCH RELEASE BEARING HAD BROKEN, CAUSING THE BEARING TO SIT CROOKED. THIS THEN ALLOWED THE CLUTCH RELEASE BEARING TO WEAR A GROOVE ON THE SNOUT THAT THE BEARING RIDES ON. THE BEARING WA…
Owner-reported narrative. 68,105 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007852 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020278 · 2003-05-21 (May 21, 2003)
THE VEHICLES ABS FAILED. *NLM RETURNED USPS, 2ND ATTEMPT MADE 06/21/2007 FAILED. *LJ
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020278 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10045296 · 2003-11-02 (November 2, 2003)
I HEARD A CLICKING IN MY CAR WHEN ON AN ENTRANCE RAMP. IT DID NOT SOUND TOO SERIOUS, BUT I MADE A NOTE OF IT. I WENT ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHIN A HALF A MILE MY CAR BEGAN TO WEAVE. THE STEERING APPEARED TO FAIL AND I WENT INTO A SPIN. I COULD NOT STEER THE CAR AND LOST CONTROL. THE BRAKES WERE WORKING BUT AT THE SPEED I WAS GOING (40-45MPH) I HIT THE LEFT BARRIER AFTER GOING OVER TWO LANES. THERE WAS NO RAIN OR ICE BUT THE ROAD WAS IN REALLY BAD SHAPE FROM CONSTRUCTION. I HAD EXPERIENCED THAT WEAVING SENSATION BEFORE IN THE SUBRARU ON UNE…
Owner-reported narrative. 71,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10045296 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10033124 · 2003-08-19 (August 19, 2003)
I BOUGHT A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK 30TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION IN MAY OF 1999. WITHIN SIX MONTHS, THE CAR BEGAN TO EXHIBIT CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF THE SUBARU DEALER. FOR THREE YEARS THEY DENIED THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, ALWAYS SAYING THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS. FINALLY IN JUNE OF 2002, I WAS ABLE TO GET A REGIONAL SERVICE SUPERVISOR TO ADMIT THAT THE CAR DEFINITELY HAD PROBLEMS. HIS FIRST SOLUTION WAS TO SUGGEST THAT I TRADE THE CAR IN ON A NEW ONE.…
Owner-reported narrative. 70 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033124 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10042992 · 2003-10-15 (October 15, 2003)
MY 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK STALLS WHEN IT IS COLD. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR TUNE-UPS AND REPAIRS WITH NO RESOLUTION. THE DEALERSHIP AND SUBARU'S AREA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, BOB WISEMAN, HAVE CLOSED THE CASE. I AM STUCK WITH A CAR THAT WON'T RUN. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10042992 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10147068 · 2006-01-06 (January 6, 2006)
THE 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK IS EQUIPPED WITH A DUAL OVERHEAD CAM ENGINE. THE TIMING BELT PULLEY FOR THE CAMS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC. MY WIFE AND 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAD JUST EXITED INTERSTATE 20 NEAR ATLANTA WHEN THE ENGINE "SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION" ACCORDING TO MY WIFE. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY LOST ALL POWER AND SEIZED, AND SHE HAD DIFFICULTY STEERING AND STOPPING THE CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT CAM PULLEY (PLASTIC) HAD SHATTERED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZ…
Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10147068 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10070684 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
I BOUGHT A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK 30TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION IN JUNE OF 1999. WITHIN SIX MONTHS, THE CAR BEGAN TO EXHIBIT CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF THE SUBARU DEALER. FOR THREE YEARS THEY DENIED THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, ALWAYS SAYING THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS. FINALLY IN JUNE OF 2002, I WAS ABLE TO GET A REGIONAL SERVICE SUPERVISOR TO ADMIT THAT THE CAR DEFINITELY HAD PROBLEMS. HIS FIRST SOLUTION WAS TO SUGGEST THAT I TRADE THE CAR IN ON A NEW ONE. …
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10070684 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10186303 · 2007-03-27 (March 27, 2007)
SPEEDOMETER FAILS SPONTANEOUSLY, INTERMITTENTLY AND FREQUENTLY. INDICATED SPEED DROPS TO ZERO. RETURNS SPONTANEOUSLY AFTER 10 SECONDS TO 15 MINUTES. NOT VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR (VSS) OR WIRING/CONNECTOR RELATED. SERVICE TECHNICIAN FOUND SPEEDOMETER CIRCUIT BOARD DELAMINATED, CAUSING COMPONENTS TO SEPARATE FROM CIRCUIT BOARD. STATED THIS APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY OEM SEALANT USED ON THE CIRCUIT BOARDS AS SEEN IN OTHER SUBARUS AND MANY HONDA VEHICLES. SPEEDOMETER IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY AND LEGAL LIABILITY COMPONENT, WHICH PROVIDES CRITICAL FEEDBA…
Owner-reported narrative. 131,070 miles reported. Look up ODI 10186303 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005527 · 2003-02-08 (February 8, 2003)
THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES GOING ON WITH MY 1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK VEHICLE: 1) THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE DROPS DOWN TO EMPTY ALTHOUGH THE GAS TANK WAS JUST FILLED WITH GAS. 2) THE FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT READ CORRECT. AFTER THE GAS TANK IS FULL, THE GAUGE FLUCTUATES BACK AND FORTH (SOMETIMES THE GAUGE READS NEAR EMPTY, SOMETIMES THE GAUGE READS 3/4 OF THE TANK FULL) WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE. 3) THE CAR DID NOT PASS THE CALIFORNIA SMOG TEST. 4) THE RPM GAUGE DOES NOT STAY CONSTANT WHILE DRIVING AT AN EVEN SPEED. ON…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005527 at NHTSA ↗