2009 Subaru OUTBACK problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
106 owner complaints analyzed
13 distinct recall campaigns
70,351 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 78 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 30 of 106 complaints (28.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 14 | 13.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 13 | 12.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 7.5% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 6.6% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 1.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.9% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 30 |
| Electrical System | 22 |
| Engine | 15 |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 8 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 7 |
| Unknown Or Other | 6 |
| Power Train | 5 |
Air Bags: 30; Electrical System: 22; Engine: 15; Exterior Lighting: 10; Visibility/Wiper: 8; Fuel/Propulsion System: 7; Unknown Or Other: 6; Power Train: 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 | 13 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 13 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 15 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 10 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 20 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 13; 50,000 to 74,999: 15; 75,000 to 99,999: 10; 100,000 to 149,999: 20; 150,000 and above: 7
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 28 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 |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 15 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 19 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 | 4 |
2008: 1; 2009: 1; 2010: 4; 2011: 9; 2012: 3; 2013: 2; 2014: 15; 2015: 11; 2016: 19; 2017: 9; 2018: 8; 2019: 1; 2020: 3; 2021: 6; 2022: 1; 2023: 4; 2024: 1; 2025: 4; 2026: 4
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 14 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 13 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 8 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 10339240 · 2010-06-20 (June 20, 2010)
MY 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK BEGAN IDLING ERRATICALLY IN NOVEMBER 2009, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD WHEN SLOWLY ENTERING PARKING SPACES AND RESULTING IN ROAD SERVICE PULLING ME FROM A DITCH AT THE END OF A POST OFFICE PARKING SPACE. AS A RESULT I DRIVE WITH THE FOOT BRAKE FIRMLY DOWN WHENEVER I PARK TO FIGHT THE LURCHING. THE SUBARU SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AT TWO SUBARU DEALERS TELL ME THIS IS NORMAL, THAT NEWER SUBARU'S COMPUTERS ARE SET FOR FASTER IDLE TO COMPENSATE FOR POWER STEERING AND AIR CONDITIONING DEMANDS. I BELIEVE THE VEHICLE IS D…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,436 miles reported. Look up ODI 10339240 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10476862 · 2012-09-24 (September 24, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY AND THEN IN REVERSE BEFORE CRASHING INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES AND A BRICK WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE CONTACTED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,000. UPDATED 10/31/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED AS SHE PULLED INTO A VACANT SPOT, WITH HER…
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10476862 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10520538 · 2013-06-18 (June 18, 2013)
STARTED MY CAR AT NIGHT TO FIND OUT MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN ON, BUT THE SAFELY LIGHTS WERE STILL ON. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND REVERSE LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK EITHER. THE LIGHTS ABOVE MY REAR LICENSE PLATE HAD BEEN OUT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS ALSO SO I AM NOT SURE IF THAT IS RELATED AS WELL. LOOKED ON-LINE TO FIND OUT MANY OTHER SUBARU OUTBACK OWNERS HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM AND SUGGESTED LOOKING AT THE HARNESS THAT HOUSED MANY ELECTRICAL WIRES ON THE UPPER CORNERS OF THE HATCHBACK. MANY OF THE WIRES WERE EITHER BROKEN OR LOOS…
Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10520538 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10637765 · 2014-09-20 (September 20, 2014)
09 OUTBACK WAS BLOWING FUSES ON THE DOOR LOCK CIRCUIT. PUT IN A NEW FUSE AND IT WOULD BLOW IN A FEW DAYS, OFTEN WHEN CAR WASHED OR DRIVEN IN RAIN (OR PERHAPS WHEN REAR HATCH OPERATED). LAST REPLACEMENT FUSE HAS HELD FOR A FEW WEEKS NOW, THROUGH SUMMER. THEN THE REAR WIPER STOPPED WORKING. SAW THIS VIDEO AND THEN PULLED THE WIRING BOOT CONNECTING HATCH WITH BODY (TO RIGHT OF HATCH HINGES) AND SURE ENOUGH FOUR WIRES ARE SNAPPED RIGHT WHERE VIDEO SHOWS - AT BOTTOM OF RIGHT BOOT: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=AMEKPTVGMHS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 101,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10637765 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10346085 · 2010-07-29 (July 29, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH WHEN EVERY SERVICE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK ABNORMALLY WHILE CHANGING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE SPEED SENSOR AND TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. TWO HOURS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE ANOTHER REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 13,357 miles reported. Look up ODI 10346085 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10400700 · 2011-05-12 (May 12, 2011)
ABOUT A MONTH AGO (APRIL 2011) WHILE MOVING FORWARD AT AROUND 5 TO 10 MPH I REACHED FOR THE GLOVE BOX AND MY SHIRT CUFF CAUGHT THE SHIFT HANDLE AND THRU THE TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE. WHILE I WAS LUCKY AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES THIS APPEARS TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY SUBARU OF NORTH AMERICA. THERE ARE NO BUILT IN SAFETY LOCKS OR MECHANISMS TO PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION FROM BEING MOVED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE OR DRIVE TO MANUAL SHIFT OPTION. ACTUALLY YOU CAN SHIFT ANYWHERE FROM REVERSE TO MANUAL AUTO BY BUMPING …
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10400700 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10383846 · 2011-02-18 (February 18, 2011)
THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT HAPPENED TWICE. MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, PULLING ONTO MAIN TWO-WAY ROAD, THE DASH LIGHTS FLASHED ON, CAR JERKED AND THEN STALLED. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS 50 MPH CARS AND TRUCKS WERE COMING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AT US - WITH TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR, SCREAMING THEIR HEADS OFF. I MANAGED TO TURN IT OFF AND RESTART AND PULL OVER, GOT VEHICLE TOWED. CURRY SUBARU COMPUTER COULDN'T COME UP WITH ANYTHING. SAME INCIDENT HAPPENED 02/17/2011, MAKING A LEFT ONTO A MAIN ROAD. MY DAUGHTER THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO…
Owner-reported narrative. 46,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10383846 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10443148 · 2012-01-09 (January 9, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED AFTER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED.THE VEHICLE LATER RESTARTED AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED UNTIL IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 31,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 31,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10443148 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10670867 · 2015-01-08 (January 8, 2015)
WIPER SWITCH ON STEERING COLUMN FAILS TO OPERATE AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 20 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. THANK YOU *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10670867 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10936415 · 2016-12-20 (December 20, 2016)
THE FUEL PIPE FILLER AND VALVE ASSEMBLY FAILED AND ALLOWED GASOLINE TO LEAK. THERE WAS ALSO A LEAK ON THE FUEL PUMP THAT THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE LOCATE ON THE FIRST TWO ATTEMPTS. THE LEAKS WERE MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND COULD HAVE POSSIBLY CAUSED A FIRE.
Owner-reported narrative. 58,178 miles reported. Look up ODI 10936415 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10981010 · 2017-04-27 (April 27, 2017)
POSITIVE WIRE TO THE FUEL PUMP BURNED THROUGH TO THE OPEN GAS TANK LEAVING THE CAR ABLE TO RUN INTERMITTENTLY. THE PLASTIC HOUSING WAS MELTED AND BURNED AND THE WIRING CONNECTOR WAS RUINED. MY CONCERN IS THE HOT WIRE CONNECTOR, HOT ENOUGH TO MELT AND LEAVE THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR BURNED, WAS HANGING INTO THE AREA OPEN TO FUEL. I HAVE PICS. THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND OCCUPIED .
Owner-reported narrative. 139,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10981010 at NHTSA ↗