2010 Subaru OUTBACK problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
360 owner complaints analyzed
18 distinct recall campaigns
69,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2010 model year. Data snapshot: . 278 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 79 of 360 complaints (21.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 102 | 28.3% |
| Engine operation | 95 | 26.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 94 | 26.1% |
| Steering behavior | 58 | 16.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 15 | 4.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 6 | 1.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 79 |
| Engine | 44 |
| Steering | 41 |
| Air Bags | 37 |
| Service Brakes | 35 |
| Exterior Lighting | 34 |
| Electrical System | 32 |
| Suspension | 22 |
Power Train: 79; Engine: 44; Steering: 41; Air Bags: 37; Service Brakes: 35; Exterior Lighting: 34; Electrical System: 32; Suspension: 22
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 105 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 20 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 22 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 33 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 66 |
| 150,000 and above | 32 |
Under 25,000: 105; 25,000 to 49,999: 20; 50,000 to 74,999: 22; 75,000 to 99,999: 33; 100,000 to 149,999: 66; 150,000 and above: 32
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (105). 82 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 |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 73 |
| 2011 | 10 |
| 2012 | 15 |
| 2013 | 19 |
| 2014 | 21 |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2016 | 36 |
| 2017 | 46 |
| 2018 | 31 |
| 2019 | 25 |
| 2020 | 21 |
| 2021 | 14 |
| 2022 | 12 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2009: 4; 2010: 73; 2011: 10; 2012: 15; 2013: 19; 2014: 21; 2015: 13; 2016: 36; 2017: 46; 2018: 31; 2019: 25; 2020: 21; 2021: 14; 2022: 12; 2023: 6; 2024: 5; 2025: 7; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 102 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 95 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 94 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 10282756 · 2009-09-03 (September 3, 2009)
ABS, CHECK ENGINE, BRAKE, VEHICLE STABILITY AND CRUISE CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ALL CAME ON AND STAYED ON, AS WELL AS TAPPING NOISE. DEALER SAYS IT IS DEFECTIVE ABS SENSOR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP SINCE AUGUST 25, 2009. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 475 miles reported. Look up ODI 10282756 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10333939 · 2010-05-31 (May 31, 2010)
CAR DIES WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY PACE, THEN SLOWING DOWN, ENGAGING THE CLUTCH AND LETTING THE CAR IDLE AT A LIGHT. HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES IN 2 WEEKS. ONCE WAS WHILE DOWNSHIFTING TO 2ND GEAR TO COMPLETE A LEFT TURN. HAD ENOUGH SPEED TO COMPLETE THE TURN, BUT DID NOT HAVE STEERING OR BRAKING ASSIST. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10333939 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10334475 · 2010-06-03 (June 3, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DOWNSHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND LOSE ALL POWER. THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WOULD BECOME INOPERABLE WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED.THE VECHILE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFOMRED, DURING WHICH THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO FALL TO RPMS OF 300 UNTIL IT WOULD STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT IN THE DEALER'S POSSESSION FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 900.
Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10334475 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10339499 · 2010-06-22 (June 22, 2010)
2010 SUBURU OUTBACK 2.5I 6 SPEED STANDARD TRANSMISSION. CAR STALLS WHEN PLACED IN NEUTRAL AND COASTING TO STOP OR SLOWING DOWN. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10339499 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10296822 · 2009-12-23 (December 23, 2009)
2010 SUBARU OUTBACK, 3750 MILES. TOOK TO THE DEALER WHEN RATTLING NOISE SEEM TO COME FROM INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. DEALER HAD IT FOR A WEEK. DEALER SERVICE ISOLATED THE NOISE AS COMING FROM SUBARU NEW TRANSMISSION. THEY CALLED THE COMPANY REP IN SOUTHERN CALIF. WHO INSTRUCTED THE DEALER TO PUT THE CAR BACK TOGETHER AND STATED THE PROBLEM IS KNOWN, AND NO FIX IS AVAILABLE. SINCE THAN I ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN THE CAR IS ALMOST IN IDLE, CREEPING INTO PARKING SPOT, THE CAR JERKED FORWARD, AND WAS ABLE TO STOP IT BEFORE HITTING THE CAR NEXT TO ME TOO HAR…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,860 miles reported. Look up ODI 10296822 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10320300 · 2010-03-16 (March 16, 2010)
MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN LOYAL SUBARU OWNERS FOR OVER TEN YEARS, BUT WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED TWO TROUBLING PROBLEMS WITHIN THE SAME YEAR. THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS EVENTUALLY TAKEN CARE OF BY SUBARU OF AMERICA AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF GOING TO DIFFERENT DEALERS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. WE HAD A BAD TRANSMISSION WHICH FINALLY WAS RECOGNIZED AS THE PROBLEM AND IT NEEDED REPLACING BUT SUBARU OF AMERICA DECIDED IT WOULD BUY BACK THE 2009 SUBARU FORRESTER WHICH HAD THIS PROBLEM FROM THE DAY MY WIFE PURCHASED IT. WE WERE TOLD WE HAD TO BUY ANOTHER SUBARU BUT …
Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10320300 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10314197 · 2010-02-25 (February 25, 2010)
MY 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK HAS A SHAKING/VIBRATION ISSUE, THIS ISSUE ONLY HAPPENS AT CERTAIN SPEEDS. IT SEEMS EARLY BUILD MODELS OF THE OUTBACK HAS THIS ISSUE. CHECK OUT THIS FORUM, AND YOU CAN SEE.. HTTP://WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?S=&THREADID=20843 SUBARU HAS PERFORMED THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS ON MY CAR, THEY HAVE ROAD FORCED BALANCED THE TIRES, AND THEY HAVE INSTALLED A HEAVIER SPRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. DESPITE THIS BEING DONE, THE ISSUE REMAINS WITH MY OUTBACK. A SIMPLE TEST DRIVE IS ALL THAT IS REQUIRED TO SEE THE ISSUE.…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10314197 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10314596 · 2010-02-26 (February 26, 2010)
SERIOUS VIBRATION PROBLEMS IN 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK. UPON DELIVERY, WOULD SAY IT WAS DANGEROUS AT ANYTHING OVER 45MPH. AFTER MULTIPLE FIXES, IS NOW DOWN TO A MUCH MORE MODERATE VIBRATION, MOST NOTABLE AT 65-70MPH IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING WHEEL OSCILLATES OVER APPROX A 1/8" RANGE, WITH A PERIOD OF AROUND 3 PULSES PER SECOND. IT IS UNNERVING WHEN DRIVING, AND CERTAINLY CAN NOT BE GOOD OVER A LONGER PERIOD FOR THE INTEGRITY OF AFFECTED PARTS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 10314596 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10336830 · 2010-06-17 (June 17, 2010)
5 MONTHS AFTER THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW I STARTED USING THE AIR CONDITIONER. WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK AS I WAS SLOWING MAKE A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT FROM THE STREET I ENGAGED THE CLUTCH TO SHIFT FROM 3RD GEAR TO SECOND AND THE CAR DIED AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. I DIDN'T USE THE AIR CONDITIONER ALL THE TIME. TWO TIMES THE FOLLOWING WEEK THE SAME THING OCCURRED AGAIN, BOTH TIMES SLOWING DOWN AND ENGAGING THE CLUTCH AND DOWN SHIFTING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT ON 6/2/10 AND THEY TESTED ALL THE SENSORS A…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10336830 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10343509 · 2010-07-15 (July 15, 2010)
I PURCHASED MY NEW 2011 2.5 PREMIUM 6MT (NON-PZEV) SUBARU OUTBACK ON JUNE 25TH, 2010. JUST A FEW DAYS LATER, WITH ONLY 50 MILES ON THE CAR AND MY FIRST TIME DRIVING WITH THE A/C ON, I EXPERIENCED MY FIRST NEAR-STALL ENGINE SHUDDER WHILE COMING TO A STOP. AS OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES HAVE GONE UP LATELY, SO HAS MY USE OF A/C, AND SO HAVE MY OCCURRENCES OF ENGINE STALLS AND NEAR-STALL SHUDDERS. THE REVS WILL DROP BELOW 500RPM, THE HVAC FAN SPEED WILL AUDIBLY SLOW, SOMETIMES THE "BATTERY/ALTERNATOR" WARNING LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT C…
Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10343509 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10475542 · 2012-09-16 (September 16, 2012)
CAR STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN STOPPING/STOPPED. RANDOM OCCURRENCES. GAS TANK CAN BE FULL OR LOW, DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER. IDLE MAY BE A BIT ROUGH RIGHT BEFORE IT QUITS RUNNING. OCCURS WHEN A/C IS ON OR OFF. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER FOR SERVICE/EVALUATION, CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. CAR HAS STARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER OCCURRENCE *TR *JS
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10475542 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11124423 · 2018-09-04 (September 4, 2018)
I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH ON A COUNTRY ROAD, ATTEMPTED TO STOP, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO USE MY PADDLE SHIFTERS TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN TO A SAFER SPEED. AFTER THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT HAD COME ON. LUCKILY I WAS CLOSE TO HOME AND WAS ABLE TO LIMP THE CAR BACK HOME WHERE THE CAR HAS SAT UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THERE IS AN OUTSTANDING RECALL (SUBARU #214790, NHTSA# 14V311000) FOR 05-09 OUTBACK MODELS. ALTHOUGH MY VIN SAYS IT'S A 2010, IT TAKES 2009 BRAKE PADS (2010 …
Owner-reported narrative. 215,647 miles reported. Look up ODI 11124423 at NHTSA ↗