Subaru OUTBACK electrical problems
1,720 complaint narratives mention electrical terms.
Key facts
9,642 owner complaints analyzed
71 distinct recall campaigns
34,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1995 to 2026 model years. Data snapshot: . 5,370 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Electrical and battery issues evidence
1,720 of 9,642 complaints match this topic (17.8%). The keyword filter can include complaints that mention a transmission without reporting its failure. View matching rules.
Owner report 10299746 · 2010-01-14 (January 14, 2010)
WHILE DRIVING VERY BUSY HIGHWAY, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT ALL THE WAY TO "H". I PULLED OVER AND NOTICED SOME STEAM UNDER HOOD. ADDED SOME WATER. A LITTLE LATER, STILL ON "H". MECHANIC WHO HAS SERVICED MY 1996 SUBARU OUTBACK SINCE I GOT IT IN 1998 SAID IT HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, COMMON WITH SUBARUS. IN 2009 I HAD THE 90K MILE MAINTENANCE DONE, VERY EXPENSIVE. ALSO HAD ALL NEW BRAKES, VERY EXPENSIVE. ALSO FOUR NEW TIRES AND LAST MONTH, A NEW BATTERY. ALSO, LAST MONTH, HAD OIL CHANGE. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED EVEN ONE RECALL NOTICE FR…
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10299746 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10074651 · 2004-06-02 (June 2, 2004)
AFTER ALTERNATOR REPLACED, NOTICED THE FOLLOWING SEQUENCES OF ELECTRICAL OUTAGES: REAR POWER OUTLET, SEAT HEATER SWITCHES, RADIO DIAL ILLUMINATION LIGHT, KEY-IN-IGNITION ALARM, DOOR AJAR LIGHTING, SEATBELT OFF LIGHTING.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10074651 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10078564 · 2004-06-21 (June 21, 2004)
I HAVE A '1997 LEGACY OUTBACK SUBARU. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 3 YEARS. TODAY, JUNE 21, I STOPPED ON MY WAY TO BAR HARBOR, MAINE FOR A CUP OF COFFEE. I PLACED THE COFFEE CUP IN THE CUP HOLDER AND GOT BACK ON THE HIGHWAY. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, I THOUGHT I SMELLED BURNING, BUT THOUGHT IT MUST BE COMING FROM OUTSIDE. I THEN STOPPED AT A BANK TO TAKE CARE OF A TRANSACTION, AND AS I WAS LEAVING THE BANK, I AGAIN SMELLED A FAINT BURNING ODOR. LUCKILY, NOT FAR DOWN THE ROAD, I PASSED MY SUBARU DEALERSHIP, FOR A SHORT DISTANCE PAST THE DEALERSHIP I HEA…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10078564 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 726520 · 2000-08-03 (August 3, 2000)
LOCAL SUBARU DEALER HAS SOLD THESE PARTS SEVERAL TIMES RECENTLY. IT APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM. WHEN THIS FAILS THE PULLY SYSTEM OF THE ENGINE FALLS APART, LITERALLY, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER, POWER STEERING, BRAKE WARNING... THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS HAD WE NOT BEEN ON A BACK ROAD WITH NO TRAFFIC. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 726520 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 ↗