2026 Subaru OUTBACK: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
14 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2026 model year. Data snapshot: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 14 complaints (42.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 4 | 28.6% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 14.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 7.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 7.1% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 6 |
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Seats | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 1 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 1 |
Unknown Or Other: 6; Electrical System: 4; Seats: 2; Vehicle Speed Control: 2; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 1; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 1; Power Train: 1; Seat Belts: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 14 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 |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 |
2026: 14
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11727776 · 2026-03-29 (March 29, 2026)
I bought a new 2026 Subaru Outback Limited XT which came with Bridgestone ECOPIA H/L 422 Plus 225/55R19 99H. Went on a trip and noticed when going 60mph and above a low humming noise and felt a vibration in the steering wheel and floor. This happens on all road surfaces, concrete, blacktop etc. Took car to the dealer, they drove it and confirmed what I was noticing, after doing a road force balance they said all (4) tires were "quote" way out of spec. They did what they could to help with the vibration, they said it's better but after driving i…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11727776 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11730401 · 2026-04-10 (April 10, 2026)
I bought my 2026 Subaru Outback 3/20/2026, I plugged in my FIXD sensor into the OBDII port of my new car and there was nothing available. I made an appointment with Austin Subaru to check why the OBDII port was not working and my assigned rep told me that they were having issues with all of their 2026 Subaru Outbacks, I signed in for my appointment on my arrival 4/7/2026 and the following day I was notified that I had missed my appointment. I called the Rep. and requested a call back but that did not happen. I was at the dealership no more th…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11730401 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11732409 · 2026-04-20 (April 20, 2026)
HVAC system heating to dangerous levels and still radiating heat into the cabin even after HVAC system was turned off. To mitigate, direction was changed to feet. Temperatures of over 100 degrees F were observed for sustained periods. Issue is intermittent, however it was reproduced consistently when it was cold outside (cold being cooler than 55 degrees F). I set the temperature to 65 degrees F with the AC on and recirculate, however it didn't make a difference. When this bug happens, it puts out a lot of heat and the only way to get it to coo…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11732409 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11737307 · 2026-05-12 (May 12, 2026)
The seatbelts in the back row when uses occasionally lock up, when driver is not hitting the breaks and it let go, then as you try to loosen the seat belt it, it retracts more and more tightening more and more to the point that it feels like there is a rope going through your neck, the only way to make seat belt loosen is to completely take it off let it fully go back to place then put it back on again. This is an intermittent issue and it does not happen every time. But it does happen often enough that once my back seat passengers had to ride …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11737307 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11741448 · 2026-06-02 (June 2, 2026)
DRIVING ON RTE 81 SOUTH IN THE AREA OF WILKES - BARRE WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY ENTIRE DASH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WENT COMPLETELY BLACK, NOTHINGWAS SHOWING, NO GAS, NO SPEED OMETER, DATE,TIME , BLINKERS, LANE CHANGE ETC. AND THE NAVIGATION SCREEN TURNED LIME GREE. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER THE LIME GREEN TURNED BLACK. I HAD NO ELECTRONICS AT ALL. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE DOING 55-65 AND COULD NOT SIGNAL TO PULL OVER. ABOUT 2-3 MINUTES (FELT LIKE AN ETERNITY) WENT BY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERYTHING RE-APPEARED. NOTE, THE CAR DID NOT TURN OFF. I PU…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11741448 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11741702 · 2026-06-02 (June 2, 2026)
I am reporting a severe saftey and crash-compatibility defect on the front passenger side of the 2026 Subaru Outback Premium trim. This vehicle is equipped with a fixed-height passenger seat that is positioned unsafely high relative to the headliner and sun visor assembly. Because the seat height cannot be lowered, an adult passenger of average height sits with their head in immediate proximity to the sun visor. Under standard deployment of the vehicle brakes, forward occupant kinematics cause the passenger’s forehead to travel collide into t…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11741702 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11742331 · 2026-06-05 (June 5, 2026)
When driving in the rain, the vehicle flashed a collision warning indicator and applied the brakes as if there was an imminent collision with an object ahead, but the street ahead was completely empty - no vehicles or other objects that would warrant deploying the pre-collision braking system were present. If there were a vehicle behind me at the time, it is likely that their safety would have been put at risk when my vehicle suddenly started braking strongly for no apparent reason. The vehicle has been inspected by a Subaru dealership, who …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11742331 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11743404 · 2026-06-11 (June 11, 2026)
I have a Suburu Outback 2026.. I was driving 30 mph on a country highway in Monroe, Michigan when my sun roof tempered glass window exploded upward... it sounded like a shotgun went off in my car… the Suburu warranty claim was rejected… they determined it as “outside influence”… that caused my Sun roof window to implode… if this had happened on a highway, it may have caused a serious injury accident. Since that time, I have researched to see if other people have experienced similar incidents.. it appears that sun roof spontaneous explosions are…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11743404 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.