2010 Subaru Outback: Solid

Owners filed 137 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Subaru Outback in its first five years on the road, about 164 for every 100,000 sold: 1.1× the rate of a typical Outback year. That's close to a typical year.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the steering (26% of complaints, median 1,000 miles).

Complaint index
1.1×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Outback year
Rank
9th of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
137
first five years; 164 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
18
campaigns
4th generation, 2010–2014 (first year of the generation; redesign years often run worse) · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2010 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited

Photo: 2010 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited · IFCAR, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Steering26% · 36 complaints · median 1,000 miles
  2. Engine20% · 28 complaints · median 5,000 miles
  3. Air bags13% · 18 complaints · median 7,000 miles
  4. Powertrain16% · 22 complaints · median 4,000 miles
  5. Body and structure4% · 6 complaints
  6. Suspension9% · 13 complaints · median 1,000 miles
  7. Lights10% · 14 complaints · median 23,000 miles
  8. Electrical7% · 10 complaints · median 12,000 miles
  9. Wheels and tires7% · 9 complaints · median 3,000 miles
  10. Speed control4% · 6 complaints · median 38,000 miles

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Air bags

Many owners of this Outback say the passenger air bag indicator won't reliably stay 'on' for lighter adults, even after dealer recalibration or seat replacement. Separately, several owners describe a Takata air bag recall where dealers had no replacement parts for months, leaving them avoiding the front passenger seat.

Warning signs:
Owners notice the passenger air bag warning light illuminating or flickering between on and off while a lighter-weight adult sits in the seat, sometimes shifting position to try to trigger it.
What shops did:
Dealers recalibrated the weight sensor, reset codes, or replaced the seat bottom, but many owners say the light problem returned; recall-related owners report parts were unavailable for extended periods, delaying the repair.
Mileage:
most between 0 and 55,000 miles, among 19 complaints that give it

“The air bag does not become active more than 50% of the time when she is sitting in the seat”

“At times it will display enabled, then disabled all while driving. Shifting in the seat doesn't do anything”

Engine

Many owners of this Outback describe the engine stalling or nearly stalling when slowing to a stop, sometimes with a loss of power steering or brakes, and some also report head gasket or coolant problems. Dealers frequently struggled to reproduce or fix the stalling, though some repairs, software updates, or extended warranty work were mentioned.

Warning signs:
Many note engine shuddering, RPM dropping sharply, dimming lights, rough idle, or a stall-like feeling through the clutch or brake pedal just before the engine cuts out.
What shops did:
Dealers often could not duplicate or diagnose the stalling, though some reprogrammed the ECM, replaced spark plugs, transmission parts, or torque converter components, or performed head gasket and cooling system repairs.
Mileage:
most between 5,000 and 115,000 miles, among 60 complaints that give it

“Vehicle has repeatedly stalled during deceleration once clutch is depressed or taken out of gear”

“The engine will shudder, the rpms will drop below 700 and then quickly return to normal idle”

Steering

Many 2010 Outback owners describe a steering wheel vibration or shimmy that appears at highway speeds and can be accompanied by wandering or pulling. Repeated tire balancing, tire replacement, and other dealer attempts often did not fully fix the problem, and a few mention related recalls or service bulletins.

Warning signs:
Owners notice shaking or oscillation of the steering wheel, floor, and seats that increases with speed, along with a car that drifts, wanders, or feels like it hit an ice patch.
What shops did:
Dealers rebalanced or replaced tires, performed alignments, or installed a heavier steering wheel spring, but many owners report the vibration returned or was never resolved.
Mileage:
most between 0 and 10,000 miles, among 39 complaints that give it

“The steering wheel began to shake violently. The vehicle also pulled from left to the right no matter what speed.”

“Since delivery, car has had slight shimmy of steering wheel at most speeds especially when turning the wheel.”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

  • NHTSA 20V001000January 2020258,813 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Subaru will notify their owners.

  • NHTSA 20V002000January 2020127,547 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Subaru will notify their owners.

  • NHTSA 20V003000January 2020111,562 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Subaru will notify their owners.

  • NHTSA 19V297000April 2019511 vehicles

    Electrical system: ignition: switch

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.

    Risk: The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 19V007000January 201943,394 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 19V008000January 2019330,120 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 19V009000January 2019452,630 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 18V626000September 201827,175 vehicles

    Parking brake

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. The electronic parking brake (EPB) may not engage as intended, allowing the vehicle to rollaway if the transmission is not in the proper gear when parked.

    Risk: A vehicle rollaway can increase the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPB actuator assembly, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 18V012000January 201864,179 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 18V013000January 201893,209 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2010 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 17V014000January 201753,480 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Subaru Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 16V694000September 2016592,647 vehicles

    Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Legacy vehicles manufactured November 26, 2008, to June 7, 2013, and 2010-2014 Outback vehicles manufactured January 9, 2009 to June 7, 2013. Due to contamination, components within the windshield wiper motor bottom cover may interfere with each other. If an obstruction, such as a buildup of snow or ice prevents the wiper arms from being able to stop in the parked position, the wiper motor may overheat and the bottom cover may melt.

    Risk: If the windshield wiper motor overheats, the wipers may fail, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the wiper motor cover may melt, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor bottom cover assembly, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 16V358000May 2016302,127 vehicles

    Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Fix: Subaru will notify their owners.

  • NHTSA 13V061000February 201347,419 vehicles

    Equipment · Electrical system

    Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with an automatic or CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, and certain model year 2013 XV Crosstrek vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory. Additionally included are certain model year 2013 Legacy and Outback vehicles that may have received replacement RES fobs. If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button.

    Risk: The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel. If the vehicle is parked in an enclosed area, there is a risk of carbon monoxide build-up which may cause headaches, dizziness or, in extreme cases, unconsciousness and/or asphyxiation.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 12V602000December 2012633,842 vehicles

    Exterior lighting

    Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 Legacy and Outback vehicles, certain model year 2006 through 2012 Tribeca vehicles sold before January 2012, and certain model year 2009 through 2012 Forester vehicles sold before January 2012. Up to 78,650 of these vehicles may have been equipped with accessory puddle lights that, when illuminated, brighten the area under the doors of the vehicle. A short circuit can develop when either the puddle light or connector are exposed to an electrolytic moisture source (such as road spray that has road salt in it) and it penetrates the circuit board of the puddle light or the pins of the puddle light connector(s).

    Risk: Over time, migration of the moisture into the circuit board and/or into the connector cavity, may result in a short circuit of the puddle light system. This may generate heat which may melt the plastic resulting in smoke or fire.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional fused-harness, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 10V326000July 2010809 vehicles

    Power train: manual transmission

    Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 outback and legacy passenger vehicles manufactured from april 28 through june 23, 2010. Due to a programming error, a lubrication hole within the 6-speed manual transmission was omitted.

    Risk: If the transmission gears are not properly lubricated, a groaning sound may begin to develop alerting the driver of a problem. If the sound is ignored and no action is taken, the gears will eventually break and this condition will lead to vehicle power loss, possibly resulting in a crash.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles by drilling an oil lubrication hole and, if necessary, replace the internal parts with new ones free of charge.

  • NHTSA 10V283000June 201073,698 vehicles

    Steering: column

    Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 outback and legacy passenger vehicles manufactured from february 16, 2009 through april 12, 2010. The wiring in the steering column electrical roll connector located behind the vehicle's steering wheel may develop stress cracks and eventually break. If this were to happen certain electrical components may not operate as intended.

    Risk: Possible circuits affected are the driver's frontal airbag, paddle shifter function, cruise control, horn control and radio functions increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will check lot number of the steering roll connector.

  • NHTSA 10V196000May 201029,443 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling: cooling system: hoses/lines/piping/fittings

    Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 outback and legacy passenger vehicles manufactured from july 31 through december 1, 2009. A crack or split can occur in the CVT cooler hose resulting in a fluid leak.

    Risk: If the fluid is completely leaked during driving, the vehicle will come to a stop, possibly resulting in a crash.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners and dealers will replace any affected cooler hoses free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Subaru sent NHTSA 314 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2010 Outback. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • 05-97-26 · April 2026This Bulletin provides the diagnostic procedures to be followed when addressing customer concerns of steering wheel/vehicle body vibration when driving at highway speeds when tire/wheel balance is…
  • 15-300-22R · January 2026This Bulletin provides the diagnostic procedure for the STARLINK® Remote Engine Start (RES).
  • 18-226-25R · December 2025This Service Information Bulletin provides the Service Manual Correction to the diagnostic procedure for DTC B2A16 (Immobilizer Key Collation Diagnosis).
  • Subaru Service Technical · August 2025Subaru Service Technical Support Newsletter special edition.
  • 02-192-24R · April 2025This Bulletin announces the diagnostic procedures to be followed when diagnosing engine oil leakage on FA and FB type engines.
  • 09-51-08R · March 2025The purpose of this bulletin is to advise of SOA’s revised Catalytic Converter Recycling Program shipping procedure.
  • 01-167-08R · September 2024This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
  • 02-192-24 · September 2024This Service Information Bulletin announces the diagnostic procedures to be followed when diagnosing engine oil leakage on FA and FB type engines.

All 2010 Outback bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2010 Subaru Outback reliable?
Owners filed 137 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Subaru Outback in its first five years on the road, about 164 for every 100,000 sold: 1.1× the rate of a typical Outback year. That's close to a typical year. Ratings compare Outback years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2010 Outback problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the steering (26%), the engine (20%) and the air bags (13%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2010 Subaru Outback been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 18 recall campaigns for the 2010 Subaru Outback, the most recent in January 2020 (air bags). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Subaru. The 2010 Subaru Outback on NHTSA.gov · How we rate