UsedScore

2017 Subaru Outback: Use caution

Owners filed 639 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Outback in its first five years on the road, about 341 for every 100,000 sold: 1.8× the rate of a typical Outback year. That's above average, so use caution.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the electrical system (39% of complaints, median 30,000 miles).

Complaint index
1.8×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Outback year
Rank
11th of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
639
first five years; 341 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
4
campaigns
5th generation, 2015–2019 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2016 Subaru Outback Limited

Photo: 2016 Subaru Outback Limited · Cutlass, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Electrical39% · 247 complaints · median 30,000 miles
  2. Visibility31% · 197 complaints · median 33,000 miles
  3. Air bags2% · 10 complaints · median 3,000 miles
  4. Powertrain5% · 32 complaints · median 18,000 miles
  5. Brakes3% · 20 complaints · median 17,000 miles
  6. Speed control3% · 16 complaints · median 16,000 miles
  7. Engine3% · 22 complaints · median 32,000 miles
  8. Seats and belts1% · 7 complaints · median 17,000 miles
  9. Driver assistance3% · 18 complaints · median 21,000 miles
  10. Body and structure3% · 18 complaints · median 24,000 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

Owners report that air bags sometimes failed to deploy in collisions ranging from low-speed impacts to high-speed crashes, occasionally leading to injuries. A few also describe warning lights, a failed control unit, or a failed clock spring switch affecting airbag readiness.

Warning signs:
Some owners noticed an SRS or airbag warning light illuminating intermittently before or after their incident, or a passenger airbag indicator cycling on and off.
What shops did:
Some dealers replaced the airbag control unit and passenger airbag, while another service center could not replicate an occupant detection issue despite repeated visits.
Mileage:
most between 5,000 and 15,000 miles, among 8 complaints that give it

“All airbags deployed safely but conpletely blocked my vision and prevented me from exiting the vehicle”

“Turns off airbag with passenger. Turns on airbag and seatbelt chime with no passenger/weight. Intermittent.”

Electrical

Many 2017 Outback owners describe a battery that unexpectedly drains or dies, sometimes repeatedly despite battery replacements, leaving them stranded or needing jump-starts. A separate group reports the ignition key getting stuck after shifting into park, sometimes requiring dealer replacement of the shifter mechanism.

Warning signs:
Some report dim headlights, slow cranking, clicking noises near the tailgate, or hatch/window malfunctions before the battery fully died; others say the key resists removal from the ignition after parking.
What shops did:
Dealers most often replaced the battery, sometimes multiple times, occasionally reprogrammed or updated the ECU, and in key-stuck cases replaced the shifter or select-lever assembly; several owners say the cause could not be found or the problem returned.
Mileage:
most between 20,000 and 45,000 miles, among 174 complaints that give it

“The battery died with less than 30k miles on it. After jump starting and driving the car to recharge the battery, it wouldn't hold a charge.”

“The key gets stuck randomly in the ignition after driving around and parking the outback.”

Visibility

Owners describe windshields on this model cracking repeatedly, often without any visible impact, sometimes within months of purchase and recurring even after replacement. Many say the cracks obstruct their view while driving and that dealers frequently declined to cover the repairs under warranty.

Warning signs:
Many report a popping or cracking sound, a small chip or nick, or a hairline crack that grows within minutes, hours or overnight, sometimes near the defroster area.
What shops did:
Dealers often replaced the windshield with OEM glass and recalibrated the EyeSight camera system, though many owners say dealers blamed rock chips and denied warranty coverage, leaving owners to pay out of pocket.
Mileage:
most between 20,000 and 50,000 miles, among 177 complaints that give it

“The windshield has cracked for no apparent reason twice in the last year”

“The next morning there was a huge crack along the entire windshield affecting driver visibility”

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

Recalls (4)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 19V910000December 201946 vehicles

    Air bags: air bag/restraint control module

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Outback vehicles. A replacement air bag control module may have been installed that is not compatible with the passenger air bag module, possibly affecting air bag deployment.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating passenger frontal air bag deployment, the air bag may not deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury.

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

  • NHTSA 16V716000October 201654 vehicles

    Air bags: knee bolster · Steering: column

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured September 21, 2016, to September 23, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be properly attached to the steering beam assembly.

    Risk: If the knee guard is not properly attached and the driver is not wearing a seatbelt, the knee guard may not be able to properly restrain the driver's lower body in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the knee guard welding on each vehicle's steering beam, replacing the beam as necessary, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 16V576000August 201699 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper · Suspension

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Outback vehicles manufactured June 20, 2016, to June 23, 2016. The affected vehicles may have improperly tightened attaching bolts for the front left and right brake calipers, wheel hubs, and the right stabilizer clamp.

    Risk: If any of the front brake caliper, wheel hub or stabilizer clamp attaching bolts loosen or detach, the related components would also become loose and may detach possibly making the vehicle unstable and reducing the braking capability. These conditions would increase the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the bolts for proper torque, and replace any loose bolts, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 16V292000May 201648,819 vehicles

    Steering: column

    NHTSA advisory: do not drive until repaired

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.

    Risk: The loss of steering ability would increase the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, 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 390 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2017 Outback. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • SubaruNet Announcement (C · August 2026This Announcement provides diagnostic assistance for CVT issues.
  • 15-308-23R · August 2026This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to…
  • 15-304-22R · August 2026This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns.
  • Article Locator · August 2026Techtips newsletter locator index.
  • 15-333-25R · August 2026This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure.
  • 16-156-25R · June 2026This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body which incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to improve durability.
  • 02-195-26 · June 2026This bulletin announces the availability of reprogramming files for the Engine Control Module (ECM) for certain vehicles equipped with 3.6L engines.
  • 10-105-25R · March 2026This bulletin announces the new procedure and Warranty Fail Code for FirstTime air conditioning (A/C) performance concerns possibly resulting from an undetected A/C refrigerant leak.

All 2017 Outback bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2017 Subaru Outback reliable?
Owners filed 639 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Subaru Outback in its first five years on the road, about 341 for every 100,000 sold: 1.8× the rate of a typical Outback year. That's above average, so use caution. 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 2017 Outback problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the electrical system (39%), visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) (31%) and the air bags (2%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2017 Subaru Outback been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2017 Subaru Outback, the most recent in December 2019 (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 2017 Subaru Outback on NHTSA.gov · How we rate