Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Subaru Outback owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
There should be a recall for front suspension on this vehicle if not the entire suspension. Mine has been garage kept since day 1, is in showroom condition, not driven in salt on roads during snow, therefore no reason for the suspension to be in this condition. In 2019 at 74,000 miles I had to have the entire front end suspension all components replaced at a cost of over $2,500 USD the suspension was also causing what others refer to as "drifting" under any road driving conditions on dry or wet pavement at any speed above 30mph and would and still does after having the entire suspension replaced, drift, unstable, and when the original suspension was replaced even after being flawlessly maintained the suspension components from the factory were severely worn and including rubber gaskets, sway bars, etc and appeared to have a rust or corroded appearance in spite of the vehicle never being …
My 2005 Outback is very unsafe to drive under certain conditions. After extensive research online, I have discovered people use the term "ghost walking" to describe the issue. After driving over a bump or slick spot on the road, the driver momentarily loses control of the vehicle. The back end sways side to side and the car can jump several feet to the left or right. I have noticed this problem several times but it was drastically worse today. Driving on a straight, dry stretch of interstate, I drove over an icy patch under a bridge. My vehicle jumped to the left several feet and into the other lane. Had there been a car next to me, there most likely would have been an accident. I was traveling at approximately 40 MPH as I had already experienced several incidents driving over large bumps. The issue seems to be worse when there is cargo in the back and on icy or bumpy roads. …
My 2005 nearly killed me recently driving on straight highways that were a bit icy. Despite 4 studded tires, it would barely stay on the road above 35 MPH even going totally straight. Cars of all other types were flying past at 60-75 MPH, no problem. But my car would end up going sideways and inadvertently switching lanes and or almost going off the road at speeds starting at about 35-40mph. We had three adults in the car and the car filled with luggage, so it was fully loaded. I've read that this "ghost walking" phenomenon happens to 2005 to 2009 Subaru outbacks that were produced in the USA. It mainly happens when the car is fully loaded, which due to a rear suspension flaw, causes toe-in on the rear suspension and then the rear end becomes totally unstable. …
While driving on slippery surfaces like ice and snow, the vehicle will begin swaying left and right uncontrollably. The sensation, also known as "ghost walking" could easily cause an accident if the driver can not control the swaying, and spinning out. Conditions of problem: driving during winter conditions, on snowy roads and highways. The vehicle is fine under dry/normal conditions. I believe the issue stems from the AWD system.
Driving in light snow or mixture of slushy snow the vehicle rear drifts left and right at speeds of 20 MPH. Dangerous if the speed is exceeded. Car pass me all the time because they have not problems with the road at high speeds. I understand this is called ghost walking. The first time this happened I spun out.
On any wet or snowy pavement car is ghost walking, like the rear end has marbles under it. Speed of 35 MPH, straight driving, on wet pavement. Like a cat walking on its nails.terrified. Had alignment, new tires, new rear struts, sway bar, transmission wiring harness. Disabled ABS so at least I control braking
Was driving on the highway on June 21, 2017 with a dishwasher in the trunk. It was raining and there was traffic, so my speed was about 40 MPH. As I was driving, the car abruptly swerved from right to left, and I almost hit another car. This was my scariest driving experience .
While driving on icy roads at speeds of 40 MPH or more, the car sometimes "floats" to the side several inches. It feels different than fishtailing -- more like the car is being pushed by the wind. This occurs with no cross-wind, no acceleration, no cornering or braking, on flat straight icy roads while driving at a constant speed. The sideways slip is severe enough that you feel you May lose control and leave the road. The only fix is to slow down to 40 MPH or less, while other cars are passing at 60 MPH or more. After several occurrences, always on icy or slushy roads, I took the car to the Subaru dealer, who performed an alignment. The report shows that the car had positive toe-in of 0.23 degrees (front left), 0.24 degrees (front right), 0.22 degrees (rear left) and 0.44 degrees (rear right). …
In December of 2008 I drove from idaho to montana over christmas. Road conditions were broken ice and compact snow. Whenever the car would hit a bump in the road, the rear end would tend to kick from side to side. I was forced to reduce my speed to around 30 MPH, even though all other vehicles could maintain higher speeds in a safe manner. I have experienced this problem on several later occasions, and it appears to occur only when the vehicle has been loaded down with passenger(s) or cargo. Subaruoutback.org has a gigantic thread on this topic. It appears I am not the only one with this problem. Http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/showthread.php?s=b16ba9fdce5398dec3b38124c6d0e1b9&threadid=11267&perpage=20&pagenumber=1 in March of 2009, I had an alignment done at a Subaru dealership in boise. …
Purchased 2005 Outback in April 2012 with approximately 190000 miles. Car felt very unstable when going over any uneven road surface. Replaced rear struts with no improvement. Tried different tires with no noticeable change. Decided it must be an odd but normal condition for the vehicle. Today, 9/18/12, drove car in light rain along a 2-lane road at approximately 50-55 MPH and car was very unstable in the rear. The rear "steered" left/right and felt very unstable. There was a sense the vehicle was going to abruptly cross into the other lane. I have over 40 years of driving experience and realize this is not normal vehicle performance. I live in a central ny and purchased this vehicle for the safety of all wheel drive after owning a 1995 Subaru impreza and a 1997 Subaru Outback. Given the situation I had today, I am afraid of what will happen in ice/snow conditions common in ny. …
Suspension complaints in other Outback years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2005 Subaru Outback?
NHTSA has 56 complaints about the suspension of the 2005 Subaru Outback, 21% of the model year's 273 complaints. The component named most often is rear (19 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Subaru Outback suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2005 Subaru Outback, though it has 9 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Subaru Outback suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.