Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Subaru Outback owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2009 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart after being parked. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to start the vehicle. The contact stated that the battery was charged to start the vehicle. The contact was informed by a tow truck mechanic, who assisted with jumping starting the vehicle, that the end switch needed to be replaced. The information was confirmed by another certified mechanic. The contact stated that a certified mechanic was contacted to schedule a repair however, the vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shut-off with the check engine, traction control and cruise control warning lights illuminated. On several occasions the vehicle would not immediately restart. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for service. No further information was available. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 81,000. The VIN was not available.
The rear hatch on this Outback won't lock. As a woman on her own, my safety is at risk. I have read of other people who have this issue and has been able to fix this on their own. This is a safety issue if your vehicle won't lock completely because the wires in the hatch are compromised.
There is a well documented faulty design issue that leads to failure of the wiring harness (rear gate cord) to the rear wagon door/gate of this model Subaru ouback wagons. Failure of the wiring harness has affected me while driving the vehicle. As this issue has progressed, more and more wires break, completely severed, and lead to the rear lock not working, then backup lights not working, rear defroster not working, wiper not working, and license plate light not working. This is a safety issue, especially the backup lights, rear defroster, rear wiper, and locking mechanism not working at all! These compromise visibility and car safety. This faulty design, or faulty material choice is clearly Subaru's fault: severed electrical wires, as a result of normal use, should not be acceptable, especially when they compromise safety by disabling backup lights and the rear lock. …
After fuses blown repeatedly and replaced, rear wiper, washer pump and lock ceased to operate for perhaps a year. Recently the headlights got real funky - would not operate in normal "on" position. But then some strange behavior when shifted into reverse (ignition on without starting to allow shifting). Headlights still not lit in either off or on position, but then came on as switch moved back from headlights on to running lights position! I happened upon the video mentioned in an earlier post about rear wiring harness issue which easily could have been related to wiper/lock issue, so took a look. Inspection revealed 11 severed wires with a clump of 5 or so melted together and another 3 wires nearly severed (see photos). Dealer says he'll replace wiring harness for $350 -500, and had a same generation Outback in the shop for same work. …
Individual wires in the harness powering and controlling the brake, turn, backup, and license plate lights, and the rear wiper motor and washer pump, May fail without warning. This failure could result in an rear end collision or impairing vision out the rear window in inclement weather. The point of failure is inside the flexible rubber boot protecting the harness where it passes from the rear frame of the main body to the top of the rear lift gate. It appears that repeated flexing of the wires inside the protective boot, as the rear lift gate is opened and closed, work hardens the insulation and copper wires causing them to eventually break. Symptoms May appear as static on the radio, failing rear lights, and/or failing rear wiper/washer motors. In my case, I experienced radio static and a failure of the rear wiper/washer motors. …
Problem 1: experienced rear wiper (station wagon) not working. Car still under warranty, took it to the dealer and was told the wiring harness that goes through the hinge area was broken. It was repaired. Now the car has 72,000 miles and I am having rear wiper problems again as well as the rear door not locking. Wires frayed and broken again. This is a known issue both with Subaru and on the forums on the web. This is a poor design and possibly dangerous as it can cause the rear lights to fail. Failure time frame was almost double mileage from the previous failure. (35,251 - 72,000). Problem 2: air bag light keeps coming on. Have had it to the mechanic several times to be checked out and reset. This is also a known problem with Subaru and on the web forums. This is a serious safety issue as the air bags could fail to deploy. …
The car intermittently bucks/chugs while driving and then stalls. All the lights flash on. It is difficult to restart. It has happened on the highway and local streets. It also idles very rough when at stops or in park and shudders like it wants to stall - sometimes it does. This has been going on for 2 months now. The first time, I was stopped at a red light and it stalled creating a hazardous situation. My mechanic has attempted to fix it and then he has taken it to the local Subaru dealership where it has spent almost 2 months off & on while they "fixed" it. They give it back and it is back to them within a week with the same issue. The last time they replaced a map sensor and some wiring. This is hazardous and the vehicle is unsafe. It feels like they just keep clearing out the error and giving it back to me.
The brake lights, hatch lock, wiper and other electrical components on the rear part of my Subaru 2009 Outback stopped working or working erratically. I checked the rubber boot containing the rear wiring harness for damage and discovered 13 out of 14 wires were either completely broken, or the insulation was worn, exposing bare conductor. In addition to the rear electrical issues, I replaced the bulbs for the headlights at least four times in a two year period. The am channel on my radio no longer receives signals. The rear electrical problems are causing a safety hazard due to the brake/tail lights not functioning, or the rear windshield wiper not working. Subaru is not responsive to this design flaw.
2009 Subaru Outback stalling while driving. The engine turned off while driving with light acceleration at low speeds (5-20 MPH) without warning. Warning lights flickered on and off. I was able to restart the car. This is a huge safety issue to have the car stall out without warning. Subara south blvd dealership say they do not know the root cause. Prior to the above incidence the car, while driving at low speeds, would occasionally shudder and the warning lights would flicker on then go off. It felt like the car was going to shut off but it didn't. Now it is shutting off. It's completely unsafe.
Related recalls
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.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019.
Electrical system
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783.
Electrical complaints in other Outback years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2009 Subaru Outback?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the electrical system of the 2009 Subaru Outback, 22% of the model year's 106 complaints. The component named most often is starter assembly (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Subaru Outback electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 19V-297 (switch, Apr 11, 2019); NHTSA recall 16V-738 (electrical system, Oct 13, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2009 Subaru Outback electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 113,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to electrical system 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.