2025 Subaru Outback Collision Avoidance Problems

Which parts fail

• Automatic emergency braking
  13
• Warnings
  11
• Assist
  10
• Warning
  6
• Blind spot detection
  4
• Sensing system › Camera
  3

Components named in complaints (automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, backup camera).

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2025 Subaru Outback owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

1. Pre-collision warning system malfunctioned. On my vehicle it has activated 4 different times when there was no obstacle in the roadway -- one of which happened in front of a semi truck and the semi truck almost rear ended me. On the loaner vehicle while mine was being looked it, the pre-collision warning didn't activate at all when there was a significant obstruction in the roadway and I wrecked the vehicle. 2. My safety has been put at risk by having a pre-collision warning system activate randomly and then brake hard due to this. It was also put at risk by the pre-collision warning system not activated at all and causing an accident. My safety has further been put at risk by Subaru asking me to continue to drive my vehicle to help them figure out what is happening. I am not a crash test dummy. 3. …

2025 Subaru Outback onyx edition purchased 3/2025. Approximate mileage at time of incident 7000. On 2/10/25 around 6am car is remotely started with Subaru app from iPhone on flat gravel surface. Car was in park. Go out car not there moved almost a car length down a hill left turn then over an embankment into a ditch where it finally rested still running in park when found it. Why or how is this possible when done this before no issues. Took to dealership checked visible damage snapped bumper back in get hood and grill shutters checked by body shop. Stating no malfunction and said safe to drive until we did that. One week later the car is started and all sorts of lights appear on dash took back to dealer additional problems found in front end and underneath. Told us we could still continue to drive it with lower core support damaged. …

The brakes failed and could be inspected upon request. My safety and the safety of two other passengers was put at risk because my vehicle rear ended an another vehicle at a red light. The problem has not yet been confirmed or reproduced by the dealership or inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representative of others. There were no warning messages, or symptoms of the problem prior to the failure.

Unforced acceleration occurred in a parking lot. I had my foot off the gas pedal, and had the car easing to a stop, when the car sped up rapidly and scraped the side of a large van. The car eventually came to a stop as i was applying the brake as much as i could. The passenger side of subaru was damaged extensively. I reported this to our insurance agent and lithia.

My 2025 Subaru Outback has two persistent defects after three repair attempts, posing safety risks and meeting Tennessee lemon law standards: 1.Fuel Economy Defect: Advertised 32 MPG highway (EPA estimate), but I average 22-27 MPG at every fill up, regardless of city or highway driving. This car has been in the shop and the dealership offered no fix. Dealer staff admitted MPG is below spec, yet claim it's 'normal.' This suggests a potential engine or emissions fault, risking unexpected fuel loss on highways-a safety hazard for long drives. Not to mention false advertising to sell a car. 2.Infotainment Glitches: System updated twice since December 2024, still crashes/freezes (e.g., March 26, 2025, screen blacked out for over 5 minutes and restarted 3 times, this glitch effected my back up camera when trying to back into my driveway. intermittent failure obscures visibility . …

July 4, 2025 car had about 4100 miles Severe dangerous phantom braking on highway CA 280 N just prior to foothill expressway exit at about 7:30 pm. Suddenly while traveling 60+ MPH on mid lanes of freeway car auto braking caused car to brake/slow to 1/2 speed with no visible obstacle seen by any of 4 adults in car. Multi[ple Dash lights up with eyesite failure and all red , green and yellow lights. Gas pedal ws unresponsive no power. Eminent crash danger. Driver responded trying to hit gas then brake to steer off freeway. After several seconds the car gas pedal eventually responded and I was able to exit freeway at next exit. Taken to dealer July 23, 2025 Reported to Subaru of Santa Cruz . Tech could not duplicate state"The cameras will pickup objects and may brake if the freeway or road turns sharply". Manager of Service also indicated that this can happen if sun is setting. …

1.) Lane departure is not operating until way over the line on right side of vehicle. 2.) Collision Warning is going off regularly with no cars in front or behind. Randomly goes off. This makes it impossible to use the Automatic Emergency Braking feature if it went off in the middle of the freeway which would cause a wreck. 3.) Blind Spot warning goes off on driver side when there is no car there. 4.) Eyesight constantly turns off randomly meaning absolutely none of this "safe" driving stuff is working anyways. All of these items make this car very unsafe to drive and makes me wonder why I paid for them. It creates incredible stress and sometimes panic especially when the Collision Warning goes off for no reason. Yet my dealership denies any issue I've brought to them in the past but they magically get fixed and I'm referring to previous issues not the ones mentioned above. …

There are a couple of issues. 1. The car keeps applying the brakes at lower and higher speeds even though there is literally nothing in front. This is both annoying and risky, especially at higher speeds happening at the interstates. When I asked at the dealership, they said the car is not equipped to do something like this. But that does not mean this is not happening. At lower speeds, it feels like massive pressure forced on the stomach. 2. The lane departure warning system is subpar at best. It cannot comprehend the real-world lane markers- if modified, and is constantly forcing to go through the work areas and seemingly trying to make a collision. If I were not aware and attentive, I would have crashed to the barriers on the highway. 3. …

Rear Automatic Braking (RAB) system conducted an emergency , neck snapping stop while backing out of a sloped driveway at 9PM local time, zip 94596, walnut creek, California. There was no vehicle traffic, pedestrian traffic or other movements nearby to trigger the RAB system. There was a local rescue ambulance parked on another intersecting street, well over 300 feet away, with emergency flashing lights. As the driver, I immediately checked for traffic, pedestrians, etc, found nothing; rolled down windows to check again, found nothing. The vehicle was still held by the RAB system, I applied pressure to the throttle and the car slowly started to backup and the brakes then released. I believe the RAB system responded to the flashing lights, categorizing it as a moving vehicle rather than as a stationary rotating beacon over 300 feet away. …

1.) Eyesight constantly turns off on a whim. No reason or rhyme to it but just turns off. Meaning none of my "safety" systems (lane departure, crash avoidance, emergency braking, lane keeping assistance, collision warnings, collision braking) are functioning. Then it turns on when it decides it wants to turns back on after awhile but will happen in the middle of a 30+mile drive. When has this happened? Intermittently since I've purchased the car 11/23/2024. It's happened at least a dozen or more times. Dealership says nothing is wrong with car and they cannot replicate issue. This is just one of many issues with the new Subaru. Others are auto start stop does not function as it should per the User Manual. 12/4/2024 Passenger outside mirror does not defrost as stated it should in User Manual. 12/4/2024 Mileage for the Wilderness edition rarely hits minimum estimated MPG. constant

Collision Avoidance complaints in other Outback years