Acceleration complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 11% | — |
| 2025 | 2 | 2% | 1,000 miles |
| 2024 | 3 | 3% | 1,000 miles |
| 2023 | 3 | 3% | 13,000 miles |
| 2022 | 4 | 1% | 14,000 miles |
| 2021 | 19 | 6% | 31,000 miles |
| 2020 | 18 | 2% | 1,000 miles |
| 2019 | 26 | 3% | 5,000 miles |
| 2018 | 21 | 3% | 8,000 miles |
| 2017 | 28 | 3% | 20,000 miles |
| 2016 | 22 | 3% | 5,000 miles |
| 2015 | 26 | 5% | 25,000 miles |
| 2014 | 14 | 7% | 14,000 miles |
| 2013 | 26 | 9% | 17,000 miles |
| 2012 | 8 | 3% | 4,000 miles |
| 2011 | 25 | 4% | 52,000 miles |
| 2010 | 13 | 4% | 54,000 miles |
| 2009 | 2 | 2% | 22,000 miles |
| 2008 | 6 | 3% | 23,000 miles |
| 2007 | 17 | 13% | 100,000 miles |
| 2006 | 98 | 35% | 100,000 miles |
| 2005 | 40 | 15% | 90,000 miles |
| 2004 | 20 | 22% | 67,000 miles |
| 2003 | 9 | 10% | 37,000 miles |
| 2002 | 12 | 8% | 45,000 miles |
| 2001 | 17 | 10% | 43,000 miles |
| 2000 | 14 | 7% | 56,000 miles |
| 1999 | 9 | 8% | 108,000 miles |
| 1998 | 13 | 10% | 68,000 miles |
| 1997 | 8 | 10% | 120,000 miles |
| 1996 | 4 | 9% | 186,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2024 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 mph, the vehicle suddenly and unintendedly accelerated and continued to accelerate. There were no warning lights illuminated. The brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to stop, crashed into a building, and a brochure bracket stand, and hit a pedestrian who was transported by ambulance with unknown injuries' to the hospital. A police report was filed. There was no reported fire or air bag deployment. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who informed her that the failure was due to user error. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000. The VIN was not available.
I was driving down the street, stopped at an intersection, and made a U-turn. Immediately after I made the U-turn a message came up on the screen saying "Eye Sight Disabled." From that point on the cruise control stopped working, the lane deviation stopped working, the forward collision system stopped working, and several other things malfunctioned (I can't seem to connect to the bluetooth system with my cell phone). The local Subaru dealer told me they are aware of the problem, but, have not notified anyone, they told me that I needed to make an appointment to get the problem fixed and it would take four to five hours.
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that his wife was driving the vehicle and as she was entering into a parking spot and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle experienced sudden unintended acceleration. The contact's wife reported that the vehicle had made an abnormal revving sound as if she had applied the accelerator. The front end of the vehicle jumped the parking bumper and crashed into the store's glass front. The wife stated that she had not noticed any warning lights or alarm chimes before the abnormal revving noise. The wife was not aware of the speed of the vehicle. The wife stated that the vehicle stopped and she had shifted the vehicle into reverse (R) and was able to reverse out from the storefront. The wife stated that she had not suffered any injuries. The police were called and issued the wife a citation. …
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outback. While turning into a parking spot, the accelerator pedal was slightly depressed, and the vehicle unintendedly accelerated, crashing into a parked vehicle on the driver's side. The contact stated that the vehicle continued to move forward after the crash into the next parking spot. No warning lights illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,300.
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while pulling into a bumpy parking space, the vehicle shuddered violently, unintendedly accelerated, and crashed into a stone wall. As a result, the hood of the vehicle was bent and the bumpers were damaged. The air bags did not deploy. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The contact was able to drive to an unknown dealer, where the vehicle was inspected, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they would follow up in two business days. The failure mileage was 13,947.
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving approximately 1 to 2 mph on two occasions into a parking spot, the vehicle hesitated then accelerated and crashed into a pole. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment, or fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to a collision shop. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and had an investigator inspect the vehicle but was unable to duplicate the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 700. The VIN was not available.
The contact owned 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH turning a right hand corner into a shopping center, the vehicle began to accelerate without the contacts consent. and the contact proceeded to frantically apply the brakes. The vehicle came to a stop upon impact with a brick wall impacting the front drivers side of the vehicle. All of the airbags were deployed. The vehicle was going 43 mph at the time of the crash. The was towed to a junk yard. No warning lights or strange sounds were emitted prior to the crash. A police report was filed. The contact was injured while seated in the drivers seat. No one outside of the vehicle was injured. The contact sustained whip lash and bruising from the seat belt. Medical treatment was needed for the injuries. The local dealer was contacted, and the black box was inspected. …
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while idling at a red traffic light, the vehicle lurched forward twice and struck the rear end of another vehicle twice. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated upon impact. The air bags did not deploy. There was no injury sustained. A Police report was not filed. Both the contact and her husband were able to drive away from the scene. The contact's vehicle sustained damage. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that a field technician would be sent to retrieve information from the EDR. The failure mileage was approximately 30,800.
Related recalls (2)
Vehicle speed control › Cables
On certain passenger sedans, wagons, and sport utility vehicles, the cruise control cable could come out of its track on the cruise control lever and lodge on the control lever tab when the accelerator pedal is released.
Remedy: Dealers will install a cruise control cable retaining clip to the cruise control lever tab on the throttle shaft in order to prevent the cruise control cable from coming out of its track.
Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The throttle shaft ball bearing on the sensor side of the throttle body assembly was not installed in certain throttle bodies.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the throttle body and replace the throttle assembly if the bearing is missing.
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru Outback years have acceleration problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2006 (98), 2005 (40), 2017 (28), 2013 (26) and 2015 (26) model years. Acceleration complaints make up 35% of all complaints for the 2006.
Is there a recall for Subaru Outback acceleration problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 04V-128 (cables, Mar 16, 2004); 98V-035 (vehicle speed control, Feb 20, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Subaru Outback acceleration problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles; 51% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the accelerator pedal (33 mentions), followed by the cruise control (15).
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.