Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 7% | 16,000 miles |
| 2024 | 7 | 7% | 7,000 miles |
| 2023 | 1 | 1% | 13,000 miles |
| 2022 | 24 | 5% | 23,000 miles |
| 2021 | 23 | 8% | 19,000 miles |
| 2020 | 51 | 6% | 8,000 miles |
| 2019 | 40 | 4% | 10,000 miles |
| 2018 | 37 | 5% | 6,000 miles |
| 2017 | 44 | 5% | 32,000 miles |
| 2016 | 55 | 9% | 42,000 miles |
| 2015 | 50 | 10% | 47,000 miles |
| 2014 | 36 | 17% | 34,000 miles |
| 2013 | 68 | 23% | 48,000 miles |
| 2012 | 52 | 18% | 114,000 miles |
| 2011 | 93 | 14% | 100,000 miles |
| 2010 | 67 | 19% | 67,000 miles |
| 2009 | 18 | 17% | 105,000 miles |
| 2008 | 20 | 9% | 98,000 miles |
| 2007 | 18 | 14% | 81,000 miles |
| 2006 | 50 | 18% | 100,000 miles |
| 2005 | 26 | 10% | 85,000 miles |
| 2004 | 15 | 17% | 67,000 miles |
| 2003 | 19 | 20% | 80,000 miles |
| 2002 | 22 | 15% | 76,000 miles |
| 2001 | 22 | 13% | 90,000 miles |
| 2000 | 38 | 18% | 81,000 miles |
| 1999 | 23 | 21% | 99,000 miles |
| 1998 | 40 | 31% | 95,000 miles |
| 1997 | 24 | 30% | 108,000 miles |
| 1996 | 10 | 22% | 115,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I just bought my Subaru outback brand new in October 2025. I've maintained my oil changes at the dealership. I bought it from in the last one was last may 26. I filled up my tank with a full tank of gas June 1. On June 2 when I was driving home from work on the I 94 Highway in Detroit Michigan I was going about 50 mph when my check engine light went on and within seconds the engine failed. The car was still on, but the gas pedal wouldn't work and I was in the far left-hand side lane of the highway. I was able to slowly pull over to the fire right hand shoulder, even though it was during peak traffic time. As I pulled over, I started seeing smoke come from under the hood. I then seen a big flame which made me quickly get out of the vehicle and then seconds two minutes later the entire vehicle was in golf in flames and had many explosions throughout. …
The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start while attempting to start it. There were no warning lights illuminated. A tow truck company successfully jump-started the vehicle, and the vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact returned to retrieve the vehicle, and the key fob failed to operate, and the vehicle failed to start. The dealer provided a loaner vehicle. There was no indication that the battery had failed; however, the dealer replaced the battery. The dealer had not yet determined the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
Was doing 55-60 mph in left lane of highway. Suddenly and without warning the car is decelerating, cannot accelerate any more, all warning lights suddenly flashing on dashboard. I was able to get over to the far right emergency lane, turn car off and put on hazards and started calling Subaru roadside assistance. While doing so I suddenly saw smoke coming out from under the hood. I got out of the car and continued my talk when the smoke suddenly turned to flames from under the hood and I called 911. Within 3 minutes of dialing for assistance, my car was completely engulfed in flames and it was burned to a crisp by the time the fire trucks put it out. My insurance company retrieved the car from wherever it was towed and has assigned it to someone to investigate.
Vehicle was not accelerating properly, so took to the dealership (Mike Shaw Subaru) to have work completed. Technicians indicated that the engine valves (shim valves) all had to be replaced and other work needed to be performed such as: Intake manifold, shim valves, gasket throt chamber. After dealership assured me that all work was performed and car was okay to take home, the next time it was driven it burst into flames. After filling the tank with gas the vehicle was at a red light. Once accelerator was pushed the vehicle engine burst into flames. Unsure if it is a faulty part or incompetent technician
The contact owned a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at 30 MPH, she heard an abnormal sound emanating from the front of the vehicle, and the vehicle suddenly lost all electrical power. She was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. A short time later, the contact's wife observed white smoke rising from the engine compartment, and within 15 minutes, the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames. Local emergency services were called and were able to extinguish the fire. A fire and police report were filed, and no injuries were reported. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, awaiting inspection. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 23,000.
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated he had taken the vehicle to the dealer for standard maintenance. When parked, the contact noticed that smoke was coming from underneath the vehicle. A loud popping noise occurred then a fire started underneath the hood of the vehicle. The fire quickly spread. The fire department extinguished the fire. There was no damage. There were no injuries and medical attention was not needed. A fire/police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and is with insurance waiting for the condition of the vehicle to be determined. The vehicle had not been officially diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 4,260.
The engine block of our car caught fire while it was parked and turned off. It melted the engine and hood of the car, totaling it. Thankfully, we were not in the vehicle when the incident occurred, so no one was injured. At the time of the incident, our car was parked outside our apartment building under a low-hanging tree, which was burned in the fire. Had a neighbor not noticed and called 911, the fire may have spread to the nearby apartment building and caused much more severe damage than what was already done to the car. We had no warning prior to the incident. To our knowledge, the car was in perfect condition. We had bought it brand new 16 months prior and had taken it in for its scheduled maintenance 3 times. We are unaware if the vehicle has been inspected yet or if they've discovered the origin of the problem. …
While slowly backing out of a parking space, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on it's own - I do not recall pressing on the accelerator but the engine surged and the vehicle rapidly reversed and struck 4 other parked cars. It felt as if the accelerator became stuck and would not respond to braking. No warning light or dashboard alerts appeared. Subaru eyesight and adaptive cruise control were not engaged at the time. There was no known obstruction under the petals. This felt like a serious malfunction and could have caused serious injury. I am reporting this in case it is part of a wider issue affecting this model and because i see that there are multiple complaints to you about sudden unintended acceleration, especially during low speed maneuvers like backing out a parking space.
Related recalls (3)
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Engine control module (ECU/ECM)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 Outback vehicles. The engine wiring harness may have been damaged, resulting in a loose electrical connection to the engine control unit (ECU).
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine wiring harness and ECU, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614.
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system › Hoses/lines/piping/fittings
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 outback and legacy passenger vehicles manufactured from July 31 through December 1, 2009. A crack or split can occur in the CVT cooler hose resulting in a fluid leak.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners and dealers will replace any affected cooler hoses free of charge. The safety recall began on June 8, 2010. Owners May contact Subaru at 1-800-subaru3 (1-800-782-2783).
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
On certain sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder engines, the water pump pulley center hole was improperly machined.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the water pump. Owner notification began September 12, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru Outback years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2011 (93), 2013 (68), 2010 (67), 2016 (55) and 2012 (52) model years. Engine complaints make up 14% of all complaints for the 2011.
Is there a recall for Subaru Outback engine problems?
Yes — 3 recalls, including 22V-473 (engine control module (ecu/ecm), Jul 1, 2022); 10V-196 (hoses/lines/piping/fittings, May 7, 2010); 02V-240 (cooling system, Sep 13, 2002). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Subaru Outback engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 72,000 miles; 37% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (94 mentions), followed by the cooling system (27).
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.