Seat complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 11% | — |
| 2025 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2024 | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2023 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2022 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2021 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2020 | 4 | 0% | — |
| 2019 | 5 | 0% | 6,000 miles |
| 2018 | 8 | 1% | 24,000 miles |
| 2017 | 2 | 0% | 70,000 miles |
| 2016 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2015 | 4 | 1% | 37,000 miles |
| 2014 | 2 | 1% | 68,000 miles |
| 2013 | 9 | 3% | 55,000 miles |
| 2012 | 4 | 1% | 130,000 miles |
| 2011 | 4 | 1% | 52,000 miles |
| 2010 | 6 | 2% | 53,000 miles |
| 2008 | 1 | 0% | 108,000 miles |
| 2007 | 2 | 2% | 73,000 miles |
| 2006 | 3 | 1% | 26,000 miles |
| 2004 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2001 | 1 | 1% | 18,000 miles |
| 1999 | 2 | 2% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (seat frames, recliners, heated seats and seat tracks).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The driver's power-seat lift motor failed intermittently, leaving the seat stuck in its lowest position. The component remains installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection. The seat could not be raised high enough for my wife to obtain adequate forward visibility, making the vehicle unsafe for her to drive. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. Quantrell Subaru confirmed the lift motor failure. The technician tapped the motor, it worked briefly, and then failed again. It was inspected by an authorized Subaru dealer. It has not been inspected by Subaru of America, police, or insurance representatives. There were no warning lamps or messages. The first symptom was that the seat would no longer raise and became stuck at its lowest position. The issue was documented by the dealer on July 21, 2026.
I have a occupancy sensor error which has turned off the airbags on the passenger seat. I looked up the issue and found an open recall with Subaru regarding this issue. I spoke with multiple case managers to resolve the issue. They said they have reported the issue to NHTSA but it is not an active recall because they have yet to find a solution. So they have no responsibility to fix the issue at this time. They are unwilling to provide me with an alternate option than driving my car with the exact issue they issued the recall for.
2019 Outback 2.5 Limited purchased new Feb 2019. Driving car with no passengers when Airbag Warning Light and Red Exclamation light came on along with warning message to consult owners manual. Manual says the airbag system is turned off when these lights come on and take car to authorized repair center. Found pulling passenger seat belt out all the way would turn off the lights but then they would turn back on a short time later. Dealer found all harnesses where properly plugged in and no wiring damage. Dealer said vehicle needed a new front passenger occupant detection seat frame as a result of the malfunction. Service advisor stated they have seen several cars with the same fault and that our Outback was not under a manufactures recall for this problem. Dealer was well aware other Subaru models have recalls for this problem. …
Driver side seat is sounding like a weak and used bed. I have read on multiple Subaru sites that this has been happening since 2018 on various Subaru vehicles. It's apparently a weld that is weak. This makes it a safety hazard. Due to the fact that Subaru has known about this issue for a year and stilled installed these seats on a 2019 vehicle demonstrates that Subaru has poor quality checks. I asked for a replacement but was quoted over 2k for the replacement. This is just wrong and Subaru needs to replace these seats. If a weld is weak, think what will happen during an accident with that seat.
I folded my rear seats down to gain more cargo area room, upon unloading my cargo, I proceeded to fold up my rear seats. Both rear seats folded up and locked, except the driver's side rear seat locked into position but would recline backwards and not stay locked. I have owned this vehicle for seven years and have only had passengers in the rear about a dozen times, and to my knowledge never used the recline feature. The rear seats have been folded down numerous times to gain cargo volume and folded back up. I looked at side drivers side latch and it moves freely back n forth and will not lock like the passenger's does. I pulled on the recline leaver and it has tension on it. I tried pulling on both releases together to no avail. I found this issue on the internet which shows the latch. I feel the is an unsafe condition for a rear driver's side passenger as the seat rocks back n forth. …
This is a Base model automobile with manual seats. The right front passenger seat unlocked without warning during a quick deceleration. The seat slid forward on mounting rails and caused the front passenger to be squished between forward motion of seat and the seat belt. Lucky this was not a collision, but weight of seat moving forward & smashing passenger against seat belt was very uncormfortable. During a collision, this may have resulted in a serious injury. Seat bottom was replaced by dealer at my expense. I have kept defective seat bottom for further inspection. I have attached the repair invoice. Car has been used afterward without front passenger awaiting for part to be made available. Invoice incorrectly reports mileage. There is less that 15,000 miles on this car.
Driver's seat started peeling off approximately a year after purchase. Notified dealer, they said to contact Subaru of America via social media. Now almost all peeled off, have to cover with towel possibly interfering with airbags. Steering column lock will not lock in top position. Dealer repaired once under warranty, now out of warranty. Unsafe when column moves when driving. Transmission started slipping or behaving strangely around 90,000 miles. Never received notice of extended warranty I read about on Subaru forums [redacted] ) Paid $531.43 for fluid change at dealership because of the problem on 7/27/23 and no mention was made about extended warranty. It has not solved the problem. If transmission fails, that is a safety problem.
Substantial rust has developed at the attach point of the driver's seat-belt to the driver's seat and of the attach-point of the driver's seat to the car. We're the original owner and the car was never flooded or exposed to water in any other way. I took it to the dealer two weeks ago and they didn't know what to make of it or do about it. They reached out to Subaru and (as of 4/24) the dealer hasn't received a response. The passenger side doesn't have this problem, but the design is entirely different -- no exposed metal. Interestingly, when the service advisor checked other later-year gen 5 outbacks the design had changed: there was no longer any exposed metal in the equivalent location. The newer design for the driver-side attach-point mimics the passenger side - no exposed metal. A 2016 Outback in for service had the same exposed metal design on the driver-side seat. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru Outback years have seat problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2013 (9), 2018 (8), 2010 (6) and 2019 (5) model years. Seat complaints make up 3% of all complaints for the 2013.
Is there a recall for Subaru Outback seat problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seats recall for any Subaru Outback model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Subaru Outback seat problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 52,000 miles; 59% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front assembly › head restraint (5 mentions), followed by the front assembly › power adjust (2).
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.