Subaru Outback VIN check & common problems

Decode any Subaru Outback by its VIN and see free safety-recall and owner-complaint data, so you know what to check before you buy.

See a sample report

1537

Owner complaints

Recall campaigns

Model years sampled

From NHTSA (US) records over 2016, 2020, 2024

Last updated: June 28, 2026

Safety rating

Overall: 5/5
Frontal crash: 5/5
Side crash: 5/5
Rollover: 4/5

Stability control: Standard

NHTSA NCAP crash tests (US), 2024 model year

Fuel economy

Combined: 8.4 L/100km
City: 9 L/100km
Highway: 7.4 L/100km

EPA estimates (US), 2024 model year

EU CO2 emissions (WLTP)

Official EU type-approval CO2 for the Subaru Outback, averaged over 8,055 cars registered across the EU.

Petrol
≈ 124 kW
193
g/km

EU CO2 data: European Environment Agency (EEA), 2024. Tailpipe (WLTP) figures, reused under CC BY 4.0.

See common Outback problems View safety recalls Is the Subaru Outback reliable?

What you can check on a Subaru Outback

Confirm whether the 10 open recall(s) on record were repaired
Inspect the areas owners report most: Electrical System, Visibility/Wiper
Know the 1537 owner complaints filed over 2016, 2020, 2024
Check the car matches its 5/5 NCAP crash-test rating
Compare real-world economy against the rated 8.4 L/100km
Always confirm the individual car by its VIN — model trends aren’t a guarantee

Importing a Subaru Outback from the US?

American-market Subaru Outbacks are often cheaper at US auctions — but salvage titles, flood damage and odometer rollback are common on cars sold there. Decode the VIN and read the history before you buy or ship, then check the import steps and taxes for your country.

Import steps & taxes by country

Subaru Outback: frequently asked questions

Does the Subaru Outback have any recalls?

10 NHTSA recall campaigns are on record for the Subaru Outback (2016, 2020, 2024). Always check a specific car by its VIN for currently open recalls.

What are the most common Subaru Outback problems?

Owners filed 1537 complaints with NHTSA over 2016, 2020, 2024. The most-reported areas are Electrical System, Visibility/Wiper.

Is the Subaru Outback safe?

The Subaru Outback earned 5 out of 5 stars overall in NHTSA (US) crash tests.

How economical is the Subaru Outback?

EPA-estimated combined economy is about 8.4 L/100km, based on US testing.

What are the CO2 emissions of the Subaru Outback?

Based on EU registration data (2024), the Subaru Outback emits around 193 g/km of CO2 (WLTP, tailpipe) in its most common version. Lower CO2 usually means lower road tax across much of the EU.

Complaint and recall data: NHTSA (US). Same-generation EU models usually share these mechanical issues.