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2019 Subaru Outback Wilderness
Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.
1,029 owner complaints · 3 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Buy-rated alternatives from this era
Other 2017–2021 cars in the same rough price bracket with a clean, matured Buy verdict — worth cross-shopping before you commit to the 2019 Subaru Outback Wilderness.
Why caution?
Visibility & wipers problems dominate (38% of complaints, typically reported near 7k miles).
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#376 of 421Among the 2019 models with a matured record, the 2019 Subaru Outback Wilderness ranks #376, scoring higher than 10% of them. See the 2019 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2019 Subaru Outback SW AWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 17%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2019 Subaru Outback Wilderness, plotted where owners report it happening.
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Visibility & wipers
38%386 complaints · typically near 7k mi · 8 in the last 2 years
“Windshield window crack without any reason couple month ago and it keep crack bigger”
Electrical system
35%362 complaints · typically near 12k mi · 47 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after the vehicle was not started for approximately five days, the battery was completely drained. The …”
Engine
4%39 complaints · typically near 48k mi · 8 in the last 2 years
“The Tumble Generator Valve (TGV) assembly within the intake manifold failed on my 2019 Subaru Outback at only 48,000 miles causing catastrophic engine failure. This is…”
Driver assistance
3%36 complaints · typically near 25k mi · 4 in the last 2 years
“I was driving my 2019 Subaru Outback North on [XXX] just North of Alanson, Michigan on [XXX] when it applied the brakes and made a noise similar to driving on the rumb…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 2 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 1,029 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 29 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (3)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Fuel System, Gasoline · 21V587000
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
Fuel System, Gasoline · 20V218000
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.
Risk: If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-20.
Structure · 19V493000
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Legacy and Outback vehicles. Spot welds located on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, impacting the vehicle's body strength.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the reduced strength of the vehicle body may increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and repair or repurchase the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUH-93.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Subaru before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2019 Subaru Outback Wilderness. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report visibility & wipers problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 7k miles). Has this car shown any visibility & wipers symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 12k miles). Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2019 Subaru OUTBACK WILDERNESS beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2019? See how every Outback Wilderness model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2019 Subaru Outback Wilderness against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.