Home · 2021 Subaru Outback Wilderness · Complaints

What 291 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 Subaru Outback Wilderness

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (291)Crash / fire / injury (10)Visibility & wipers (107)Electrical system (72)Driver assistance (29)Engine (20)Speed control (18)Airbags (16)Transmission & drivetrain (11)Fuel system (10)Body & structure (7)Brakes (7)

29 of 291 complaints match · Driver assistance · clear filters · page 2 of 2

Jul 21, 2021Driver assistance

Automatic braking system activated abruptly and forcefully when a vehicle in the adjacent lane slowed down to make a turn. This has occurred numerous time both on the highway and in city driving. I have called Subaru to report the issue. They did not recommend taking it to a service center, although I plan to. The car otherwise has shown no warning of automatic braking malfunction prior to or after the incidents. However the automatic braking system has continued to malfunction. I now deactivate the automatic braking every time I start the car to avoid further incidents. Potentially related to the automatic braking malfunction, the car regularly alerts me to keep my eyes on the road while I have my eyes on the road. Common situations when this happens include when I scan an intersection on approach for potential hazards (e.g., pedestrians, people running red lights, etc.), fixing my glasses or hat while continuing to look straight ahead, and simply scratching my face all trigger the warning. Occasionally, the warning is activated for seemingly no reason. At best, it’s a nuisance; at worst it’s a distraction and a liability. I now deactivate this feature when I start my car.

NHTSA ODI 11425744

Mar 26, 2021Driver assistance

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE BRAKES ENGAGED INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HYMAN BROS. SUBARU (11960 MIDLOTHIAN TURNPIKE, MIDLOTHIAN, VA 23113) WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE EYESIGHT BY THE REAR VIEW MIRROR NEEDED TO BE RECALIBRATED. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER UNREPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900.

NHTSA ODI 11405068

Dec 16, 2020Visibility & wipersDriver assistanceLane Departure

BRAND NEW 2021 OUTBACK PREMIER @ 647 MILES AND WHILE PARKED OVERNIGHT IN OUR PRIVATE DRIVEWAY WE NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD HAD CRACKED THE NEXT MORNING. LESS THAN 7 DAYS OF OWNERSHIP DEALER CLAIMS IT WAS A ROCK CHIP . THE WINDSHIELD IS SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCREEN. DEALER RESPONSE IS INSULTING. ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE GLASS. DEALER PUSHED THEIR EXPENSIVE INSURANCE TO COVER WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR. WE DID NOT KNOW THIS WAS A RECURRING ISSUE AT THIS TIME WITH THE CARS. IF WE HAD KNOWN WE WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THIS CAR. IT WILL ALWAYS BE AN ISSUE. WILL IT CRACK AGAIN? WHO PAYS, WILL IT LEAVE US STRANDED SOMEWHERE? SUBARU DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WILLING TO STAND BY ITS PRODUCT AND TAKE CARE OF ITS CUSTOMERS

NHTSA ODI 11383649

Nov 23, 2020Visibility & wipersLane DepartureDriver assistance

I HAD THE CAR ONLY 10 DAYS FROM THE DEALERSHIP, MY HUSBAND AND I WERE ON THE HIGHWAY HEADING TO AN EVENT WHEN WE HEARD A CRACK, I LOOKED UP AND THERE WAS A HORIZONTAL CRACK HEADING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT IN THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ODI 11375885

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Working with the data? Download all 291 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2021 Subaru Outback Wilderness verdict →