Home · 2023 Subaru Outback Wilderness · Complaints

What 85 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 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 (85)Crash / fire / injury (9)Driver assistance (21)Visibility & wipers (19)Electrical system (17)Brakes (6)Lights (6)Transmission & drivetrain (4)Latches & locks (3)Speed control (3)Airbags (2)Body & structure (2)

3 of 85 complaints match · Driver assistance · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Nov 30, 2024BrakesDriver assistanceCrash

The vehicle has received all scheduled and regular maintenance. I was driving right around the speed limit of 50 mph. Traffic was stopped ahead, and I had plenty of time and space to stop. I pressed the brake pedal, but continued to coast. I pressed it harder, all the way to the floor for at least four seconds, and there was no resistance, no feel of the antilock brakes kicking in, no emergency braking to avoid a collision, and no braking or slowing whatsoever. I could not safely swerve out of my lane, as there was no shoulder on my left and traffic on my right, and so there was an accident. The vehicle is currently at the body shop, and I told Stare Farm about the brakes, but they have no intention of investigating it.

NHTSA ODI 11628020

Mar 1, 2024Electrical systemFuel systemDriver assistanceCrashFire

My son was traveling at an appropriate highway speed when the truck in front of him stopped suddenly. He braked immediately and was able to slow down significantly, but not enough to avoid colliding with the back of the truck in front of him. He was going approximately 20 mph, still braking, when the collision occurred. His best recollection is that the vehicle's pre-collision system did not engage until after he collided with the truck. There was damage to the front end of the vehicle but it was not severe. My son moved the vehicle onto the shoulder of the highway and put it in park. The driver of the truck called the police. My sons got out of the vehicle. While they were talking with the other driver and the police, a fire started under the hood of the vehicle and within several minutes the entire vehicle was consumed. The wreckage was towed to 1022 Shannon Court, Livermore CA 94550. In July 2023 we were involved in an accident that impacted the front bumper, left front quarter panel, and Subaru EyeSight system of the same vehicle involved in this accident. Repairs after the July 2023 accident were performed by Kraft Body Shop in Santa Clara, CA. Repair and calibration of the Subaru EyeSight system were performed by Santa Cruz Subaru after that accident.

NHTSA ODI 11574953

Mar 30, 2023Driver assistanceCrash

As I was pulling in to park my vehicle, the car accelerated and after running over three small trees, finally stopped. Both my feet were on the brakes; I could not stop the car. Luckily, no one was hurt. The car was towed and Subaru had the car for close to 7 weeks for inspection; they reported no abnormalities with the car. I know that the car accelerated on its own- I had no control as I avoided hitting the cabin and plowing through the woods. I had my new car for 32 days and did not see any warning signs. It was towed on December 12, 2022, the day after the incident. Then Subaru had my car for inspection and repairs and it was picked up on March 22, 2023. I will not drive this car and Subaru has denied my request for a buyback. I will be trading it in for a loss.

NHTSA ODI 11514540

Working with the data? Download all 85 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 2023 Subaru Outback Wilderness verdict →