2002 Subaru Outback problems
Owners have filed 172 complaints about the 2002 Subaru Outback with NHTSA. Service brakes, hydraulic account for 16.9% of them — narrowly the most common, ahead of fuel system, gasoline at 13.4%.
Complaints172
Crashes14
Fires0
Injuries15
Deaths0
What owners report breaking
Service brakes, hydraulic 16.9% · 29
Fuel system, gasoline 13.4% · 23
Power train 11.6% · 20
Engine and engine cooling 9.9% · 17
Vehicle speed control 7.0% · 12
Structure 5.8% · 10
Fuel/propulsion system 4.7% · 8
Visibility 4.1% · 7
Severity
Of those complaints, 14 describe a crash and 15 report an injury.
Reading the numbers
Across the 28 model years of the Subaru Outback in this data, 2002 sits 20th by complaint volume. 2019 draws the most.
Filings have fallen off, 8 in the last three years against 22 in the three before. That is normal as a generation leaves the road.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 75,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Brakes briefly fail in freezing cold weather conditions. 5 Or 10 hard pumps have usually brought them back. Very dangerous if you are not expecting it. I never leave my driveway or parking space without repeated pumping to get them working again. We are ski instructors (and this car is marketed for that) but its quite dangerous in freezing weather. Service brakes, hydraulic · reported at 77,000 miles
My 2002 Subaru Outback had front rotor failure in 2007-----the fins that hold the rotors together rusted and broke. When you checked the rotor thickness with a micrometer it was fine but when you applied brakes the pressure squeezed the surfaces together and made it feel like the rotors were warped---also undetectable by runout gage. Service brakes, hydraulic · reported at 65,000 miles
I have reported the problem to dealer, been to Subaru dealer 3 times who can't duplicate the problem, however the problem keeps recurring to me. Feel it is either master cylinder or abs, given low mileagea and age of car. Poor brake design if computer cannot pick up this fault. Service brakes, hydraulic
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…