2021 Subaru Outback problems
Owners have filed 413 complaints about the 2021 Subaru Outback with NHTSA. Visibility/wiper accounts for 23.5% of them — narrowly the most common, ahead of electrical system at 17.9%. A further 15.7% were filed without a specific system named.
Complaints413
Crashes22
Fires2
Injuries8
Deaths0
What owners report breaking
Visibility/wiper 23.5% · 97
Electrical system 17.9% · 74
Unknown or other 15.7% · 65
Forward collision avoidance 10.4% · 43
Engine 4.8% · 20
Vehicle speed control 4.6% · 19
Air bags 4.1% · 17
Power train 2.7% · 11
Severity
Of those complaints, 22 describe a crash, 2 describe a fire and 8 report an injury.
Reading the numbers
Across the 28 model years of the Subaru Outback in this data, 2021 sits 10th by complaint volume. 2019 draws the most.
Filings have fallen off, 110 in the last three years against 294 in the three before. The issues here may already have been addressed.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 3,425 miles.
In owners' own words
I have has to replace the windshield 3 times in less than 3 years in my 2021 Outback. Only once was there a definite impact from a rock. In that case, the glass broke in 5 directions across the entire windshield. The other two times, I simply woke up to a huge crack. It seems that this is an extremely common problem with this model, and my insurance says they will drop me if I continue to make claims at this rate. Visibility/wiper
Possession of new vehicle was taken 1/13/21. During highway driving on 1/18/21, windshield experienced a surface chip and was repaired the same day by an authorized technician. During highway driving on 1/29/21, windshield experienced another chip in different location which turned into an approximately 10 inch crack minutes later, beyond repair. Windshield has not yet been replaced. Visibility/wiper · reported at 800 miles
I had a rock hit my windshield and it instantly cracked and kept cracking in multiple directions looking like a spider. Had it repaired and same thing happens like 1 month later. And it seems when it rains there is some water that is getting through. I do not feel like Subaru has fixed the windshields since the recall on previous models. Pictures make it hard to really see severity. Visibility/wiper
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…