2022 Subaru Outback Complaints and Problems
The Subaru Outback is in its sixth generation in the United States. The current generation Outback has launched not very long ago in 2020. There are quite a lot of complaints about the 2022 Subaru Outback reported by the owners of the car already on the NHTSA website. Usually, you do not see so many complaints for the current model year of a vehicle so early after its launch.
It is quite an alarming situation for the potential buyers of the Subaru Outback. You can get an idea of the Subaru Outback's faults by looking at these complaints. Let’s have a look at some of the most common complaints reported by the owners of the current generation Outback.
Engine Problem
- CVT transmission problem: The Subaru Outback CVT issues have affected many previous-generation Outback models. The owners of the car reported that they faced engine stalling, shuddering, or delay in acceleration due to faulty CVT transmission with the Subaru Outback. Subaru also acknowledged the problem and offered a resolution by extending the warranty on the transmission. The owners wanted Subaru to issue a recall for the issue but there were no recalls to fix the problem. Fortunately, the problem does not continue to the current generation models and there are no complaints suggesting that the problem was noticed in any model year of the sixth generation Outback.
Electrical System Problem
- Battery problem: Electrical systems are one of the most common things to fail in any vehicle. However, the Subaru Outback has problems with the battery of the vehicle. You can not expect any electrical system to function properly without batteries. Multiple owners of the Subaru Outback have reported complaints related to the battery failure in their Subaru Outback. One of the owners of the current generation Outback reported that the battery on his vehicle failed over three times in a very short period. The owner took the vehicle to the dealership each time the problem occurred where they changes the battery in the vehicle. But there was no proper reason or a permanent solution provided to the owner of the car. Many other owners of the car faced similar problems with the battery of the car.
Exterior Problem
- Windshield cracking problem: The windshield is of a car is supposed to be tough as it should protect you from anything that can potentially enter your cabin from the front. If the windshield is fragile and breaks easily, it might be a big safety concern for the people inside the car. A similar problem is reported by many owners of the Subaru Outback. According to the owners, the windshield of their Outback cracks even in case of a very small impact with a tiny stone. The problem becomes even worse when the windshield breaks for no apparent reason and there is nothing that could potentially hit the windshield. Some owners also reported that the windshield on their Outback reported when the vehicle was parked in their garage. It is a severe safety concern for the buyers of the Subaru Outback. We hope Subaru fixes this issue soon.
- Headlight alignment problem: The Subaru Outback comes with a decent pair of headlights. The headlights offered with the Subaru Outback do a great job of illuminating the road ahead of you in the night. But there is some problem related to the headlights of the vehicle reported by many owners. The owners reported that the headlights are set a bit on the higher side. Even when you keep your Subaru Outback in the low-beam, the throw of the headlights still disturbs the oncoming traffic. The owners of the car reported that the cars coming from the front constantly keep signaling to keep the car in low beam. It happens when the headlights are already set on the low beam. It is a major safety concern not only for the buyers of the Subaru Outback but also for the other vehicles on the road.
Safety Features Problem
- Auto start/stop feature problem: The auto start/stop feature is one of the popular features these days to increase the efficiency of a car. The Subaru Outback also gets the same technology. It shuts the engine off when you stop at a traffic signal or a stop sign and starts the car again when you press the gas pedal to get going. The most common failure with the system in the Subaru Outback is that the vehicle stalls when you press the gas pedal to get moving. Another problem is that the function disengages on its own sometimes and you have to restart the vehicle to engage the feature again.
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Category
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Number of complaints
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Visibility
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345
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Fuel Propulsion System
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7
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Improper working of safety features
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82
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Engine and Electric System
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232
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Miscellaneous Concerns
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169
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2022 Subaru Outback Recalls
The number of complaints is on the higher side for the 2022 Subaru Outback. But when you look at the recall section, there are no recalls issued from the NHTSA so far for the current model year of the Outback. When there are so many complaints, you usually expect the manufacturer to come forward to fix those problems. That does not seem to be the case here at least for now. You can expect Subaru to issue a recall in the future. However, Subaru has not been among the top manufacturers when it comes to issuing recalls. There are some recalls issued for the earlier model years of the current generation Subaru Outback. The current generation Subaru Outback is a relatively new vehicle launched back in 2020. Let’s have a look at all these recalls and the problem addressed in these recalls already.
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S. No.
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Date
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NHTSA Campaign Number
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Issues Noticed
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Additional Remarks
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1
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January 26, 2021
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21V024000
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CVT select level cable nut not tightened properly
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The continuously variable transmission (CVT) select lever cable nut might not have been tightened properly, allowing the nut to loosen.
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2
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December 9, 2021
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21V955000
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Drive chain might break causing loss of drive power
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A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) might allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
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3
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July 29, 2021
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21V587000
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Fuel pump might fail
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The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank might fail.
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4
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December 19, 2020
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20V766000
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Rearview camera might shut down
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The August 2020 over-the-air software update might have timed out without completing the installation, corrupting the data, and causing the rearview display to shut off intermittently.
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5
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September 18, 2019
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19V664000
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Loose or missing brake pedal mounting bracket bolt
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The brake pedal mounting bracket might have a missing or insufficiently tightened bolt.
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Which model years of the Subaru Outback should you avoid?
There are multiple complaints about the Subaru Outback reported already by its users. But that does not mean that the Subaru Outback is not a reliable car. The multiple complaints reported by the users cover only a few problems again and again. The Subaru Outback has received an above-average reliability score in many surveys. You can see the same when you are looking for a used Subaru Outback.
There are not many things that are wrong with the Outback in the past. That leaves you with the freedom of choosing from multiple model years as there are not many to avoid here. The only model year that you should avoid while buying a used Subaru Outback is the 2013 model year. There are some problems with the 2013 Subaru Outback that will make your ownership experience not so good.
Should you buy the 2022 Subaru Outback?
The 2022 Subaru Outback is one of the easiest station wagon to recommend in its class. It has everything to keep you and your family happy with the vehicle. You get lots of space in the cabin to stretch your legs and enjoy the long family road trips comfortably. The rugged SUV stance gives it a good road presence. It also comes with standard all-wheel drive and enhanced ground clearance to give it some extra capabilities.
The engines offer decent performance and fuel efficiency. Any other direct rivals in the station wagon segment cost a lot more than the Outback. The reliability scores for the Subaru Outback is also not bad. The 2022 Subaru Outback deserves a spot on your list if you are considering a car in the same budget.
