2005 Subaru Outback: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 353 complaints
353
Total Complaints
85,000mi
Median Mileage
SUSPENSION
Top Issue
20
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

37,000 25th Percentile
85,000 Median Mileage
125,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

SUSPENSION
36
AIR BAGS
35
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
32
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
26
SERVICE BRAKES
22
SUSPENSION:REAR
19
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
15
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
14
STEERING
13
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
13

Severity Assessment

20
Crashes
6
Fires
19
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"CONSUMER FEEL THAT THE HEADLIGHT ARE POINTED TOO LOW TO THE GROUND. THIS CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE HEADLIGHTS COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED AND THAT IT MET THE SPECS.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT VISIBILITY WAS CUT IN HALF. ONLY..."
"IT WOULD BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO SEE DURING NIGHT TIME WITH THE FRONT GLASS HEADLIGHTS LENS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK"
"THE HEADLIGHT ONLY ILLUMINATED 20 TO 25 FEET IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *NM THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS ONLY ILLUMINATE ONE FOOT ON EITHER SIDE MAKING NIGHTIME DRIVING FRIGHTENING AND STRESSFUL. A DARK SHADOW APPEARS TO DROP 25 FEET IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *TC"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28