Recall campaigns by affected system, 2016–2024.
Showing the 12 most recent of 21 campaigns, newest first, from NHTSA records. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
24V227000NHTSA report received March 2024Model years: 2020–2022
NHTSA campaign 24V227000: Subaru Outback air bags recall
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.
Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge.
23V755000NHTSA report received November 2023Model years: 2021–2023
NHTSA campaign 23V755000: Subaru Outback power train recall
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Consequence: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge.
23V647000NHTSA report received September 2023Model years: 2023
NHTSA campaign 23V647000: Subaru Outback power train recall
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.
Consequence: Separation of the front end of the driveshaft increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge.
22V712000NHTSA report received September 2022Model years: 2022
NHTSA campaign 22V712000: Subaru Outback visibility recall
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 Impreza and Outback vehicles. The incorrect paint clearcoat may have been applied, which can cause the windshield to be insufficiently bonded to the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 212, "Windshield Mounting."
Consequence: An insufficiently bonded windshield can detach during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Subaru will offer owners a vehicle exchange or repurchase, free of charge.
22V485000NHTSA report received July 2022Model years: 2020–2021
NHTSA campaign 22V485000: Subaru Outback power train recall
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide.
22V473000NHTSA report received July 2022Model years: 2022
NHTSA campaign 22V473000: Subaru Outback engine and engine cooling recall
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 Outback vehicles. The engine wiring harness may have been damaged, resulting in a loose electrical connection to the engine control unit (ECU).
Consequence: A loose electrical connection to the ECU may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Dealers will replace the engine wiring harness and ECU, free of charge.
21V955000NHTSA report received December 2021Model years: 2020
NHTSA campaign 21V955000: Subaru Outback power train recall
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Consequence: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide.
21V587000NHTSA report received July 2021Model years: 2018–2020
NHTSA campaign 21V587000: Subaru Outback fuel system recall
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge.
21V024000NHTSA report received January 2021Model years: 2021
NHTSA campaign 21V024000: Subaru Outback power train recall
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2021 Outback and Impreza vehicles. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) select lever cable nut may not have been tightened properly, allowing the nut to loosen.
Consequence: A loose nut can lead to a lost of retention in the CVT select lever cable and the gear selector not functioning properly, increasing risk of crash.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and, if necessary, tighten the nut, free of charge.
20V766000NHTSA report received December 2020Model years: 2020
NHTSA campaign 20V766000: Subaru Outback back over prevention recall
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with "high" grade and "mid" grade multimedia navigation. The August 2020 over-the-air software update may have timed out without completing the installation, corrupting the data, and causing the rearview display to shutoff intermittently. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the software and, if necessary, replace the Cockpit Control Module, free of charge.
20V218000NHTSA report received April 2020Model years: 2019
NHTSA campaign 20V218000: Subaru Outback fuel system recall
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.
Consequence: If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge.
19V910000NHTSA report received December 2019Model years: 2016–2017
NHTSA campaign 19V910000: Subaru Outback air bags recall
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Outback vehicles. A replacement air bag control module may have been installed that is not compatible with the passenger air bag module, possibly affecting air bag deployment.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating passenger frontal air bag deployment, the air bag may not deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge.
The same full inspection at every tier, at the seller’s location, with a photo-documented report:
Other midsize and three-row SUVs to weigh against the Subaru Outback. Recall counts cover different model-year spans and are not a reliability ranking.
How many recalls does the Subaru Outback have?
As of NHTSA records retrieved 2026-08-27, NHTSA lists 21 recall campaigns for the Subaru Outback, model years 2016–2024. A recall applies to specific VIN ranges, variants, trims or build dates, so a particular vehicle may be affected by all, some, or none of them, and a campaign count is not a reliability ranking. Whether an open recall is a safety risk depends on the campaign, so read the NHTSA entry for the VIN. Each campaign below shows the remedy NHTSA records, which may be a dealer or service-center repair, an over-the-air software update, or, for some campaigns, a repurchase. This page details the most recent campaigns; the full record for any VIN is at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What should an inspector check on a used Subaru Outback?
Beyond the standard pre-purchase checks, the recall history for this model concentrates in: power train, air bags, steering, visibility, fuel system, suspension. An inspector documents the visible and operational condition of those systems without disassembly; internal parts, software-only issues and whether a recall remedy was performed are VIN-lookup questions, not inspection findings.
Can a pre-purchase inspection tell me whether a Subaru Outback recall was done?
No. Whether a recall repair was performed is recorded against the VIN, so NHTSA's lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls (or the manufacturer's own) is the authoritative check. Run it before you travel. The inspection covers what a VIN lookup cannot: the physical condition of the vehicle in front of you.
Can you inspect a Subaru Outback at a dealer, a private seller, or out of state?
Yes. The inspector usually travels to the vehicle at the seller's location — a dealer lot or a private seller — and you do not need to be there. Vehicle Inspectors dispatches an independent inspector within 50 miles of any US ZIP code, widening to 150 miles if needed; more remote locations are quoted case by case. You get a photo-documented PDF report in 24–48 hours.
How much does a Subaru Outback pre-purchase inspection cost?
A pre-purchase inspection of a Subaru Outback through Vehicle Inspectors: Bronze $249 · Silver $349 · Gold $449. Your card is saved at booking, not charged. A hold is placed when an inspector schedules, and you are charged after the inspection is completed. If no inspector accepts within 72 hours, the request auto-cancels and nothing is charged.
Vehicle Inspectors matches buyers with independent inspectors nationwide. Local pages for cities with active inspectors:
