AI Damage2021 Subaru Outback: common problems
Owners of the 2021 Subaru Outback filed 298 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and electrical system. The maker issued 477 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 298
- involving a crash
- 9
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 477
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 36% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 26% of all complaints
- 3 Forward collision avoidance 10% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 7% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel/propulsion system 3% of all complaints
- Visibility: 107 complaints (36% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 9.
- Electrical system: 76 complaints (26% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 284.
- Forward collision avoidance: 29 complaints (10% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
- Engine: 21 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 53.
- Vehicle speed control: 19 complaints (6% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.4 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- CVT
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 298 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 107 | 1 | 9 |
| Electrical system | 76 | 2 | 284 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 29 | 2 | 3 |
| Engine | 21 | 1 | 53 |
| Vehicle speed control | 19 | 5 | 0 |
| Air bags | 16 | 1 | 19 |
| Powertrain | 12 | 1 | 63 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 10 | 2 | 18 |
| Structure | 7 | 0 | 18 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 1 | 4 |
| Lane departure | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| Wheels | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| Steering | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
No warning lights or strange sounds were emitted prior to the crash. A police report was filed. The contact was injured while seated in the drivers seat. No one outside of the vehicle was injured. The contact sustained whip lash and bruising from the seat belt. Medical treatment was needed for the injuries.
On 10/29/25 the car lost power once it got to 3500rpm. Multiple warning lights came on. On 11/06/2025, the Thermo Control Valve, high pressure fuel line, and gaskets for intake manifold and EGR were replaced.
The contact stated that while idling at a red traffic light, the vehicle lurched forward twice and struck the rear end of another vehicle twice. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated upon impact. The air bags did not deploy. There was no injury sustained. A Police report was not filed.
While slowly backing out of a parking space, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on it's own - I do not recall pressing on the accelerator but the engine surged and the vehicle rapidly reversed and struck 4 other parked cars. It felt as if the accelerator became stuck and would not respond to braking.
Had I chosen to park one stall to the right, the car would have gone through the window of the business instead of the pillar. Considerable damage was done to the pillar and to my 2021 Subaru Outback, but I was not injured, and no one else was injured.
Car experienced unintended acceleration and the pre-collision safety system failed to engage. Car accelerated into a building and the driver stopped car's attempt to continue forward progress by taking the car out of drive mode. The pre-collision system failed completely.
Windshield suddenly cracked, starting from bottom center of the window, crack moved up about 6" and then turned 90 degrees towards passenger side and went another 6". No object hit the window or car; it just spontaneously cracked from bottom then moved upwards.
Despite that replacement, the vehicle has continued to have multiple complete battery drain if left parked for multiple days (but less than a week), indicating the restart failures were likely caused by an underlying parasitic electrical draw rather than a simple worn-out battery.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 210 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Outback has 477 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 298, below average.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This announcement provides information on a new software update for the Midtronics Dss and DCA machines
- This announcement provides information on an enhancement of the TechShare CVT diagnostic assitance application
- This bulletin provides paint code information for 2027 model year vehicles
- "This Bulletin announces additional troubleshooting steps for the following DTCs
DTC C1956: RH Actuator Circuit DTC C1957: LH Actuator Circuit"
- This announcement provides an update to all 2027 model year Subaru warranty coverages for wear items and…
- This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a…
This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc
(SOA) is extending the New Car Limited Warranty coverage for the CP1 & Gen 3.1 Head Unit used in the listed models and model years to (8) eight years / 150,000 miles to cover certain qualifying repairs to the…
- This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during…
This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This bulletin announces reprogramming file availability and provides a software update installation…
This bulletin announces reprogramming file availability and provides a software update installation procedure to optimize the new Gen 4 Denso CP1 Audio and Navigation head units utilized in the models listed.This is an…
- This bulletin provides a procedure to address customer concerns of surface rust accumulating in the top…
This bulletin provides a procedure to address customer concerns of surface rust accumulating in the top center retaining nut area of the front strut mounts. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- This bulletin provides guidance when diagnosing chain slip, judder, shudder, and hesitation concerns on…
This bulletin provides guidance when diagnosing chain slip, judder, shudder, and hesitation concerns on the TR580 model CVT transmissions used in the models listed.
- This service bulletin outlines the diagnostic and repair procedure for white smoke emitted from the…
This service bulletin outlines the diagnostic and repair procedure for white smoke emitted from the exhaust after startup. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
NHTSA lists 477 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Subaru Outback?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, electrical system, forward collision avoidance. Total complaints: 298. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (11%), infotainment or screen glitches (9%), windows, sunroof (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2021 Subaru Outback?
NHTSA lists 477 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2021 Subaru Outback from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2021 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.