2009 Subaru Outback Problems and Recalls (105 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2009 Subaru Outback is Airbags (22% of 105 owner reports). There are 13 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Airbags — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 105 complaints · 13 recalls
What problems show up on the 2009 Subaru Outback?
23 of 105 filings named Airbags (22% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Engine (15 reports).
There are 13 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Brakes, Airbags, and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2008 has 224 reports on file; this year has 105. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Airbags 23 complaints · 21.9% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 1
- Fires 3
- Injuries 2
- Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 23 | 21.9% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 15 | 14.3% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
| Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) | 10 | 9.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 9 | 8.6% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 8 | 7.6% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 7 | 6.7% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 6 | 5.7% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 5 | 4.8% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Suspension (SUSPENSION) | 5 | 4.8% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 21 | 20.0% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 16V358000 was reported 733 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 17V014000 was reported 963 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 17V026000 was reported 964 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 18V012000 was reported 1,327 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 18V013000 was reported 1,327 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 18V014000 was reported 1,327 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 19V297000 was reported 1,830 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 20V001000 was reported 2,050 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 20V002000 was reported 2,050 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 20V003000 was reported 2,050 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2010-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2010-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2010-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2011-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2011-Q2 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2011-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2012-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2012-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2012-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2013-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2013-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2014-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2014-Q2 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2014-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2014-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2015-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2015-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2015-Q4 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2016-Q1 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2016-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2016-Q4 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2017-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2017-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2019-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2026-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2026-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 13V110000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V311000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 16V358000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 16V738000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 17V014000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 17V026000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 18V012000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 18V013000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 18V014000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 19V297000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V001000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V002000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V003000 |
Safety Recalls (13)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Brakes, Airbags, and Electrical.
-
Recall campaign 13V110000
Brakes
- Report date
- Component:
- Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
- Consequence:
- Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected area will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQG-43.
-
Recall campaign 14V311000
Brakes
- Report date
- Component:
- Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
- Consequence:
- Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected areas will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 2014 and second notifications will run through November 2014. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQK-47. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-110 which applied to certain 2005-2009 Legacy/Outback vehicles. Vehicles that were remedied under the previous campaign still need additional areas rust-proofed.
-
Recall campaign 16V358000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy:
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 26, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Saab owners may contact GM at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-16.
-
Recall campaign 16V738000
Safety recall 16V738000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.
-
Recall campaign 17V014000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy:
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-17.
-
Recall campaign 17V026000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy:
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-17.
-
Recall campaign 18V012000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy:
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-18.
-
Recall campaign 18V013000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy:
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-18.
-
Recall campaign 18V014000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy:
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-18.
-
Recall campaign 19V297000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.
-
Recall campaign 20V001000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy:
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
-
Recall campaign 20V002000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy:
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
-
Recall campaign 20V003000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy:
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Showing 10 of 105 complaints · page 1 of 5
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2009 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front headlights became inoperative. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the daytime running light module needed to be replaced. The dealer stated that the part needed to do the repair was discontinued. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I purchased fuel injectors from Ebay on 5/25/2026 who guaranteed direct replacement fit for my specific vehicle. The injectors failed within a few days of use causing a catastrophic fire and total loss of vehicle on 6/3/2026
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The airbag light stays on all the time.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
airbag light is on.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owned a 2009 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle had failed to accelerate above 60 MPH without warning. The contact soon began to notice heavy white smoke in her rear-view mirror as the smoke quickly spread to the front end of the vehicle. The contact immediately pulled over, grabbed vital items, and exited the vehicle. The contact called 911 as flames quickly engulfed the vehicle, and a deputy who witnessed the fire pulled over to assist the contact. The fire department arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire. The contact sustained emotional distress as a result of the accident but did not seek medical attention. The contact was not given a police or fire report. The vehicle was initially towed to an independent tow yard before the contact's insurance had the vehicle towed to another location. The insurance company later deemed the vehicle a total loss. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2009 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to slow the vehicle, the brake pedal was extremely soft. The contact stated that the vehicle required an extended distance to slow down or come to a complete stop, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the braking system due to brake fluid leaks. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V311000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 188,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
When I parked my vehicle in the garage, I smelled an odor coming from the engine compartment. I found that the front right inner axle boot had leaked grease. I then saw that the grease covered the catalytic converter. I am not sure when this started to be a problem, but my main concern was it could have started a fire.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owned a 2009 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard, and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact swerved to avoid a crash and moved over to the median. The contact stated that the vehicle spun around, and the contact used the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The contact was unaware of a warning light being illuminated. The contact stated that on another occasion, the air bag warning light intermittently illuminated weeks before a crash. The driver’s and passenger’s side air bags failed to deploy. A Police report was not filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The Insurance company was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that there was a gasoline odor coming from the engine weeks prior to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The rear hatch on this Outback won't lock. As a woman on her own, my safety is at risk. I have read of other people who have this issue and has been able to fix this on their own. This is a safety issue if your vehicle won't lock completely because the wires in the hatch are compromised.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The dashboard becomes sticky and shiny and therefore makes it difficult to see. Subaru offered a limited recall but too many vehicles such as mine were overlooked. Also apparently the repair they offered only replaced the dashboard with one of the same caliber. So eventually more cars will be affected by the sticky and shiny dash as time goes on.
Subaru Outback Complaints and Recalls by Year
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2009 Subaru Outback?
Owners named Airbags most often — 23 of 105 reports (22%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2009 Subaru Outback?
NHTSA lists 13 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Brakes, Airbags, and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2009 Subaru Outback?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.