2015 Subaru Outback Problems and Recalls (509 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2015 Subaru Outback is Glass / wipers / cameras (27% of 509 owner reports). There are 5 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Glass / wipers / cameras — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 509 complaints · 5 recalls

What problems show up on the 2015 Subaru Outback?

135 of 509 filings named Glass / wipers / cameras (27% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (99 reports).

There are 5 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Lights, Transmission / driveline, and Steering. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2014 has 207 reports on file; this year has 509. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2015 Subaru Outback

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 5 campaigns on file below.
  2. Glass / wipers / cameras. Check windshield, wipers and any camera or sensor the listing claims is there.
  3. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  4. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Glass / wipers / cameras. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Glass / wipers / cameras 135 complaints · 26.5% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 20
  • Fires 5
  • Injuries 17
  • Deaths 0
All Subaru Outback years →
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.

Which systems owners named Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) appears in 135 of 509 owner complaints (26.5%) in this vehicle snapshot. Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 135 complaints, 26.5% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 1 fire reports 135 · 26.5% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 99 complaints, 19.5% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 fire reports 99 · 19.5% Engine (ENGINE): 28 complaints, 5.5% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 crash reports 2 fire reports 28 · 5.5% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 26 complaints, 5.1% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 26 · 5.1% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 18 complaints, 3.5% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 18 · 3.5% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 18 complaints, 3.5% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 3 crash reports 18 · 3.5% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 17 complaints, 3.3% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 4 crash reports 17 · 3.3% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 14 complaints, 2.8% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 14 · 2.8% Steering (STEERING): 10 complaints, 2.0% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 crash reports 10 · 2.0% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 155 complaints, 30.5% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 8 crash reports 1 fire reports 155 · 30.5% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“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)
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 135 26.5% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 99 19.5% 0 crashes · 2 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 28 5.5% 1 crashes · 2 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 26 5.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 18 3.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 18 3.5% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 17 3.3% 4 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 14 2.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 10 2.0% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 155 30.5% 8 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.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jul 2014; the first recall shown was reported in Sep 2014. 2014-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2015-Q1: 25 owner reports 25 2015-Q2: 39 owner reports 39 2015-Q3: 52 owner reports 52 2015-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2016-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2016-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2016-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2016-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2017-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q3: 14 owner reports 14 2017-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2018-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2018-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2018-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2019-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2019-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2019-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2019-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2020-Q1: 19 owner reports 19 2020-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q3: 22 owner reports 22 2020-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2021-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2021-Q2: 19 owner reports 19 2021-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2021-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2022-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2022-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2022-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2022-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2023-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2023-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2023-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2024-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2024-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2024-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2024-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2025-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2025-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2025-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2025-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2026-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2026-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2026-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 Owner reports Jul 2014 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 14V577000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V577000 Recall campaign 15V366000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V366000 Recall campaign 15V502000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V502000 Recall campaign 16V251000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V251000 Recall campaign 16V292000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V292000 Investigation EA21002 ● Investigation EA21002
  • Campaign 15V366000 was reported 128 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15V502000 was reported 222 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V292000 was reported 322 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2014-Q3 Owner reports 1
2014-Q4 Owner reports 5
2015-Q1 Owner reports 25
2015-Q2 Owner reports 39
2015-Q3 Owner reports 52
2015-Q4 Owner reports 18
2016-Q1 Owner reports 11
2016-Q2 Owner reports 13
2016-Q3 Owner reports 8
2016-Q4 Owner reports 14
2017-Q1 Owner reports 3
2017-Q2 Owner reports 5
2017-Q3 Owner reports 14
2017-Q4 Owner reports 11
2018-Q1 Owner reports 11
2018-Q2 Owner reports 6
2018-Q3 Owner reports 9
2018-Q4 Owner reports 7
2019-Q1 Owner reports 9
2019-Q2 Owner reports 8
2019-Q3 Owner reports 11
2019-Q4 Owner reports 10
2020-Q1 Owner reports 19
2020-Q2 Owner reports 4
2020-Q3 Owner reports 22
2020-Q4 Owner reports 8
2021-Q1 Owner reports 13
2021-Q2 Owner reports 19
2021-Q3 Owner reports 19
2021-Q4 Owner reports 10
2022-Q1 Owner reports 11
2022-Q2 Owner reports 11
2022-Q3 Owner reports 11
2022-Q4 Owner reports 6
2023-Q1 Owner reports 4
2023-Q2 Owner reports 9
2023-Q3 Owner reports 3
2023-Q4 Owner reports 3
2024-Q1 Owner reports 3
2024-Q2 Owner reports 4
2024-Q3 Owner reports 3
2024-Q4 Owner reports 5
2025-Q1 Owner reports 7
2025-Q2 Owner reports 3
2025-Q3 Owner reports 3
2025-Q4 Owner reports 5
2026-Q1 Owner reports 3
2026-Q2 Owner reports 5
2026-Q3 Owner reports 6
Recall campaign 1 14V577000
Recall campaign 1 15V366000
Recall campaign 1 15V502000
Recall campaign 1 16V251000
Recall campaign 1 16V292000
Defect investigation 1 EA21002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (5)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Lights, Transmission / driveline, and Steering.

  1. Recall campaign 14V577000

    Safety recall 14V577000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    The mounting nut(s) may not provide sufficient force to remain attached to the studs or the studs themselves might break. If this were to happen while a trailer is being towed, the driver might not be able to operate the vehicle as desired or the trailer may detach from the vehicle. Either situation could increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace all eight mounting nuts for the trailer hitch assembly, and will inspect all eight mounting studs for damage, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2014. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQN-50.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 15V366000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 15V502000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    If the transmission oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, there is a possible risk of fire.
    Remedy:
    Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the propeller shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2015. Owners may contact 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQU-56.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 16V251000

    Safety recall 16V251000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    Poor performance of the electronic stability control system when it is activated may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will perform an ABS activation, then flush and replace the brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTC-64.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 16V292000

    Steering

    Report date
    Component:
    Steering (STEERING)
    Consequence:
    The loss of steering ability would increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting http://www.wtd65.service-campaign.com. Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65. Note: Until the vehicles have been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints 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.

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
Safety incident filters
Showing 5 of 509 complaints · page 1 of 21
2026-08-27SUSPENSION
NHTSA ODI 11760146
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Front subframe is rusted out. Went to do brakes and found holes in frame. I contacted subaru of north olmsted and was told this is common. Was told to call subaru of America and complain and see if they would help. So I called and was told it's common because the car is exposed to snow salt. I have never seen anything like this. I joined a subaru Facebook page and everyone confirmed that this really common. Some reported accidents and suspension failures caused by it. The lower control arms mount right in the rusted out area. The attached photos are the same ones I submitted to subaru of America. They offered no help or discount on the parts. I bought a new subframe from subaru and when I picked it up the parts guy said this is very common and that it's half his sales is subframes.
2026-08-19BACK OVER PREVENTIONUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11757943
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera was inoperable. The maps and radio were glitching and then seized stuck. The screen was difficult to read. The screen was pixelated due to the brightness outside. The camera was inoperable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall coverage for the head unit. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case, but declined any further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 73,022.
2026-08-12Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11756505
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The Subaru's Starlink Radio has completely delaminated on the layer between the display and the digitizer, which does not allow the radio to be controlled in any way, shape, or form. This means that the touch screen is not working anymore, and because the radio is so delaminated, whenever the car is put into reverse during the daytime, the backup camera is nowhere near visible enough to be seen safely. The radio delaminated to the point where it was unusable after the 100k-mile warranty period. At the start of the issue, the radio developed a ghost touch on the bottom-left corner of the screen, and during a Bluetooth phone call, it would repeatedly hang up the phone, leading to distraction while driving.
2026-07-19BACK OVER PREVENTIONUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11751408
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Vehicle Component Affected: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM / FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE / BACK OVER PREVENTION Description of the Safety Defect: The factory infotainment touchscreen in my 2015 Subaru Outback Limited (VIN: [XXX]) has suffered a severe manufacturing defect where the internal chemical gel adhesive has melted, creating large, oily liquid bubbles across the display. This physical degradation causes the screen to suffer from continuous "ghost touches," registering non-stop phantom inputs while the vehicle is in motion. This hardware failure creates three active, severe driving safety hazards: DANGEROUS OPERATOR DISTRACTION: The ghost-touching triggers a loud, high-pitched, non-stop audible dinging sound through the speakers that cannot be muted, severely compromising driver focus on the roadway. INOPERABLE NAVIGATION CONTROL: The system recently registered phantom touches that autonomously programmed a random destination into the factory GPS. The system then overrode all driver controls, preventing me from canceling the navigation instructions or turning off the screen audio while driving. OBSCURED BACKUP CAMERA VISIBILITY: The large, oily chemical delamination bubbles create a severe visual distortion on the screen. In direct or bright sunlight, the backup camera image is completely unreadable and obscured, creating an active striking hazard to pedestrians and vehicles behind me. This manufacturing defect began approximately in Jan 2023 and has gotten progressively worse over time, transitioning from minor cosmetic bubbling to severe, non-stop hardware malfunctions. This component failure is an active driving hazard that completely compromises driver attention and vehicle safety systems. Subaru of America is aware of this chemical breakdown across this generation of head units but is refusing to remedy the safety defect out of warranty. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2026-07-13Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11750069
CrashFireInjuryDeath
This is an odometer fraud situation. The car was reported at 187,062 with photo documentation on 4/17/2026 via a mechanics office. It was then reported at 104,332 during a CO Emissions Test inspection. I called to verify the mileage reported from the mechanics office and they sent me a photo from 4/17/2026 of the odometer reading 187,062. This car has been rolled back!

Subaru Outback Complaints and Recalls by Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2015 Subaru Outback?

Owners named Glass / wipers / cameras most often — 135 of 509 reports (27%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2015 Subaru Outback?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Lights, Transmission / driveline, and Steering. 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 2015 Subaru Outback?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check windshield, wipers and any camera or sensor the listing claims is there. 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.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints 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.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources