2017 Subaru Outback Problems: Electrical (914 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2017 Subaru Outback is Electrical (37% of 914 owner reports). There are 4 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Electrical — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 914 complaints · 4 recalls

What problems show up on the 2017 Subaru Outback?

338 of 914 filings named Electrical (37% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Glass / wipers / cameras (217 reports).

There are 4 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Steering, Brakes, and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2016 has 642 reports on file; this year has 914. 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 2017 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.

Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 4 campaigns on file below.
Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
Glass / wipers / cameras. Check windshield, wipers and any camera or sensor the listing claims is there.
Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
Skim a few owner reports below for Electrical. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Electrical 338 complaints · 37.0% of the file

Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:

Crashes 32
Fires 3
Injuries 25
Deaths 0

Compare with 2016 →

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)
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)	338	37.0%	3 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)	217	23.7%	2 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)	37	4.1%	1 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE)	25	2.7%	1 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)	25	2.7%	6 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE)	17	1.9%	0 crashes · 0 fires
Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE)	15	1.6%	5 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING)	14	1.5%	2 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)	13	1.4%	0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover	248	27.1%	10 crashes · 2 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 19V910000 was reported 1,108 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.

View timeline records as a table

Date	Record type	Count	Record identifier
2016-Q3	Owner reports	2
2016-Q4	Owner reports	5
2017-Q1	Owner reports	7
2017-Q2	Owner reports	5
2017-Q3	Owner reports	17
2017-Q4	Owner reports	15
2018-Q1	Owner reports	11
2018-Q2	Owner reports	10
2018-Q3	Owner reports	9
2018-Q4	Owner reports	12
2019-Q1	Owner reports	13
2019-Q2	Owner reports	20
2019-Q3	Owner reports	22
2019-Q4	Owner reports	44
2020-Q1	Owner reports	59
2020-Q2	Owner reports	46
2020-Q3	Owner reports	49
2020-Q4	Owner reports	59
2021-Q1	Owner reports	81
2021-Q2	Owner reports	100
2021-Q3	Owner reports	52
2021-Q4	Owner reports	27
2022-Q1	Owner reports	35
2022-Q2	Owner reports	23
2022-Q3	Owner reports	48
2022-Q4	Owner reports	20
2023-Q1	Owner reports	27
2023-Q2	Owner reports	12
2023-Q3	Owner reports	8
2023-Q4	Owner reports	9
2024-Q1	Owner reports	7
2024-Q2	Owner reports	8
2024-Q3	Owner reports	5
2024-Q4	Owner reports	11
2025-Q1	Owner reports	6
2025-Q2	Owner reports	5
2025-Q3	Owner reports	5
2025-Q4	Owner reports	7
2026-Q1	Owner reports	5
2026-Q2	Owner reports	6
2026-Q3	Owner reports	2
May 2016	Recall campaign	1	16V292000
Aug 2016	Recall campaign	1	16V576000
Oct 2016	Recall campaign	1	16V716000
Dec 2019	Recall campaign	1	19V910000
Sep 2021	Defect investigation	1	EA21002

NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (4)

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

In short, these campaigns were filed about Steering, Brakes, and Airbags.

Recall campaign 16V292000

Steering

Report date

May 11, 2016

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 →
Recall campaign 16V576000

Brakes

Report date

Aug 3, 2016

Component:

Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)

Consequence:

If any of the front brake caliper, wheel hub or stabilizer clamp attaching bolts loosen or detach, the related components would also become loose and may detach possibly making the vehicle unstable and reducing the braking capability. These conditions would increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy:

Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the bolts for proper torque, and replace any loose bolts, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTE-66.

View authoritative NHTSA record →
Recall campaign 16V716000

Airbags

Report date

Oct 6, 2016

Component:

Airbags (AIR BAGS)

Consequence:

If the knee guard is not properly attached and the driver is not wearing a seatbelt, the knee guard may not be able to properly restrain the driver's lower body in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy:

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the knee guard welding on each vehicle's steering beam, replacing the beam as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTL-72.

View authoritative NHTSA record →
Recall campaign 19V910000

Airbags

Report date

Dec 19, 2019

Component:

Airbags (AIR BAGS)

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:

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 3, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUX-09.

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

Showing 5 of 914 complaints · page 1 of 37

2026-07-08Unclassified NHTSA leftover

NHTSA ODI 11749073

CrashFireInjuryDeath

The CVT failed at 62 miles per hour on a busy interstate, XXX. This caused the drivetrain to lock. The car has been repaired and traded locally in [XXX]. The car was very difficult to steer with locked wheels in traffic. This was a rapid evasive manuver on a busy interstate. An undrivable vehicle on an interstate is life threatening to many. Flat bed driver told me I was lucky to steer off of lanes onto shoulder with four locked wheels. This incident put me in mild shock. The Subaru dealer had to replace the transmission. The dealer and Subaru Regional Rep. examined the CVT failure. It was outside of the 100,000-mile warranty by about 895 miles. Repair invoice attached. I did not have advanced warning of CVT failure. There were no warning lights on before the CVT failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2026-07-07Unclassified NHTSA leftover

NHTSA ODI 11748868

CrashFireInjuryDeath

Came out to car on the morning of July 1, 2026 and found windshield had cracked from the very bottom of the windshield (no impacts). This is the third windshield I will be putting in this car. Original windshield was replaced by Subaru 4/25 2025 for the same exact problem. 2015 &16 Outbacks had a settlement filed as did the 20-23 subarus. This is a known problem.These cracks limit visibility, interfere with all other safety systems: Lane change, cruise control, visibility, auto brake for emergency and other related safety systems. I could not go with aftermarket windshields (Safelite) because Subaru said they would not cover any malfunctions with the eyesight system unless it was Subaru glass. I have contacted my Subaru dealer and they said Subaru will more than likely not cover it. Their glass was put in by them 15 months ago and this not the result of a chip or impact. Came out in the morning and it was cracked. Go to any Subaru owners web sites and you will see this is a reoccurring, KNOWN problem for almost ALL Subaru models. How can safety items LIKE WINDSHIELDS ( which affects ALL other safety systems) not fall under NTHB?? So class action lawsuits cover the two PRIOR years and the next three model years, but not 2017?? jSame glass, same manufacturer, same know problem.

2026-06-22Steering (STEERING)

NHTSA ODI 11745736

CrashFireInjuryDeath

On Monday [XXX] were driving on [XXX] going north up [XXX]. I was doing about 60-65 mph in traffic which was flowing in both directions. While ascending the pass, the car suddenly started to misfire, rapidly lost power, power steering failed and all dash lights lit up. With no shoulder to pull out this was a very scary experience. Eventually managed to limp to a spot where I could pull out off the pavement. Car was dead. Popping the hood showed significant battery corrosion. I had a toolkit with me. The voltmeter measured the battery voltage at 9.3V. Thinking maybe cleaning the battery terminals would allow the car to be restarted, I managed to get the cables off and cleaned everything with a wire brush. But still no power. After a while a state trooper passed by and hung on while I contacted a towing service. After another 1.5 hours, the tow truck arrived and towed the car the 60 miles or so to the dealership in Denver with my wife and I in the cab of the tow truck. Dealer repair invoice indicated Data Control Module (DCM) "causing excessive draw on electrical system." More significantly, the battery had drained below the the operating threshold voltage required for vehicle drivability (understood to be 10-10.5V). There was no mention of this by the dealer service adviser. Although dealer diagnostic was carried out, no computer codes were provided. Vehicle mileage at time of incident 73,456. I have owned the car since new and have all service records. Car was repaired and picked up from dealership on 06/10/26 with a replacement DCM. Battery was charged up but not replaced and left in corroded state. Battery will probably have been weakened by such a total discharge with reduced life expectancy. I have uploaded the dealer repair invoice. I have reported this incident to Subaru of America. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2026-05-11Unclassified NHTSA leftover

NHTSA ODI 11737057

CrashFireInjuryDeath

Ignition key not releasing after turning engine off. Put shifter in park, foot on brakeii, turn Ignition key off. Key will not release. Have to cycle multiple times to get key released.

2026-04-24Unclassified NHTSA leftover

NHTSA ODI 11733593

CrashFireInjuryDeath

The front passenger window does not work correctly all the time. The driver is not able to put the window up when pressing button on driver’s side and the passenger needs to keep pressing button to have it go back up again. So if the driver puts the window down while driving, the driver cannot put it back up. It occurs every few months. It’s such a common problem that there are many sites on you tube on how to fix it. It is known on you tube that it happens with Subaru often.

Subaru Outback Complaints and Recalls by Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2017 Subaru Outback?

Owners named Electrical most often — 338 of 914 reports (37%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2017 Subaru Outback?

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Steering, Brakes, and Airbags. 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 2017 Subaru Outback?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on. 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

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