2019 Subaru Outback Problems and Recalls (1,031 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2019 Subaru Outback is Glass / wipers / cameras (34% of 1,031 owner reports). There are 3 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 1,031 complaints · 3 recalls

What problems show up on the 2019 Subaru Outback?

346 of 1,031 filings named Glass / wipers / cameras (34% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (288 reports).

There are 3 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Fuel system. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2018 has 805 reports on file; this year has 1,031. 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 2019 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 3 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. Steering. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight.
  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 346 complaints · 33.6% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 24
  • Fires 2
  • Injuries 18
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 2018 →
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 346 of 1,031 owner complaints (33.6%) in this vehicle snapshot. Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 346 complaints, 33.6% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 346 · 33.6% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 288 complaints, 27.9% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 288 · 27.9% Steering (STEERING): 29 complaints, 2.8% of reports Steering (STEERING) 29 · 2.8% Engine (ENGINE): 25 complaints, 2.4% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 2 crash reports 1 fire reports 25 · 2.4% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 23 complaints, 2.2% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 23 · 2.2% Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE): 21 complaints, 2.0% of reports Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 6 crash reports 21 · 2.0% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 18 complaints, 1.8% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 6 crash reports 18 · 1.8% Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE): 17 complaints, 1.7% of reports Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 17 · 1.7% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 15 complaints, 1.4% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 15 · 1.4% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 331 complaints, 32.1% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 10 crash reports 1 fire reports 331 · 32.1% 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) 346 33.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 288 27.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 29 2.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 25 2.4% 2 crashes · 1 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 23 2.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 21 2.0% 6 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 18 1.8% 6 crashes · 0 fires
Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 17 1.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 15 1.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 331 32.1% 10 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 2018; the first recall shown was reported in Jun 2019. 2018-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2019-Q2: 21 owner reports 21 2019-Q3: 34 owner reports 34 2019-Q4: 52 owner reports 52 2020-Q1: 79 owner reports 79 2020-Q2: 47 owner reports 47 2020-Q3: 61 owner reports 61 2020-Q4: 43 owner reports 43 2021-Q1: 67 owner reports 67 2021-Q2: 63 owner reports 63 2021-Q3: 39 owner reports 39 2021-Q4: 32 owner reports 32 2022-Q1: 38 owner reports 38 2022-Q2: 42 owner reports 42 2022-Q3: 54 owner reports 54 2022-Q4: 36 owner reports 36 2023-Q1: 34 owner reports 34 2023-Q2: 31 owner reports 31 2023-Q3: 34 owner reports 34 2023-Q4: 30 owner reports 30 2024-Q1: 40 owner reports 40 2024-Q2: 30 owner reports 30 2024-Q3: 20 owner reports 20 2024-Q4: 22 owner reports 22 2025-Q1: 21 owner reports 21 2025-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2025-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2025-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2026-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2026-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2026-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 Owner reports Jul 2018 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 19V493000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V493000 Recall campaign 20V218000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V218000 Recall campaign 21V587000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V587000
  • Campaign 21V587000 was reported 427 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2018-Q3 Owner reports 2
2018-Q4 Owner reports 2
2019-Q1 Owner reports 11
2019-Q2 Owner reports 21
2019-Q3 Owner reports 34
2019-Q4 Owner reports 52
2020-Q1 Owner reports 79
2020-Q2 Owner reports 47
2020-Q3 Owner reports 61
2020-Q4 Owner reports 43
2021-Q1 Owner reports 67
2021-Q2 Owner reports 63
2021-Q3 Owner reports 39
2021-Q4 Owner reports 32
2022-Q1 Owner reports 38
2022-Q2 Owner reports 42
2022-Q3 Owner reports 54
2022-Q4 Owner reports 36
2023-Q1 Owner reports 34
2023-Q2 Owner reports 31
2023-Q3 Owner reports 34
2023-Q4 Owner reports 30
2024-Q1 Owner reports 40
2024-Q2 Owner reports 30
2024-Q3 Owner reports 20
2024-Q4 Owner reports 22
2025-Q1 Owner reports 21
2025-Q2 Owner reports 13
2025-Q3 Owner reports 12
2025-Q4 Owner reports 3
2026-Q1 Owner reports 8
2026-Q2 Owner reports 4
2026-Q3 Owner reports 6
Recall campaign 1 19V493000
Recall campaign 1 20V218000
Recall campaign 1 21V587000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (3)

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

In short, these campaigns were filed about Fuel system.

  1. Recall campaign 19V493000

    Safety recall 19V493000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    In the event of a crash, the reduced strength of the vehicle body may increase the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and repair or repurchase the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUH-93.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 20V218000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    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:
    Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-20.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 21V587000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
    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 1,031 complaints · page 1 of 42
2026-09-02Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11761781
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The Starlink infotainment touchscreen in my 2019 Subaru Outback Touring has progressively failed. Visible bubbles have formed under the glass, consistent with screen delamination. The screen registers phantom inputs on its own without being touched ("ghost touch"), changing settings, and interrupting functions while the vehicle is being driven. The touchscreen has now become completely unresponsive to actual touch input. Because the head unit controls and displays the backup camera, this failure interferes with the rear visibility display when reversing, creating a safety concern. The ghost inputs also present a driver distraction while the vehicle is in motion. I first documented this problem and presented the vehicle for service at a dealership in April 2025, maybe even prior, and I have dated video documentation showing the progression of the failure since then. The condition has worsened over time regardless of weather, though symptoms intensify with heat and sun exposure. The failure also disables hands-free operation, including Bluetooth phone connectivity, voice commands, and navigation control. Functions designed to be operated hands-free while driving now cannot be used at all, which encourages manual phone handling for navigation and calls - defeating the vehicle's built-in distraction-prevention systems. I am aware this failure pattern (delamination, ghost touch, and unresponsiveness in Starlink units) is widely reported by other owners of 2019–2023 Subaru vehicles. No warning preceded the failure, and the vehicle has not resolved with restarts. Current mileage approximately 134,XXX. Failure began at approximately 60,XXX miles ~ November 2024.
2026-08-12SERVICE BRAKES
NHTSA ODI 11756599
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My complaint/safety issue is that while I was in my 2019 Subaru Outback, I experienced Unintentional acceleration. While waiting for the large chain-link fence at my storage unit to open, the Outback raced into the gate! I had one foot on the brake waiting for the gate, then I stomped the pedal with both feet, and I held that position while the car smashed through the gate. This happened in July of 2021. I don't recall if I shut the car off or if it just finally came to a stop. I was terrified to drive it for fear of it happening again, but this time hitting a person in a crosswalk! I did take the car to Subaru, and they said that they would go through it thoroughly. After one month, they said that there were no issues with the car and that my carpet must have caused the acceleration. I reminded them that my car had floor mats that clicked into place! It was a nightmare. Even big wigs from Headquarters called me to explain this was a one-time thing and mentioned the floor mats again! I hope no more people are injured by the corrupt managers.
2026-08-03Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
NHTSA ODI 11754601
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH the front windshield cracked approximately 6 inches from the heat sensor, no warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was contacted however the vehicle was not diagnosed as the contact was advised that the vehicles VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,250.
2026-07-20Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11751582
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Driver controls for windows do not work for front windows .. Can not put windows down. Therefore if window on passenger side or driver side gets foggy, can not lower to see out Dealer has stated that there is dirt in window. Not dirt , bad window motor per my experience. This has been occurring for about 2/3 years.
2026-07-06Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11748449
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The touch screen monitor which controls the audio system, navigation, phone, and other car systems has delaminated. It turns on and off, makes phone calls, switches car systems like the audio, and turns off navigation. At best, it is a very annoying distraction. At worst, it is a safety issue when the screen is making emergency phone calls, canceling navigation, or turning on and off constantly and beeping and causing distraction to the driver. It is possible to turn the entire screen off, but it then randomly comes back on. A safety recall has been issued for 2018 but not 2019 Subaru Outbacks. I strongly urge you to consider a safety recall for the 2019 Subaru Outback as the very common screen delamination is widely known and causing issues for many Subaru drivers. The issue began in the summer of 2025 and has continued to be an issue, and is getting worse.

Subaru Outback Complaints and Recalls by Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2019 Subaru Outback?

Owners named Glass / wipers / cameras most often — 346 of 1,031 reports (34%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2019 Subaru Outback?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Fuel system. 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 2019 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