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NHTSA-Verified · Common Problems

2017 Subaru Outback
Common Problems

Ranked from 515 federal NHTSA complaints. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.

1
Safety
3
High severity
4
Medium
1 problem on this vehicle involve a crash, fire, or injury risk. If you are experiencing one, stop driving and have it inspected.

8 Common Problems

Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.

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  1. 1

    Windshield spontaneous cracking

    332complaints
    High severityOther

    Windshields spontaneously cracked without any apparent impact or external cause.

  2. 2

    Battery Failure Due to Premature Drain

    174complaints
    High severityElectrical

    The battery fails prematurely, dying after short periods of non-use or within a few weeks of replacement.

  3. 3

    Ignition key stuck in ignition

    54complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    Ignition keys get stuck in the ignition, preventing the car from being turned off.

  4. 4

    Windshield Cracking Without Impact

    27complaints
    Medium severityOther

    The windshield cracks without any apparent impact or external cause, spreading over time.

  5. 5

    Battery Failure

    24complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    The battery fails frequently, requiring multiple replacements or jump starts within a short period.

  6. 6

    Battery Failure Requiring Frequent Replacement

    18complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    The battery frequently fails and requires replacement, leading to frequent breakdowns and inconvenience.

  7. 7

    Unintended Acceleration

    13complaints
    Safety riskElectrical

    Vehicle experiences unintended acceleration while driving, posing a safety risk.

  8. 8

    Sunroof Explosions

    6complaints
    High severityOther

    The sunroof spontaneously explodes while the vehicle is in motion, posing a serious safety risk.

Other years & sources

2010 Subaru Outback2011 Subaru Outback2016 Subaru Outback2018 Subaru Outback2019 Subaru Outback2020 Subaru Outback2021 Subaru Outback2022 Subaru Outback2023 Subaru OutbackAll NHTSA complaints for this vehicle →

Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.