This page covers 21 recalls, 359 owner complaints and EPA fuel economy for the 2010 Subaru Outback.
20–24 mpg combined
9.8–11.8 L/100km
Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 3 tested variants for this model year.
The dominant complaint pattern for the 2010 Subaru Outback centers on the powertrain, followed by a notable cluster around airbags and exterior lighting. On the powertrain side, owners frequently describe oil consumption issues, CVT or transmission hesitation, and engine-related failures. The airbag complaints generally involve warning lights illuminating without a clear cause, with owners uncertain whether the system would function in a crash. Exterior lighting complaints lean toward headlight failures and premature bulb burnout. Separate from the top three systems, a recurring thread in the broader complaint set involves brake performance, owners describe reduced pedal response, pedals sinking toward the floor under pressure, and a general loss of stopping power, sometimes with no warning light present and sometimes with the brake warning light illuminated. These brake symptoms appear across multiple reports and span a range of driving speeds and conditions.
359
Total Complaints
12
Crash-Related
2
Fire-Related
6
With Injuries
By System
The 2010 Subaru Outback has 21 recalls, the most serious being a passenger-side frontal airbag inflator that can explode and send metal fragments into the cabin, posing a risk of serious injury or death to occupants.
Multiple recalls cover this same airbag inflator defect, with some filings specifically targeting vehicles registered in high-humidity states and territories where the risk is elevated. Separately in the safety systems category, wiring in the steering column roll connector can crack and break over time, potentially disabling the driver's frontal airbag, horn, cruise control, and other functions. A replacement ignition switch — only on vehicles where that part was swapped out — has a spring that can break and cause the engine to shut off unexpectedly, also disabling airbag deployment in a crash.
On the visibility side, the windshield wiper motor can overheat, melt its bottom cover, and either stop wiping or start a fire. Two separate parking brake recalls affect manual transmission models: the electronic parking brake may fail to engage, allowing the vehicle to roll away when parked. A CVT cooler hose can crack and leak fluid until the transmission loses function and the car stops moving. There is also a recall for vehicles with an Audiovox remote engine starter accessory, where the engine can start and run unattended for up to fifteen minutes. The six-speed manual transmission on certain early-production vehicles may lack adequate lubrication, which can cause a groaning noise as gear wear progresses.
At a glance
What can fail
The vehicle's compliance label is missing French translations for certain words. Terms like 'Tires,' 'Rims,' 'Front,' and 'Rear' appear in English only, but Canadian regulations require both English and French on the label.
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What the fix does
Subaru has corrected the compliance label for all new vehicles going forward. This is not a recall.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown caused by long-term exposure to humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown from exposure to high humidity, temperature changes, and heat over time.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown caused by prolonged exposure to high humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator with a different design at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The ball spring inside the ignition switch may break, weakening it. Key ring weight or road conditions could then shift the switch from run to accessory position, shutting off the engine.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the ignition switch and replace it if needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode during deployment due to propellant breaking down after long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode during deployment in a crash. This can happen because the propellant inside degrades over time when exposed to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator can explode during deployment due to propellant degradation from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
On certain manual transmission vehicles, internal components in the electronic parking brake control unit can crack during normal use. This may cause the brake warning light to come on and prevent the parking brake from holding the vehicle.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the parking brake actuator with a more durable component.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The electronic parking brake may fail to engage properly, which could allow the vehicle to roll away if the transmission is not in the correct gear when parked.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the electronic parking brake actuator assembly at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator can explode during deployment due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode during deployment in a crash. This can happen because the inflator's propellant degrades over time when exposed to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Contaminated components in the windshield wiper motor bottom cover may interfere with each other. If snow or ice buildup prevents the wiper arms from stopping in the parked position, the motor can overheat and the cover may melt.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor bottom cover assembly at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may rupture during a crash because the explosive propellant degrades after prolonged exposure to heat and humidity in certain regions.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The remote engine starter fob may malfunction if dropped, causing it to randomly send an engine start signal without the button being pressed.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the remote engine starter fob at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The windshield wiper motor can overheat and fail. The bottom cover may melt from the heat, potentially starting a vehicle fire. Loss of wiper function during rain or snow reduces visibility and increases crash risk.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor bottom cover assembly.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Due to a programming error, a lubrication hole in the 6-speed manual transmission was omitted during manufacturing, preventing proper oil circulation inside the transmission.
What the fix does
Dealers will drill the missing lubrication hole and replace internal transmission parts if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Wiring in the steering column electrical roll connector behind the steering wheel may develop stress cracks and break, causing certain electrical components to malfunction.
What the fix does
Dealer will check the roll connector's lot number and replace it with a new one if it's in an affected range. Service is free.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
An electrical connection in the steering column roll connector may fail, causing the driver's airbag, paddle shifters, cruise control, horn, or radio to stop working. A failed airbag could increase injury risk in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the roll connector and replace it with an updated version if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The CVT cooler hose can crack or split, causing transmission fluid to leak.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace any affected cooler hoses at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
