An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles.
The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.
Risk: Separation of the front end of the driveshaft increases the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRN-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles.
NHTSA listing: OUTBACK. Subaru campaign WRN-23.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
The areas named in the 89 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Outback. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Forward collision avoidance22 · 25%
Most named: automatic emergency braking (17); adaptive cruise control (10)
Electrical system17 · 19%
Visibility/wiper16 · 18%
Brakes7 · 8%
Exterior lighting6 · 7%
Powertrain5 · 6%
Latches, locks and linkages3 · 3%
Unknown or other15 · 17%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Subaru Outback recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2023 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2020 Outback drew the most (720).
Owner complaints
2023: 89 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Subaru Outback
Model year
Complaints
2016
643
2017
917
2018
811
2019
1,034
2020
897
2021
296
2022
463
2023
89
2024
102
2025
81
2026
16
Safety recalls
2023: 2 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Subaru Outback
Model year
Recalls
2016
4
2017
4
2018
3
2019
3
2020
6
2021
4
2022
4
2023
2
2024
0
2025
0
2026
0
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Subaru Outback SW AWD
Rollover risk 18.5%
Subaru Outback Wilderness SW AWD
Not rated
Not rated
Questions
What are the most common 2023 Outback problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: forward collision avoidance (22), electrical system (17), visibility/wiper (16). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2023 Subaru Outback safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2023 Subaru Outback earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
How do I check if my Outback has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Subaru dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: OUTBACK.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.