Reliable Auto DB

2015 Subaru Outback reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2015 Subaru Outback has 509 complaints with NHTSA after 12 years, or 73 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Outback years here — over the median of the other years, which is 56. NHTSA has 5 recalls on file, including Column, Electronic stability control (ESC), and Driveshaft.

2012 Subaru Outback
Photo by Vauxford, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

509

Per year

73

Recalls

5

Years on the road

12

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (130 of 509), then Electrical system (127) and Engine (47). Those filings include 19 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 12 that report an injury.

Next to 2014 and 2016

The 2014 Outback has 208 complaints, 22 per year, and the 2016 has 642 complaints, 48 per year. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2016.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2015 Subaru Outback. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (5)

Recall steering, column 2016-05-11 · NHTSA campaign 16V292000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.
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.
Recall Electronic stability control (ESC) 2016-04-27 · NHTSA campaign 16V251000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured on July 20, 2015. The brake fluid used in these vehicles may contain excess moisture which may adversely affect the performance of the electronic stability control system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will perform an ABS activation, then flush and replace the brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTC-64.
Recall Driveshaft 2015-08-10 · NHTSA campaign 15V502000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 and 2016 model year Subaru Legacy 4-Door and Outback vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to July 27, 2015. Transmission oil may leak from a deformed seal cap on the propeller shaft yoke.
Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the propeller shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2015. Owners may contact 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQU-56.
Recall forward collision avoidance, crash-imminent braking 2015-06-12 · NHTSA campaign 15V366000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function.
Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.
Recall trailer hitch 2014-09-19 · NHTSA campaign 14V577000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Outback vehicles manufactured January 22, 2014, to August 18, 2014, and equipped with a Subaru accessory trailer hitch assembly. During installation, the trailer hitch mounting nuts may have been overtightened, potentially resulting in failure of the trailer hitch mounting studs.
Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace all eight mounting nuts for the trailer hitch assembly, and will inspect all eight mounting studs for damage, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2014. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQN-50.

Complaints by component (509 total)

Visibility and wipers
130
Electrical system
127
Engine
47
Powertrain
37
Structure
33
Service brakes
27
Speed control
26
Fuel and propulsion system
18
Air bags
14
Visibility
14
Steering
13
Wheels
8
Back-over prevention
5
Equipment
5
Lane departure
5
Suspension
5
Exterior lighting
4
Forward collision avoidance
4
Seats
4
Electronic stability control (ESC)
3
Engine and engine cooling
3
Adaptive and mobility equipment
2
Seat belts
2
Child seat
1
Hydraulic brakes
1
Show 17 more Show less
Crash-flagged

19

Fire-flagged

5

Injury reports

12

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

620141352015462016332017332018382019532020612021392022192023142024182025142026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Front subframe is rusted out. Went to do brakes and found holes in frame. I contacted subaru of north olmsted and was told this is common. Was told to call subaru of America and complain and see if they would help. So I…"
    Suspension · filed 2026-08-27
  • "The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera was inoperable. The maps and radio were glitching and then seized stuck. The screen was difficult to read. The screen…"
    Back-over prevention · filed 2026-08-19
  • "The Subaru's Starlink Radio has completely delaminated on the layer between the display and the digitizer, which does not allow the radio to be controlled in any way, shape, or form. This means that the touch screen is…"
    Electrical system, Unknown or other · filed 2026-08-12
  • "Vehicle Component Affected: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM / FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE / BACK OVER PREVENTION Description of the Safety Defect: The factory infotainment touchscreen in my 2015 Subaru Outback Limited (VIN: [XXX])…"
    Electrical system, Back-over prevention, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-07-19
  • "This is an odometer fraud situation. The car was reported at 187,062 with photo documentation on 4/17/2026 via a mechanics office. It was then reported at 104,332 during a CO Emissions Test inspection. I called to…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-07-13

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2015 Subaru Outback SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Outback all-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S6) All-wheel drive 25 32 28 MPG $2300
Outback all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic (AV-S6) All-wheel drive 20 27 22 MPG $2950

Specs and fitment

5th generation (BS), 2015–2019
Body styles Wagon
Oil 0W-20 synthetic (2.5L FB25; 5W-30 if 0W-20 unavailable) , 5.1 qt capacity
Tire size 225/65R17 (base), 225/60R18 (Limited/Touring)
Towing capacity 2,700 lbs

Known issues for this generation

Safety recall 20V-218 (Subaru WRD-20) covers certain 2019 Outback, Legacy, Impreza, and Ascent vehicles whose low-pressure fuel pump may become inoperative; if the pump fails, the engine may stall without restart capability. Dealers replace the low-pressure fuel pump free of charge. The campaign unit total covers those models together, not Outback alone. Safety recall 19V-493 (Subaru WUH-93) covers a small build run of 2019 Legacy and Outback vehicles whose spot welds on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, reducing body strength in a crash; dealers inspect and repair or repurchase as needed. Safety recall 18V-935 (Subaru WTZ-85) covers certain 2018 Legacy, Outback, and BRZ vehicles when audio-display software can leave the backup camera blank, failing FMVSS 111; dealers reprogram the display.

Compare

Previous year 2014 Subaru Outback Next year 2016 Subaru Outback See every Subaru Outback model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Subaru Outback reliable?

The 2015 Subaru Outback has 509 complaints with NHTSA after 12 years, or 73 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Outback years here — over the median of the other years, which is 56. NHTSA has 5 recalls on file, including Column, Electronic stability control (ESC), and Driveshaft.

What are common problems with a 2015 Subaru Outback?

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (130 of 509), then Electrical system (127) and Engine (47). Those filings include 19 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 12 that report an injury.

Is the 2015 Subaru Outback more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2014 Outback has 208 complaints, 22 per year, and the 2016 has 642 complaints, 48 per year. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2016.

Has the 2015 Subaru Outback been recalled?

The 2015 Subaru Outback has 5 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2015 Subaru Outback?

Owners have filed 509 complaints about the 2015 Subaru Outback with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2015 Subaru Outback get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2015 Subaru Outback is 25 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Subaru Outback use?

US manuals specify 0W-20 synthetic for recent FB and turbo engines, with temporary 5W-30 only when 0W-20 is unavailable.

What does NHTSA recall 19V-008 cover on the Subaru Outback?

Recall 19V-008 covers certain 2010-2014 Subaru Outback and Legacy vehicles (among other Subaru models) sold or ever registered in listed Zone B states: the front passenger air bag inflator may explode during deployment and send sharp metal fragments into the cabin.

What generation is the 2013 Subaru Outback?

4th generation (BR) (2012-2014).