Reliable Auto DB

2017 Subaru Outback reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2017 Subaru Outback holds 917 complaints after 10 years, a rate of 64 per year. Outback years here cluster close together — the other years’ median is 61 complaints per year. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Air bag control module, Column, and Suspension.

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

917

Per year

64

Recalls

4

Years on the road

10

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (391 of 917), then Visibility and wipers (205) and Powertrain (47). Those filings include 32 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 17 that report an injury.

Next to 2016 and 2018

The 2016 Outback has 642 complaints, 48 per year, and the 2018 has 811 complaints, 135 per year. The 2017 has more complaints per year than the 2016. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018.

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 2017 Subaru Outback. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall air bags, air bag control module 2019-12-19 · NHTSA campaign 19V910000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Outback vehicles. A replacement air bag control module may have been installed that is not compatible with the passenger air bag module, possibly affecting air bag deployment.
Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 3, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUX-09.
Recall steering, column 2016-10-06 · NHTSA campaign 16V716000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured September 21, 2016, to September 23, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be properly attached to the steering beam assembly.
Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the knee guard welding on each vehicle's steering beam, replacing the beam as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTL-72.
Recall Suspension 2016-08-03 · NHTSA campaign 16V576000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Outback vehicles manufactured June 20, 2016, to June 23, 2016. The affected vehicles may have improperly tightened attaching bolts for the front left and right brake calipers, wheel hubs, and the right stabilizer clamp.
Remedy Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the bolts for proper torque, and replace any loose bolts, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTE-66.
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.

Complaints by component (917 total)

Electrical system
391
Visibility and wipers
205
Powertrain
47
Engine
43
Visibility
30
Speed control
28
Structure
26
Forward collision avoidance
23
Service brakes
23
Steering
23
Air bags
16
Fuel and propulsion system
16
Lane departure
9
Exterior lighting
7
Suspension
6
Seat belts
5
Wheels
5
Back-over prevention
4
Electronic stability control (ESC)
4
Tires
3
Seats
2
Equipment
1
Hydraulic brakes
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Parking brake
1
Show 17 more Show less
Crash-flagged

32

Fire-flagged

3

Injury reports

17

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

72016442017422018992019214202026020211272022572023312024232025132026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The CVT failed at 62 miles per hour on a busy interstate, XXX. This caused the drivetrain to lock. The car has been repaired and traded locally in [XXX]. The car was very difficult to steer with locked wheels in…"
    Powertrain, Wheels, Unknown or other · filed 2026-07-08
  • "Came out to car on the morning of July 1, 2026 and found windshield had cracked from the very bottom of the windshield (no impacts). This is the third windshield I will be putting in this car. Original windshield was…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-07-07
  • "On Monday [XXX] were driving on [XXX] going north up [XXX]. I was doing about 60-65 mph in traffic which was flowing in both directions. While ascending the pass, the car suddenly started to misfire, rapidly lost power,…"
    Steering, Service brakes, Engine · filed 2026-06-22
  • "Ignition key not releasing after turning engine off. Put shifter in park, foot on brakeii, turn Ignition key off. Key will not release. Have to cycle multiple times to get key released."
    Steering, Electrical system, Unknown or other · filed 2026-05-11
  • "The front passenger window does not work correctly all the time. The driver is not able to put the window up when pressing button on driver’s side and the passenger needs to keep pressing button to have it go back up…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-04-24

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2017 Subaru Outback SW 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 2016 Subaru Outback Next year 2018 Subaru Outback See every Subaru Outback model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Subaru Outback reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2017 Subaru Outback holds 917 complaints after 10 years, a rate of 64 per year. Outback years here cluster close together — the other years’ median is 61 complaints per year. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Air bag control module, Column, and Suspension.

What are common problems with a 2017 Subaru Outback?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (391 of 917), then Visibility and wipers (205) and Powertrain (47). Those filings include 32 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 17 that report an injury.

Is the 2017 Subaru Outback more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2016 Outback has 642 complaints, 48 per year, and the 2018 has 811 complaints, 135 per year. The 2017 has more complaints per year than the 2016. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018.

Has the 2017 Subaru Outback been recalled?

The 2017 Subaru Outback has 4 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 2017 Subaru Outback?

Owners have filed 917 complaints about the 2017 Subaru Outback with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2017 Subaru Outback get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2017 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).