2003 Subaru Outback Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Subaru Outback. Part of Generation 2 — 2000–2004.

20022004
Complaints
116
Crashes
7
Fires
1
Injuries
3
Fatalities
Recalls
8

Worst 2003 Subaru Outback Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#118 complaints

AIR BAGS

Avg mileage:101,056 mi
Crash-related:1
#28 complaints

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Avg mileage:65,592 mi
#37 complaints

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Avg mileage:35,050 mi
Crash-related:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Subaru Outback.

ComponentComplaintsCrashesFiresAvg MileageVolume
AIR BAGS181101,056 mi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING865,592 mi
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL7135,050 mi
ENGINE5110,240 mi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE516,969 mi
POWER TRAIN5100,976 mi
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION533,236 mi
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM41902,407 mi
SUSPENSION498,908 mi
SUSPENSION:REAR475,500 mi
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE3149,500 mi
TIRES3
WHEELS33,500 mi
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH2500 mi
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC2178,750 mi
STEERING2146,000 mi
SUSPENSION:FRONT280,500 mi
TIRES:SIDEWALL225,250 mi
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1114,844 mi
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL126,503 mi
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)12,555,000 mi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE115,000 mi
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER126,503 mi
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.15,000 mi
EXTERIOR LIGHTING180,000 mi
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS173,000 mi
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM180,000 mi
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH1166,000 mi
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)173,523 mi
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION174,000 mi

Recalls for 2003 Subaru Outback

8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,445,190 vehicles.

20V001000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~258,813 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

20V003000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~111,562 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

20V002000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~127,547 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

16V359000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~146,010 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2006-2008 Impreza, Tribeca, 2006 Saab 9-2x, and 2003-2006 Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

16V358000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~302,127 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

16V361000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~62,940 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, and Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, or "Zone C.". These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

15V323000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~432,016 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to July 21, 2004, 2004-2005 Impreza vehicles manufactured January 28, 2003, to May 31, 2005, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to May 2, 2008, 2003-2008 Subaru Outback vehicles manufactured February 18, 2003, to May 5, 2008, and 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to March 17, 2005. The affected vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.

14V763000AIR BAGS
~4,175 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy and Outback vehicles, and 2003-2005 Baja vehicles sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Florida and adjacent counties in southern Georgia, as well as the coastal areas of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Other Subaru Outback Years

Wider context: See the full Subaru Outback reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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