2005 Subaru Outback Problems

Typical for Model

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2005 Subaru Outback. Part of Generation 3 — 2005–2009.

20042006
Complaints
354
Crashes
20
Fires
6
Injuries
19
Fatalities
Recalls
8

Worst 2005 Subaru Outback Problems

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

#136 complaints

AIR BAGS

Avg mileage:79,000 mi
Crash-related:3
Fires:1
#236 complaints

SUSPENSION

Avg mileage:92,007 mi
Crash-related:1
#332 complaints

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Avg mileage:96,623 mi
Crash-related:5
Fires:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2005 Subaru Outback.

ComponentComplaintsCrashesFiresAvg MileageVolume
AIR BAGS363179,000 mi
SUSPENSION36192,007 mi
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL325196,623 mi
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM26105,851 mi
SERVICE BRAKES221175,287 mi
SUSPENSION:REAR1951,023 mi
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1594,537 mi
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS1416,042 mi
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM13152,742 mi
STEERING13296,132 mi
ENGINE10115,824 mi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING857,200 mi
POWER TRAIN8190,550 mi
UNKNOWN OR OTHER8101,097 mi
WHEELS8172,315 mi
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)71116,069 mi
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC611105,000 mi
VISIBILITY/WIPER6104,397 mi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE5141,126 mi
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE5106,650 mi
TIRES520,712 mi
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM549,682 mi
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL5116,953 mi
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION435,674 mi
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE345,137 mi
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR310,150 mi
STRUCTURE:BODY3183,995 mi
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL256,000 mi
EQUIPMENT22,450 mi
STRUCTURE286,000 mi

Recalls for 2005 Subaru Outback

8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,670,364 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.

19V297000ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
~511 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.

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.

14V311000SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
~461,338 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines. Note that affected vehicles not currently, or formerly registered, in the salt belt states identified above are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.

13V110000SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
~274,402 affected

Subaru is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy vehicles manufactured from December 2003, through April 2009 and currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines.

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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