2008 Subaru Outback Problems

Typical for Model

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2008 Subaru Outback. Part of Generation 3 — 2005–2009.

20072009
Complaints
277
Crashes
12
Fires
2
Injuries
6
Fatalities
Recalls
8

Worst 2008 Subaru Outback Problems

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

#1102 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:78,905 mi
#233 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:80,721 mi
#329 complaints

Brakes

Avg mileage:146,418 mi
Crash-related:2
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Subaru Outback.

Airbags
102
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
78,905
Electrical Faults
33
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
80,721
Brakes
29
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
146,418
Engine Problems
13
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
106,485
Headlight/Taillight Failures
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
75,423
Transmission / Drivetrain
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
60,136
Wipers & Visibility
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
88,049
Suspension Failures
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
41,289
Engine & Cooling
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
71,912
Steering Defects
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
47,805
Suspension:Rear
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
49,800
Unintended Acceleration
5
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
52,317
Wheel Issues
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
53,060
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
3
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Body Structure
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Electronic Stability Control
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Traction Control System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Other Equipment
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Automatic Transmission
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat-Related Issues
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Abs Warning Light
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2008 Subaru Outback. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2008 Subaru Outback

8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,766,316 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.

16V738000Electrical System
~100,127 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.

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.

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

2008 Subaru Outback — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2008 Subaru Outback reliable?
Verdict: Typical for Model. The 2008 Subaru Outback has 277 NHTSA complaints, 12 crash-related, and 8 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 102 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2008 Subaru Outback?
Top reported problems: Airbags (102 complaints, avg 78,905 mi); Electrical Faults (33 complaints, avg 80,721 mi); Brakes (29 complaints, avg 146,418 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2008 Subaru Outback?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 84,525 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2008 Subaru Outback?
NHTSA complaints for the 2008 Subaru Outback include 12 crash-related reports, 2 fire reports, 6 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2008 Subaru Outback have any recalls?
Yes — 8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,766,316 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2008 Subaru Outback?
Complaint levels are in line with what's expected. Normal used-car due diligence applies — check the specific VIN for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

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

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