2010 Subaru Outback Problems

Typical for Model

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2010 Subaru Outback. Part of Generation 4 — 2010–2014.

20092011
Complaints
466
per 10K Sold
50.0
US Sales
93,148
Crashes
20
Fires
3
Injuries
12
Fatalities
Recalls
18

Worst 2010 Subaru Outback Problems

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

#179 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:100,325 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:1
#244 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:133,066 mi
Crash-related:2
#341 complaints

Steering Defects

Avg mileage:18,788 mi
Crash-related:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2010 Subaru Outback.

Transmission / Drivetrain
79
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
100,325
Engine Problems
44
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
133,066
Steering Defects
41
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
18,788
Airbags
37
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
40,568
Brakes
35
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Avg Miles
128,706
Headlight/Taillight Failures
34
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
64,916
Electrical Faults
31
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
74,692
Suspension Failures
22
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
61,321
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
15
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
4,843
Unintended Acceleration
13
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
Avg Miles
60,009
Tire Defects
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
12,345
Engine & Cooling
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
7,579
Air Bags:Frontal
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
2,106
Automatic Transmission
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
8,409
Body Structure
7
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
80,500
Manual Transmission
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
3,617
Structural Problems
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
19,608
Wipers & Visibility
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
60,218
Wheel Issues
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
35,426
Fuel System
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat-Related Issues
4
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension:Front
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electronic Stability Control
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Torque Converter
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Hydraulic Brakes
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Sunroof/Moonroof
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Horn
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2010 Subaru Outback. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2010 Subaru Outback

18 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~3,242,605 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.

19V008000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~330,120 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles 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. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

19V007000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~43,394 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles 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. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

19V009000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~452,630 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles 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. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

18V626000Parking Brake
~27,175 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. The electronic parking brake (EPB) may not engage as intended, allowing the vehicle to rollaway if the transmission is not in the proper gear when parked.

18V013000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~93,209 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2010 Tribeca, Impreza, Forester, WRX, Legacy, and Outback vehicles 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. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

18V012000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~64,179 affected

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles 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. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

+ 8 more recalls

Other Subaru Outback Years

2010 Subaru Outback — FAQ

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

Is the 2010 Subaru Outback reliable?
Verdict: Typical for Model. The 2010 Subaru Outback has 466 NHTSA complaints, 20 crash-related, and 18 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Transmission / Drivetrain with 79 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2010 Subaru Outback?
Top reported problems: Transmission / Drivetrain (79 complaints, avg 100,325 mi); Engine Problems (44 complaints, avg 133,066 mi); Steering Defects (41 complaints, avg 18,788 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 2010 Subaru Outback?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 69,970 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2010 Subaru Outback?
NHTSA complaints for the 2010 Subaru Outback include 20 crash-related reports, 3 fire reports, 12 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 2010 Subaru Outback have any recalls?
Yes — 18 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 3,242,605 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 2010 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.

Check Your Specific 2010 Subaru Outback

Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.

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