Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
2005 Subaru Outback — Known Issues & Recalls
Complaints from Jan 2014 to Dec 2014
The most reported issue is suspension problems (37 complaints). 13 complaints involved crashes. 3 involved fires.
Open Safety Recalls (9)
NHTSA Campaign: 20V002000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
NHTSA Campaign: 20V003000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
NHTSA Campaign: 20V001000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
NHTSA Campaign: 19V297000
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
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.
Risk: The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.
NHTSA Campaign: 14V311000
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
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.
Risk: Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected areas will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 2014 and second notifications will run through November 2014. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQK-47. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-110 which applied to certain 2005-2009 Legacy/Outback vehicles. Vehicles that were remedied under the previous campaign still need additional areas rust-proofed.
NHTSA Campaign: 15V323000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners and General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The Subaru recall began on June 17, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. The Saab recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners of Saab vehicles may call 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is WQR-53. Note: The recall completely supersedes recall 14V-399 (WQL-48) and partially supersedes recall 14V-763 (WQP-51) in that model year 2004 through 2005 Subaru Impreza and model year 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles are now only part of this campaign. Note: On December 18, 2015 Subaru informed NHTSA of an expansion of this recall to include certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy and 2003-2008 Subaru Outback vehicles.
NHTSA Campaign: 14V763000
Component: AIR BAGS
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.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQP-51. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-471. This recall has been partially superseded by 15V-323. All 2005 model year Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles will now be repaired under recall 15V-323.
NHTSA Campaign: 13V110000
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
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.
Risk: Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected area will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQG-43.
NHTSA Campaign: 04V274000
Component: AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS IN CERTAIN VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN MAY NOT FULLY DEPLOY RAPIDLY ENOUGH WHEN ACTIVATED IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION. DURING A SIDE IMPACT TEST CONDUCTED BY THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY (IIHS), THE TEST RESULTS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE IIHS TEST RESULTS AND THE RESULT OF SIDE IMPACT TESTS CONDUCTED BY FHI.
Risk: THIS MAY RESULT IN FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE INTENDED HEAD PROTECTION, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO A SEAT OCCUPANT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG MODULES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783. .
Owner-Reported Issues (20 of 273)
Service Brakes →4 issues
Your brake pedal went to the floor while driving, leaving you unable to stop—a terrifying situation that nearly caused a serious accident. A mechanic found your brake lines covered in rust and corrosion in the exact same areas that were supposedly repaired under a recall done before you owned the car, suggesting the recall repair may not have been done correctly or at all. You had no warning signs beforehand, which makes this particularly dangerous. Fixing this will likely involve inspecting the brake lines for damage and either replacing corroded sections or the entire brake line system.
Parts you may need:
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Your brakes completely failed while driving at 30+ mph on a busy road, forcing you to use the emergency hand brake to stop after 7-10 seconds of pumping an unresponsive brake pedal. The failure occurred in an area covered by two previous Subaru recalls (WQG-43 and WQK-47) that were supposed to have been inspected and repaired. A Subaru dealership confirmed the brake system rupture with photos, indicating the original repair may not have fully addressed the underlying defect.
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You noticed a puddle of brake fluid under your car and discovered you had no brakes. The 4-way joint connector at the rear of the car is leaking brake fluid. While a recall was issued for this, you're concerned that the recommended repair—spraying wax over the corrosion—won't address the underlying damage to the brake lines and may trap corrosion underneath, allowing it to continue deteriorating. The repair specification may need to be reconsidered for safety reasons.
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The rear brake lines on your vehicle have developed rust and corrosion, creating holes in them. This compromises your braking system's ability to function properly. The brake lines will need to be replaced to restore safe braking performance.
Parts you may need:
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Vehicle Speed Control →4 issues
Your cruise control stopped working, and while driving uphill at 50 mph, pressing the accelerator pedal had no effect even though the engine was revving at 2,000 RPM. Your vehicle lost power and nearly stalled on a bridge with oncoming traffic. Warning lights appeared on your dashboard, and you had to shift into Sport mode and low gear to limp the car to a mechanic. The throttle position sensor had failed and needed replacement.
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Your gas pedal intermittently stops working while driving at both highway and local road speeds, forcing you to pull over and shut off the engine for at least a minute before it responds again. The diagnostic code P2138 indicates the gas pedal assembly is faulty and needs replacement. This is a serious safety hazard since your engine becomes unresponsive while driving, potentially putting you at risk of being rear-ended.
Parts you may need:
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Your gas pedal stopped responding to your inputs, and your car went into limp mode (reduced power). After shutting off the engine and waiting 5 minutes, restarting the car made it work again. Your car's diagnostic system detected trouble codes P2138 and P0500, which are related to throttle and speed sensor issues.
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While driving downhill at 40 MPH, your check engine light came on and the engine wouldn't respond when you pressed the accelerator. After you pulled over and restarted the vehicle 3-4 minutes later, the check engine light turned off and the car worked normally again. This suggests a temporary engine control issue that may require diagnostic scanning to identify the underlying cause.
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Suspension →2 issues
Your 2005 Outback's front suspension components appear to wear out prematurely despite careful maintenance and garage storage. You may experience drifting, instability, and vibration at highway speeds that require constant steering input to keep the vehicle on the road, and the suspension problems cause tires to wear unevenly and fail within 15,000 miles. Even after a complete front suspension replacement in 2019, these issues returned by 2021. The repair likely involves replacing worn suspension components like control arms, sway bars, bushings, and struts.
Parts you may need:
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Your car's rear end slides left and right unpredictably when driving in light snow or slush at around 20 mph, a condition sometimes called 'ghost walking.' This instability becomes more dangerous at higher speeds and has caused you to spin out. The issue likely involves worn suspension components or tires that aren't providing adequate traction in winter conditions.
Parts you may need:
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Service Brakes, Hydraulic →2 issues
While driving at 30 mph, your brake pedal sank all the way to the floor and your brake warning light came on. You discovered severe corrosion and a leak at a connection point on the brake line. This issue was related to a known recall campaign, but even though your vehicle had supposedly been serviced under that recall previously, the problem still occurred and was not repaired.
Parts you may need:
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Your brake warning light stays on after starting the car, and when you press the brake pedal, it goes all the way to the floor without resistance. You noticed brake fluid leaking from the rear passenger wheel area, and inspection showed rust and corrosion on the brake lines. This is a serious safety issue that requires a mechanic to replace the corroded brake lines and possibly bleed the brake system to remove air and refill it with fresh brake fluid.
Parts you may need:
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Air Bags →2 issues
Your car had an airbag safety recall performed, but you kept receiving letters about the same recall afterward. You were concerned these continued letters might be a scam rather than legitimate communications from the manufacturer.
Parts you may need:
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You received multiple recall notices about airbags for a 2005 Subaru Outback, but you don't own this vehicle. When you asked to be removed from the recall mailing list, the manufacturer said they need your complete Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to process the request — you had only provided a partial VIN. You'll need to provide your full VIN to get removed from future recall notices.
Parts you may need:
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Service Brakes, Hydraulic,service Brakes →1 issue
Your brake system may not be functioning properly. You should have a qualified mechanic inspect your hydraulic brake system and related components as soon as possible to ensure your brakes are working safely.
Parts you may need:
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Unknown Or Other,fuel/propulsion System →1 issue
Your car's engine is losing power and shutting down while you're driving on the highway, even at highway speeds like 75 mph. When this happens, your car coasts to a stop in traffic, which creates a dangerous situation where other drivers may hit you from behind. The problem is related to a throttle/pedal position sensor issue (diagnostic code P2138) that your car is detecting.
Parts you may need:
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Electrical System →1 issue
Your car's electrical system is draining the battery even when the vehicle is turned off. Normally, the computer system should enter sleep mode to stop using power, but it's not doing that, causing the battery to go completely dead in about a week of sitting unused. This leaves you stranded and requiring jump starts, and you've had to replace the battery multiple times at significant cost. The dealer hasn't been able to fix the issue. A technician will need to diagnose why the CAN system isn't entering sleep mode and repair or replace the faulty electrical component causing the drain.
Parts you may need:
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Exterior Lighting,structure,engine →1 issue
Your 2005 Outback has experienced multiple issues: a significant oil leak that required complete engine disassembly, broken threading on the rear hatch lift support that needed welding to repair, and a complete failure of interior lighting including dome lights and stereo. Additionally, your rear wiper is not functioning properly. These issues may require replacement of engine gaskets and seals, repair or replacement of the hatch lift assembly, electrical diagnosis and repair of the interior lighting circuit, and rear wiper blade or motor replacement.
Parts you may need:
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Fuel/propulsion System →1 issue
Your accelerator pedal occasionally stops responding without warning, causing your car to suddenly slow down even though the engine doesn't respond to your pedal movements. When this happens, you need to pull off the road, turn off the ignition, and wait for it to reset—sometimes it takes a few restart attempts before the car drives normally again. This issue is intermittent and repeats over time. The fix will likely involve diagnosing the electronic throttle control system, which may require replacing the accelerator pedal sensor or throttle body components.
Parts you may need:
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Exterior Lighting,visibility/wiper →1 issue
Your defroster and digital climate controls aren't responding to inputs, which means you can't clear frost or fog from your windows. This is a visibility and safety concern since you can't see properly while driving. The fix will likely involve diagnosing the defroster system and climate control module to identify whether it's an electrical connection issue, a faulty control unit, or a problem with the defroster heating element itself.
Parts you may need:
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