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2015 Subaru Outback Body & Structure Problems

29 owner-reported body & structure complaints from NHTSA data

29
Complaints
1
Fires
Jan 2025Dec 2018
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (29)

criticalSTRUCTURE
Filed: Jan 2025

Driver door interior, de-bonding of the horizontal crash protection from the outer door panel. Online research indicates this is a common issue.

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NHTSA #: 11638205
criticalSTRUCTURE
Filed: Oct 2024

The dealer found significant rusting on the front subframe and some on the rear subframe. The front was enough there's a hole in it. I was told it was not safe to drive as it would not hold in an accident.

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NHTSA #: 11619608
criticalSTRUCTURE
Filed: Aug 2020

The rear doors for our 2015 outback are stuck in the child safety lock position. This is the second time this has happened. We paid over $300+ to have the mechanic accidentally break the switch and then repair it.

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NHTSA #: 11352372
criticalSTRUCTURE,ENGINE
FireFiled: Oct 2015

THE SUBARU OUTBACK 2015 WAS PARKED IN A LOT AFTER A 12 MINUTE DRIVE AND BURST INTO FLAMES. IT WAS PURCHASED IN FEBRUARY 2015 AND WAS NOT YET DUE FOR SERVICING WHEN THE EVENT HAPPENED. THE SUBARU OUTBACK MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 3RD-27TH 2015 HAS BEEN RECALLED DUE TO "POSSIBILITY OF FIRE DUE TO A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK". I BELIEVE THE SAME THING OCCURRED WITH MY CAR AND I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THE MODEL IS NOT RECALLED SOMEONE WILL GET BADLY INJURED OR KILLED DUE TO FIRE.

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NHTSA #: 10780961
criticalSTRUCTURE,EQUIPMENT,VISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Mar 2015

The touch screen that controls the system's radio/navigation is very glossy and while driving home, the sun hit it at an angle and blinded me. Was barely able to drive, had to place my hand over the 7" screen to reduce the bright sun glare which was impeding my visibility and made it very unsafe to drive the car.

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NHTSA #: 10692735
criticalSTRUCTURE
Filed: Feb 2015

Note: no accident - reporting safety issue!!! Incident date = date issue identified: as the driver, I am seeing light under the hood in the space between the edge of the dashboard and the opening under the hood. Outside light and road images are visible through the opening for the drivers wiper, due to the wide gap between the drivers front fender and hood.

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NHTSA #: 10683270
criticalSTRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Dec 2014

This car has a screen in the dashboard that controls the stereo, phone, and other functions. It has a very reflective glassy finish. The screen is not surrounded by a hood of any sort and it is titled at about a 50-degree angle.

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NHTSA #: 10663557
criticalSTRUCTURE,EQUIPMENT
Filed: Sep 2014

There is a gloss finished plastic touch pad kind of cover that covers the entire navigation system. This is approximately 6"x8". It is not only the navigation system, but the radio, fuel information, etc.

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NHTSA #: 10638384
highSTRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Oct 2022

While driving on 55mph road, sunroof suddenly shattered for no apparent reason (no sudden impact from rock or other debris), producing a loud bang, startling driver. Driver momentarily swerved due to being startled by noise from next to head before correcting.

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NHTSA #: 11490479
highSTRUCTURE,SERVICE BRAKES
Filed: Aug 2020

2015 outback with 43,300 miles. Total brake failure while driving down a hill. I was able to stop the car with the transmission before it reached the railroad tracks.

NHTSA #: 11349358
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Jan 2025

2015 Subaru Outback Premium. Took in to a very helpful local Subaru Dealer and they discovered that the front subframe has rusted out seemingly prematurely. The vehicle just turned 10 years old with and upon doing research it seems to be a widely known commonly occurring problem.

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NHTSA #: 11634024
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Jan 2019

FUEL DOOR DOES NOT OPEN TO ALLOW ACCESS TO GAS CAP. I WAS LOW ON GAS AND COULD NOT FILL THE TANK BECAUSE I COULD NOT ACCESS THE GAS CAP.

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NHTSA #: 11166198
mediumSTRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Dec 2018

WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK AT ABOUT 55MPH ON US20, THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE MID 30'S, IN EAST OREGON WHEN OUR SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND AND THERE WAS NO IMPACT FROM FOREIGN OBJECTS. THERE WAS A LOUD, DISTRACTING, BANG FOLLOWED BY A CLOUD OF SHATTERED GLASS COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR. THE SUNROOF COVER WAS CLOSED AND THE TEMPERED GLASS FRAGMENTS COLLECTED IN THE WELL AND RATTLED AROUND FOR THE REMAINING 3 1/2 HOURS OF OUR JOURNEY.

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NHTSA #: 11164079
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Nov 2018

REAR HATCH DOES NOT RELIABLY OPEN - CANNOT CLOSE AFTER MANUAL OVERRIDE. VEHICLE HAS HAD ISSUE FOR OVER 15000 MILES AND 5 TIMES AT THE DEALER BUT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. REAR HATCH DOES NOT OPEN RELIABLY AND WHEN A MANUAL OVERRIDE IS NECESSARY TO REMOVE CARGO OR PETS, THE HATCH DOES NOT CLOSE EASILY AND DOOR LIGHT REMAINS ON EVEN WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAUSES AND OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BOTH FOR CARGO ESCAPING THE VEHICLE AND ALSO FOR EXHAUST ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THIS OCCURS WITH ALL DOORS UNLOCKED, VEHICLE IS STOPPED, KEY FOB IS ATTEMPTED AS WELL AS DOOR TRIGGER TO OPEN THE HATCH. NO MEMORY SET WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN. NO USER ERROR.

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NHTSA #: 11149577
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Feb 2018

LETTER FROM SENATOR BROWN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK STRUCTURAL FAILURE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE WAS A LEAK AT THE DRIVER'S SIDE ROOF. *JS

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NHTSA #: 11071488
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Aug 2017

REAR ELECTRIC LIFTGATE SPORADICALLY FAILS TO OPEN. THIS CONDITION PERSISTS WHETHER I PRESS THE BUTTON ON THE LIFTGATE, THE DASHBOARD LIFTGATE BUTTON, OR THE KEY FOB BUTTON. I CAN HEAR THE LIFTGATE UNLATCH, HOWEVER IT FAILS TO OPEN MORE THAN A COUPLE INCHES. LITHIA SUBARU (OREGON CITY) HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR. WE PURCHASED OUR VEHICLE NEW FROM THE DEALER. IT HAS EXHIBITED THIS PROBLEM FROM THE FIRST DAY WE OWNED IT. SUBARU SHOULD RECALL AND FIX ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL STRONGLY THIS IS AN DESIGN DEFECT OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS SPORADIC CONDITION PRESENTS ITSELF WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, BOTH WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING AND WHEN IT IS NOT. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY SET OF CONDITIONS UPON WHICH I CAN CAUSE OR PREDICT THE FAILURE.

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NHTSA #: 11020454
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Dec 2016

THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR HAS DELAMINATED. THIS IS CONFIRMED BY A THE DOOR SOUNDING LIKE A DRUM WHEN CLOSED, THE LOWER PORTION OF THE DOOR VIBRATING WHEN CLOSED AND A MECHANIC AT THE DARYL WALTRIP DEALERSHIP WHO INSPECTED THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR. THE DEALER ONLY WANTS TO PUT A BAND AID ON THE PROBLEM BY PLACING PADS INSIDE THE DOOR TO DEADEN THE SOUND. THE CONCERN IS FOR THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER WHO COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION BECAUSE OF THE REDUCED STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE DOOR.

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NHTSA #: 10929725
mediumSTRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Jun 2015

Vehicle was parked outside overnight. In the morning a 12" s shaped crack had appeared in the passenger side of the windshield. There was no detectable prior damage and no known impact to cause the crack.

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NHTSA #: 10725338
mediumSTRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Feb 2015

Windshield developed a crack with no noticeable impact from debris. First incident december 1, 2014, windshield replaced with identical model by carlex (minus the subaru oem sticker). The replacement windshield has exhibited the same symptoms (developed a crack with no noticeable impact) on january 15, 2015.

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NHTSA #: 10682194
mediumSTRUCTURE
Filed: Feb 2015

This car has suffered from, as have many other 2015 subaru outbacks from excessive wind noise. The car has had 2 fixes so far and the problem persists.

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NHTSA #: 10681876
mediumSTRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Jan 2015

Noticed an 18 inch crack in my 2015 subaru outback windshield starting at the top under the heating element two months ago. Was not hit by a rock and no impact spot found. Had the windshield replaced three weeks ago.

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NHTSA #: 10680025
lowSTRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Jan 2025

My sunroof glass just shattered spontaneously while I was driving. Thankfully the door was closed or me and my daughter would have been showered by glass while in the road. Nothing hit the car , I just heard a loud bang over my heard and when I stopped to see what happened my sunroof was in pieces!

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NHTSA #: 11637190
lowSTRUCTURE
Filed: Apr 2024

See attached document for complaint

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NHTSA #: 11585796
lowSTRUCTURE
Filed: Jul 2020

My car was parked in my driveway and developed a crack in the front windshield. No impact mark or anything. Cracked in the lower passenger side windshield like all 2015 and newer subaru outbacks apparently do.

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NHTSA #: 11337063
lowSTRUCTURE
Filed: Jan 2020

2015 subaru outback. Consumer writes in regards to damage to hoses in vehicle due to rodents.

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NHTSA #: 11301996
lowSTRUCTURE
Filed: Nov 2019

Passenger side "child lock" will not disengage. Door is permanently locked from the inside because of a faulty child lock. We set the child lock our child was a toddler but now it's stuck in the on position.

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NHTSA #: 11278197
lowSTRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Aug 2015

Windshield cracked in parking lot. Very long break starting at base and continued halfway up through the center.

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NHTSA #: 10748058
lowSTRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER
Filed: Jul 2015

For the second time, after being pinged by a small stone, the windshield developed a crack circa 3000 miles similar experience w/ 2014 subaru outback also w/ low mileage never had to replace windshield in some 56 years of driving three times in 7 months seems to indicate some sort of systemic or windshield configuration problem?

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NHTSA #: 10743475
lowSTRUCTURE
Filed: Nov 2014

Blinding dashboard glare at certain automobile/sun angles.

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NHTSA #: 10661002

Other 2015 Subaru Outback Issues