2022 Subaru Outback Complaints

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE — Filed 10/01/2026

My Subaru often stalls when the start-stop function is happening such as when I stop at a traffic light. When I lift my foot off the break, the engine tries to restart, but stalls out. It happens at almost every stop. I had my battery tested and it is fine. This week, the car actually completely stalled out in heavy traffic and I had to put it in park and restart it.

ENGINE — Filed 08/24/2026

Catastrophic motor failure at highway speed. I had just come of the Interstate 10 and stopped at the end of the off ramp. I made a right turn on to a 2 lane county highway and accelerated back up to 65MPH. As I attained speed, the vehicle lost power. The accelerator pedal was dead and the vehicle did not respond to my input. The oil pressure warning light illuminated, power surged back and was immediately lost again with dead pedal again. The vehicle would not respond to my input to accelerate and effected my ability to control it safely. I had to abruptly pull to the should and coast to a stop. Loud engine knock immediately occurred indicating catastrophic motor failure. The vehicle was immobilized and needed to be towed. I was fortunate the instant motor failure did not occur while attempting to pass another vehicle or any other maneuvers where I needed the vehicle to respond and move out of the way instantly.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 01/01/2022

In September 2026, after a jump start, my vehicle's battery emitted a strong sulfur/rotten-egg odor, indicating overheating and overcharging. I was advised to shut it off immediately. The vehicle is now undrivable and parked, and I am concerned it presents a fire risk. This is the latest failure of a chronic electrical defect documented in the dealer's own repair orders since early ownership: •⁠ ⁠March 16, 2023 (4,985 mi): vehicle needed a jump start. Dealer tested the battery, said it passed, and blamed my driving habits. •⁠ ⁠May 16, 2023 (5,503 mi): vehicle again needed a boost. Battery failed the dealer's test and was replaced under warranty; dealer cited Subaru bulletin 07-213-22R. •⁠ ⁠August 4-8, 2025 (15,188 mi): vehicle again needed a boost. Battery failed the dealer's DCA8000 test (low CCA) and was replaced a second time. A dark-current draw test found the Telematics Data Communication Module (DCM) causing a parasitic draw (code B2A0C); the DCM was replaced. When I arrived to collect the vehicle after being told it was repaired, it would not start in the dealer's own shop. Subaru paid for the DCM repair as one-time goodwill while stating it was not covered by warranty. These repair orders understate the frequency: throughout ownership the vehicle needed a jump start roughly 80-90% of the times I used it, even the day after being driven, and I used roadside assistance several times. I believe this matches the known parasitic battery drain defect on 2021-2022 Subaru vehicles (control modules, including the DCM, failing to enter low-power sleep mode), the subject of pending class action litigation (Taylor v. Subaru of America, No. 2:26-cv-4935) and Subaru technical service bulletins. My dealer replaced the implicated module, the problem recurred, and the vehicle has now had an overcharging event that left it undrivable.

STEERING,SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN — Filed 08/26/2026

During normal vehicle operation, the castle nut came off the control arm causing it to disengage from the wheel. It is currently with the dealer for inspection and service. They still have not confirmed if this and the associated damage will be covered under the extended warranty. I have also reached out to Subaru of America as this is a safety concern and is same as the recall on the 2023 model.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 08/17/2026

My 2022 Subaru Outback Premium has had repeated intermittent stall/no-start events. The exact failed component is UNKNOWN, but the issue appears related to the fuel system, engine control, electrical system, or heat-related sensor/relay failure. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The first event occurred while parked: the engine shut off/would not start, while the dashboard and screen remained powered. After about 30 minutes, it started again. A later event occurred while driving: the engine suddenly shut off, but the dashboard and infotainment screen stayed on. I could not restart the engine for about 10 minutes. When it restarted, the vehicle would not accelerate past about 30 mph, suggesting reduced-power/limp mode. This created a serious safety risk because the vehicle lost motive power while in traffic. The vehicle was taken to a Subaru dealership. The dealer diagnosed the high-pressure fuel pump as failing and replaced it under the powertrain warranty. About one month later, the same issue occurred again while parked: the vehicle shut off, all dashboard warning lights illuminated, and it took several minutes before it would restart. The dealer then stated the battery was weak and replaced the battery. The new battery tested good after replacement. One week later, the issue returned again. A consistent pattern is that the problem occurs when it is hot outside and the vehicle has been running for more than one hour. The vehicle has been inspected by a Subaru dealership multiple times. The problem has not been reliably reproduced by the dealer, but the dealer previously confirmed a failing high-pressure fuel pump and later a weak battery. Warning lamps appeared at the time of failure, including multiple dashboard lights/check engine-type warnings after the engine shut off. There were no consistent warning messages before the stall/no-start events.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 10/19/2024

I am submitting a complaint regarding the battery in my 2022 Subaru Outback. The original battery failed after only approximately 2½ years of normal use. This issue became a serious safety concern when my vehicle stopped at a traffic light at a very busy intersection and died. I was unable to safely move the vehicle and felt that I was in a dangerous situation because of the surrounding traffic. I was so concerned for my safety that I had to call 911 for assistance. After experiencing battery problems, it was determined that my Subaru Outback needed a larger, higher-capacity battery. This raises concerns that the original battery supplied with the vehicle may not have been adequate for the vehicle’s electrical demands. I do not believe a vehicle of this age should experience a battery-related failure that leaves the driver stranded in an active intersection and creates a potentially dangerous situation. I am requesting that Subaru issue a recall On model year 2022 Subaru Outback. Im requesting a reimburse for the costs I incurred as a result of replacing the original battery. Most importantly, I believe Subaru should address whether this battery issue presents a safety risk to other Subaru Outback owners, since a sudden loss of vehicle operation in traffic could potentially result in a serious accident. Unfortunately, the problem did not end there. Roughly a year and a half after the replacement battery was installed, I had to replace the battery again. Having multiple batteries fail within such a relatively short period of time makes me concerned that there may be an underlying issue with the vehicle’s electrical or charging system rather than simply a problem with the batteries themselves Thank you for your time

POWER TRAIN — Filed 04/30/2022

When traveling eat 6-65 mph and needing to merge and stepping on the gas pedal all the way the car would just sit there and do nothing for 1-2 seconds. this was not a one off situation. The car would do this regularly until I found out subaru had a fix for the transmission software. I recently had to pay to have this done even though my car was still within the powertrain warranty because Subaru said it is maintenance .

VISIBILITY/WIPER — Filed 07/24/2026

Vehicle is exhibiting signs of a possible design defect which causes windshields to prematurely crack, break, or shatter. My vehicle is a 22 Subaru Outback that when bought new, in the first week of ownership developed a windshield crack that the dealer ship refused to replace under warranty. We worked a deal out and were responsible for a percentage of the repair on our part, and they replaced the windshield. The 2nd Windshield cracked after a few months, no visible impact this incident either. We had it replaced, and this would be our 3rd windshield (we tried another brand of glass called FUYAO). Now this 3rd windshield suddenly cracked again, without a sign of impact. vehicle has about 38,000 miles and considering the driving conditions and care the vehicle experiences, i believe it to be some sort of design defect which will crack any new windshield within several months.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — Filed 07/20/2026

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the message "EyeSight Disabling" was displayed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle then lost motive power and was unable to restart. The contact called 911, and two bystanders assisted in pushing the vehicle to a Jiffy Lube. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the battery had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon research, the contact associated the failure with the engine. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE — Filed 07/16/2026

While day driving on a clearly marked interstate in slightly hazy weather from fires, the car suddenly, unprompted, steered to the left without any warning or any indicators going off. This caused the car traveling at highway speed to crash into a barrier wall, drive half way up before driver could regain control of the steering and then spun out across 4 lanes of traffic. Driver said cars lane assist was on and it was ping ponging for a moment before it suddenly steered to the left unprompted causing the crash. A witness behind stated they saw the car behave the same as did the two passengers in the car.

STRUCTURE — Filed 11/14/2025

I opened the trunk door went to retrieve my groceries and the trunk door came down with extreme force on the top of my head without warning hitting me in the head causing a concussion. The window sensors on the driver and passenger doors also were acting off prior. Not every time but I would try to close the window and it would go up half way and then come back down.

ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 10/11/2025

Driving on the highway, engine started making a rattling noise, then began to labor and eventually stopped being able to accelerate at all. Oil pressure warning light came on around the time the acceleration gave out altogether. We pulled over to the side of the highway and got out of the car, seeing steam/white smoke coming out of the front of the car. The smoke increased and after several minutes, the front of the car caught on fire.

ENGINE — Filed 04/26/2024

This is in response to your boilerplate letter of May 25, 2024. That correspondence stated that my 2022 Subaru Outback’s inspection of May 21, 2024, did not reveal any manufacturing defect that caused the unanticipated acceleration of my vehicle on April 26, 2024. That inspection was conducted by a third-party engineering firm. In amplification of this, the following is provided: • My vehicle on 26 April 2024, at approximately at 0845 AM experienced unanticipated acceleration, in my garage where it had been parked overnight. It was a cool morning. This occurred without any direct body movement from me, whatsoever. The fast forward motion I directly experienced in my vehicle was like if one put their gas pedal to the floor. The vehicle crashed about five feet into a garage shelf with me simultaneously providing braking. This directly caused about $3,000 worth of damage to the vehicle, and I will probably incur higher insurance cost because of this. •Environmental factors have been a contributing factor in unanticipated acceleration in the past. •Time to extract the data from the EDR in my vehicle took almost one month for SOA to complete the inspection (accident occurred on April 26 and the vehicle inspection took place on May 21). •Starlink, Subaru’s automatic collision notification system, did not activate on 26 April 2024, the day of the accident. •“As a rule of thumb, if the crash is sufficient to cause the air bags to deploy the EDR data are usually captured.” From the National Highway Transportation Safety Board’s website under, “EDR Q & A). My vehicle’s air bags did not deploy, and another key word is “usually”. •On May 16, 2024, five days before the inspection was completed on my vehicle I wrote the CEO a letter. Part of that letter is quoted, verbatim, for your review: “It is now my understanding, according to SOA, that what happened to me is referred to as unanticipated acceleration. Being a Subaru owner for over ten years, such in inc

SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 03/07/2024

My brakes failed as I was pulling up to a curb as I attempted to break to put my car into park my breaks failed to engage. My vehicle is also equipped with emergency braking system that did not engage my vehicle crashed into and through a 7/11 while I was breaking the entire time manuall! The vehicle would not stop and did not stop until it hit the back wall of the store inside.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — Filed 11/03/2023

The contact owned a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at 30 MPH, she heard an abnormal sound emanating from the front of the vehicle, and the vehicle suddenly lost all electrical power. She was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. A short time later, the contact's wife observed white smoke rising from the engine compartment, and within 15 minutes, the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames. Local emergency services were called and were able to extinguish the fire. A fire and police report were filed, and no injuries were reported. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, awaiting inspection. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 23,000.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — Filed 10/25/2023

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while pulling into a bumpy parking space, the vehicle shuddered violently, unintendedly accelerated, and crashed into a stone wall. As a result, the hood of the vehicle was bent and the bumpers were damaged. The air bags did not deploy. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The contact was able to drive to an unknown dealer, where the vehicle was inspected, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they would follow up in two business days. The failure mileage was 13,947.

SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 04/25/2023

Pulled into a parking space at the Village Green strip mall, applied brakes and immediately, the engine accelerated and lunged my vehicle into another car that was parked in the parking space in front of my car. When the car accelerated, the brakes did not work. I reversed the car since it continued to accelerate into the parked car in front of me and the car went back as fast as it was accelerating forward. I put the car into drive since I had parked cars behind me as well. The car accelerated forward at a very high rate, I did not have brakes, I guided the car between parked cars as best I could but could not make a left turn and the car drove into a brick building in the strip mall. I opened a claim with Subaru Corp, Case #230508-190-1112.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — Filed 04/14/2023

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated he had taken the vehicle to the dealer for standard maintenance. When parked, the contact noticed that smoke was coming from underneath the vehicle. A loud popping noise occurred then a fire started underneath the hood of the vehicle. The fire quickly spread. The fire department extinguished the fire. There was no damage. There were no injuries and medical attention was not needed. A fire/police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and is with insurance waiting for the condition of the vehicle to be determined. The vehicle had not been officially diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 4,260.

POWER TRAIN — Filed 03/01/2023

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while reversing out of his garage, the vehicle made an abnormal sound, and while the transmission was shifted into reverse (R), the vehicle rapidly accelerated, crashing into a tree. The contact stated the vehicle made the abnormal sound again and rapidly accelerated forward, crashing into a fence. The contact sustained injuries to his head and received medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000. The VIN was not available. The contact stated the vehicle changed gears and right foot wasn't close to the accelerator during the crash. Medical attention was not required because the head injury was not severe.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — Filed 03/01/2022

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving approximately 1 to 2 mph on two occasions into a parking spot, the vehicle hesitated then accelerated and crashed into a pole. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment, or fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to a collision shop. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and had an investigator inspect the vehicle but was unable to duplicate the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 700. The VIN was not available.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 06/09/2022

Main Wiring harness / Main Electrical system malfunction, causing all dash lights to consistently be on. which in turn prevents all of the ADAS functions to no longer work. Vehicle has now been in 2 accidents which could have been prevented by these safety features. vehicle had had main harness replaced at dealers cost at dealership , and one at cost of insurance, problem remains unfixed/unfixable. vehicle is specifically 2022 Subaru outback Onxy XT.

AIR BAGS — Filed 06/04/2022

My wife was driving and was involved in traffic accident when the airbags deployed. She is a small person and has the driver's seat pulled all the way forward so she operate the vehicle. I was concern about her seating so close the steering wheel and the airbag, but told by the dealer personnel that airbags where mandatory and any tampering voids warranty, etc. She was in an accident and the airbag deployed, she suffered substantial injuries to her upper body including fractures of the clavicule, breastbone, numerous ribs and her T12. Doctors said it was almost miraculous she survived. The is significant data available on the impact of airbags. The forces expended and the bodily damages that can occur. It must be known the a body so close to the activation of the airbag could have fatal consequence but so little has been made public about this danger. We've heard about devices exploding and causing injuries and fatalities but from sitting so close to the steering wheel. And a simple fix, if the seat is fully forward, the airbag is deactivated or test to find a place where it would not be a dangerous weapon. To be injured severely or even killed by safety equipment is the height of stupidity especially when it worked as designed.

AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 06/04/2022

My wife who is a small statured woman was leaving parking lot of church onto a narrow 2 lane street. As she made a left turn, the right front tire climbed the curb and dropped back onto the street. The car suddenly accelerated to top speed and crushed into a tree about 50 yards down the street. Airbags deployed causing bone breaks in left cavalcule, fractured ribs and T12. The driver is short and must sit almost against the steering wheel to drive. Without much effort to stretch her toes, she is unable to push the accelerator to the floor. she said she tried to push on the brake with no results. Eyewitnesses said they watch as she was leaving, they noted the car "jumping the curb" and said the car suddenly accelerated to a very high speed and crashed into a tree. There were no distinctive marks to show any stopping action.

LANE DEPARTURE — Filed 08/07/2021

(ADAS) R WAVE RADAR SENSOR/BLIND SPOT WARNING SENSOR. NO WARNING FOR THE STATIONARY OBJECT (TREE) BEHIND MY VEHICLE CAUSING A COLLISION. A REPORT WILL BE MADE TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP ONCE THE VEHICLE IS REPAIRED BY THE COLLISION CENTER. INSURANCE ADJUSTERS HAVE REVIEWED. NO WARNING LIGHTS, OR ANY SIGNS OF ANY ISSUE UNTIL THE BLIND SPOT SENSOR FAILED TO PROPERLY WARN ME OF THE STATIONARY OBJECT.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 07/10/2021

Vehicle was purhased in early June 2021. Vehicle was being operated on State Highway Route 55 at Milepost 46.7, in Elk Township, Gloucester County. Traffic was heavy, with southbound transient traffic traveling to New Jersey Shore points. Vehicle simultaneously lost power and began to display several error/warning messages on dashboard at approximately 13:52 hours. Vehicle was pulled to the right shoulder of the roadway and I began to smell something burning. As I removed personal effects from vehicle I exited and saw smoke coming from the passenger's side wheel well. I walked back approximately 100 feet and called 911, by time a dispatcher came answered, the engine compartment of the vehicle was completely engulfed in flames. No modifications of any kind were done to the vehicle since its purchase. I was the sole occupant of the vehicle and not injured. The vehicle is fully insured and payments are current. It's mileage at the time of the incident are 3,042. That information along with the error messages were provided through the Subaru Starlink App.