- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 4
- on record
- MPG
- 27
- combined
Open recalls on record
4 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2021 Subaru Outback
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Owner complaints
- 291
- Complaints citing a crash
- 8
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
4 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
4 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 21V024000high
Drivetrain issue
POWER TRAIN:SHIFT LINKAGE/CABLE/ROD
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2021 Outback and Impreza vehicles. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) select lever cable nut may not have been tightened properly, allowing the nut to loosen.
Consequence
A loose nut can lead to a lost of retention in the CVT select lever cable and the gear selector not functioning properly, increasing risk of crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and, if necessary, tighten the nut, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-21.
- 22V485000high
Drivetrain issue
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Consequence
An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.
- 23V755000high
Drivetrain issue
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Consequence
An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
- 24V227000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.
Consequence
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-24.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2021 Subaru Outback.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 18.5%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2021 Subaru Outback 5 out of 5 stars overall. NHTSA does not publish enough comparable results for this class and year to rank it against peers.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 18.5% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2021 Subaru Outback, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
22
City
34
Hwy
27
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $1,944
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 329 g/mi
How this compares
The EPA holds too few vehicles in this class and model year to rank the 2021 Subaru Outback against its peers.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 329 grams per mile — about 4.9 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
291 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 291
- Total
- 8
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 3
- Injuries
Most reported components
- VISIBILITY102
- ELECTRICAL60
- OTHER53
- ENGINE26
- AIR BAGS16
Notable Issues
291 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 3 reports involve injuries. 8 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2021 Subaru Outback, newest first.
- Recall
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
- Recall
An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A loose nut can lead to a lost of retention in the CVT select lever cable and the gear selector not functioning properly, increasing risk of crash.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- SUV
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
22
City
34
Hwy
27
Comb
- Annual cost
- $1,944
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
- Recall
An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A loose nut can lead to a lost of retention in the CVT select lever cable and the gear selector not functioning properly, increasing risk of crash.