AIR BAG: THE "OVHD CONSOLE PASS ON OFF INDICATOR" HAD TO BE REPLACED. SEAT BELTS: THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT RELIABLY. IT HAS BROKEN THE LEFT FRONT DOOR SWITCH TWICE. WINDSHIELD WIPERS: THE WIPER BLADE TRANSMISSION UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED.
2008 Subaru Outback airbags problems
moderate 93 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100
Complaints
93
Recalls
0
Crashes
1
Avg fix
$1,100
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
"TAKATA RECALL" I UNDERSTAND THAT I MAY BE DRIVING A CAR WITH THESE AIRBAGS AND THAT THEY MAY CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE OR DEATH IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. NOTHING HAS YET HAPPENED, BUT IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT THERE COULD BE SOMETHING SERIOUS.
THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT OCCASIONALLY ILLUMINATES WHILE DRIVING OR IDLING AND CAN REMAIN ON FOR MINUTES, HOURS, OR CONSISTENTLY OVER CONSECUTIVE DRIVING DAYS. IN SOME INSTANCES, ILLUMINATION OCCURS DURING COLD AND/OR HUMID WEATHER. THE PROBLEM IS SUSPECTED TO BE CAUSED BY A FAILURE IN THE OVERHEAD/MAP LAMP ASSEMBLY PC BOARD. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE BOARD, NUMEROUS SURFACE MOUNT COMPONENTS HA…
THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY SOMETIMES AND OTHER TIMES STAYS ON. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL CAR AND THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG COULD BE DEFECTIVE. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BY SUBARU AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE REGARDING THIS YEAR OUTBACK. THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A DEFECTIVE PART TH…
THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE FRONT DASH COMES ON WITHOUT ANY CRASH OR FRONT END IMPACT. MY VEHICLE HAS 45K MILES ON IT. ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH, THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED BY SUBARU. THE SUBARU DEALER DIAGNOSES THIS AS A CODE 26 WHICH REQUIRES THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF ABOUT $400. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION IN WHICH THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN…
THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATES DUE TO A FLAWED PART IN THE SYSTEM. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS SERIES OF SUBARUS AND DISABLES THE AIRBAGS WHILE THE CAR IS IN USE, A VERY DANGEROUS AND POSSIBLY DEADLY PROBLEM. SUBARU HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE PART AND ITS REPLACEMENT ARE EXPENSIVE AND OFTEN DOES NOT GET REPAIRED BECAUSE IT IS …
SOMETIMES THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON EITHER WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED OR ONCE IT'S DRIVING. IT'S VERY SPORADIC.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2008 Subaru Outback?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 93 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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