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severe Owners of the 2017 Subaru Outback have filed 15 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 Outback | 40 |
| 2014 Outback | 36 |
| 2015 Outback | 8 |
| 2016 Outback | 9 |
| 2017 Outback (this page) | 15 |
| 2018 Outback | 8 |
| 2019 Outback | 12 |
| 2020 Outback | 15 |
| 2021 Outback | 16 |
In the event of a crash necessitating passenger frontal air bag deployment, the air bag may not deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This bulletin announces availability of the one-time use mounting clip and spacer clip for the air bag curtain module.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides information regarding Event Data Recorder (EDR) functionality which has been incorporated into the airbag system.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Subaru is recalling certain 2016-2017 model year Outback vehicles in which an incorrect Airbag Control Module may have been installed as a replacement part. A total of 46 U.S. vehicles may be affected by this recall.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Bulletin provides information regarding Event Data Recorder (EDR) functionality which has been incorporated into the airbag system.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗"This Service Information Bulletin announces IMPORTANT changes to the parts ordering and Service Procedures for replacement passenger airbag modules and airbag control modules used in the models listed above. The change is due to discontinuation of the original equipment passenger airbag module assemblies used in 2015-17MY vehicles. The replacement passenger airbag module assemblies for the 2015-17 MY Legacy and Outback will now be the same part used in 2018MY Legacy and Outback. The 2018MY Legacy and Outback also utilizes a different airbag control module than the 2015-17 MY Legacy and Outback. The 2018MY passenger airbag module assembly is now specified for 2015-18MY vehicles. As a result,
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
Owners of the 2017 Subaru Outback report multiple distinct airbag failures across accident scenarios. The most frequent complaint is airbags failing to deploy in crashes that appear to meet deployment thresholds—front-impact collisions at speeds of 35–75 mph, broadside hits, multi-vehicle accidents, and rear-end collisions all resulted in non-deployment despite documented damage and serious injury. One owner's insurance adjuster and auto body specialist both stated the airbags should have deployed. Another owner involved in a crash that also hit a second vehicle—whose airbags deployed normally—found their Outback's airbags inactive, raising questions about sensor or control module performance.
Secondary issues include SRS warning light illumination leading to diagnosis of airbag control unit failure (approximately $1,600 repair cost reported), faulty occupant detection causing false warnings or failure to detect occupants, and a defective clock spring switch that disabled airbags without alerting the driver. One owner reported all airbags deployed during a high-speed deer strike, but the deployed bags blocked vision, door handles, window switches, and seatbelt release, trapping the occupant. Owners mention recall campaign WUX-09R and Takata inflator concerns but express uncertainty about coverage. Most critically, in non-deployment incidents, occupants absorbed injuries directly—cracked sternum, head trauma, loss of consciousness—that might have been mitigated by functional airbags.
Same Subaru Outback airbags reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2019 · 2020
Airbags fail to deploy in documented crashes at highway and city speeds (35–75 mph) with sufficient impact force to total vehicles and cause serious injury. Auto body specialists and insurance adjusters examined wreckage and concluded deployment should have occurred.
When: 3,360 miles; various incidents 2017–2022
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag activation despite impact severity; Occupants struck steering wheel, dashboard, windows with serious injury (cracked sternum, head trauma, loss of consciousness); SRS light may or may not illuminate post-crash; No warning before accident
Codes mentioned: SRS light
Repairs/costs cited: Incidents documented with insurance claim numbers and police reports; airbag control unit failure identified in at least one case
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall campaign WUX-09R mentioned; Subaru investigated some incidents and attributed one to driver error (throttle/brake confusion) without addressing safety feature performance
SRS warning light triggered, diagnostic codes identified airbag control unit as failed. Repair requires replacement of control module and passenger side airbag assembly.
When: 1/12/2022 at unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: SRS warning light illuminates
Codes mentioned: Airbag control unit fault code
Repairs/costs cited: Control module and passenger airbag replacement; estimated cost $1,600
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall campaign WUX-09R referenced; owner disputes whether vehicle was included and objects to out-of-pocket cost for known issue
Clock spring (steering wheel contact assembly) failed, disabling all airbags. Vehicle computer detected the fault but did not alert the driver. Defect discovered during routine troubleshooting of cruise control malfunction.
When: Likely present for months before discovery
Symptoms owners cite: Erratic cruise control switch operation; Airbags disconnected and non-functional; No warning light or driver alert despite fault present in computer
Codes mentioned: Clock spring switch fault (read from vehicle computer)
Repairs/costs cited: Clock spring replacement required
Occupant detection system intermittently malfunctions: disables airbag when passenger is present, activates passenger airbag warning and seatbelt chime when no passenger is in seat.
When: 700 miles on new vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger airbag light toggles on and off intermittently; False seatbelt warning chime with no occupant; Airbag disables when passenger present
Repairs/costs cited: Service center unable to replicate problem despite multiple visits and video evidence provided by owner
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service center (Subaru Santa Monica) unable to replicate or resolve intermittent fault
During high-speed impact with large animal, all airbags deployed but inflated bags blocked door handles, window control switches, and seatbelt release, trapping occupant in vehicle. Another motorist had to manually cut airbag material to free the driver.
When: 75 mph deer strike
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags deploy normally on impact; Deployed bags fill cabin and obstruct access to door handles, windows, seatbelt release; Occupant unable to self-exit vehicle
SRS warning light on passenger side illuminates intermittently—activates, deactivates, then reactivates unpredictably over extended ownership period.
When: Unknown; intermittent over time
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger airbag indicator light cycles on and off without clear trigger; Light remains off for periods, then reactivates
Codes mentioned: Passenger airbag SRS light
SOS button activated after multi-vehicle accident but received no response. Starlink concierge called days later unaware crash had occurred and had no record of SOS button activation, indicating system did not capture or transmit emergency event data.
When: September 9, 2017
Symptoms owners cite: SOS button pressed but no emergency response; Starlink unaware of accident days after event; No record of SOS button activation in system
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Cause under investigation by insurance and Subaru at time of complaint
Synthesized from 15 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
It's a meaningful issue. 15 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
Based on the 15 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 10,637 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
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.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.