While traveling through michigan's upper peninsula and northern wisconsin during snow fall with a fully packed car on the highway I experienced the rear end "ghost walking" or "steering" or "pulling" to the left and to the right. I had to drive 40mph while two-wheeled drive camrys, civics, vans, etc. Passed us by. Growing up in northern michigan, I'm no stranger to winter conditions and all…
2017 Subaru Outback steering problems
severe 22 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
22
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
2crashes
When does it fail?
Of the 22 steering complaints filed for the 2017 Subaru Outback, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 5 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2017 Outback has documented steering control issues ranging from highway wandering and imprecision to sudden, uncontrolled jerks in Lane Keep Assist, plus a chronic problem where the ignition key and steering wheel lock fail to work. Buyers should have any purchase thoroughly inspected by an independent shop and expect possible steering rack replacement costs.
The 2017 Subaru Outback steering complaints cluster into several categories. First, highway instability and wandering are the most common: owners report the vehicle drifting side-to-side, feeling loose and imprecise, and refusing to return naturally to center after turns. This happens at 55+ mph on clear roads and worsens in rain, wind, or snow. Several owners say dealers inspected alignment, suspension, and tires—all checked out normal—but the problem persisted. One owner paid $2,224 for a steering rack replacement after the dealer said it was unsafe.
Second, Lane Keep Assist and EyeSight systems malfunction dangerously: the steering wheel jerks abruptly to the right, sometimes locking immovable, forcing drivers to wrench the wheel back into lane. This happens even when the driver has disabled the system. Dealership resets provide no permanent fix.
Third, ignition key and steering lock failures occur frequently. The key gets stuck in the ignition 50% to 100% of the time and cannot be removed; the steering wheel doesn't lock; sometimes the shift lever is trapped in Park. Owners resort to cycling the shifter or disconnecting the battery. One owner mentions service bulletin 16-112-18R as common across Subaru models.
Finally, owners report sudden loss of steering control, especially in snow and gravel, plus an unusual hazard: the paddle shifters have sharp corners that can snag coat zippers and lock the steering wheel during turns.
Same Subaru Outback steering reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Instability and wandering at highway speed
Vehicle drifts side-to-side, wanders across lanes, and feels like it's on ice or slipping in wind or wet conditions. Steering feels loose, imprecise, and does not return to center naturally after turns. Owners report needing constant correction to keep the vehicle centered.
When: Highway speeds (55+ mph), particularly in rain, cross-wind, or winter conditions. Some incidents occurred within first 9 months of ownership.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle wanders left and right at highway speed; Rear end 'ghost walks' or pulls left/right; Steering feels loose and does not return to center; Heavy steering effort in city traffic; Feels like driving on ice on clear roads; Unsafe in rain, snow, slush, and gravel conditions
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers inspected alignment, suspension, tires, and shocks—all reported as normal. One owner paid $2,223.86 for steering rack replacement after dealer advised it was unsafe to continue driving.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 16V292000 covers steering components on some 2017 Outbacks; however, one owner's VIN was excluded from recall. No other formal recalls or technical service bulletins mentioned for this issue in the narratives.
Lane Keep Assist and EyeSight malfunction with sudden steering jerk
Lane Keep Assist system triggers abrupt, uncontrolled steering jerk to the right, even when the system is turned off or when road markings change (exits, new asphalt). The steering wheel jerks dramatically and becomes immovable, forcing driver to forcibly correct back into lane.
When: At night or during highway driving; triggered by road conditions, paint stripe transitions, or wet road surfaces. Incidents occurred after new tire installation and during normal highway operation.
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel jerks suddenly to the right; Steering wheel locks and becomes immovable; Lane assist activates unexpectedly despite being turned off; Nearly causes lane departure at highway speed (60+ mph); System resets provided temporary relief but no guaranteed fix
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer confirmed malfunction and reset system but stated they could not guarantee vehicle safety. No permanent repair documented.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru of America opened investigation but was unable to obtain complete information from dealership. No recall campaign identified in narratives.
Key stuck in ignition and steering wheel lock failure
Ignition key becomes stuck 50–100% of the time and cannot be removed after engine is shut off. Steering wheel does not lock as designed. In some cases, shift lever is also stuck in Park. Issues may be triggered by cold weather but persist year-round. Service bulletin reference 16-112-18R is mentioned by one owner as common across multiple Subaru product lines.
When: Upon engine shutdown or after turning off vehicle. One owner first reported issue at 52k miles; another experienced failure in July 2022 and again in December 2022.
Symptoms owners cite: Key cannot be removed from ignition; Steering wheel does not lock when engine is off; Shift lever stuck in Park; No warning lights or error codes before failure; Engine restart impossible until problem resolves; Workarounds include cycling shift lever, using push-button restart, or disconnecting battery
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple owners report dealers charge parts and labor for repeated repairs. One owner's first incident was documented at Georgetown Subaru (July 2022); second failure occurred December 2022 with no permanent fix.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service bulletin 16-112-18R exists; owners reference it via online searches. No formal recall campaign mentioned in narratives.
Loss of steering control and sudden uncontrolled movement
On two separate occasions, vehicle experienced sudden loss of steering control or uncontrolled movement. One owner reported rear-end loss of control causing near-collision; another reported complete steering loss in snow, slush, and gravel. One incident at low speed (15 mph on gravel) resulted in full loss of control.
When: Winter 2017 (snow, slush, gravel conditions); also reported on clear, dry highways. One crash occurred in January 2022.
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of steering control; Rear end ghost walks uncontrollably; Complete loss of steering in winter conditions; Vehicle veers suddenly without driver input; Crash occurred; vehicle totaled
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented. One owner's insurance claim resulted in total loss declaration; Subaru declined to share inspection findings.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subaru conducted post-crash inspection and claimed vehicle was running normal; declined to share findings with owner or investigator.
Paddle shifter design hazard and steering interference
Paddle shift levers on steering wheel have sharp, square edges that can catch on coat zippers or clothing, causing abrupt steering wheel entanglement and loss of control. One owner's coat zipper caught on paddle shifter during a right turn, preventing steering wheel straightening and resulting in collision with bus stop and traffic citation.
When: During normal driving when wearing heavier coat (cold weather). Incident occurred during right turn at residential speed.
Symptoms owners cite: Paddle shifter corner catches coat zipper; Loss of steering control due to clothing entanglement; Inability to straighten steering wheel; Vehicle collision and traffic citation
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented; design defect requires correction.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response documented in narratives.
Advanced safety systems disable without codes or warning
Multiple advanced safety systems (EyeSight, Forward Auto Brake, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Assist Steering, Rear Auto Brake, Blind Spot Detection, ABS, Traction Control, Power Steering) disable simultaneously without triggering check engine light or logging diagnostic codes. Systems fail at idle, low speed, and highway speed without predictable pattern.
When: Multiple occasions: in driveway (stopped), parking lot (5 mph), town driving (25 mph), highway (60 mph). No consistent trigger identified.
Symptoms owners cite: All advanced safety systems go offline simultaneously; No check engine light or error codes generated; Power steering disabled during driving; No warning messages or symptoms before failure
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer found no codes on first four to five failures. Vehicle was delivered to dealer while in failed state with no codes found.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer did not report issue to Subaru; owner states they will report to Subaru.
Steering overheat warning and vehicle will not start
Vehicle displays steering overheat error message and refuses to start. Issue occurred on two separate occasions.
When: Two occasions, timing not specified in narrative.
Symptoms owners cite: Steering overheat error message; Vehicle will not start
Codes mentioned: Steering overheat
Repairs/costs cited: No repair details provided.
Synthesized from 22 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
While driving at highway speeds on clear dry roadways, the steering feels as if I have a brief loss of control. I liken it to hitting a patch of ice and having a slight loss of steering control. I've noticed it twice while entering a curve and decelerating from 55 MPH to 45 MPH (the reduced speed limit of the curve). This issue happens only intermittently and is only noticeable at highway…
When lane keep assist is on at night (uses eyesight to keep you in your lane) the car steering wheel has on two separate occasions suddenly jerked to the right. The first time there had been some road repairs with some parts of the road having new asphalt at some not, and the road was still wet from a previous rainstorm. The most recent time the road was dry and this happened when the car…
Had steering trouble with your 2017 Subaru Outback?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2017 Subaru Outback?
It's a meaningful issue. 22 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 14,000 and 37,000 miles, with the median around 27,500. A quarter of owners report trouble before 14,000; a quarter make it past 37,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering 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 steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering 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.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/Subaru/Outback.
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. Some links on this page are affiliate links.