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The 2021 Subaru Outback has 291 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2021 Subaru Outback has 291 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall on file (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). The most-reported system is visibility at 99 complaints, typically surfacing around 6,675 miles (~$350 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Outback | 805 | 0 |
| 2019 Outback | 1,030 | 0 |
| 2020 Outback | 893 | 0 |
| 2021 Outback (this page) | 291 | 1 |
| 2022 Outback | 456 | 2 |
| 2023 Outback | 85 | 0 |
| 2024 Outback | 2 | 0 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Standard
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2021 Subaru Outback SUV AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: electrical is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 20,063 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 1 active recall on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.0/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
Windshield randomly developed a crack for no apparent reason. No rocks flying in, no extreme conditions, we were in 40-60 degrees temperatures in California on normal freeways and streets, not in any off-road conditions.
Passenger lower side windshield cracked while driving, it started as a tiny crack but the next morning the crack line was 16 inches long. I contacted Subaru because the car is under warranty but they said they will not cover it. The whole windshield had to be replaced.
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving 60-75 MPH, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving downhill with adaptive cruise mode…
Fragile windshield. I’m just under a year of ownership and I replaced the windshield twice so far so I’m on my third one. First time was about a month in, no visible strike mark. Started on the Driver side halfway up and spread daily horizontally towards the passenger side and…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
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.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.0 out of 10 based on 291 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 Subaru Outback is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2021 Subaru Outback is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Electrical system: 71 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 2,500–48,000 mi; Reliability score 7.0/10 — around the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the visibility first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 99 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 6,675 miles. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.0 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 291 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is visibility. Typical failure occurs around 6,675 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is visibility, with 99 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 6,675 miles. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop.
The visibility is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 6,675 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 291 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $350, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.