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The 2023 Subaru Outback has 86 NHTSA owner complaints and 2 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2023 Subaru Outback has 86 NHTSA owner complaints and 2 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is visibility at 17 complaints, typically surfacing around 2,500 miles (~$350 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Outback | 893 | 6 |
| 2021 Outback | 291 | 4 |
| 2022 Outback | 457 | 4 |
| 2023 Outback (this page) | 86 | 2 |
| 2024 Outback | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 Outback | 67 | 0 |
| 2026 Outback | 10 | 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 & Optional · Lane departure warning: Standard
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2023 Subaru Outback SW 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 10,800 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 2 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.4/10 model. The priciest documented failure is powertrain (~$2,500) — 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.
This car is equipped with adaptive headlights. When the headlights are turned on, each projects a rectangular shadow. These shadows move when you drive and look like animals coming across the road. Apparently, Subaru says this is normal operation. The dealer noted that it is an…
Windshield cracked easily with a small pebble on 2/2023 midway up the windshield on passenger side. Size was about quarter/ .25 cents. The vehicle was less than 1 month old. Windshield was replaced in april 2023 because took 2 months to get a new windshield. On 12/15/2023…
On 12/15/23 traveling on a city street at aprox. 40 MPH a rock/pebble hit the windshield on the passenger side causing a roundish chip crack the size of a dime/ .10 cents. This was repaired at a windshield shop with epoxy. This is the second crack in the windshield in 8 moths on…
Recently, in my 2023 Subaru Outback, I have been having pop-up ads for SirusXM take over my infotainment screen. The ad appears in the center, does not allow the user to interact with the screen - including air conditioning control and traction control selection - and will not…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
Separation of the front end of the driveshaft increases the risk of a crash.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.4 out of 10 based on 86 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2023 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 2023 Subaru Outback is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 7.4/10 — around the segment average; 2 recall campaigns 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 17 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 2,500 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 7.4 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 86 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is visibility. Typical failure occurs around 2,500 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 17 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 2,500 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 2,500 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 86 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.