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ProblemsByVin Index / 2023-SUBARU-OUTBACK / COMPLAINTS
Full complaint record · NHTSA

2023 Subaru Outback owner complaints

84 complaints filed with NHTSA on this vehicle , including 3 reporting a crash, fire, injury, or fatality. Showing the 300 most recent — grouped by category for scanning.

other 7 complaints shown

11/28/2022 ODI #11495209.0

Apparent know issue. Subaru Outback windshields prone to chips and eventual cracking of entire windshield. Car does not have 2000 miles yet and already needs windshield replacement from rock chip.

11/23/2023 Crash ODI #11556552.0

While driving on a state highway I hit a deer and my front end was pushed in to where I could not open the doors and the airbags were deployed. I paid extra when I purchased the car for Subaru starlink emergency services. They had guarenteed that in any accident anywhere if the airbags deployed starlink would contact all emergency services so that ambulances and police would come to the scened of the accident. The starlink services did not work and I was forced to get out and walk until I was picked up by a passerby to take me to a spot where I would have cell service. If I had sustained serious injuries I would have been in serious trouble.

11/20/2025 23,000 mi 2 injuries ODI #11700576.0

The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while walking around the vehicle attempting to put her husband in the passenger seat, the hatchback opened independently, and they both got pushed independently from the vehicle on the ground from the impact. The contact mentioned by the standers came out of the office to check on them and called 911 immediately. The contact stated that she sustained injuries to the knee and left shoulder, and her husband sustained injuries from the left elbow to the arm. Medical attention was required, and they were transported to the ER by ambulance. The contact stated that a police report was not filed. The contact stated that the failure was not diagnosed by a dealer or independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure

11/20/2025 ODI #11700696.0

I have had no working SOS safety button in case of a crash despite having a 3 year plan. This started after a Starlink update failed to load to this date. I took it to the dealer and my software was found to be up to date and I was told not a Subaru problem for months. I wrote to Subura America and told not to take the car in as no fix but any day but never came. I am to renew the Safety and Security on 12-12-2025 but I do not want to pay for an SOS safety alert that does not work. My Subaru told me that I was at fault for failing to take my car in for repair and stated they would cancel both safety and security plans, I repsonded by hanging up. I called Subaru American who did not respond. My 2023 Subaru Outback has 9000 miles. I am [XXX] old and disabled with a serious hip issue a

11/19/2023 ODI #11555954.0

I literally just purchased this vehicle two days ago and I already have a crack in my windshield. There was no accident, and I did not notice any rock/debris hitting the windshield while driving.

10/28/2024 ODI #11622339.0

This complain is specific to the wireless charging pad featured in the Touring 2023 model I leased. The wireless charging pad overheats very quickly, thus overheating the phone it's charging. Even if the device is just plugged into a charging cord, located right next to the charging pad, it will overheat the phone, sometimes to the degree that the phone and the screen console will go blank. This has been incredibly dangerous when using the screen for navigation on the highway and the whole thing goes black/malfunctions, and this has happened quite a few times. The other frustrating issue is that the battery of my phone has overheated many times so it doesn't hold much of a charge anymore. The other issue is that the Eyesight function, which is necessary for cruise control, goes out o

10/12/2023 ODI #11549650.0

Traveling on I-75 SB just outside Atlanta, was in lane 2 of about 7 lanes. One car in lane 1, bumper was near my driver door, another truck in lane 4 or 5 approx 200' in front of us. We were in the front of a pack of vehicles. I had the cruise control set about 70, weather was clear, about 3 in the afternoon. With nothing in front of us and no warning, the car began flashing the red dash lights, the cluster flashed the red warning about braking, and the brakes were automatically applied with enough force to set the seat belt pretensions and we unweighted the seats. The car drastically slowed, I am unsure the slowest speed, I was attempting to override the braking by pressing the accelerator. The system complied with my command and the car sped back up. We were nearly hit from behind when t

visibility 5 complaints shown

17 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $350 · see visibility cluster analysis →
12/18/2023 ODI #11560656.0

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 traveling under 40 MPH on a street not a highway a rock/pebble hit the windshield midway up on the passenger side creating a roundish crack the size of a dime/.10 cents. This was fixed at a windshield shop with epoxy.

12/18/2023 ODI #11560658.0

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 a new vehicle.

11/26/2024 ODI #11627415.0

The WINDSHIELD cracked while I was driving on [XXX] unexpectedly and could have caused an accident, on [XXX] at approximately [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

10/30/2023 ODI #11552729.0

Spontaneous front windshield crack on passenger side, no impacts in that area.

10/10/2023 ODI #11549272.0

My 23 Subaru Outback Wilderness windshield cracked within 3 months of ownership. The crack occurred directly at eye-level of the driver side, posing a serious safety hazard. I do not know what, if anything, hit the windshield but it occurred while driving on a busy interstate highway during rush hour.

electrical 3 complaints shown

15 total in this category · severe · avg repair $850 · see electrical cluster analysis →
12/03/2025 ODI #11702638.0

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 go away until I acknowledge the ad. It has appeared when I start the vehicle and while I am driving. I contacted Subaru of America; they first told me to contact SiriusXM. I asked why I was being told to contact SiriusXM for a pop-up ad in my Subaru - of course SiriusXM wants to advertise to consumers, but why would Subaru allow them to display ads in my car whenever they chose? I own my car outright; it is neither a lease nor do I owe money on it, so I should control what sort of media is presented to me and wh

11/03/2022 ODI #11492069.0

Some of the starling services associated with my 2023 Subaru Outback are not functioning as they should. The vehicle was purchased on 10/28/2022 and on 10/29/2022 I took it back to the dealer. I was told by the service department that the issue would have to be dealt with by the sales department since it was a Starling issue. The sale team then looked into the issue and I was told that the software update hasn't been sent to the car yet and to give it until Monday 10/31/2022 to upload. On Monday I took the car back to the dealer as the services were still to working. They called Starlink and told the representative there what was going on. They then put me on the phone with Starlink and the representative told me I might would consider taking the car to another dealer. The dealer then stat

10/24/2025 24,200 mi ODI #11695441.0

The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outlook. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the Starlink system failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact was informed that it was a known failure; however, there was no fix available. In addition, the contact was informed that there were more than 44,000 consumers experiencing the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 24,200.

powertrain 2 complaints shown

4 total in this category · severe · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain cluster analysis →
11/28/2022 ODI #11495223.0

Going down a steep incline shortly after staring car after it had been sitting about 3 hours after about 2500 feet the car had no power maximum speed was about 25MPH and could not accelerate. There was a wide edge that I was able to pull off on with about a 300 drop off on right side of car. After pulling off on edge. stopped turned engine off, sat about 20 seconds, restarted engine, checked to see that engine increased in RPM's when accelerator was engaged, RPM's increased Drove next 4 days through Appalachian Mountains with no further problem. as engaged, then proceeded down incline about a mile and a half with no problem.

10/19/2024 ODI #11620816.0

When coming to a stop at a stop sign, the car jerks and the engine appears to stall. I have brought it to 2 dealerships and both have said that it is "normal". I have had dozens of cars and none have ever performed in this manner. The adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking frequently brakes for no reason or does not recognize cars in front of me. It regularly misses large objects directly in front of the car. The system also has a lot of failures and turns itself off randomly for unknown reasons. (again, "working as designed")

lighting 1 complaint shown

6 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $250 · see lighting cluster analysis →
12/20/2022 ODI #11498198.0

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 issue but Subaru has no remedy. This is a safety issue as your eyes automatically follow the shadows as it seems like there is something running across the front of the vehicle. An investigation is requested as this is a major safety issue as it distracts your eyes from the road ahead.

brakes 1 complaint shown

3 total in this category · severe · avg repair $450 · see brakes cluster analysis →
11/30/2024 Crash ODI #11628020.0

The vehicle has received all scheduled and regular maintenance. I was driving right around the speed limit of 50 mph. Traffic was stopped ahead, and I had plenty of time and space to stop. I pressed the brake pedal, but continued to coast. I pressed it harder, all the way to the floor for at least four seconds, and there was no resistance, no feel of the antilock brakes kicking in, no emergency braking to avoid a collision, and no braking or slowing whatsoever. I could not safely swerve out of my lane, as there was no shoulder on my left and traffic on my right, and so there was an accident. The vehicle is currently at the body shop, and I told Stare Farm about the brakes, but they have no intention of investigating it.

tires 1 complaint shown

11/09/2024 ODI #11624382.0

225/65r17 102h 535 inside side wall of tire blew out on the freeway was able to stop and change it out. when i got home i checked the other ones and they are almost the same way they have 30000

Showing 300 of 84 total complaints. The full federal record is available at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2023/Subaru/Outback#complaints.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaint database. Last synced 2026-06-14. Complaints are owner-submitted and unverified — the existence of a complaint is not proof of a defect, but a pattern of complaints around the same component is a signal worth weighing. Verify any specific filing at nhtsa.gov.
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