2017 Subaru Outback Recalls and Problems

NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 921 owner complaints for the 2017 Subaru Outback. It has 1 open investigation that names this model year.

Recalled components: steering, air bags, and suspension. Most-described problem: a cracked or shattered windshield (242 complaints, 26%). Most-reported area: electrical system (392 complaints, 43%; median mileage when it happened: 30,000).

Data: NHTSA recall, complaint and investigation filesUpdated Nov 12, 2026

Year to avoidBest year

4 safety recalls for the 2017 Subaru Outback

Do-not-drive and park-outside recalls first, then newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.

Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA investigations

NHTSA has opened 1 investigation that names the 2017 Subaru Outback; it is still open. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.

An engineering analysis is a deeper review, usually opened after a preliminary evaluation. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.

What owners report

Owners have filed 921 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Outback. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.

Problems owners describe

• Cracked or shattered windshield242 · 26%
  Median 33,000 miles at failure, from 176 reports with mileage
• Dead battery or battery drain211 · 23%
  Median 26,700 miles at failure, from 93 reports with mileage
• Won't start71 · 8%
  Median 34,400 miles at failure, from 40 reports with mileage
• Stalling or shutting off22 · 2%
• Unintended acceleration or surging21 · 2%
• Shattered sunroof12 · 1%
• Loss of power or limp mode11 · 1%
• Shifter errors or stuck in gear11 · 1%

Counted from the complaint text: a complaint counts once for each problem it describes (how we match them). Some complaints describe none of these. Compare other models in the problem owners report most for every model year.

Areas named in complaints

• Electrical system392 · 43%
  Most named: 12v/24v/48v battery (6); ignition (3) · Median 30,000 miles at failure, from 173 reports with mileage
• Visibility/wiper205 · 22%
  Median 33,000 miles at failure, from 148 reports with mileage
• Powertrain47 · 5%
  Median 27,000 miles at failure, from 32 reports with mileage
• Engine44 · 5%
  Median 32,000 miles at failure, from 21 reports with mileage
• Visibility30 · 3%
  Most named: windshield (26) · Median 49,500 miles at failure, from 30 reports with mileage
• Speed control29 · 3%
  Median 20,200 miles at failure, from 20 reports with mileage
• Body structure27 · 3%
  Most named: body (25) · Median 25,000 miles at failure, from 15 reports with mileage
• Unknown or other178 · 19%
  Median 28,000 miles at failure, from 89 reports with mileage

A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.

Subaru Outback recalls and complaints by model year

The highlighted bars are the 2017 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2020 Outback drew the most (720) and the 2017 drew 192.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2017 Outback MPG

Questions