NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 1,036 owner complaints for the 2019 Subaru Outback.
Recalled components: fuel system and body structure. Most-described problem: a cracked or shattered windshield (399 complaints, 39%). Most-reported area: electrical system (364 complaints, 35%; median mileage when it happened: 13,000).
More complaints than most Outback years
The 2019 drew 553 owner complaints in its first three years, against 311 for a typical Outback year: 1.7 times as many. It is not a year to avoid, which takes at least twice the typical count and at least 50 complaints.
Years to avoid: 2020; best years: 2021 and 2023. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles.
The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.
Risk: If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-20.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles.
Spot welds located on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, impacting the vehicle's body strength.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the reduced strength of the vehicle body may increase the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and repair or repurchase the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUH-93.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Legacy and Outback vehicles.
NHTSA listing: OUTBACK. Subaru campaign WUH-93.
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's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2019 Subaru Outback.
What owners report
Owners have filed 1,036 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 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 windshield399 · 39%
Median 10,200 miles at failure, from 247 reports with mileage
Dead battery or battery drain183 · 18%
Median 12,000 miles at failure, from 53 reports with mileage
Won't start67 · 6%
Median 24,500 miles at failure, from 32 reports with mileage
Most named: 12v/24v/48v battery (11) · Median 13,000 miles at failure, from 104 reports with mileage
Visibility/wiper326 · 31%
Median 10,000 miles at failure, from 201 reports with mileage
Visibility63 · 6%
Most named: windshield (59) · Median 26,000 miles at failure, from 61 reports with mileage
Engine39 · 4%
Forward collision avoidance36 · 3%
Most named: warnings (21); automatic emergency braking (14)
Steering36 · 3%
Median 2,000 miles at failure, from 21 reports with mileage
Body structure27 · 3%
Most named: body (27)
Unknown or other204 · 20%
Median 9,000 miles at failure, from 63 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 2019 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 2019 drew 553.
Owner complaints
2019: 1,036 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Subaru Outback
Model year
Complaints
2010
360
2011
653
2012
295
2013
297
2014
208
2015
510
2016
644
2017
921
2018
816
2019
1,036
2020
906
2021
300
2022
467
2023
89
2024
106
2025
84
2026
21
Safety recalls
2019: 3 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Subaru Outback
Model year
Recalls
2010
18
2011
16
2012
16
2013
12
2014
10
2015
5
2016
4
2017
4
2018
3
2019
3
2020
6
2021
4
2022
4
2023
2
2024
0
2025
0
2026
0
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.
In the 1,036 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Subaru Outback, the problems described most are a cracked or shattered windshield (399), a dead battery or battery drain (183), and the engine not starting (67). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2019 Subaru Outback safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2019 Subaru Outback earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2019 Subaru Outback?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2019 Subaru Outback.
How do I check if my Outback has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Subaru dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: OUTBACK.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.