10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
6 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
14,597 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2017 Subaru Outback electrical problems

electrical problem

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2017 Subaru Outback Owner Comments (Page 18 of 19)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #34

Apr 152020

Outback

  • 44,796 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Battery flat twice overnight two days in a row despite dealer checking out issue and telling me battery was fine. Finally replaced battery. Now learn that there is ongoing issue.

- North Aurora, IL, USA

problem #33

Mar 312020

Outback

  • 23,000 miles
My car is a 2017 Subaru Outback. Since I've had it X 3 years, , the battery has drained abnormally three times and I've had to replace the battery 3 times. I'm not leaving it on and definitely not leaving any lights on accidentally. I only have 23,000 miles on it. Battery manufacturer states my battery should be good for at least 5 years, especially at the amount I'm driving per year. So each incident occurs when I try to start my car and it doesn't turn on. The car is stationary and not involved in any accidents. It was parked each time this incident occurred but this situation must be something wrong with the electrical components in the car. It makes the car unreliable. I'm usually stuck in a parking garage at work or home and last time was on the street and had to get a tow to the mechanic.

- Long Island City, NY, USA

problem #32

Nov 222019

Outback

  • 23,824 miles
Battery drains prematurely. Purchased new in December 2017. Primary use is short-trip-driving to/from work. Car failed to start in November 2019. Charged battery and took in for service. Battery replaced under warranty. Problem repeated in April 2020.

- Aurora, CO, USA

problem #31

Apr 182020

Outback

  • 22,881 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Battery appear to be prematurely dead, I had to call the Subaru for a jumpstart

- Boulder, CO, USA

problem #30

Apr 032019

Outback

  • 25,000 miles
Battery failure- total discharge- 2 times

- Granby, CO, USA

problem #29

Feb 042020

Outback

  • 58,000 miles
With car in park, can't remove my key from ignition. Intermittent issue

- Island Heights, NJ, USA

problem #28

Mar 212020

Outback

  • 51,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My 2017 Subaru Outback has parasitic battery drain that kills the battery. The car won't start making the vehicle unreliable. This is a routine issue with Subaru and needs to be addressed.

- Denver, CO, USA

problem #27

Jan 042020

Outback

  • 7,341 miles
When you hit the button to release the rear hatch it does not open all the time. You get three beeps and the hatch does not open. If you use the key fob and attempts to open the rear hatch is the same thing three beeps and does not open. The only way to get it open is to disconnect battery cable wait a minute reconnect cable then hit the button then rear power hatch opens. This is happened multiple timesi took vehicle to dealer wants to get it looked at they could not replicate the issue. Same issue happened again today. Sidenote when I enter my pin it comes up on your site is a 2017 my Subaru forrester sport is a 2019

- Philadelphia, PA, USA

problem #26

Dec 062019

Outback

  • 32,000 miles
Windshield cracks and instantly spread with minimal impact disabling car speed control and safety systems such as pre-collision braking and lane keep assist.

- Richwood, TX, USA

problem #25

Nov 022019

Outback

  • 43,000 miles
Key has begun to get stuck in ignition each time I shift into park and shut off the engine. One has to repeatedly slam the gear shift into park for the ignition switch to recognize the car is indeed in "park" and release the key. Could create an issue for anyone without the physical strength to "slam" the gear shift into "park" or someone who needs to quickly exit their vehicle and get into their locked house or building. House keys are always attached to car keys, which are inevitably stuck in the ignition. A search of online forums shows this is a known issue that Subaru has not made good on and dealers are charging owners upwards of $600 to repair.

- Memphis, TN, USA

problem #24

Oct 072019

Outback

  • 34,376 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

After stopping vehicle and putting it in park, key will not return to start and is stuck in ignition.

- Ravenna, OH, USA

problem #23

Sep 012019

Outback

  • 42,000 miles
The keys could not be removed from the ignition after shifting the car into park and turning the car off. The problem first appeared around September 2019 (approximately 42,000 miles). Over the next few weeks the problem progressively got worse, and required shifting from neutral to park multiple times until the keys could be removed. The select lever assembly (part 35111al00B) was replaced with the newer version (part 35111al00C) which fixed the issue. The original select lever assembly (35111al00B) was tested and it had a problem with the "P" range switch. Resistance across select lever assembly pins 1 and 2 showed a resistance of 2-3 ohms when the select lever was in the park position. The service manual states that the "P" range switch resistance should be less than 1 ohm when in the park position. This high resistance likely caused the ignition to fail to recognize that the car was in park and prevented the keys from being removed.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #22

Sep 122019

Outback

  • 73,000 miles
Can not remove key after turning car off. Vehicle is stationary, in park and engine off when this occurs. Key stays in column. Slamming shift lever a few times sometimes frees it up. Subaru claims it's not a recall issue. Been happening each day the last week.

- Osseo, WI, USA

problem #21

Sep 102019

Outback

  • miles
Battery dead several times. Have had to have it jumped six times. Battery replaced by dealer once. I note that many Subaru owners have similar problem.

- Tigard, OR, USA

problem #20

Aug 242019

Outback

  • 39,800 miles
My vehicle, while stationary without anything plugged in or running (I.e. ac), has the battery die. The vehicle is a 2018, and this happened 08/24/2019. I believe a battery to be a maintenance item, but being less then 2 years old under 'normal' use is contrary to industry or manufacturer standards, which I believe the unexpected timing and nature creates a safety issue. I replaced the battery, and found this to be a common issue with Subaru's; however, never received any advisement or notification from the company.

- Limerick, PA, USA

problem #19

Jul 292019

Outback

  • 50,000 miles
Cannot remove key from ignition when in park. Many others have reported this online, and the dealership is charging me to check what the issue is. When in park, steering wheel is straight, not on a slope, the key is stuck in the ignition. Can turn it off, but can't remove the key. Sometimes jiggling, sometimes starting and turning back off, and sometimes starting, putting in drive, and slamming the shifter into park again solves the issue, but sometimes not. Spent over 20 minutes today trying to get it out, drove to the dealer, and it came out without an issue. No consistency to the issue.

- Broomfield, CO, USA

problem #18

May 282019

Outback

  • 58,000 miles
The attached invoices are a result of numerous electrical issues that I have experienced since owning the Outback. Each time I would go for service with key fobs not working the employees were so rude and spent all their time making me feel like an idiot instead of trying to solve the problem. I have left in tears many times. The radio and bluetooth were not working right from day one. When I complained to grayson in knoxville he dialed a local number in knoxville and said "nothing wrong" with the telephone system I still struggle with calls thru the bluetooth. Earl duff in harriman has been the most considerate of all the others. However, I find it hard to believe that at 58,000 miles, the passenger airbag is out of commission. Right now I am driving with every one of the digital indicators on. Cannot use cruise control. The rear hatch only raises abt 1/4 of the highth that it should. I have heard so many good things about a Subaru and had to have one. I have had nothing bur disappointment from the mentioned dealers. Right now the car is parked in the garage. It still runs but who knows what will happen while I am driving.

- Spencer, TN, USA

problem #17

Apr 192019

Outback

  • 23,000 miles
Car does not start bad battery

- Berkley, MA, USA

problem #16

Apr 012019

Outback

  • 38,000 miles
Once the vehicle is placed in park, the key gets stuck in the ignition and can't be removed. The only way to remove the key is to place the vehicle in drive and back in to park (with more force). This happens about 50% of the time when trying to remove the key. My warranty is for 36K miles or 3 years. The car is currently at 38K miles.

- Lacey, WA, USA

problem #15

Mar 312019

Outback

  • miles
Navigation screen can not see in day time and ignition key will not remove sometime when park.

- Monterey Park, CA, USA

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