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Check by VIN to confirm the
exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (4)
Air bags: sensor, occupant classification
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.
Risk and remedy
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-24.
Power train: automatic transmission, park/neutral start interlock switch
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Risk and remedy
Risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Power train: driveline, chain/belt
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Risk and remedy
Risk: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRK-22. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-955.
Power train: shift linkage/cable/rod
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2021 Outback and Impreza vehicles. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) select lever cable nut may not have been tightened properly, allowing the nut to loosen.
Risk and remedy
Risk: A loose nut can lead to a lost of retention in the CVT select lever cable and the gear selector not functioning properly, increasing risk of crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and, if necessary, tighten the nut, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2021. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-21.
Canadian recalls (3)
Show 3 Canadian recalls
Label
2024-08-15 · campaign 2024-546
Issue:
On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" appear in English only, when they should be listed as "Tires/Pneus", "Rims/Jantes", "Front/Avant" and "Rear/Arriere". Canadian regulations require this information to be listed on the label in both English and French.
Safety Risk:
These small errors do not affect vehicle safety.
Corrective Actions:
This is not a recall. Subaru has corrected the compliance label for all new vehicles.
Airbag
2024-03-22 · campaign 2024-190
Issue:
On certain vehicles, an electrical component in the sensors for the occupant detection system (ODS) may not have been manufactured properly and could crack. Over time, moisture could enter the crack and cause a short circuit. If this happens, the passenger-front airbag may not deploy in a crash, even when a passenger is seated.
Note: This problem would cause the SRS warning light to turn on in the instrument panel and the passenger airbag indicator light would display "OFF".
Safety Risk:
An airbag that does not work properly could increase the risk of injury to a passenger in a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Subaru will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the ODS sensors in the front passenger seat. To reduce the safety risk, Subaru advises that you shouldn't use the front passenger seat if the SRS (airbag) warning light is on and the passenger airbag indicator light displays "OFF".
Electrical
2023-11-09 · campaign 2023-607
Issue:
On certain vehicles, water could enter the inhibitor switch and cause it to fail. If this happens, the backup lamps may not turn on and the rearview camera image may not display when backing up. This could also cause the gear selection indicator in the instrument panel not to be displayed.
Safety Risk:
Backup lamps that don't work could cause others not to recognize when a vehicle is backing up. A rearview camera image that doesn't display could reduce a driver's ability to see behind the vehicle while backing up. These issues could increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Subaru will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the inhibitor switch.
Owner complaints (299)
Owners filed 299 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Subaru Outback (9 crashes, 2 fires, 4 injuries reported). Among 32 model years of this model, it ranks #10 for the most complaints (median 208).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 98 | |
| Electrical system | 76 | |
| Unknown or other | 66 | |
| Forward collision avoidance | 29 | |
| Engine | 21 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 19 | |
| Air bags | 16 | |
| Power train | 12 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2021 Subaru Outback.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2021 Subaru Outback SUV AWD | 5★ | 5★ | 5★ | 4★ |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2021 Subaru Outback version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Outback AWD 2.4 L Automatic (AV-S8) | 23 | 30 | 26 | $2,600 |
| Outback AWD 2.5 L Automatic (AV-S8) | 26 | 33 | 29 | $2,300 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.