2021 Subaru Outback Problems and Complaints

Users Opinions on 2021 Subaru Outback

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Disliked by Users

B
Brian
• 04/02/2022
Rating:
(1 Out Of 5 stars)
Parasitic battery drain problem has not been addressed. On the third battery in 1 year and even on trickle charger most of time and no reason to believe will not continue. They say you need to drive it every day and that is ridiculous. Nice ride when it starts but has stranded me several timesRead More
Source: edmunds
FU
Flyer 50
• 05/01/2022
Rating:
(1 Out Of 5 stars)
... Eyesight keeps hitting the brakes, seeing obstructions that are not there- I'm afraid it will send me through the windshield! Brought in in for service- dealer could not duplicate eyesight problems so the lemon remains the same. Voice recognition has NEVER worked well and the driver recognition "system" is just plain annoying, constantly beeping,Read More
Source: edmunds
G
Gene
• 23/10/2021
Rating:
(2 Out Of 5 stars)
... In what world do people have time, let alone money, to run their car that long when they have no other need to do so? Our second biggest problem (so far) are the rattles and vibrations under the hood and/or in the dashboard whenever we are driving up hills at low speed or accelerating at most any speed. Our local dealer says these are "normal" (get used to them!). To us, this is not a satisfactory answer. Thankfully,Read More
Source: edmunds

Nathan Dyer

Senior Editor,

Updated on June 7, 2022

The Subaru Outback is among the last of the few wagon-style crossovers in the market that isn’t afraid of taking the paths less traveled. The SUV has had a troublesome journey for more than a couple of model years now and the latest 2021 Outback also faced several complaints regarding its well-known nemesis, the windshield crack issue.

Other than the windshield issue, the vehicle has faced complaints regarding its electrical systems and the advanced driver-assist system as well. With a base price of $27,845, the Outback competes against the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe, the Nissan Rogue, and the Kia Sportage.

Subaru Outback user complaints and problems

Electrical problems

Battery dying issue: Plenty of owners complained about the battery dying issue. This issue has been present in the previous model years as well. The reports stated that the battery of the affected vehicles died suddenly. The occurrences were random such as when the vehicle was parked overnight or parked for a brief period. In a few cases, the batteries were replaced but the problem recurred.

Safety problems

Advance driver-assist system malfunction: Several owners complained about the advanced driver-assist system of the 2021 Outback. In a lot of cases, the whole system did a complete reboot while driving which disabled the touchscreen controls and other Eyesight features. The drivers had to park in a safe location to reset the system to continue driving. In other cases, the forward collision avoidance system activated without any reason and slammed on the brakes.

Exterior problems

Windshield cracking issue: This has been a widespread problem with the Outback in the recent mode years and the 2021 Outback also faced several complaints as well. The owners reported that in a majority of the cases, the windshield cracked without any external force. The cracks started as minor ones from a corner but quickly grew bigger. In some other cases, while driving on the freeways, minute rock particles git the windshield which resulted in the cracks. In several cases, multiple windshield replacements did not stop the issue from happening.

2021 Subaru Outback recalls

S.No.	Recall Date	NHTSA Campaign ID	Issues noticed	Additional remarks	Remedy
1.	January 26, 2021	21V024000	CVT Select Lever Cable Nut Not Tightened Properly	A loose nut can lead to a loss of retention in the CVT select lever cable and the gear selector not functioning properly, increasing the risk of a crash.	Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and, if necessary, tighten the nut, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2021.

Should you buy a used Subaru Outback?

The Subaru Outback still has enough going for it to make it a strong option in its segment. In the recent past, the vehicle has faced plenty of issues regarding its battery and windshield and the 2021 Outback also saw a few complaints regarding the same. However, when compared to the sales number the number of issues is on the lower side. While getting a used example, it is better to avoid models older than the 2020 model year and a thorough examination of the vehicle is mandatory.