188 of the 3,816 complaints about the Subaru Outback (4.9%) concern Engine, making it the model's #4 problem area. That share is 0.2× the Engine share across all tracked vehicles.
188Complaints · Engine
4.9%Share of complaints
0.22×vs. all vehicles
34Last 12 months
12.8%Share involving a crash or fire
1Related recalls
Analysis
34 Engine complaints were filed in the last 12 months versus 17 in the 12 months before — up 100%.
24 of these reports (12.8%) describe a crash or fire, with 2 injuries and 0 deaths mentioned.
1 recall campaign relates to this area, most recently campaign 22V473000 (2022-07-01, model year 2022).
NHTSA Complaint Narrative — Draft On July 9, 2026, in the evening, my leased 2026 Subaru Outback Touring caught fire while we were driving home. We were stopped in a left-turn lane waiting on a left-turn signal.
Engine · 2026-08-08 · ODI 11755608 · Fire
Vehicle was not accelerating properly, so took to the dealership (Mike Shaw Subaru) to have work completed. Technicians indicated that the engine valves (shim valves) all had to be replaced and other work needed to be performed such as: Intake manifold, shim…
Engine · 2026-07-27 · ODI 11753053 · Fire
My Subaru often stalls when the start-stop function is happening such as when I stop at a traffic light. When I lift my foot off the break, the engine tries to restart, but stalls out. It happens at almost every stop. I had my battery tested and it is fine.
Engine · 2026-10-06 · ODI 11769442
Catastrophic motor failure at highway speed. I had just come of the Interstate 10 and stopped at the end of the off ramp. I made a right turn on to a 2 lane county highway and accelerated back up to 65MPH. As I attained speed, the vehicle lost power.
Engine · 2026-09-30 · ODI 11768004
At approximately 500 miles from delivery, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure caused by a malfunctioning PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve, which resulted in oil fumes being expelled through the exhaust system.
Engine · 2026-09-25 · ODI 11767052
The car started to make very loud engine noises and then the engine completely failed. The car was no longer able to accelerate and lost the ability to go in both forward and reverse.
Engine · 2026-09-11 · ODI 11763630
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Related recalls
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM) Campaign 22V473000 · 2022-07-01 · Model years: 2022
Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2022 Outback vehicles. The engine wiring harness may have been damaged, resulting in a loose electrical connection to the engine control unit (ECU).
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine wiring harness and ECU, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRC-22.
Why modern engines burn oil, and what owner complaints revealDesign choices linked to oil consumption in recent engines, the warning signs owners describe, what counts as normal, and which tracked models currently have the highest engine share in their complaints.
