Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2005 Subaru Outback, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Suspension56
- Vehicle speed control40
- Air bags38
- Exterior lighting30
- Electrical system28
- Service brakes22
- Power train17
- Engine and engine cooling16
- Fuel/propulsion system13
- Steering13
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 11 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 16 2005 Outback vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 12 people died inside them, and 4 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2005 Subaru Outback failed the safety check 2.47% of the time — 7% more often than the average 2005 passenger car (2.30%). Median odometer at inspection: 157,732 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
193 cars built in 2005 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 122 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 313 of these cars first registered in 2005 took their annual MOT test. 53% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2005 the figure was 56%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2005 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 22.0% | 21.5% |
| Suspension | 19.5% | 17.3% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 14.4% | 8.9% |
| Brakes | 14.1% | 13.7% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 10.5% | 6.8% |
| Visibility | 10.5% | 7.5% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In New Zealand
1,451 2005 cars are on the New Zealand register; 79% arrived as used imports, 19% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 5 variants: combined 10.4–12.5 L/100 km (about 19–23 mpg US), CO₂ 239–288 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outback 2.5i Wagon AWD · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 11.7 | 8.8 | 10.4 |
| Outback 2.5i Wagon AWD · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 11.6 | 8.9 | 10.4 |
| Outback 3.0R Wagon AWD · Sport utility vehicle · Premium gasoline | 13.7 | 10.1 | 12.1 |
| Outback XT Wagon AWD · Sport utility vehicle · Premium gasoline | 13.8 | 10.1 | 12.1 |
| Outback XT Wagon AWD · Sport utility vehicle · Premium gasoline | 14.2 | 10.4 | 12.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
5 Transport Canada recalls for the 2005 Subaru Outback.
| 2020001 2 Jan 2020 | Airbag Issue: This recall is for certain vehicles that had an airbag inflator replaced as a part of an earlier recall campaign. This recall provides a final repair. … |
| 2019191 18 Apr 2019 | Electrical Issue: A problem with certain replacement ignition switches may allow the key turn out of the “ON” position while driving. This could cause the engine to turn… |
| 2015599 18 Dec 2015 | Airbag On certain vehicles, the passenger frontal airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment. Increased pressure may cause the … |
| 2014223 12 Jun 2014 | Brakes On certain vehicles, the center and rear brake lines may become perforated due to corrosion. This would cause a leak in the brake system potentially increasing … |
| 2013092 26 Mar 2013 | Brakes On certain vehicles, due to the design of the fuel tank protector, the center and rear brake lines may become perforated due to corrosion. This would cause a le… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to July 21, 2004, 2004-2005 Impreza vehicles manufactured January 28, 2003, to May 31, 2005, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to May 2, 2008, 2003-2008 Subaru Outback vehicles manufactured February 18, 2003, to May 5, 2008, and 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to March 17, 2005. The affected vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy and Outback vehicles, and 2003-2005 Baja vehicles sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Florida and adjacent counties in southern Georgia, as well as the coastal areas of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines. Note that affected vehicles not currently, or formerly registered, in the salt belt states identified above are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy vehicles manufactured from December 2003, through April 2009 and currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines.
THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS IN CERTAIN VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN MAY NOT FULLY DEPLOY RAPIDLY ENOUGH WHEN ACTIVATED IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION. DURING A SIDE IMPACT TEST CONDUCTED BY THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY (IIHS), THE TEST RESULTS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE IIHS TEST RESULTS AND THE RESULT OF SIDE IMPACT TESTS CONDUCTED BY FHI.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Subaru told its dealers about the 2005 Subaru Outback: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11010925 | This annocement is to inform dealers to the Gen 3.1 Head Unit OTA will be available via Wi-Fi. The update will take place in multiple batches with the first beginneing November 15th and the last being Decemeber 3rd. This update is for approximatelt 714,000 VINs. |
| 11009701 | This bulletin details an important regulation issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which impacts the way some vehicles with accessories are sold. This regulation applies to any automobile retailer installing accessories on a vehicle prior to its first sale. |
| 11009685 | This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models. |
| 11008283 | This Service Information Bulletin announces the preferred practices to be used when handling vehicles equipped with Gen2 Telematics which are enrolled in the Subaru STARLINK Security Plus Service featuring Stolen Vehicle Recovery Plus with Immobilizer. |
| 11008282 | This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models. |
| 11008281 | This Service Information Bulletin announces the diagnostic procedures to be followed when diagnosing engine oil leakage on FA and FB type engines. |
| 11008280 | This Service Information bulletin is being released as guidance for proper testing and charging of vehicle batteries. |
| 11008279 | This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. |
| 11008276 | The CP1.5 RCs OTA is available for all mid and high grade CP1.5 head units. |
| 11008267 | This bulletin announces availability of the NEW genuine Subaru engine oil filter. |
| 11008259 | This bulletin outlines the judgment criteria to be used when inspecting front transverse link bushings to reduce unnecessary bushing replacement. |
| 11006935 | This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure for 2025MY vehicles. |
| 11006934 | The purpose of this bulletin is to provide replacement key and immobilizer information along with an overview of the Subaru Lock Information web-site. |
| 11006932 | This Service Information Bulletin announces important diagnostic information to utilize when the Data Communication Module (DCM) is being tested as a dark current/standby current source. |
| 11006931 | This Bulletin provides additional diagnostics to follow when addressing a Telematics-related DTC B2A16. |
| 11005624 | This annoucement provides parts personnel information about remanufactured transmissions that will no longer be available. |
| 11005615 | This announcement provides information for retailers to install the latest infotainment system software for Denso CP 1.5. |
| 11005614 | This bulletin announces important diagnostic information to utilize when testing the Data Communication Module (DCM) as a dark current/standby current source. All models equipped with Telematics except Solterra. |
| 11005609 | This announcement provides information on Takata Recall Escalated Towing Program. |
| 11005608 | This thermo control valve video contains information on the replacement of thermo control valve. |
| 11005599 | This Bulletin provides SOA paint codes to help eliminate possible confusion for 2025 MY vehicles. |
| 11005595 | This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models. |
| 11005593 | This Bulletin provides guidance for diagnosing a leaking front or rear suspension strut. |
| 11002730 | This information announces reprograming file availability for Gen 4.5 Denso CP1.5 Audio and Navigation systems. Inprovement for CarPlay concerns with hands-free calls when the receiving party is not able to hear the caller. |
| 11002725 | This bulletin provides diagnosis and procedure information to be applied when diagnosing potential fluid leaks on front and rear brake calipers. This information has been developed to reduce unnecessary brake caliper replacement. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation