VehicleVerdict

2017 Subaru Outback electrical system problems

The 2017 Subaru Outback has 396 electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA — 36% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

396

Electrical System complaints

36%

Share of year

5

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Electrical System complaints by year

Outback electrical system complaints by model year396 complaints1996: 1 complaints1997: 7 complaints1998: 7 complaints1999: 11 complaints2000: 8 complaints2001: 3 complaints2002: 4 complaints2003: 9 complaints2004: 10 complaints2005: 40 complaints2006: 52 complaints2007: 26 complaints2008: 38 complaints2009: 24 complaints2010: 34 complaints2011: 74 complaints2012: 41 complaints2013: 29 complaints2014: 36 complaints2015: 131 complaints2016: 313 complaints2017: 396 complaints2018: 272 complaints2019: 375 complaints2020: 262 complaints2021: 72 complaints2022: 47 complaints2023: 17 complaints2024: 15 complaints2025: 10 complaints2026: 3 complaints
Outback electrical system complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“2017 SUBARU OUTBACK, CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. *LD THE CONSUMER REQUESTED AN INVESTIGATION AN ACCIDENT BELIEVED TO BE CAUSED BY AN INCREASINGLY HIGHER VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL NATIONAL POWER GRID AND VEHICLES BEING PRODUCED WITH A HIGHER DEGREE OF COMPUTERIZED CONTROL…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Electrical System · September 29, 2017 · crash

Common questions

How many electrical system complaints does the 2017 Subaru Outback have?

NHTSA has 396 complaints about the 2017 Subaru Outback electrical system — 36% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.