VehicleVerdict

2022 Subaru Outback engine problems

The 2022 Subaru Outback has 20 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 4% of the year's total, and roughly flat versus the prior model year.

20

Engine complaints

4%

Share of year

1

Crash-involved

1

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Outback engine complaints by model year93 complaints1996: 11 complaints1997: 29 complaints1998: 46 complaints1999: 28 complaints2000: 41 complaints2001: 26 complaints2002: 22 complaints2003: 19 complaints2004: 16 complaints2005: 27 complaints2006: 50 complaints2007: 18 complaints2008: 20 complaints2009: 18 complaints2010: 67 complaints2011: 93 complaints2012: 52 complaints2013: 68 complaints2014: 36 complaints2015: 50 complaints2016: 55 complaints2017: 43 complaints2018: 35 complaints2019: 40 complaints2020: 48 complaints2021: 22 complaints2022: 20 complaints2023: 1 complaints2024: 6 complaints2025: 4 complaints
Outback engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

22V473000EngineJuly 1, 2022 · 15 units

Defect

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).

Consequence

A loose electrical connection to the ECU may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

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.

What owners report

“Driving on the highway, engine started making a rattling noise, then began to labor and eventually stopped being able to accelerate at all. Oil pressure warning light came on around the time the acceleration gave out altogether. We pulled over to the side of the highway and got out of the car,…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · October 11, 2025 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2022 Subaru Outback have?

NHTSA has 20 complaints about the 2022 Subaru Outback engine — 4% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2022 Subaru Outback engine?

Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the engine: 22V473000.

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.