2011 Subaru Outback Problems, Recalls & Reliability
857 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Subaru Outback, alongside 16 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 67/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 114,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2011 Subaru Outback sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1996–1999, 2001–2004, 2007, 2009.
Avoid
Where 2011 sits among all Outback years
What owners report
“Car stalls at low speeds, all lights are flashing, code reads transmission control system and torque converter failing , when coming to a stop it stalls out which is dangerous for my wife and kids”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Outback
“Headlights burn out too quickly. I am replacing my headlights approximately every 12,000 miles.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Outback
“When having to come to a hard stop the engine will die. It has happened 3 times now. Our shop ran a diagnostic and it showed a problem with the torque converter.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Outback
“I have 103.5k miles and my master cylinder is going out. I was told the 2012 outback had issues also. While driving the brake pedal went almost to the floor.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Outback
“"takata recall", no notification for replacement appointment, cannot use front passenger side seat.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Outback
“I observe everytime my car is coming to stop it will shrud like the engine goin to die or stalled. Then out of nowhere the engine icon, abs lit-up and cruise control flashing”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Outback
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 571 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 86,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 42,000 and 120,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (16)
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…
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may…
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…
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may…
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…
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7,…
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…
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of…
Fix: Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi,…
Fix: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine,…
Fix: Subaru is notifying owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. The electronic parking brake (EPB) may not engage as intended, allowing the vehicle to rollaway if the transmission is not…
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPB actuator assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 19, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614.…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Legacy, Forester, Tribeca, WRX and Outback vehicles, and 2009-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana,…
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Subaru Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza (including WRX and STI models), 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of…
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2017. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Legacy vehicles manufactured November 26, 2008, to June 7, 2013, and 2010-2014 Outback vehicles manufactured January 9, 2009 to June 7, 2013. Due to contamination, components within…
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor bottom cover assembly, free of charge. The recall began October 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in…
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 26, 2016. Owners may…
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with an automatic or CVT transmission and an Audiovox remote engine starter (RES) accessory, certain model year 2012-2013 Impreza vehicles equipped with a CVT transmission…
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RES key fobs, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 Legacy and Outback vehicles, certain model year 2006 through 2012 Tribeca vehicles sold before January 2012, and certain model year 2009 through 2012 Forester vehicles sold before January 2012. Up to…
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional fused-harness, free of charge. The recall began February 19, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 for more information.
SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 OUTBACK AND LEGACY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 3, 2010, THROUGH JULY 1, 2011. THE MOONROOF GLASS MAY COME LOOSE OR DETACH. THE AMOUNT AND POSITION OF THE ADHESIVE BETWEEN THE GLASS AND RETAINER WAS…
Fix: SUBARU WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE GLASS ADHESION CONDITION AND EITHER APPLY ADDITIONAL ADHESIVE OR REPLACE THE MOONROOF GLASS, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO…
SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 AND 2011 OUTBACK AND LEGACY PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 28 THROUGH JUNE 23, 2010. DUE TO A PROGRAMMING ERROR, A LUBRICATION HOLE WITHIN THE 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION WAS OMITTED.
Fix: SUBARU WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES BY DRILLING AN OIL LUBRICATION HOLE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE INTERNAL PARTS WITH NEW ONES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN…
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2011 Subaru Outback reliable?
The 2011 Subaru Outback drew 857 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 67/100, scored against the model's worst year (2019).
What are the most common 2011 Subaru Outback problems?
The top reported problems for the 2011 Subaru Outback are transmission & drivetrain (216 complaints), electrical (184), and engine (93).
At what mileage do 2011 Subaru Outback problems show up?
Owners most often report 2011 Subaru Outback problems around 86,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 42,000 and 120,000 miles.
Does the 2011 Subaru Outback have recalls?
16 recall campaigns apply to the 2011 Subaru Outback. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.