2017 Subaru Outback Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,106 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2017 Subaru Outback, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 92/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 32,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2017 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 2017 sits among all Outback years
What owners report
“My battery dies often. Battery was replaced about 6 months ago and now it is dead again. I've replaced the battery 3 times in the past two years.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Outback
“I had to replace the windshield after discovering a crack. The vehicle was parked in our car port and was crack free when last driven the day before.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Outback
“Ignition key gets stuck and would not come out because of faulty shift gear sensor not recognizing the park position.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Outback
“As I am slowing down by pushing the brake pedal, the vehicle will attempt to accelerate. It will increase speed by about 2 miles per hour and the RPM increases when this happens.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Outback
“Passenger side on windshield got cracks about 2 feets when we are driving on i5 near sacramento city 6/26/2020 driving toward la”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Outback
“I arrived at my destination. I turned the ignition OFF. The engine turned OFF. I opened the driver's door and the engine turned ON. I did not turn the ignition ON. I again turned the ignition OFF. This time the engine remained OFF.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Outback
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 599 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 31,952 miles. Half of those reports fall between 17,000 and 45,100 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Outback vehicles. A replacement air bag control module may have been installed that is not compatible with the passenger air bag module, possibly affecting air bag deployment.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 3, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614.…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured September 21, 2016, to September 23, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be properly attached to the steering beam…
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the knee guard welding on each vehicle's steering beam, replacing the beam as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016.…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Outback vehicles manufactured June 20, 2016, to June 23, 2016. The affected vehicles may have improperly tightened attaching bolts for the front left and right brake calipers, wheel hubs,…
Fix: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the bolts for proper torque, and replace any loose bolts, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer…
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning…
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may…
Federal defect investigations
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 2017 Subaru Outback reliable?
The 2017 Subaru Outback drew 1,106 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 92/100, scored against the model's worst year (2019).
What are the most common 2017 Subaru Outback problems?
The top reported problems for the 2017 Subaru Outback are electrical (399 complaints), visibility & wipers (235), and other (182).
At what mileage do 2017 Subaru Outback problems show up?
Owners most often report 2017 Subaru Outback problems around 31,952 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 17,000 and 45,100 miles.
Does the 2017 Subaru Outback have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2017 Subaru Outback. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
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.