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2017 Subaru Outback
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2017 Subaru Outback — Safety Summary
The 2017 Subaru Outback has 4 NHTSA safety recalls and 917 owner complaints on record. Transport Canada separately lists 3 Canadian recalls for this model. The most frequently reported complaint area is electrical system. It earned an NHTSA overall safety rating of 5 out of 5. Based on this public data we rate its risk profile as high. Enter your VIN above to confirm which of these apply to your exact vehicle, then get the Smart Buyer Report for AI analysis of this model's reliability, common issues by mileage, and a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
NHTSA Safety Ratings
Government crash test results
NHTSA Recalls
4 recall(s) for this year/model
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
19/12/2019Subaru 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.
Remedy: 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's number for this recall is WUX-09.
SUSPENSION
03/08/2016Subaru 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, and the right stabilizer clamp.
Remedy: 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 service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTE-66.
STEERING:COLUMN
06/10/2016Subaru 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 assembly.
Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTL-72.
STEERING:COLUMN
11/05/2016Subaru 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 the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.
Remedy: 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 contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting http://www.wtd65.service-campaign.com. Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65. Note: Until the vehicles have been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles.
Transport Canada Recalls
3 Canadian recall(s) from the official Transport Canada database
Structure
2016-10-06On certain vehicles, the driver’s knee guard bracket may not have been properly aligned at the time of welding and may not have been properly attached to the steering beam. In a frontal crash where the driver is not wearing a seatbelt, the knee guard may not be able to restrain the occupant’s lower body as designed, which could increase the risk of injury to the driver. Correction: Knee guard welds will be inspected and repaired as necessary. Note: All vehicles are to be inspected and/or repaired prior to sale.
Brakes
2022-07-21Issue: On certain vehicles equipped with a manual transmission, a connector for the electronic parking brake (EPB) could disconnect. If this happens, you won't be able to apply the parking brake and the vehicle could roll away. If this happens and the parking brake is set, you won't be able release it. Note: This problem will cause the brake warning lamp to turn on or flash. Safety Risk: A parked vehicle that moves unexpectedly could increase the risk of an injury or a crash. Corrective Actions: Subaru will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect the adapter cord connector for the electronic parking brake, and if necessary, install an additional retaining clip. To reduce the safety risk, Subaru recommends that you should park the vehicle in a flat location and leave the transmission in gear whenever possible until the recall repairs have been completed. Additionally, when parking uphill, the front wheels should be turned away from the curb and the shift lever should be placed into first gear. When parking downhill, the front wheels should be turned into the curb and the shift lever should be placed into reverse gear.
Label
2024-08-15Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" appear in English only, when they should be listed as "Tires/Pneus", "Rims/Jantes", "Front/Avant" and "Rear/Arriere". Canadian regulations require this information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safety Risk: These small errors do not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. Subaru has corrected the compliance label for all new vehicles.
Contains information sourced from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database, licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Data is provided "as is" from Transport Canada's monthly release and may not reflect real-time updates. Transport Canada does not endorse this service. Always confirm open recalls with the manufacturer or Transport Canada before purchase.
Owner Complaints
917 complaint(s) filed with NHTSA
Top complaint categories:
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The free data above comes from public NHTSA records. The Smart Buyer Report adds AI-powered analysis for this exact model — reliability score, common problems by mileage, real maintenance costs in CAD, a pre-purchase inspection checklist, a market value estimate, and Canadian notes on rust, winter, and fuel.
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Data disclaimer:Vehicle history information on CarHistoryReport.ca is compiled from publicly available government sources, primarily the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Reports may not include all incidents, recalls, or issues related to a specific vehicle. Data is provided "as-is" without warranty of completeness or accuracy. Always obtain a professional pre-purchase inspection before buying any used vehicle. CarHistoryReport.ca is not liable for purchasing decisions made based on report contents.