Your vehicle report
2002 Subaru Outback
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 143
- Received Aug 2001 to Oct 2018
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline30 complaints · 21% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Head gasket leaks coolant into engine9 complaints · 6.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Unintended acceleration despite braking8 complaints · 5.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #04V128000On certain passenger sedans, wagons, and sport utility vehicles, the cruise control cable could come out of its track on the cruise control lever and lodge on the control lever tab when the accelerator pedal is released. If this condition occurs, the throttle will not return to the idle position and will remain in an open position.
- Recall #03V153000This recall applies to certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Certain rear suspension subframe components were produced with poor paint quality which, after continued exposure to corrosive road salts for a period of several years, could result in rust-out of the component and possible breakage of the subframe.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 9 crashes, 0 fires, 11 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 19 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
- Front brake rotors warp and wear early
- Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines
- Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly
1 more problem
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 17 |
| 2003 | 23 |
| 2004 | 17 |
| 2005 | 10 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2008 | 11 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 6 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 8 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 143 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 30 | 21% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 9 | 6.3% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 8 | 5.6% | – | NHTSA recall #04V128000 |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 8 | 5.6% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 7 | 4.9% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 6 | 4.2% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 6 | 4.2% | – | NHTSA recall #03V153000 |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 6 | 4.2% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 5 | 3.5% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 4 | 2.8% | – | |
| Transmission shudders during acceleration at low speeds | 4 | 2.8% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 4 | 2.8% | – | NHTSA recall #02V079000 |
| Vehicle rolls backward out of park | 4 | 2.8% | – | NHTSA recall #02V282000 |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 3 | 2.1% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 3 | 2.1% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 3 | 2.1% | – | |
| Manual clutch wears out or fails early | 3 | 2.1% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 3 | 2.1% | – | |
| Tail light sockets melt and burn | 3 | 2.1% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #04V128000March 16, 2004127,580 vehicles affected
vehicle speed control: cables
On certain passenger sedans, wagons, and sport utility vehicles, the cruise control cable could come out of its track on the cruise control lever and lodge on the control lever tab when the accelerator pedal is released. If this condition occurs, the throttle will not return to the idle position and will remain in an open position.
If this occurs during vehicle operation, the driver could lose control of the vehicle, which could result in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will install a cruise control cable retaining clip to the cruise control lever tab on the throttle shaft in order to prevent the cruise control cable from coming out of its track. Owner notification began on april 12, 2004. Owners should contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
NHTSA recall #03V153000April 22, 2003170,000 vehicles affected
suspension: rear
This recall applies to certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Certain rear suspension subframe components were produced with poor paint quality which, after continued exposure to corrosive road salts for a period of several years, could result in rust-out of the component and possible breakage of the subframe.
If such breakage occurs while the vehicle is being operated, control of the vehicle could be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will clean and rust-proof the rear suspension subframe. Owner notification began july 14, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
NHTSA recall #02V282000October 30, 2002172,564 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission
Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions were produced with an improperly manufactured transmission parking rod. When the transmission selector lever is placed in the "p" (park) position, the transmission park mechanism, that is intended to hold your vehicle, may not engage.
The vehicle could then move/roll without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the automatic transmission parking rod assembly. Owner notification january 8, 2003. An interim owner notification will be sent during november 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
NHTSA recall #02V079000March 12, 20021,252 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder
On certain passenger vehicles, the brake master cylinders may not function properly in ambient temperatures below freezing 32 degrees fahrenheit and lower).
At these temperatures, the brakes may not release after being applied, even when the driver's foot is no longer on the brake pedal. This Can occur withour prior warning, possibly resulting in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the master cylinders. Owner notification began march 21, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2002 Subaru Outback.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN