Owners have filed 917 safety complaints about the 2017 Subaru Outback with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.
Complaints for this vehicle report 32 crashes, 3 fires, 25 injuries. No deaths have been reported.
Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2017 Subaru Outback, electrical issues stand far above everything else.
"Ignition key not releasing after turning engine off. Put shifter in park, foot on brakeii, turn Ignition key off. Key will not release. Have to cycle multiple times to get key released."
"I think recall work was not done, but says it was done (or is not open). Does it say when and where recall work was done? This car has a parasitic battery drain, 3 batteries in 3 years, required 2 jump starts, 1 call to AAA. There is a recall for such an issue, but I do not believe it was fixed and done. It showed NO open recalls, and just last week I had brake work for a recall done."
For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2017 Subaru Outback peaked later than usual, in 2021.
Across the Subaru Outback model years we track, the 2019 has the most complaints on file (1,033); the 2017 ranks 2 of 7.
4 recalls apply to some or all 2017 Subaru Outback vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.
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 the steering wheel may have no effect on the…
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, and the right stabilizer clamp.
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 assembly.
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.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →
NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.
As of September 7, 2026, owners have filed 917 complaints about the 2017 Subaru Outback with NHTSA. The most-reported system is electrical.
The 2017 Subaru Outback has 4 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
NHTSA gives the 2017 Subaru Outback an overall crash rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.
All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved September 7, 2026.
Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.
This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.