There are 9 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2000 Subaru Outbackin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE. SHE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED ON THREE OCCASIONS. SHE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO ARIZONA AND IT LOST POWER. THE DEALER RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE AND REPAIRED THE ALTERNATOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHTS ARE BECOMING MORE DIM AS TIME PROGRESSES. THE REAR SEAT BELTS HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 142,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,204.
MY THREE YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WRAPPED THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT AROUND HER NECK WHILE SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SIDE BACK SEAT. THERE WAS NO OBVIOUS WAY TO RELEASE THE SEAT BELT WHICH CONNECTED FROM THE SEAT TO THE CEILING. AFTER NEARLY STRANGLING MY DAUGHTER I FOUND A POLICE OFFICER WHO USED A KNIFE TO CUT THE SEAT BELT AS IT CONTINUED TO TIGHTEN. I LATER READ IN THE MANUAL THAT A CAR KEY COULD BE USED TO RELEASE THE BELT FROM ITS ANCHOR. *AK
DURING A FRONT-END, LOW-SPEED COLLISION, I HIT MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. MY SEATBELT DID NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN ME IN MY SEAT, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, I BROUGHT A PROBLEM TO MY DEALERS SERVICE CENTER, IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT PROPERLY RETRACT. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED, AND I BELIEVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE SEATBELT FAILURE DURING MY ACCIDENT. *NLM
DURING A FRONT-END, LOW-SPEED COLLISION, I HIT MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. MY SEATBELT DID NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN ME IN MY SEAT, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, I BROUGHT A PROBLEM TO MY DEALERS SERVICE CENTER, IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT PROPERLY RETRACT. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED, AND I BELIEVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE SEATBELT FAILURE DURING MY ACCIDENT. *NLM
NAR 3-10-03 THE CONSUMERS WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY FROM THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. THE CONSUMER HAS ENCLOSED PICTURES OF DAMAGES AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. ALSO PROVIDING THAT A NOTICE OF FAILURE BE SENT TO SUBARU FOR THE VEHICLE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS. AS WELL AS MAKE A CLAIM AGAINST SUBARU. *CB *JB
REAR SEAT SELDOM USED .IN AUG. 2000 MY PASSENGER TRIED TO USE THE SEAT BELT BUT WAS UNABLE TO EXTEND IT AROUND HER BODY. I DISCOVERED THAT THE BELT WAS STUCK ON THE ROOF GUIDE AND WAS FRAYED FOR ABOUT ONE INCH. I REMOVED IT FROM THE GUIDE BUT IT STILL WOULD NOT EXTEND AROUND HER BODY. NO MATTER WHAT I DID THE BELT WOULD NOT EXTEND ENOUGH TO GO AROUND A WOMAN OF 125 POUNDS.TWO ISSUES 1: HOW DID THE BELT FRAY ? 2: WHY WOULDN'T IT EXTEND ?
CAR HIT ON DRIVER'S SIDE (DOOR) UNABLE TO REMOVE DRIVER FROM DRIVER'S SIDE...CAR TOTALED....DRIVER DIED AS RESULT OF INJURIES SUSTAINED IN THE CRASH...DRIVER WAS WEARING SEAT BELT. *AK
WHEN DISENGAGING THE SEAT BELT, OR WHEN MOVING FORWARD THEN BACK, THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE UP THE SLACK. AS THE BELT RETRACTS IT HAS A TENDENCY TO CURL UP AND GET JAMMED IN THE GUIDE LOOP ABOVE MY SHOULDER. SO MY DRIVING IS DISTRACTED BECAUSE I AM TRYING TO UNJAM THE BELT. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO SUBARU AND THE DEALER AND THEIR RESPONSE IS THAT THERE IS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. SEVERAL OF THEM SAY THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS 80% OF THE TIME. I HAVE ALSO SEEN BELTS JAMMED IN OTHER SUBARUS. *AK
DUE TO CONSUMER HEIGHT THE SEAT MUST BE PULLED ALL THE WAY FORWARD SO THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE CAN BE REACHED, BUT WHEN PULLED FORWARD THE SEAT BELT IS TOO TIGHT. *ET
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026