NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Subaru Outback. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
MY 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA OUTBACK SPORT. FAILURE OF BEARINGS IN 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. MADE OPERATION OF VEHICLE DANGEROUS, AND REQUIRES ENTIRE REBUILD OF TRANSMISSION, TAKING 3 WEEKS. *TR
2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATING. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER HE ADJUSTED THE TIRE PRESSURE TO THE COLD PRESSURE OF 32 PSI FRONT AND 30 PSI REAR WHICH WAS LISTED ON THE STICKER ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, THE TPMS LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN HE DROVE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE AND THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS ADJUSTED TO 30 PSI WHICH CAUSED THE LIGHT TO GO OUT. THE SERVICE TECH RECOMMENDED ALL FOUR TIRES BE ADJUSTED TO 30 PSI FOR A PERIOD OF TIME TO DETERMINE IF THE TPMS WOULD ILLUMINATE AGAIN. THE CONSUMER STATED THE TPMS WAS NOT WORKING AS DESIGNED, DUE TO THE FACT, THE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE WHEN THE TIRES WERE PROPERLY ADJUSTED. *JB
VEHICLE HAS A SHIMMY WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS: 70-75 MPH. SHIMMY HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE VEHICLE DELIVERY. 5 TRIPS TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OVER 10 MONTHS DID NOT RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. *TR
THE TIRE PRESSUURE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ON MY 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5 XT LTD HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY AND THE LOCAL SUBARU SERVICE CENTER (WACKERLI OF IDAHO FALLS), THE REGIONAL SERVIC EMANAGER AND SUBARU OF AMERICA REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD DIFFICULTY SEEING THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ON. THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE BRIGHTLY ENOUGH TO PROVIDE PROPER VISIBILITY OF THE ROADWAY. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE GROSSLY INADEQUATE WHEN USING LOWER BEAMS. I HAVE CONTACTED SUBARU AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT NOTHING CAN BE DONE - IT IS A SUBARU ENGINEERING DECISION TO HAVE THAT 'QUALITY' OF HEADLIGHT. *TR
SIDEWALL TIRE FAILURE IN ORDINARY USE; 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK, 5500 MILES, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TIRE FAILED, INNER RIGHT REAR SIDEWALL FRACTURED. NO EXCESSIVE DRIVING, SPEED, OR SEVERE USE AT ALL. I REPLACED ALL BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TIRES AND HAVE THEM AVAILABLE FOR OSI/ODI EXPERT ANALYSIS. *TR
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5 SPECIAL EDITION. WHILE DRIVING ON I-35 NEAR CLOQUET, MN, THE CAR EXHIBITED DANGEROUSLY UNSTABLE HANDLING THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED BY OTHER SUBARU OUTBACK OWNERS. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE ICY AND EVEN WITH GREATLY REDUCED SPEED THE CAR WOULD SLIDE/DRIFT SIDEWAYS ON STRAIGHTAWAYS. THIS WAS VERY UNNERVING AS I COULD DO NOTHING SAVE REDUCING MY SPEED TO A CRAWL TO AVOID THIS DRIFTING EFFECT. AT THIS POINT I WAS BEING PASSED BY ALL OTHER TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY (SEMIS, FWD AND RWD CARS, ETC.), WHICH DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE THE HANDLING ISSUES I WAS HAVING. THE CAR IS NEW (3700 MILES) AND I HAD JUST TAKEN TO A SHOP THAT MORNING FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT OK. I BELIEVE THE OUTBACK HAS A DANGEROUS HANDLING ISSUE THAT APPEARS TO MANIFEST PRIMARILY WHEN FULLY LOADED (I HAD 2 PASSENGERS AND GEAR) AND ON SMOOTH AND SLIPPERY ROADS. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR IN SNOWY CONDITIONS, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE GIVEN I LIVE IN MN AND BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR WINTER DRIVING AND ITS AWD PROPERTIES. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR HANDLE SO POORLY IN MY 16 YEARS OF WINTER DRIVING. *TR
THE AIRBAG FAILURE INDICATOR IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY FOR SOME TIME AND DAYS OR WEEKS LATER COMES ON AGAIN. I AM CONCERNED THAT SHOULD THERE BE A COLLISION WHILE THE CONDITION DESCRIBE ABOVE EXIST, AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT MAY FAIL. THERE SEEMS TO BE THOUSANDS OF THESE INCIDENTS WHILE SEARCHING INTERNET DATABASES AND IT APPEARS ALL SUBARU DEALERS KNOW OF THE PROBLEM AND PRESUMABLY SUBARU AS WELL. SHOULD NOT BE A RECALL FOR THIS POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE? *TR
The airbag light stays on all the time.