There are 29 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2014 Subaru Outbackin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
My Subaru has some kind of electrical issues I was driving and car stopped would start again I had to towed to Arts repair shop they said was starter put new starter in 400 dollars later says it wasn't starter some kind of electrical and they dont do that electrical service they recommend Carlins automotive geico would not tow again I pd out of pocket they had it 2 days said could not figure it out put electrical meters on find nothing so decided to look at fuses again replaced #13 fuse said it started and thought was fixed (carry 15A fuses with me) Picked up that day drove it stopped and drove got it home next morning taking older client and standed again, im [XXX] I take of seniors that dont have family i see no recalls kept reading said updated 2024 an 2025 electrical issue with engine everyone stumped could this be the recall on it or issue (you look look im not only out of a car clients are left without me no fuses work now. The service center said could be this or that I can't go on guesses Im on limited income when you turn it on it tries to start stops try restart nothing no sound all lights on dash come it but no nothing to try and start subaru never given me no problems at all please help I found the electrical issues on your site INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I purchased this vehicle in May 2024 within 2 months of purchase the eyesight function malfunctioned. I took it back to the dealership where I purchased it and they attempted to diagnose it at cost of parts and I ended up paying a few hundred dollars for that repair. That didn’t work and they offered to attempt something else but this was just guessing. Then a few months down the line I receive a post card in the mail for a ‘warranty extension’ on the exact issue I am having. I take it to the Subaru dealership once and they had me return a second time saying they couldn’t diagnose it at that time because the lights that appear on and off weren’t appearing for them. Returning a second time they said they were able to diagnose the issue but the warranty only covers 75%. The remaining 25% that’s left to me comes to $1098.34. The issue I have with this is being it is a safety concern. The features eyesight provides are to be additional safety features. The biggest one being the cruise control that has gone out on me while using it. Going high velocity down the freeway using it and it shuts off completely, luckily I it hasn’t caused an accident and there hasn’t been anyone behind me when it happens and no one to close in front of me but this has happened on multiple occasions to myself, my boyfriend and most recently a friend when we went out of town when I didnt think to inform her of it. We no longer use the cruise control being it is scary and a risk to our safety. I have escalated to Subaru of America who says that it is a warranty extension to care for their customers but the representative I spoke with denied it being a known issue. He says the warranty expired in 2016 for my vehicle but Subaru extended it as to care for the customers. With that in mind I do not think I’m the only one with this issue and concern or else why would they put this extension out if they’re no just trying to be compensated and avoid a recall for the issue.
For several years, the nav/camera/radio screen goes black. Only turns back on when car is turned off and restarted, then does it again. It is available for inspection upon request. I almost ran into pedestrian at grocery store without backup camera and have had many more incidents like this. Dealership I visited won't look at it unless I pay. Independent Subaru service provider saw this and said to contact you to help with "service campaign" as other clients of his have mentioned same complaint. No warnings/messages prior to failure or patterns for when it happens. Just happens at random times while driving.
I noticed when driving that my horn had stopped working. I am unsure if this is related to the airbag replacement or some other issue. The concern is that most people do not check their horns for functionality before it is really needed. I was able to get it repaired at a cost of 529.58
The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while the vehicle was at a standstill when the contact saw unknown warning lights were flickering on and off. The contact parked the vehicle and went inside a store when approximately 10 minutes later the vehicle was on fire. Fire marshals and police extinguished the fire and a report was taken; no one was injured. The vehicle was then towed to an insurance lot where the contact was awaiting a diagnosis. The manufacturer was informed of failure and was awaiting a response. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
Driving at highway speeds with over half a tank of gas and car just shut down, no warning lights, no noise just shut down and lost all control. Fortunately was able to safely move to shoulder. Sat there for a few minutes, called subaru dealer (no suggestions though i now know there is a recall (NHTSA 21V587000) for an identical problem in newer subaru outbacks and also plenty of online sites suggesting this has happened to other outbacks. Car restarted and we were able to complete our ride home, very scary to think of what could have happened if we were in a different situation of traffic or highway conditions.
Horn malfunctions. Press horn on steering wheel is dead silent. However, if I enable the Panic button on key, the alarm sounds. When I start the car after pressing Panic button, the horn I steering wheel works. Sporadic operation.
THE REAR VIEW CAMERA WAS NOT DESIGNED OR MANUFACTURED PROPERLY AND IT ALLOWS MOISTURE TO GET INTO THE CAMERA ITSELF. AFTER A WHILE THE CAMERA WITH FUZZY PICTURE AND EVENTUALLY YOU CAN NOT VIEW THINGS PROPERLY OR SEE THEM AT ALL. THERE ARE MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS BY OTHERS ON THE INTERNET. THIS MAKES IT UNSAFE TO BACK THE CAR UP IF TRYING TO USE THE CAMERA TO ASSIST IN CLEARING THE PATH ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.
1. REAR LIFTGATE WILL NOT OPEN WHEN USING REMOTE OR SENSOR ON VEHICLE. ONLY WAY TO OPEN IS TO CRAWL FROM INSIDE TO THE BACK, POP A LID AND THEN MANEUVER LATCH RELEASE. NO WAY TO OPEN LIFTGATE FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. I'M 66 AND DISABLED. 2. EXCESSIVE OIL USE REPORTED BY TECHNICIANS DURING OIL CHANGE.
HVAC FAN CONTROL SWITCH AND CONNECTOR MELTED
THE BACK-UP CAMERA STARTED FLICKERING WHEN BACKING IN PARKING LOT. THAT HAPPENED TWICE. THE NEXT TIME IT COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. THE SCREEN DOESN'T EVEN SHOW THAT I'M BACKING-UP. *TR
MY BACK-UP CAMERA COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. THE CAR DOESN'T EVEN SWITCH INTO A MODE WHERE I CAN SEE THE CAMERA WHEN I SHIFT THE CAR INTO REVERSE; IT STAYS ON WHATEVER SCREEN IT WAS ON. NOTHING HAPPENED TO THE VEHICLE, IT JUST QUIT WORKING YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
SINCE 5/2019 MY SUBARU HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE 5 TIMES DUE TO THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLASHING WHILE DRIVING. THE BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT. MY REMOTE STARTER AND RADIO DO NOT WORK EITHER. EACH TIME IT'S BROUGHT IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM I AM GIVEN A DIFFERENT REASON, CHARGED A FEE AND SENT ON MY WAY, UNTIL IT HAPPENS AGAIN! GETTING A LITTLE TIRED OF HAVING MY CHAIN YANKED. SUBARU NEEDS TO DO A RECALL FOR THIS RECURRING PROBLEM.MY CAR RAN FINE UNTIL THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WAS CHANGED, DUE TO A RECALL.
BATTERY FAILING PREMATURELY EVEN NEW. LEAVING DRIVERS AND OCCUPANTS STRANDED IN WINTER FREEZING , OR SUMMER HOT WEATHER. I HAD TOTAL OF 4 EPISODES OF BATTERY FAILURE IN MY 2014 OUTBACK BOUGHT NEW ON 8/12/2014. SUBARU FACTORY BATTERY FAILED TWICE WHEN CAR WAS LESS THEN 20K MILES IN JANUARY 2017, REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, THEN AGAIN FAILED TWICE AGAIN WITH THE REPLACED BATTERY 11/26/2019 AT 47K MILES. SUBARU DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE BATTERY THIS TIME STATING WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. RESEARCHED ONLINE FOUND SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT SUBARU BATTERIES BELOW: VEHICLE 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5I LIMITED 4DR SUV AWD (2.5L 4CYL CVT) REVIEW I HAVE HAD PERSISTENT PROBLEMS WITH A DEAD BATTERY. IF I DON'T DRIVE THE CAR FOR AT LEAST ONE-HALF HOUR EACH DAY,THE ... 3.9/5(196) MILEAGE: 106400 DRIVE TRAIN: ALL WHEEL DRIVE MPG: 25 COMBINED MPG SUBARU BATTERY PROBLEMS? QUESTIONS ABOUT SUBARU BATTERY ON ... HTTPS://WWW.JUSTANSWER.COM/TOPICS-BATTERY SUBARU BATTERY PROBLEMS A CAR OR AUTOMOBILE BATTERY IS A DEVICE WHICH STORES AND SUPPLIES ELECTRICAL ENERGY. THIS IS SUPPLIED TO THE IGNITION SYSTEM, APPLIANCES AND LIGHTS, AND TO POWER THE STARTER MOTOR. AN AUTOMOBILE BATTERY CAN BE RECHARGED WHICH BEGINS TO HAPPEN ONCE THE ENGINE IS STARTED. BATTERY ON MY NEW 2017 SUBARU FORESTER RUNS DOWN - CAR ON ... NOV 18, 2017 ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO I HAD A DEAD BATTERY THAT I NEEDED ... JUL 21, 2012 SUBARU ALTERNATOR TROUBLESHOOTING QUESTIONS ANSWERED
WHILE DRIVING LOCALLY THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD STARTED FLASHING (CRUISE CONTROL, CHECK ENGINE AND BRAKE LIGHTS).PARKED CAR, CHECKED GAS CAP AND DISCONNECTED BATTERY AND CLEANED TERMINALS, PROBLEM CONTINUED. TOOK THE CAR TO OUR LOCAL AUTO MECHANIC (AFTER SOME NOT SO PLEASANT DEALINGS WITH SUBARU) 7/22/19 HE PERFORMED COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC AND FOUND FAULTY OXYGEN SENSOR. $601.38. CAR WORKED WELL UNTIL TODAY. RETURNING HOME FROM STORE THE LIGHTS ARE FLASHING AGAIN BACK TO THE MECHANIC. 18,000 MILES ON THE CAR!
SPONTANEOUS ENGINE FIRE WHILE DRIVING - MAR 07,2019 - 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH CURRENT MAINTENANCE AND NO PRIOR HISTORY OF MALFUNCTION. DURING A 2.1 MILE DRIVE ON CITY STREETS ELECTRICAL DISTURBANCES OF THE RADIO/MEDIA CONSOLE WERE NOTED, FOLLOWED SHORTLY THEREAFTER BY BLACK SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. UPON EXITING THE CAR, THE SMOKE HAD BECOME WHITE AND FLAMES WERE NOTED UNDER THE CAR. THE FRONT OF THE CAR SOON BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS BURNT/MELTED. NO ONE WAS INJURED.
REAR TAIL RUNNING LIGHT BULBS INSIDE THE LIFT/TAIL GATE WERE BURNT OUT AND WHEN REPLACING THE BULBS THE PLASTIC HOUSING THE BULBS PRESS INTO WERE CHARRED AND CRACKED. I FEAR THIS IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD GIVEN THE STATE OF CHARRING. MY VEHICLE DID NOT EXPERIENCE A FIRE, BUT I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT IN CASE SIMILAR VEHICLES HAVE CAUGHT FIRE FROM THIS AREA.
ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE ACTUATOR FAILED. WHEN THIS OCCURS YOU CAN'T USE THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE EYESIGHT SAFETY EQUIPMENT DOES NOT WORK. THIS OCCURS AT STARTUP, WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES THROUGH IT'S DIAGNOSTIC CHECKS. CAR HAS STRANDED US TWICE WITH THE BRAKE NOT ALLOWING US TO DISENGAGE. EVENTUALLY, AFTER STARTING CAR MULTIPLE TIMES OR REMOVING BATTERY, IT WILL WORK BRIEFLY TO ALLOW TO DISENGAGE. NOW WE DON'T SET THE PARKING BRAKE, OR USE THE EYESIGHT. SUBARU HAS RECALLED THEIR MANUAL TRANSMISSION MODELS WITH THIS ISSUE, BUT NOT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MODELS.
4 HEADLAMPS CHANGED. 2 FOG LAMPS, BOTH FRONT MARKER LIGHTS, BOTH REAR STOP LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS. UNIT WAS PURCHASED IN MAY OF 2014 FROM DEALER SHOWROOM. I HAVE CHANGED MORE LIGHTS ON THIS VEHICLE THAN MY LAST 5 CARS COMBINED. IS THERE AN ELECTRICAL OR WIRING ISSUE HERE?
VEHICLE IS STOPPED, TRANSMISSION IS IN PARK AND IGNITION KEY CAN NOT BE REMOVED AFTER TURNING VEHICLE OFF. JIGGLING THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER SEEMS TO FIX THE ISSUE.
Showing 1–20 of 29 complaints
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 26, 2026