There are 3 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2025 Subaru Outbackin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, the low beam headlights failed to illuminate the road ahead while going uphill or downhill. The contact had to activate the high beam headlights. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71.
The headlights ... and: and; yes it is available for inspection at any time, preferably at night!!! If you look at the photos attached you can see when headlights are on there is little or no visibility and what you see is what appears to be like a black line. We live in a very rural area and can not see at night with these headlights. So I would say we and the other vehicles on the road are at great risk. We did take vehicle right back to dealer the following day, they informed me that this has been a known problem on these cars and that I should just drive with my high beams. Not a solution!! I do not want to blind other cars coming at me. Not inspected by anyone except dealership. There were no warnings about this problem, and; I was very much shocked and disappointed that the dealership was aware of this issue. They appeared the first time I drove at night and needed head lights on!
Headlights produce a distracting shadow. It looks like something is crossing the road in front of you. In addition, as a driver, it focuses your attention on the shadow instead of the road. It's a common complaint online and definitely a real safety concern for motorists.
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