2005 Subaru Outback Subaru Outback 2005

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2005 Subaru Outback repairs by problem area

Engine (29%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (19%)

Brakes and Traction Control (2%)

Suspension and Steering (29%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (16%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (2%)

Other (2%)

Chart based on 484 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2005 Subaru Outback.

2005 Subaru Outback repair cost distribution

$2500+ (3%)

$1000 - $2499 (13%)

$500 - $999 (16%)

$100 - $499 (36%)

< $100 (33%)

Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.

Chart based on 376 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2005 Subaru Outback

Engine not specified

Subaru Outback in New South Wales, Australia
Nov 2008 - Mar 2010
Subaru Outback in Massachusetts, United States
Jun 2007 - Mar 2010
Feb 2008

17000 mi
Outside rear view mirros do not move smoothly when activated. Rear window: one of the heating elements not defrosting. 
Subaru Outback in Nevada, United States
Dec 2013 - Jan 2014
Jan 2014

US $533
Newly purchased vehicle. Clicking noise when turning rt. & Lt. Steering wheel vibration between 15-25 mph. Replaced remanufactured front axles with 2, NEW front axles. Problem eliminated :) 

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2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 250hp 2.5L H4 5-speed shiftable automatic AWD

Subaru Outback in Georgia, United States
Jul 2011 - Dec 2011
Aug 2011

68000 mi

US $300
replaced torn CV boots bilaterally. 
Subaru Outback in Washington, United States
May 2015 - May 2015
May 2015

84000 mi

US $9500
Rod knock and smudged up engine contaminated turbo. Required new engine and turbo. 
Subaru Outback in Massachusetts, United States
Apr 2012 - Jun 2017
Jul 2012

94500 mi

US $600
Code P0011 AVCS error. Determined to be oil clogging the AVCS valves, performed oil flush procedure (Subaru TSB) Front control arm bushings replaced Front driver and passenger axle boots ripped, replaced with new Subaru axles. 
Jan 2013

US $400
Turbocharger replaced with good used unit 
Mar 2013

103000 mi

US $250
Replace leaking valve cover gasket 
Jul 2015

124500 mi

US $2050
radiator end tank blown, replaced. power steering pump leaking from pulley bearing, replace. Sway bar links and bushing replaced, front and rear due to noise. 
Nov 2016

135100 mi

US $350
Blower motor dead due to water leak. leak repaired and blower replaced 
Jan 2017

135500 mi

US $1800
Drive shaft carrier bearing bad. Drive shaft replaced. Burned valve cylinder 3 replace and repair 
Jun 2017

138000 mi
Blower motor replaced. Original one making noise due to worn bearing. 
Subaru Outback in Oregon, United States
Jan 2012 - Dec 2016
Aug 2012

66300 mi

US $150
Left front door lock actuator. 
Sep 2012

66000 mi

US $150
Left rear door lock actuator. 
Dec 2012

67000 mi

US $150
Right rear door lock actuator. 
Jan 2013

67000 mi

US $550
Heater Fan Growling and would slow down and stop, 1000. Replaced Rear Hatch Door Wiring Harness for lock actuator. Failed where it flexes going from upper door area into rear ceiling overhead, 200. Drivers seat heater quit working, 350. 
Oct 2014

92700 mi

US $1421
Head Gasket Leaking Oil; replaced Head Gasket. Replaced Water Pump. Replaced Timing Belt. 
Sep 2015

120000 mi

US $500
Both Left and Right Front CV Joint Boots were torn. Replace Both Left and Right Axel Assemblies. Work done by Les Schwab's 
Subaru Outback in California, United States
Sep 2005 - May 2011
Jul 2007

17000 mi
The "extendable armrest" broke. It comes apart when you try to open it to reach the storage area underneath. It is technically an "assessory" and therefore not covered under the warranty. With the @$200+ cost, I decided to live with it. I thought it was a 
Dec 2007

19000 mi

US $4
I went in for a standard oil change and they had the armrest in stock. So I opted to have them do it right then and there. Took less than an hour. I earn "Subaru Bucks" from a Chase/Subaru credit card. I had $200 credit towards purchase/service and thus 
Subaru Outback in Pennsylvania, United States
Jun 2008 - Mar 2010
Mar 2009

47000 mi

US $285
Replaced tumble generator valve - FP#14120AA050 
Subaru Outback in Montana, United States
Oct 2010 - Jun 2022
Sep 2011

73000 mi
Forward switch on 8-way power seat stopped working. Removed, dissassembled, and cleaned switch contacts. Switch works fine now. 
Jan 2014

82700 mi

US $220
After about 10 minutes of driving the car would lose throttle response until turned off and restarted. Replaced Throttle position sensor. 
Nov 2015

86300 mi

US $910
Replaced both front sway bar end links (split boots and movement in joints) Replaced Rt Front Axle and oils seal. 
Dec 2017

95000 mi

US $900
Replaced leaking front struts Problem: leaking from underneath timing cover. Replaced gasket. Replaced timing belt early since labor overlapped with leak repair. 
Mar 2022

99000 mi

US $1700
Replaced Rear wiper motor and wiring harness Replaced front CV joint, boots Replaced timing cover gasket - turns out it was not replaced in 2017. 
Subaru Outback in California, United States
Sep 2005 - Jan 2010
Nov 2009

56000 mi

US $65
Problem with the panoramic moonroof where one of the metal guides came loose and prevented the moonroof from opening fully. 
Subaru Outback in Virginia, United States
Sep 2005 - Sep 2016
Jul 2011

107000 mi

US $700
Needed a CV joint boot replaced, replaced entire axle as it was about the same price. Rear control arm bushings replaced 
Mar 2012

112000 mi

US $150
Had the left rear wheel bearing go bad again (it was replaced under warranty previously). Replaced both left rear hub/bearing assemblies. 
Jun 2013

120000 mi
Engine began idling very rough. Threw CEL for too lean mixture, mis-fires on all 4 cylinders. Determined that vacuum hose had come off T connector under intercooler. Re-attached, cleared CEL, everything fine so far. Previously threw CEL for too rich mixture, so cleaned MAF with MAF cleaner. 
Jul 2013

120300 mi

US $12
Headlight blew, replaced. 
Sep 2013

122000 mi

US $10
Had an oil leak, dripping on exhaust and smoking off, which dealer diagnosed as oil cooler gasket. Replaced it myself. Dealer was wrong, still have the leak. Suspect it is the valve cover gasket, so will do that in October some time. 
Nov 2013

122000 mi

US $225
Determined my oil leak was a leaky right-hand valve cover gasket. Replaced that, and all four spark plugs while I was at it. Total pain in the butt with the engine in the car, but still worth doing it myself. $70 Had CEL. Replaced both the front and the back O2 sensors, and that seemed to fix it. VERY important if you do this to get a sensor wrench that fits a big breaker bar, and to get a bung tap just in case your threads are messed up. $155 
May 2014

126000 mi

US $135
I replaced the power steering pump, as it has been giving me trouble for quite some time. 
Jun 2015

133000 mi

US $180
During a rear brake job a few months ago, upon jacking up the right-hand side noticed that there was oil all over the rear shock. Replaced both rear shocks, bumpers, covers, nuts and the bottom mounting bolt (it was a bear to get off.) 
Apr 2016

138200 mi

US $140
Replaced the radiator due to the upper hose connection leaking. The plastic had a crack. Replaced all the hoses, clamps, and coolant. Al inlet and outlet on engine were very crusted, and took some time to scrape off. Took some time, not hard 
Aug 2016

139000 mi

US $539
Had a CEL showing a misfire in cyl 4, so replaced all the injectors, swapped the coil packs between 2 and 4, and replaced the #4 sparkplug. None of that worked; there is still a CEL with the #4 misfire. Had a CEL for #4 misfire, tried diagnosing myself, but no luck. Took to dealer for a leakdown test. They want to replace the long block for $7K; they think it is a broken ring land. I am looking at other options. 
Subaru Outback in Arizona, United States
Jan 2015 - Apr 2016
Jan 2015

106000 mi

US $1100
replaced front struts, bushings on rear control arms, and aligned wheels. 
Subaru Outback in Colorado, United States
Sep 2008 - Jun 2013
Jul 2009

67000 mi

US $40
CV boot needed replacement. 
Subaru Outback in California, United States
May 2013 - Oct 2014
Jun 2013

107000 mi

US $2000
had to replace the turbo cv boot 
Oct 2013

111800 mi

US $525
head gasket replacement 
Feb 2014

116000 mi

US $1075
rear control arms were cracked and needed replacing 
Subaru Outback in Washington, United States
Apr 2014 - Jun 2018
Jul 2014

100000 mi
Radiator developed a leak. Dealerships repaired under warranty. 
Subaru Outback in Colorado, United States
Sep 2010 - Feb 2012
Feb 2010

58000 mi
CPV boot broke, during sliding incident in snowy weather. Subaru covered it under the 60k/mile warranty. 
Jul 2011

70800 mi

US $658
wheel bearings in driver's side rear wheel were busted, replaced. driver's side front inner cv boot was cracked, replaced. driver's side inner cv boot cracked, replaced 
Subaru Outback in Alberta, Canada
Mar 2016 - Sep 2023
Mar 2017

97340 mi

C $280
Finally got around to replacing the left rear wheel bearing that was howling. Last fall I replaced the right rear bearing a CV/rear axle and also the front, left CV joint that was "clicking". Now all is good. Stupidly broke the wheel rotation sensor since I forgot to remove it before replacing the bearing. I live it that I didn't have to take apart the rear emergency brake shoes to do the job... everything fit inside the hole. Biggest problem... getting the axle nut of in 2 out of 3 of the cases !!!! I love my Subie... 
Apr 2021

151280 mi

C $165
Driver's (left) CV-joint. It was clicking for about 6 mo. Didn't get any worse, but I wanted it done. Fixed it with my son... about 3 hours total time. (Edit March 2022... started clicking again !!!) 
Mar 2022

153760 mi

C $133
Spring loaded muffler clamp/coupling had a weak spring with heating / cooling and the gasket blew out. 
Jun 2023

136400 mi

C $225
Replaced the front, right CV joint because of a broken rubber boot and subsequent clicking. Also replaced a whining left, rear wheel bearing assembly. RUSTY bolts and ceased rear emergency break drum had to be well soaked with penetrating oil for several days. Rounded off one 14mm hex bolt head but bought myself some of these socket extractors... they work GREAT. Still have to tighten up the emergency brakes with that toggle adjuster. 
Subaru Outback in Indiana, United States
Jun 2006 - Jun 2008
Nov 2007

35000 mi
Some electrical wires had corroded and caused the center console (CD player, AC) to malfunction. 
Subaru Outback in California, United States
Jan 2013 - Apr 2017
Mar 2013

92000 mi

US $1100
Right front CV boot Front struts leaking 
Subaru Outback in California, United States
Jan 2010 - Jun 2011
Apr 2010

79994 mi

US $250
CV boot ripped and leaking fluid. Replaced boot. Mechanic also wanted to replace control arms. Upon research, learned that torn bushings are ok to drive with if not torn entirely through. Many people recommend just replacing the bushings instead of entire lower control arm, and with aftermarket parts. Front-right CV boot was ripped and was replaced. Mechanic said this is a common problem on this model Subaru. He also noticed that the lower control arm bushings were ripped and recommended replacing both lower control arms. Will replace just bushings. 
May 2010

79694 mi

US $350
Lower control arm bushings were ripped. Subaru said most rips do not affect function of car. However, mine were ripped half-way so I decided to replace them with after-market bushings instead of the OEM ones which only last 30,000 miles. 
Subaru Outback in Colorado, United States
Feb 2009 - Jul 2009
Jul 2009

53000 mi
Rear strut leaking. Heated seats had some problems. 
Subaru Outback in New Jersey, United States
Feb 2014 - Nov 2017
Dec 2014

93000 mi

US $5134
Heads warped and turbo destroyed, possibly because repair shop installed the wrong thermostat two months earlier. Engine started running hot, which daughter ignored for two months. 
Oct 2015

101500 mi

US $263
Right front CV joint boot was torn. Had CV and Boot replaced. 
Jun 2017

112000 mi

US $310
Replaced rear rotors and pads. 
Subaru Outback in Pennsylvania, United States
Jun 2008 - Feb 2013
Sep 2009

57000 mi

US $180
headlight burnt out 
Feb 2011

74800 mi

US $2300
The turbo completely failed and had to be fully replaced. An oil filter became clogged and the turbo wasn't adequately lubricated. The mechanic who worked on it could not discern the exact cause of the problem. 
Apr 2012

90700 mi

US $1400
exhaust system rusted out and needed full replacement. had to wait extra days because the turbo exhaust is different than regular and it needed to be shipped from Japan. 
Subaru Outback in New Hampshire, United States
Aug 2007 - Jun 2011
Feb 2008

57000 mi
The rear window trim had started to separate while the car was under warranty. The dealer told me to leave it, and when the tear started to bother me, they would fix it under warranty. I'm WELL passed the warranty, and they fixed it no problem at all. 
Subaru Outback in Connecticut, United States
Dec 2010 - Jan 2011
Jan 2011

57000 mi

US $5500
Turbo failure which caused engine to fail. Towed to dealer. After battling with Subaru, they agreed to pay for half of the repair. 
Subaru Outback in Pennsylvania, United States
Oct 2013 - Oct 2014
Sep 2014

99000 mi
Remote not working. Back hatch wire frayed could not lock 
Subaru Outback in Georgia, United States
Jun 2009 - Feb 2015
Jul 2010

75000 mi

US $550
Replaced front control arms due to cracked bushings 
Nov 2010

81000 mi
replaced right rear wheel bearing under mfg extended warranty 
Jul 2011

86000 mi
Right side CV joint boot split and leaked. Tech replaced boot and axie. 
Dec 2011

92000 mi

US $750
Leaking power steering pump replaced 
Jul 2012

95200 mi

US $30
Loose head bolt caused oil seepage 

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2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 250hp 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

Subaru Outback in Massachusetts, United States
Oct 2009 - Jun 2015
Nov 2010

62000 mi
Right wheel bearing replaced. Rear wheel bearing replaced. TSB Warranty issue 
Dec 2010

65000 mi
Loud sound increasing with acceleration. Determined to be left rear wheel bearing, which was replaced under Subaru factory warranty that has been extended to 80,000 miles because of a TSB.  
Feb 2011

67000 mi

US $180
Passenger inner CV boot was torn. Believe to be caused by excessive heat from turbo/exhaust manifold which is in very close proximity. Noticed grease on exhaust manifold causing burning smell when car gets warm. Inner passenger CV boot cracked, needed replacement 
Aug 2012

84200 mi

US $300
Leaky rear strut. Replaced as a set. DIY and saved 300 in labor Went in for alignment after struts replaced. Camber? Bolt was seized and had to be replaced in rear. Extra labor and parts beyond original alignment quote 
Oct 2013

98000 mi

US $300
Noticed torn boot on driver's side front axle when changing oil. Had shop replace axle 
Dec 2013

103000 mi
Noticed an occasional grinding/humming noise that got progressively louder over 1k miles of driving. 8yr/100k TSB warranty on wheel bearings, Subaru offered to pay even though just past warranty. 
Mar 2014

105000 mi

US $1700
Whirring sound when depressing clutch. Throw out bearing failed, and output shaft was worn down. New clutch kit: Replaced flywheel, throw out bearing, clutch, as well as a snout kit with bigger T/O bearing to remedy the worn output shaft Passenger side axle CV boot slowly leaking. Replaced axle while transmission was out for clutch job 
Subaru Outback in New York, United States
Dec 2014 - Sep 2016
Feb 2016

101000 mi

US $150
Front calipers frozen 
Jul 2016

103300 mi

US $60
Loud blower motor 
Subaru Outback in Michigan, United States
Nov 2009 - Jun 2011
Dec 2009

90000 mi

US $179
Replaced inner CV Boot Assembly 
Jan 2010

US $425
Replaced Timing Belt-----what a rip off--never had to replace a timing belt in my GM vehicle 
Subaru Outback in Alaska, United States
Apr 2014 - Jun 2018
Apr 2015

151000 mi

US $2500
New clutch installed. Aftermarket clutch lining wore out after approximately 60,000 miles 
Dec 2017

176000 mi

US $2400
Replaced cracked up-pipe to turbo. Aftermarket flexible up-pipe cracked at the flex-joint. Replaced all 4 struts 
May 2018

179000 mi

US $40
Oil and Filter change. All fluids topped up. Headlights polished as well. 
Subaru Outback in California, United States
Sep 2009 - Jul 2017
Mar 2013

47000 mi

US $700
CV boot torn. Replaced axle shafts. 
Apr 2014

56200 mi

US $1600
Clutch replaced. It was worn out, but also there was heatspots on the flywheel and damage to the throwout bearing. 
Aug 2014

58700 mi

US $1450
Belt for the power steering pump replaced. 
Sep 2014

60000 mi

US $1400
Turbo started making a lot of noise and had to be replaced. 
Subaru Outback in Virginia, United States
Jun 2013 - Mar 2015
Aug 2013

82700 mi

US $150
Noisy pulley bearing was replaced 
Feb 2014

88000 mi

US $2000
Noisy idler pulley under timing belt cover, so ended up having timing belt done at same time (as well as 90K services) Driver's side heated seat getting too hot on left side of seat 
Subaru Outback in Ohio, United States
Dec 2016 - Jul 2018
May 2018

145000 mi

US $1000
Replaced all four coil packs due to engine misfires. 
Subaru Outback in Colorado, United States
Mar 2012 - Nov 2012
Jul 2012

86700 mi

US $800
Right front wheel bearing 
Oct 2012

95000 mi

US $550
Blown right front CV boot. Replaced with remanufactured axle assembly 
Nov 2012

95000 mi

US $120
replace serpentine belt 
Subaru Outback in Manitoba, Canada
Oct 2006 - Jul 2009
Jun 2007

19840 mi
Fan relay would send voltage back to computer and damage it. Recall was not done soon enough, and computer was damaged. Waited two weeks for new computer. 
Jul 2007

19840 mi
new computer finally arrived 
Jun 2009

32240 mi
left and right generator valve motors 
Jul 2009

32240 mi
New generator valve motors installed. 
Subaru Outback in Idaho, United States
Feb 2010 - Aug 2011
Dec 2010

84000 mi

US $600
Sunroof entire assembly replaced...for 2nd time since I've owned car (1st time under warranty) 
Subaru Outback in Minnesota, United States
Sep 2007 - Mar 2010
Aug 2007

54000 mi
Front wheel bearing replacement - Covered under 60K drivetrain warranty 
Oct 2008

76000 mi

US $100
Check Engine Light indicated Evap Emissions Leak (loose gas cap). CEL would not go off without diagnostic and reset. CEL also disables cruise control when lit which is inconvenient. 
Jul 2009

91000 mi

US $150
Torn front inner CV boots. Rebuilt joints and replaced CV boots. 
Aug 2009

95000 mi

US $100
Sticky oil control [servo] valve for variable valve timing system (AVCS) on Bank 2 (drivers side). Part replaced. DIY labor = 10 minutes, difficulty = easy. Part cost = $100. Symptoms: CEL, rough idle, and hesitation. Diagnosed via legacygt.com. 
Subaru Outback in Illinois, United States
Sep 2005 - Jul 2013
Nov 2005

15200 mi
Replaced main fuse block. Cracked during assembly causing electrical gremlins 
Oct 2006

34050 mi
Replaced ECU and relay's cooling fan stuck on 
Feb 2007

64000 mi

US $100
Replaced Driver side Inner CV boot 
Jun 2007

58000 mi
Replaced ECU again, cooling fan staying on 
Jan 2008

81000 mi

US $100
Passenger side CV joing boot shredded. Caused CV joint to wear prematurely. Both replaced 
Jun 2008

78000 mi
Replaced Passenger side half shaft. Inner CV joint torn 
Dec 2008

91000 mi

US $100
Replaced rear driver side wheel bearing due to excessive noise 
Jan 2009

94000 mi

US $100
Replaced Driver side inner CV boot 
Aug 2009

105000 mi

US $150
Threw accessory belt, harmonic balancer separating. Replaced harmonic balancer. 
Sep 2009

106000 mi

US $140
Throwing CEL P0139, O2 sensor replaced. 
Jan 2010

95000 mi

US $400
Passenger Side Inner CV joint leaking grease Noise from front of car. Replaced worn Passenger side Wheel bearing and ball joint 
Mar 2010

115000 mi

US $400
Replaced Passenger side drive shaft AGAIN, due to torn boot. 
Jan 2013

118000 mi

US $500
Tensioner seized causing power steering/alternator belt to slip 
Subaru Outback in Virginia, United States
Jun 2013 - Mar 2015
Apr 2014

64000 mi

US $830
Radiator quickly developed significant leak. Radiator, coolant and nearby accessory belts replaced. 
Subaru Outback in Colorado, United States
May 2010 - Sep 2013
Apr 2011

109000 mi

US $325
Front driver side wheel bearing. 
Mar 2013

132000 mi

US $400
Alternator belt broke. 
Subaru Outback in Ontario, Canada
Sep 2008 - Jan 2009
Dec 2008

31620 mi
3rd replacement of front axle due to loud clicking sound upon hard acceleration when cold 
Subaru Outback in Wisconsin, United States
Nov 2013 - Jan 2014
Jan 2014

149000 mi

US $20
front right low lightbulb blew out again. 12 months since the last time this exact bulb was replaced 

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2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Wagon

250-horsepower 3.0L H6 5-speed shiftable automatic AWD

Subaru Outback in Ontario, Canada
Sep 2010 - Jun 2011
Jun 2010

105400 mi

C $1400
 
Oct 2010

113460 mi

C $1300
1 of 2 catalytic converters had to be replaced. After market product not available 
Subaru Outback in Utah, United States
Aug 2012 - Jan 2018
Sep 2012

76000 mi

US $1200
Error code p1844 with engine light and vdc lights on. Dealer advised that vehicle would require a valve body replacement for approximately $1200. About 76,000 miles on vehicle, all maint. done at dealer. 
Oct 2012

76700 mi
Contacted Subaru main office about prior repair. They have been silent on covering this repair despite an expired extended warranty that would cover out to 80K miles (expired on time). Very displeased with Subaru at this point. May sell. 
Jan 2013

80000 mi
Contacted Subaru a second time and told them I reported their lack of response here. Subaru claimed they never received the first complaint. I sent them all info they requested about a week ago. I am requesting they honor the time expir 
Feb 2013

80200 mi
Subaru offered to pay $500 of the $1200 estimate. They declined to honor time expired but not mileage expired ext. warranty I had purchased for $1K. I declined and plan to purchase a more reliable vehicle with a 10 year powertrain warranty. 
Sep 2013

82000 mi

US $350
ABS and ERROR SS. Manual says bad speed sensor but Dealer wants $90 just to diagnose. Used other shop. Was wheel bearing problem. Fixed and had new brake pads installed. 
Apr 2014

90300 mi

US $300
CV joints cracked and leaking. Replaced. 
Jun 2014

92000 mi

US $289
LR wheel bearings went bad after the RR wheel bearings went bad awhile back. Cant wait to buy a non Subaru car. Never had this many problems with any other car. 
Oct 2016

112000 mi

US $89
Currently in the shop for an electrical problem. Likely the alternator. Will know more in a few days. Battery replaced for intermittent problems. 
Nov 2016

113200 mi

US $204
Busted hose to the radiator. Replaced busted hose and two other same age but still working hoses. 
Nov 2017

125000 mi

US $400
Power steering went out and both BATTERY and BRAKE light warnings on console lit up. Dealer advised immediate delivery to shop. Idler pulley and tensioner pulley and associated belts were broken. Was told that the pulleys seized up and immediately snapped the belts. 
Subaru Outback in Texas, United States
Jan 2015 - Apr 2017
Feb 2015

151500 mi

US $450
the computer was out of sync, thus forcing the car to shut down to "safe mode" and eventually die on the road. 
Subaru Outback in Wisconsin, United States
Apr 2013 - Jan 2016
Dec 2013

67000 mi

US $25
Corrosion of the bead between the tire and the wheel 
Mar 2014

68000 mi

US $35
Again, corrosion of alloy rim causing slow leak between tire and rim--not the same wheel as in December 2013. 
Subaru Outback in Ontario, Canada
Mar 2011 - Feb 2014
Sep 2011

164920 mi

C $813
Odd noise from behind dash. Dealer could not find source. Car unlocking itself. Dealer could not find cause. Leaking steering rack. Solution: replaced steering rack. 
Jul 2012

175760 mi

C $407
Originally took car to Subaru dealer, incorrectly indicated that 2 bearings were bad. Trusted indep. mechanic indicated only 1, that which was making noise, needed to be replaced. Unimpressed with dealer, will not return for service. 
Sep 2012

177320 mi

C $50
Minor sound when braking caused my loose bracket interacting with brake lines. Minor, annoying only because of the sound it made. 
Sep 2013

186000 mi
Steering rack is leaking again. This happened two years ago and it was replaced at a cost of $600. The leak is slow, as before, and due to the problem consistently reoccurring in OBs and the mileage of the vehicle I am not repairing it. 
Feb 2014

187240 mi
Catalytic converter error displayed in the form of an engine light. Light turned off after a few weeks. Steering rack slowly leaking. 
Subaru Outback in Texas, United States
Mar 2011 - Jun 2011
Jun 2011

113000 mi

US $350
Blown rear strut 
Subaru Outback in West Virginia, United States
Aug 2011 - May 2013
Jan 2013

US $400
front inner cv joints power steering boot turn signal switch 
Subaru Outback in Minnesota, United States
Sep 2009 - Jun 2014
Jun 2012

112000 mi

US $550
Car was swaying, had the rear struts replaced 
Dec 2012

117000 mi

US $565
Replace drive shaft and left and right CV Joints 
Subaru Outback in New York, United States
- Feb 2007
Feb 2007

46500 mi

US $437
Idler Pulley 
Subaru Outback in Missouri, United States
Feb 2014 - Jun 2018
May 2015

116000 mi

US $6
Repaired loose exhaust shield that was rattling 
Feb 2016

128000 mi

US $290
Replaced alternator, belt, idler pulley and tensioner pulley 
Sep 2016

134000 mi

US $81
Replaced a Subaru OEM factory replacement right rear wheel bearing after only 12,000 miles. Factory replacement bearing was obviously defective. Replaced with Eaton Japanese NTN brand wheel bearing. Subaru has a quality control issue. 
Jun 2017

138000 mi

US $2
Replaced drivers side CV axle with low mileage used OEM axle. Repaired loose exhaust shield using hose clamp 
Mar 2018

139000 mi

US $40
Repaired leaking passenger valve cover using thin precision washers under bolt heads to compress original valve cover gasket further. The repair was very successful. 
Subaru Outback in Massachusetts, United States
Sep 2012 - Jun 2013
Sep 2012

87000 mi

US $1200
Head gasket 
Jun 2013

93000 mi

US $600
Oil starvation, catastrophic engine failure. 
Subaru Outback in Alberta, Canada
Jan 2009 - Feb 2009
Feb 2009

48980 mi
Numerous repairs. Needed a new power steering pump. Just took what we could get in trade. Electrical short that could not be located. Paint chipped on the front of the car, and clearcoat peeled.  
Subaru Outback in Delaware, United States
May 2008 - Aug 2014
Jul 2008

39000 mi

US $255
Clunking noise rear sway bar links replaced. 
Dec 2010

58000 mi

US $50
Passenger side brake light burned out due to water leaking in tail light assembly which was ordered and will be replaced next dealer visit. Taillight assembly $300+ but covered under Subaru extended warranty with $50 deductible. 
Jan 2011

59000 mi
Tail light assembly replaced after ordered part arrived. 
May 2012

70300 mi

US $1080
Ball joints cracked, these days have to replace whole A Arm, they don't just press out and replace ball joint. Boots around CV joints cracked, had to be replaced. Front sway bar had to be replaced. 
Feb 2013

76800 mi

US $560
Engine was leaking oil, replaced valve cover gaskets, serpentine belt, oil cooler seals 
Jun 2013

81000 mi

US $165
Relay replaced 
Aug 2013

82000 mi
Wheel bearing was making noise - was subject of recall, warranty for bearing was extended to 100K and 8 years. This failure was outside that, dealer said I was out of luck. Appealed to SOA, they reimbursed me $514 for repair with 0 hassle. Dealer broke wheel sensor when replacing wheel bearing 
Dec 2013

86000 mi

US $450
pulley tensioner for serpentine belt failed. replaced pulley and serpentine belt 
Aug 2014

91000 mi

US $571
Nipple on radiator for transmission cooling line broke off, spewed transmission fluid for 1.5 miles. Car was undriveable needed to be towed to dealer. Radiator had to be replaced, fluids replaced. Second time car had to be recently towed, t. 
Subaru Outback in Quebec, Canada
Apr 2010 - Sep 2011
Jul 2010

94240 mi

C $200
intermittent malfunction in TPS resulting in "limp" mode. CEL. OBD2 code P2135. Problem very hard to duplicate and to repair. 
Nov 2010

101060 mi

C $523
rubber bushings had to be replace on front stabilizer bar, were really worn. Had the rear bushings and the stab bar link kit replace at the same time since they showed signs of wear and would be due within a few months. 
Jan 2011

103780 mi

C $150
CEL came on, after pulling the code, it was the front O2 sensor, passenger side that was the trouble. It was still the original part, thé driver side had been changed about 18 months ago. Problem solved with new sensor installed. 
Feb 2011

106020 mi

C $200
A homocinetic joint boot had to be replaced, front driver side. Been done at the same time as oil change. 
May 2011

110360 mi

C $1730
the front end link kit needed to be replace (link kit for the sway bar) and they also discovered that the homocinetic joints boots needed to be replace, they were cracked. 
Subaru Outback in Maryland, United States
Apr 2013 - Dec 2015
Mar 2014

65000 mi

US $217
Rear driver side door handle internal mechanism broke; handle had to be replaced. 
Nov 2014

69300 mi

US $216
Replace broken drive belt tensioner New drive belt Replace front right axle. Driver side seat heater 
Subaru Outback in Oregon, United States
Nov 2006 - Dec 2009
Dec 2006

22716 mi

US $8
Replaced headlight bulb. 
Mar 2009

47675 mi

US $581
Car had rough idle. Serviced fuel injector system. Replaced spark plugs (very expensive!!). Problem remained. Went back to premium gas at mechanic's suggestion (had been using mid-level). Took awhile, but problem gradually disappeared. 
Dec 2009

53982 mi

US $4
Replaced one rear brake light that was burned out. As long as I was at it, I replaced the other one as well. 
Subaru Outback in Pennsylvania, United States
Dec 2006 - Aug 2009
Dec 2007

29000 mi
Both headlights out. Bulbs replaced 
Subaru Outback in Indiana, United States
Mar 2010 - Oct 2016
Jun 2011

150000 mi

US $800
Rear wheel bearing noisy, Burning grease smell. Mechanic found failed Front passenger drive shaft boot, worn suspension bushing, worn discs & pads, cracked wheel hub + worn rear wheel bearing Mechanic found failed Front passenger drive shaft boot,  worn suspension bushing Cracked wheel hub when trying to replace worn bushing 
Jul 2012

159200 mi

US $160
Accessory drive pulley seized and resulted in failed FEAD (front end accessory drive) belt 
Oct 2012

160000 mi

US $602
Steering rack was leaking and had failed rubber boot 
Nov 2013

167000 mi
Changed front shocks 
Dec 2013

167000 mi

US $320
Failed inner CV boot - Half shaft replaced. 4 wheel alignment done 
Sep 2015

172000 mi

US $50
Rear drivers window motor failed over a year ago. Replaced motor Front driver window stopped working. Replaced motor 
Sep 2016

174000 mi
Replaced front driver Ball Joint. Rear window stopped working. Took apart motor and bent motor brushes to re connect. No parts were replaced 
Oct 2016

174000 mi

US $200
Scraping noise from rear right wheel when turning right. Replaced hub assembly, probably unnecessarily. Scraping noise from right rear when turning right. The dust shield was scraping. 
Subaru Outback in New York, United States
Mar 2017 - Jul 2022
Jun 2017

78787 mi

US $300
Front calipers, pads, rotors, brake fluid flush 
Nov 2021

112000 mi

US $200
Wheel speed sensor failure caused by bad wheel bearing. Replaced both. Extended time required due to deterioration of bolts 
Jul 2022

121000 mi

US $115
Battery replacement 
Subaru Outback in Texas, United States
Dec 2014 - Oct 2017
Jan 2015

160000 mi

US $1600
U-joint lose, likely from towing too much weight. Ground straps for engine were worn/frayed 
Oct 2016

170700 mi

US $150
Battery was leaking, would not hold full charge. 
Subaru Outback in Ohio, United States
Jan 2015 - Apr 2016
Jan 2016

US $100
Fuel pump case cracked causing fuel to leak when tank was full 
Subaru Outback in Alberta, Canada
Jan 2010 - Nov 2011
Dec 2010

62000 mi
Experienced infamous rear "ghostwalking" on icey road (detailed in a tread on SubaruOutback.org)Replacement of OEM rear shock absorbers - they were totally worn - for 2000-04 spec Kayabas and wheel alignment. Problem fixed. 
Jan 2011

69440 mi
O2 sensor malfunction sending error code to ECM. "Check Engine" on. Car still drives normally, but VDC and Cruise Control are off and their indicator lamps on/flashing. Erasing the code fixed the problem.  

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2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Wagon

168-horsepower 2.5L H4 5-speed manual AWD

Subaru Outback in Quebec, Canada
Feb 2014 - Nov 2017
Apr 2014

66440 mi

C $720
Leaking oil pan gasket; estimated repair cost: 230$ Cracked alternator and AC compressor belts; estimated repair cost: $125 Manual transmission shifter seal leak; Manual transmission shifter yoke worn out (stiff, estimated repair cost: $380). Interior CV joint covers cracked; estimated repair cost: 365$ Sway bar bushings (front and left) worn out; estimated repair cost: $200 Rear suspension link worn out / corroded; estimated repair cost: $240 Trailing arm bushings damaged (tear), estimated repair cost: $335 Front link and table bushings worn out; estimated repair cost: $350 Changed the alternator and AC compressor belts Interior CV joint covers changed Sway bar bushings (front and right) replaced Trailing arm bushings replaced Front link and table bushings replaced 
Oct 2014

68200 mi

C $27
Blower motor resistance was dead; blower speeds settings 1 through 3 weren't working - only full speed (setting 4) 
Apr 2015

69540 mi

C $280
The front oxygen sensor triggered an Engine Check light; the sensor has been replaced. 
Oct 2015

71400 mi

C $950
Rough and low idle; injectors were cleaned. Front drivetrain binding when turning tight at low speed; problem getting worse since first identified 5 years ago. Manual gearbox and rear diff fluids changed. Situation improved somehow. Suspecting problem with viscous coupler 
Aug 2016

73880 mi

C $1914
Central differential assembly has to be changed - vicous coupler did not work anymore. The transmission stick (lever) seal joint has been replaced also since oil was leaking. 
Subaru Outback in Virginia, United States
Mar 2017 - Apr 2022
Jun 2017

155000 mi

US $2000
Clutch replaced. The clutch (or I suspect the throwout bearing) had started to bind a bit, making shifting difficult, so our daughter got it checked out. The clutch needed replacing, they said. Soooo, they replaced the clutch and I'm assuming the throwout bearing). The dealer did it. 
Oct 2021

184000 mi

US $500
O2 sensor replaced 
Subaru Outback in Alabama, United States
Aug 2014 - Jun 2018
Mar 2015

92000 mi

US $800
Replace rear stabilizers 
Jun 2015

94000 mi

US $2400
replace clutch 
Jan 2016

100500 mi

US $1200
Replace both rear wheel bearings/axles 
Oct 2017

110000 mi

US $2500
replace rear brakes replace leaking rear main seals 
May 2018

116000 mi

US $600
replace starter motor 
Subaru Outback in Connecticut, United States
Oct 2010 - Sep 2013
Jan 2011

122700 mi
rear wheel bearings 
Jun 2011

111000 mi

US $900
Catalytic converters (2 apparently) replaced under recall/warranty Head gasket replaced under after-market warranty, I paid $400 
Oct 2011

124000 mi

US $170
Replaced the A/C pulley because its bearings were bad, causing funny noises. 
Nov 2011

125500 mi

US $550
Rear struts 
Subaru Outback in Ontario, Canada
Jun 2011 - Jul 2011
Jul 2011

59520 mi
Ripped front right CV boot. Just bought car last week and she covered repair under 30 day warranty. They changed the right axle. Sounds like a typical issue. Button for info display wouldn't cycle when pushed. Took console out saw green corrosion on contact and applied brake cleaner. Reassembled and working fine now. button for info display wouldnt cycle when pushed. took console out saw green corrosion on contact and applied brake cleaner. Reassembled and working fine now ripped front right CV boot. Just bought car last week and she covered repair under 30 day warranty. They changed the right axle. Sounds like a typical issue. 
Subaru Outback in Maryland, United States
Jun 2009 - Apr 2012
Jul 2009

62000 mi

US $300
Bearings worn in driver side rear. Clicking noise heard during wheel rotation. 
Mar 2010

73000 mi
Check engine light alerted issue. Dealer said it was covered under extended warranty. Replaced at no cost. took car in for knocking noise heard in front right strut, told driver rear bearings had to be replaced. warrantied. 
Apr 2012

118000 mi
CEL has been on for 3 weeks. Finally took to dealer. Informed catalytic converter was not running efficiently. Est $2800. Had replaced during recall 2yrs/42k ago. Exploring options. 
Subaru Outback in New York, United States
May 2015 - Dec 2016
Oct 2015

117300 mi

US $1
new struts 
Subaru Outback in Ohio, United States
Jan 2015 - Jan 2018
Jan 2015

128000 mi

US $785
Left side bearings making noise. Had both replaced. 
Jun 2015

135000 mi

US $200
Ball joint replaced on front passenger side. 
Dec 2015

144000 mi

US $750
Replaced both front drive axles, cv joints and boots. Right side ball joint replaced. 
Jan 2016

145000 mi

US $1250
Clutch fork and slave cylinder failure. Hydraulics replaced, new clutch kit installed. 
May 2016

150000 mi

US $100
Replaced sway bar endlinks and bushings 
Subaru Outback in Indiana, United States
Dec 2010 - Sep 2014
Jun 2012

70000 mi

US $100
Rubber boots were torn on CV shafts. I replaced both front shafts. 
Feb 2013

82800 mi

US $130
The upstream O2 sensor needed replaced. The passenger side head gasket was leaking oil on to the exhaust. I replaced both gaskets. 
Nov 2013

93300 mi

US $30
Headlights seem to burn out every 6 months. 
Subaru Outback in Alberta, Canada
Sep 2009 - Jan 2012
Oct 2009

120900 mi

C $400
LR Wheel bearing 
Nov 2010

133920 mi

C $375
Oxygen sensor failed -- replaced with new part and computer reset 
May 2011

137640 mi

C $40
Right Front Inner CV boot split, and CV joint worn. Replaced complete axle assembly and replaced Left Front CV boots at same time Head light bulb socket damaged: replaced wiring. 
Aug 2011

140080 mi

C $600
Radiator fan motors stopped working -- replaced both. Limited radio reception -- wires in rear hatch wiring harness broken -- replaced harness. 2nd time in 2 years this has happened 
Dec 2011

143220 mi

C $1200
RF ball joint had play, replaced. Valve cover gaskets leaking 
Subaru Outback in Western Australia, Australia
Nov 2008 - Sep 2012
Aug 2009

30380 mi
The car has had an exhaust rattle since I've owned it and when I took it to the shop for a service, they removed a broken heat shield from RH front exhaust. 
Aug 2011

51000 mi

A $600
passenger central locking actuator died so it was replaced 
Subaru Outback in California, United States
Dec 2005 - Jun 2014
Dec 2005

8000 mi
Cruise control would shut off after about 30 seconds of use. Dealer fixed it at no charge by applying an ECU update (ECM CID E2ZJ113A), which not only fixed the problem, but made the cruise control work smoother than before. 
Jan 2006

10000 mi
Audio system kept switching from CD to radio. Radio replaced under warranty. 
Jan 2007

37000 mi
Ambient Temperature Sensor was bad causing outdoor temperature display to always read 72 degrees F. Fixed by dealer at no charge, even though the bumper to bumper warranty was over. 
Apr 2009

67000 mi
Left rear wheel bearing making loud noise, fixed for no charge by dealer under special extended warranty for this specific known problem. 
Nov 2009

71700 mi
Check engine light came on, was "catalytic efficiency low"... light reset, no repair, hasn't come on since -- may be related to recent recall that sometimes required replacement of the catalytic converters, which Subaru didn't do on mine. 
Jan 2010

71800 mi
Stereo refuses to accept CDs... was replaced under warranty for same problem a few years ago. Out of warranty now, will probably replace with aftermarket stereo some day, ignoring for now. 
Aug 2011

83300 mi
Rear wheel bearings replaced, again, under specifically lengthened warranty Replaced cats under pzev warranty 
May 2012

90000 mi

US $600
Torn CV boots. Design leads to early failure. Aftermarket axles cause horrible noise & vibration, three tries before trying Subaru rebuilt parts (new unavailable), which are still not as smooth as the originals. No shop would reboot them. 
Oct 2013

107000 mi

US $50
Started car to loud sound of stuck valve, immediately shut off and checked oil level (was fine). On restart, noise went away. Did an engine oil flush as precaution, no problem since. Worried about recurrence, but seems OK for now. 
Nov 2013

107000 mi

US $250
Right strut bearing plate was failing, replaced. 
Jan 2014

86500 mi

US $250
Brake caliper leaking badly, fluid low, light on. Had to replace caliper. Non functional backup lights, mechanic found a broken wire in the bundle going to the hatch. 
Feb 2014

111100 mi
Cannot fill with fuel, problem with evaporative system. Mechanic unable to diagnose without special tools, told me to take it to the dealer. Haven't done so yet 
May 2014

114000 mi
AC apparently has a slow leak -- needed to be recharged. It was intermittently stopping. Could not add fuel more than about 1 gallon at a time before pump would shut off. Evap valve defective. Covered by PZEV warranty. Keyless entry would not lock the rear hatch. Dealer replaced latch for $250 (when I told them I didn't think that was the problem), which didn't fix it. Refunded and fixed bad wire for free due to initial mess-up. 
Subaru Outback in Maine, United States
Mar 2009 - Apr 2011
Aug 2009

58000 mi

US $82
replaced an A/C pulley 
Apr 2011

76000 mi

US $85
catalytic converter was replaced bearings in front passenger wheel 
Subaru Outback in Virginia, United States
Mar 2011 - Jul 2016
Dec 2011

101000 mi

US $260
Oil seal missing from dealer service @ 90,000 miles. Spark plug insulation ceramic broken, engine misfiring. All denied by Subaru dealer. 
Jun 2012

105000 mi

US $195
Replaced front left wheel bearing, rotors, front brakes. 
Mar 2014

121000 mi

US $167
Power steering pump went out over the past few months. Replaced. 
Dec 2014

129000 mi

US $1500
Water pump leaking, replaced. Thermostat replaced. Several leaking bits on the engine repaired: Cam seals leaked, were replaced. Oil on serpentine and timing belts, which necessitated replacement, too. Original belt tensioner replaced. Hydrolic line to clutch seeping, replaced. Power steering pump and top o-rings replaced after noises and jerkiness in steering. Leaks in o-rings on inlet side of pump noticed, so o-rings replaced. 
Sep 2015

138000 mi
CV boot ruptured, spraying grease all over the engine compartment. Thought it was a blown head gasket, had it diagnosed and a new CV boot was packed and installed. 
Apr 2016

148700 mi

US $550
Right rear wheel bearing worn out and noisy. Replaced. Other front cv joint boot ruptured. Replaces and repacked. 
Jun 2016

152000 mi

US $350
Bad coil cased misfire on #1 cylinder. Replaced coil, plugs, plug wires. 

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2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Wagon

168-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD

Subaru Outback in Maryland, United States
Jun 2013 - Jan 2021
Jan 2016

57700 mi

US $124
Hood latch stopped working and had to be replaced. 
Sep 2016

66000 mi

US $50
One windshield wiper stopped working. 
Jun 2017

71000 mi

US $1100
Needed new catalytic converter and oxygen sensor. 
Sep 2017

74000 mi

US $150
Rear latch jammed and wouldn't close. Mechanic disassembled and lubricated latch. 
Apr 2018

81000 mi

US $350
Passenger side rear wheel bearing was very noisy and had to be replaced. 
Subaru Outback in Utah, United States
Feb 2015 - Apr 2015
Apr 2015

172000 mi

US $322
Rear sway bar endlink replacement Parking light switch relay issue stopping taillights from turning on with headlights 
Subaru Outback in Illinois, United States
Jun 2016 - Jul 2016
Jul 2016

92000 mi

US $40
Front right, inner CV boot ripped. I repaired it myself for $40. 
Subaru Outback in Colorado, United States
Aug 2016 - Dec 2017
Aug 2016

193000 mi
Took the car into the shop just to have an inspection done and see what kind of work needed to be performed in the future. The mechanic found that my cars oil leak was comin from the head gasket. No work performed. 
Sep 2016

193000 mi

US $100
Exhaust had a hole in the pipe after the resonator. Bought a used oem cat back and replaced the old one with it. 
Nov 2016

193600 mi

US $60
Stabilizer bar link on left side broke. Was rusted on too much to break loose. Needed to saw the bolt off before I could replace it. Used a small hack saw. Took a whole to saw it off. Replacement was easy after that. 
Subaru Outback in New Zealand
Mar 2015 - Apr 2017
Oct 2015

124000 mi

$1400
Cambelt replacement 
Subaru Outback in Ohio, United States
- Jul 2007
Jul 2007

16050 mi
Brakes checked by dealership, window trim replaced. Both covered by warranty. 
Subaru Outback in Newfoundland / Lab., Canada
Dec 2014 - Oct 2015
Feb 2015

78320 mi

C $20
Power steering difficult. Replaced O-ring on power steering pump and replaced fluid. Had to wait 3 weeks for dealer to source O-ring. 
Jul 2015

79460 mi

C $600
Replaced transmission shifter cable and bushing Replaced worn alternator belt 
Oct 2015

79980 mi
Torn front passenger side cv boot 
Subaru Outback in Massachusetts, United States
Nov 2014 - Dec 2014
Nov 2014

139000 mi

US $531
Tension bar and pulley system broke, breaking fan belt and killing battery 
Subaru Outback in Illinois, United States
Aug 2014 - Jun 2015
Mar 2015

70000 mi
NVH problem when hitting 2,200RPM. Repair shop tightened rear bumper fasteners and noise went away. 
Subaru Outback in Georgia, United States
Aug 2014 - Jul 2017
Dec 2016

127000 mi

US $5700
Thrown rod due to head gasket failure. New short block installed. 
Jul 2017

145000 mi

US $350
Passenger CV axle replaced 
Subaru Outback in Missouri, United States
Sep 2014 - Jan 2015
Oct 2014

64300 mi

US $4000
the flywheel failed, taking out the clutch and the transmission in the process 
Subaru Outback in Texas, United States
Dec 2013 - Jan 2015
Nov 2014

64000 mi

US $300
Rear wheel bearings. 
Jan 2015

64000 mi

US $500
Front lower control arm bushing. 
Subaru Outback in Utah, United States
Jan 2011 - Mar 2013
Feb 2011

69705 mi

US $300
Just bought the vehicle. Air conditioner did not work. I put in some r134a and it came right back out a hole in the condensor. Replace condensor and o-rings. Dealer actually paid for new condensor, I replaced it myself.  Just bought the vehicle. Air conditioner did not work. I put in some r134a and it came right back out a hole in the condensor. Replace condensor and o rings. Dealer actually paid for new condensor, I replaced it myself. Total cost after r134a replacement $50 
Feb 2012

83000 mi

US $300
The front passenger side axle boot was cracked and leaking grease. The joint was not bad yet, so I just had the boot itself replaced. After returning from the dealer, I raised the car to work on a bearing and noticed that the cv boot on the drivers side had the clamp removed and was losing all the grease. The front drivers side, and the rear passenger side wheel bearings both needed replacing. It is a common problem with this model of outback, there was even an extended manufacturer warranty on the matter. 
Sep 2012

91000 mi

US $40
The headlights on this vehicle were designed to be on whenever the vehicle was running. There was no way to turn them off. As a result the headlights were burning out every 5 months. I disconnected the wiring harness that cause this. 
Subaru Outback in New Brunswick, Canada
Sep 2009 - Sep 2017
Nov 2010

63320 mi

C $150
Did not pass safety inspection, Front control arm rear bushing cracked and to much play Left and Right. Replaced with new bushings from dealer.  
Apr 2011

67760 mi

C $100
Front sway bar end links and rubber bushings. 
Sep 2011

74400 mi

C $430
Replaced front and rear struts and mounts 
May 2012

82400 mi

C $45
Torn inner passenger cv boot. Cleaned, lubed and reboot 
Sep 2012

86800 mi

C $45
Torn inner cv boot drivers front 
Jan 2013

88660 mi

C $12
Thermostat replaced as engine was running cold. 
Feb 2013

89360 mi

C $750
Left and right head gasket replacement. 
Jul 2013

93600 mi
Right rear wheel bearing began howling. There is a technical service bulletin about this and was covered by subaru extending the warranty to 8yrs/100k miles on the wheel bearing. 
Dec 2014

114700 mi

C $145
Top strut bearings left and right Replaced drivers side low beam as bulb was burnt out 
Apr 2015

121800 mi

C $27
Left lower ball joint 
Aug 2015

128380 mi

C $850
Drive shaft replaced. 
Jun 2016

140740 mi

C $175
Drivers side rear wheel bearing howling. Replaced and serviced rear brakes since I was in there. 
Dec 2016

148800 mi

C $25
Left ball joint worn out. Replaced ball joint 
Feb 2017

155000 mi

C $175
Replaced left front cv axle 
Subaru Outback in Virginia, United States
Nov 2009 - Jan 2022
Jul 2012

127000 mi

US $250
Clunking noise in front end...replaced sway bar end links 
Jan 2017

190000 mi

US $400
Replaced front lower control arms, ball joints, and sway bar end links. 
Subaru Outback in Michigan, United States
Feb 2014 - Feb 2015
Apr 2014

184000 mi

US $1000
Back end was jumping around over bumps; struts replaced 
Feb 2015

195000 mi

US $1400
Head gasket was leaking oil and needed to be replaced. 
Subaru Outback in New York, United States
Nov 2009 - Nov 2011
Jul 2010

94000 mi
Check engine light. Took to dealer they did not want to replace cat converted but charged me $100 to put on computer. has been a problem with this car for many many months. I would never get another subaru...pain in the a-- 
Nov 2011

123000 mi

US $1700
Bad oxygen sensors, cat converter...subaru warrant to 152,000 as have cal. emissions model..also had timing belt, serpentine belts and front left wheel work done on car...so far so good... 
Subaru Outback in California, United States
Dec 2009 - Jun 2022
Jan 2012

57700 mi

US $1840
Replaced all four struts. Replaced front passenger side CV/axle assembly. 
Dec 2014

60000 mi

US $1256
Battery failed test and was replaced. Trouble code was found to be related to carbon deposits in the throttle body. Throttle body was cleaned and inspected. 
Jan 2022

90000 mi

US $150
Drivers side window switch panel Rear hatch lift gate supports (gas struts) 
Feb 2022

90000 mi

US $250
Steering pump was leaking. Replaced the steering pump and supply line, and added an inline steering fluid filter per the pump manufacturer's instructions. 
Subaru Outback in Kentucky, United States
Sep 2005 - Jul 2013
Mar 2007

35000 mi
check engine light due to air brush problem. Dealer fixed it, covered by warrantee. 
Mar 2009

54000 mi

US $700
Malfunctioning mass air flow sensor. Warranty doesn't cover it after 3 years. This seems to be known problem for most subaru models. 
Sep 2009

59000 mi

US $10
car was making rattling noise in low gear, brought the car to local mechanic, he said he just needed to tighten up something underneath and charged $10. 
Jun 2010

68000 mi

US $500
noise from under the car, louder as car run faster. Dealer said bad rear wheel bearing. repair covered under the extended warrantee. 
May 2011

79300 mi
loose muffler realigned. 
Jun 2012

88000 mi

US $250
had to replace worn out CV joint. 
Dec 2012

88000 mi
replaced rear wheel bearing which was repaired less than a year ago. repair cost covered by the warrantee provided by the shop. 
Subaru Outback in South Africa
May 2009 - Jun 2011
Feb 2010

58280 mi

R 25
exhaust pipe broken in middle - had been damaged and repaired by previous owner 
Subaru Outback in New York, United States
Nov 2006 - Jul 2011
Jan 2007

65000 mi

US $1100
full tune up, plus transmission service plus timing belt 
Jul 2011

176000 mi

US $500
replace rear wheel hubs. third time on this car. replace front cv joints and axles. going back to show, think c/v was defective or damaged upon installation. 
Subaru Outback in Utah, United States
Aug 2006 - Jan 2008
Aug 2007

35000 mi
Four-wheel-drive system was binding during tight, low speed turning. Transmission shifting problems when cold. Ordered complete transmission/center differential component. 
Sep 2007

37000 mi
Four-wheel-drive system was binding during tight, low speed turning. Transmission shifting problems when cold. Subaru replaced the complete transmission/center differential component. 
Subaru Outback in Washington, United States
Apr 2006 - Jan 2018
Dec 2006

20000 mi
Headlight burnt out. From LegacyGT.com this seems to be a trend that the correct bulbs were not installed to account for the increased load due to the daylight running headlights. 
Aug 2008

37000 mi
Replaced rear wheel bearing on warranty extended to 100k miles by manufacturer. 
Dec 2009

56000 mi

US $20
Burned out right headlight replaced. 
May 2010

58700 mi

US $16
Burnt out headlight. 
Oct 2010

66000 mi

US $600
Replaced cracked lower control arm bushings that caused excessive inner tire tread wear, new front tires and front end alignment.  
Jun 2011

70000 mi

US $16
Another burnt out low beam headlight replaced. 
Jun 2012

85000 mi
Noisy left rear wheel bearing replaced under extended warranty. 
Oct 2012

90000 mi

US $17
burnt out right low beam headlight replaced. 
Nov 2013

99000 mi

US $15
Front struts replaced. Shop claims this is the reason for uneven tire wear on inside of front tires. Replaced driver's low-beam headlight. 
Aug 2014

105000 mi

US $18
Replaced passenger headlight, again. 
Sep 2014

106000 mi

US $350
Replaced front passenger-side wheel bearing hub due to noise. Replced front passenger-side axle half shaft with new OEM axle due to broken CV boot (inner). 
May 2016

122300 mi

US $18
Replaced driver side headlight due to burned out low beam. 
Sep 2016

124000 mi

US $17
Replaced another low beam burn out. 
Nov 2017

136000 mi

US $200
Driver side front half shaft replaced due to torn boot and left turn "clicking". 
Subaru Outback in Florida, United States
Oct 2008 - Sep 2017
Sep 2009

47000 mi

US $350
Inner front CV boot required replacement. 
Apr 2010

53000 mi

US $250
Rt front CV boot replaced. 
Nov 2012

80100 mi

US $1000
Front rack replaced. Chronic brake light failures. Replaced socket & lead wires. Problem remains. 
Dec 2014

101000 mi

US $750
replaced all rear brake parts. 
Aug 2016

117000 mi

US $850
front axle bushings, rear hub bearings 
Mar 2017

125000 mi

US $300
REPLACED REAR RIGHT HUB BEARINGS, BUSHINGS ON FR STEERING ARMS 
Subaru Outback in Pennsylvania, United States
Feb 2010 - Dec 2015
Sep 2011

88000 mi

US $200
CV boot split, replaced axle front passenger. New battery. 
Mar 2013

98000 mi
Wheel bearing started to make a loud noise they claimed was not a failure, it was covered by a free service they extended to 100,000 miles. Both rear wheel bearing have now been changed and are quiet again.  
Oct 2013

105000 mi

US $300
rubber bushing tore and needed replaced 
Apr 2014

110000 mi

US $30
Clunk noise over bumps. Replaced sway bar end links. 
Sep 2014

112000 mi

US $75
Replace driver side CV joint boot cracked 
Subaru Outback in Montana, United States
Jan 2010 - Sep 2011
Mar 2010

75000 mi
humming noise in rear of vehicle. Dealer replaced both rear wheel bearings under warranty extension 
Subaru Outback in Massachusetts, United States
Jan 2012 - Jan 2018
Feb 2012

136000 mi

US $600
Front axle shafts were noisy. Got them replaced with after market parts but those parts transferred vibration to rest of car. Returned to shop to have shafts replaced with OEM rebuilts. 
Aug 2016

180100 mi

US $2300
Replace leaking head-gaskets, water-pump. 
Subaru Outback in New York, United States
Nov 2011 - Sep 2013
Jan 2012

89000 mi

US $400
Broken CV boot front driver side, replaced with new axle due to mileage and previous failure of passenger side boot ~75K miles 
Mar 2013

105000 mi
Head gasket leaking. 
Subaru Outback in Rhode Island, United States
Feb 2012 - Dec 2015
Jul 2012

110700 mi
Remove and replace rear sway bar links and bushings 
Feb 2015

126900 mi

US $342
Both side front stabilizer links and bushings. Repair broken wires for reverse lights. 
Dec 2015

132000 mi

US $720
Replaced rear trailing arm and bushings four wheel alignment. 
Subaru Outback in Washington, United States
May 2012 - Jun 2015
Jan 2013

140200 mi

US $94
Sway bar bushings replaced. 
Sep 2013

130000 mi

US $450
Right front wheel bearing. Heat shield was making noise. 
Subaru Outback in Ontario, Canada
Dec 2013 - Mar 2014
Mar 2014

153760 mi
Head gasket failure 
Subaru Outback in Pennsylvania, United States
Jun 2011 - Mar 2014
Aug 2011

128000 mi

US $290
Replace front axle shaft...performed by local NTB Replace front axle shaft...performed by local NTB 
Feb 2012

137000 mi

US $1150
Head gaskets 
May 2012

142100 mi
Noisy right rear wheel bearing. Causing vibration. I've heard 2005 Outbacks are known for this issue. 
Nov 2012

154600 mi

US $400
Ball Joint 
Aug 2013

177000 mi

US $400
Replace all four stabilizer links 
Dec 2013

181000 mi
Lower control arm bushings replaced 
Mar 2014

181000 mi
Occasional clunk in passenger's side axle. 
Subaru Outback in California, United States
May 2011 - Jun 2011
Jun 2011

55000 mi

US $2600
Despite constant regular maintenance since day one my turbo blew at 37k miles. Subaru left me with the bill. I've found out that almost every other turbo is is blowing too. Don't buy this engine combo. 
Subaru Outback in Michigan, United States
Oct 2010 - Jul 2011
Jul 2011

80000 mi

US $140
AC problem. One day fix, refill the refrigerant. 
Subaru Outback in Washington, United States
Oct 2010 - Mar 2018
Dec 2010

81000 mi

US $953
Replaced both front half-shafts due to leaky CV joints. Replaced both front half-shafts. Seals on both were leaking. 
Jun 2011

90000 mi

US $1200
Performed 90,000 mile service, found oil in spark plugs. Replaced valve cover gaskets. Found two torn bushings, replaced. 
Oct 2011

98000 mi

US $2000
Head Gasket, Water Pump, 105,000 mile service (early) 
May 2014

131700 mi

US $400
Replaced headlamp after plastic clip melted and smoked inside of glass. Not a safety issue, but fixed anyway. 
Mar 2016

155000 mi

US $350
One rear wheel bearing going bad. Replaced it. 
May 2017

169800 mi

US $3000
Head Gasket replacement Replaced one rear wheel bearing Replaced leaking seal in front differential 
Subaru Outback in Florida, United States
Dec 2010 - May 2011
Apr 2011

53000 mi

US $1064
Right front CV axle boot busted, installed new axle assembly Left rear wheel bearing failing. Removed wheel bearing hub, installed new hub assembly. 
Subaru Outback in Connecticut, United States
Apr 2011 - Sep 2017
Aug 2011

90000 mi
Check Engine Light - Needs new Catalytic converter. Will schedule Check Engine Light - Needs new Catalytic converter. Will schedule 
Oct 2011

91000 mi

US $650
catalytic converter replacement. Dealer paid half of the cost. Subbed out to local exhaust shot, but is warrantying the repair themselves 
Aug 2017

140000 mi

US $678
replace sway bar and perform alignment 
Subaru Outback in California, United States
Oct 2007 - Jul 2009
Aug 2008

67000 mi

US $106
Replaced headlights. 
Oct 2008

70000 mi
Catalytic Converter Replaced 

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2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Sedan

250-horsepower 3.0L H6 5-speed shiftable automatic AWD

Subaru Outback in Alabama, United States
Mar 2015 - Apr 2020
Apr 2015

105000 mi

US $450
Replaced all four wheel hubs. Both back bearings were shot. 
Jun 2017

122000 mi

US $650
Transmission cooling lines detached from radiator causing complete loss of transmission fluid. Fittings were completely stripped requiring new radiator. 
Subaru Outback in Colorado, United States
Nov 2016 - Nov 2016
Nov 2016

110000 mi

US $2600
Head gasket 
Subaru Outback in Connecticut, United States
Mar 2008 - Mar 2010
Apr 2008

113000 mi

US $2000
Second turbocharger. First one rpelaced at 35000 under warranty. 
Subaru Outback in Michigan, United States
Feb 2008 - Feb 2010
Aug 2008

34500 mi
Rattle of heat shield on the exhaust system just above the CAT on the passager side of the car. Rattle coming from under car at highway speeds (above 45 MPH). Heat shield under middle of car on side ripped off. Correct by installing large washer and rebolting. Will have the dealer look at it at next visit. 
Oct 2008

36000 mi
Replace heat shield that was ordered earlier. Took longer then expected to get the part (or it never was ordered the first time)? 
Feb 2009

40000 mi
Heat Shield on the exhaust(different area) needed to be tightend. 
Jun 2009

43000 mi

US $20
Drivers side headlight bulb 
Subaru Outback in Texas, United States
Feb 2008 - Mar 2010
Mar 2008

35000 mi
Burned out headlight. 
Subaru Outback in Illinois, United States
Jun 2009 - Jan 2016
Mar 2011

102000 mi

US $50
wiper motor failed. 
Apr 2012

116200 mi

US $500
CV Boots (both front drive shafts replaced) Sway Bar Links 
Mar 2013

133000 mi

US $268
Replaced lower control arm bushings and sway bar bushings to get rid of some noise.  Some improvement but the dealer says I also need a front strut mount replaced to eliminate a persistent clank, which means I should go ahead and replace both front struts. 

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2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Sedan

168-horsepower 2.5L H4 4-speed shiftable automatic AWD

Subaru Outback in Ontario, Canada
Jun 2011 - Dec 2012
May 2012

63320 mi

C $250
Driver's side front window electric motor failed and required replacing. 

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2005 Subaru Outback 4-door

turbocharged 4-cylinder manual AWD

Subaru Outback in Colorado, United States
Sep 2006 - Mar 2010
Mar 2007

31000 mi
arm rest padding was warped. replaced it under warrantee 
Dec 2007

50000 mi

US $107
cruise control not working 

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See TrueDelta's information for all Sedans and Wagons.
See TrueDelta's information for all Subaru models.

2005 Subaru Outback Repair Histories

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 2005 Subaru Outback problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.