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2005 Subaru Outback repairs by problem area

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Chart based on 484 repairs.

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2005 Subaru Outback repair cost distribution

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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.

See repairs for all Subaru Outback model years.

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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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 - Jun 2024
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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2005 Subaru Outback repairs by problem area

2005 Subaru Outback repair cost distribution

2005 Subaru Outback

2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Wagon

2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Wagon

2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Wagon

2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Wagon

2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Wagon

2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Sedan

2005 Subaru Outback 4dr Sedan

2005 Subaru Outback 4-door

2005 Subaru Outback Repair Histories