Which Subaru Outback years have the most electrical problems?

The 2018, 2019 and 2020 model years have the most owner complaints in this area, and 2019 has the most. The 2021 and 2022 years have fewer. Newer years show few complaints, but they have had less time on the road to collect them.

Why does my Subaru Outback battery keep dying?

Owners report drains while the car sits for a day or more. On 2019 cars, several dealers traced it to the data communications module not fully going to sleep. Other dealers found no fault. One 2018 owner was told that trips under 45 minutes cause a net energy loss.

Is it safe to drive an Outback with electrical problems?

It depends on the symptom. A dead battery strands you. Reports of lost power while driving, failed restarts after auto start-stop, and driver-assist dropouts are more serious. Have any of these diagnosed before relying on the car, and ask for the repair in writing.

Is there a recall for Outback electrical problems?

Federal recall records list one in this area. It covers 2018 Legacy and Outback cars with a software error that can delay the low fuel light and show a wrong miles-to-empty reading. Dealers reprogram the combination meter free. It does not address battery drain.

How much does it cost to fix Outback electrical problems?

Two 2018 owners paid $170 and $176 for a new battery, but replacements often failed to stop the drain. One owner says a replacement screen would be out of pocket. Independent repair-cost data puts the model's overall yearly repair cost at $607.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Subaru Outback Electrical Problems

Dead batteries are the most common electrical complaint on the Subaru Outback, often hitting new cars within days of parking.

Owner complaints: 984
Share of all complaints: 27%
Crash / fire / injury reports: 8 / 8 / 1
Related recalls: 1

Outback electrical complaints by model year

The 2018, 2019 and 2020 model years carry most of the electrical complaints, with 2019 the highest. Those years also have the highest rates per vehicle sold. The 2021 year has far fewer, and 2022 fewer still. The 2023 through 2026 years show very few complaints, but they have had little time on the road to collect any, so low counts there do not prove those years are trouble free. Their reports lean toward screen and infotainment faults rather than battery drain.

2018
248 · 13.9/10k sold
2019
354 · 19.5/10k sold
2020
245 · 16/10k sold
2021
70 · 4.5/10k sold
2022
39 · 2.6/10k sold
2023
15 · 0.9/10k sold
2024
9 · 0.5/10k sold
2025
4 · 0.3/10k sold

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA under electrical system. Newer model years have had less time to collect complaints.

What goes wrong

Batteries that go dead are the core problem. Owners park the car for a day or a few days, come back, and it will not start. A jump gets it going, then it fails again. Many cars go through several batteries, and dealers often say the battery tests fine. After a drain, other systems act up: EyeSight shuts off, power steering stiffens, and warning lights come on. Newer cars shift toward touchscreen freezes and reboots that take the backup camera and adaptive cruise with them.

The risk goes beyond a car that will not start. Some owners report losing all power while driving, and others report the engine failing to restart after auto start-stop, which strands cars in traffic. Fire reports exist, including a smoking driver side mirror on 2018 cars and total power loss followed by an engine compartment fire on 2022 cars. Several crash reports involve sudden acceleration in parking lots or driver-assist systems that stopped working. Electrical trouble is 27% of all complaints on this model.

Symptoms owners report

Battery dies while parked

The car sits for a day or a few days and will not start. Jump starts hold for a short time, then the problem returns. Replacement batteries often fail too, and some owners are on a third or fourth battery. Dealers frequently find nothing wrong.

Screen freezes and reboots

The infotainment screen goes black, lags, or restarts while driving. On some cars the backup camera, EyeSight, adaptive cruise and climate control drop out with it. On 2019 cars the touchscreen delaminates and makes selections on its own.

Power loss while driving

Some cars lose all power at speed or at a red light. Others fail to restart after auto start-stop, which has stranded cars in intersections and highway lanes. One 2018 owner drove home in limp mode on a failing battery.

Smoke and fire

On 2018 cars, the driver side mirror smokes from a short in the approach light module, blowing a fuse and knocking out tire pressure monitoring and remote locking. On 2022 cars, owners describe lost power, then smoke and an engine compartment fire.

Driver-assist systems drop out

A wiring harness fault on one 2022 car left dash lights on and disabled the driver-assist systems, and replacing the harness did not fix it. Other owners report EyeSight shutting off after a battery drain.

Screen pop-ups and distractions

On 2024 and 2025 cars, SiriusXM promotional ads cover the screen while driving, even for owners who opt out. Some head units go dark on the expressway while the engine keeps running, and air conditioning and turn signals stop working.

When the problems start

Battery trouble often starts very early. Some 2020 owners report a dead battery with less than 100 miles on the car. One 2018 battery failed at 9,000 miles, and original 2018 batteries have failed as early as 17,120 miles. On 2019 cars, trouble often starts around 30,000 to 35,000 miles.

Repairs and recalls

Owners most often report battery replacements, with two 2018 owners paying $170 and $176. The fix often does not last. On 2019 cars, several dealers traced the drain to the data communications module (DCM), while others found no drain. Dealers also update software, replace a wiring harness, or say a fault is normal. Replacement screens are often back-ordered, and one owner understood Subaru would not cover a new screen. One federal recall covers 2018 Legacy and Outback cars: a software error can keep the low fuel light off and show a wrong miles-to-empty number. Dealers reprogram the combination meter for free. It does not cover battery drain.

Model years	Campaign	Problem
2018	18V773000	Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the…

Checking a used Outback for electrical problems

Ask for battery replacement history and receipts. A car on its second or third battery points to a drain that was never solved.
Let the car sit a few days before the test drive, if the seller allows it, and see whether it starts cleanly.
Run the touchscreen for several minutes. Look for lag, ghost inputs, bubbling or lifting film, and a backup camera that freezes.
On a 2018, inspect the driver side mirror and ask whether the approach light module was ever repaired.
Run the VIN for the 2018 low fuel warning recall and confirm the dealer reprogrammed the combination meter.
Check that EyeSight, adaptive cruise and tire pressure monitoring work with no warning lights after a restart.

1 electrical recall cover the Subaru Outback. A VIN check shows whether the car you're looking at had its recall work done, plus accident and title history.

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