2001 Subaru Outback problems
The 2001 Subaru Outback has 207 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (18%) concerns brakes. Next are fuel system (15%) and engine (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 207 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Brakes 18% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 18 and 6
- Injuries and deaths
- 7 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 75,000 miles 124 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 20 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 18 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 13 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 20 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 11 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 13 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 10 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 5 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 5 |
| 200k+ miles | 6 |
What the data shows
Of the 124 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 75,000 miles. For brakes specifically, the median reported mileage is about 31,000 miles (24 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 18 complaints mention a crash; 6 complaints mention a fire; 7 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2001 ranks 19th most-complained-about out of 31 model years of the Subaru Outback with enough data (124 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
When hit on their front left side of the vehicle the air bag did not deploy causing minor injuries to the consumer.
In 2003 at 74,000 miles the left gasket was replaced on 2001, subaru outback ltd. Wagon. In 2003 at 94,000 miles right gasket was replaced. 20 months later left gasket was blown out again. Two independent mechanics told consumer that right gasket was defective as well although the dealership told consumer no. Subaru of america paid for the repairs of both of the initial gasket replacements, but due to the mileage on the car they refused to cover this defective part.
I have gone through one head gasket on jan 2003. The head gasket went out in dec of 2003 and the whole engine had to be replaced. In january of 2004 I had the overhead camgaskets go out on the car as well as the the oxygen sensor. I have had more issues but it would be a small book. Subaru has been relativly unresponsive even after many phone calls and letters to my concerns. Every part was replaced however there seems to be a poroblem with my new engine since there is now an investigation within subaru.
Within 4 years, my subaru outback vcd needed 3 sets of brakes and 4 sets of rotors (not including the "resurfacing" to extend the rotors). Everytime when I brought the car to the dealership, they attribute the problems to my driving pattern. But I owned three other cars before (all were less expensive), and never needed to replace brakes nor rotors. As posted in this website, there are 13 other complains, with virtually identical problems.