Vehicle Data Hub

2005 Subaru Outback air bags problems

Owners reported air bags problems in 38 complaints for the 2005 Subaru Outback, 11% of the complaints on file. It is the 3rd most reported problem area for this model year.

At a glance

Complaints
38 11% of this year's complaints
Typical mileage
68,000 miles 12 complaints with mileage
Crashes and fires
3 and 1
Injuries and deaths
7 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

When air bags problems show up

Air bags complaints by mileage, 2005 Subaru Outback Complaints by odometer reading in 20,000-mile steps. The median is about 68,000 miles. 0k to 20k miles: 2 complaints 20k to 40k miles: 0 complaints 40k to 60k miles: 1 complaints 60k to 80k miles: 4 complaints 80k to 100k miles: 0 complaints 100k to 120k miles: 1 complaints 120k to 140k miles: 2 complaints 140k to 160k miles: 2 complaints 160k to 180k miles: 0 complaints 180k to 200k miles: 0 complaints 200k+ miles: 0 complaints 040k80k120k160k200k miles Typical: 68,000 miles
Based on 12 complaints that include mileage. 25% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.
View the numbers
MileageComplaints
0k to 20k miles2
20k to 40k miles0
40k to 60k miles1
60k to 80k miles4
80k to 100k miles0
100k to 120k miles1
120k to 140k miles2
140k to 160k miles2
160k to 180k miles0
180k to 200k miles0
200k+ miles0

What the data shows

Of the 12 air bags complaints that report mileage, the median is about 68,000 miles, and 25% were reported before 60,000 miles.

These complaints mention 3 crashes, 1 fire, 7 injuries.

What owners wrote

Tl*the contact owned a 2005 subaru outback. The contact stated that the brakes failed to engage and the vehicle crashed into a tree and caught fire. The air bags did not deploy. Four people were injured and police and fire reports were filed. A month prior to the accident, the vehicle was inspected and no failures were found. The vehicle was inspected after the crash and it was discovered that the tumbler system was defective. The VIN was unavailable at the time of the complaint.

September 2008 CrashFireInjury

My passenger side tanaka airbag was replaced in april. Within six months of this recall, my passenger side airbag indicator's buzzer and light (error code 26) continue to indicate a passenger in the seat without a passenger present. I feel this is a safety issue because I have been told by my subaru mechanic that the "passenger airbag may or may not deploy". I have found various blogs and forums indicating that I am one of hundreds to thousands that have this issue.

Reported at 149,000 miles, November 2016

Other problems reported for the 2005 Subaru Outback

Air bags problems in other years

Air bags problems across all Subaru models