2008 Subaru Outback Electrical System Problems
NHTSA has 44 owner complaints about electrical problems in the 2008 Subaru Outback, 19% of all 226 complaints for this model year. That is #14 highest electrical complaint count among 21 Outback model years. These complaints report 1 fire. Median mileage at failure: 77,000 miles.
- Electrical System complaints
- 44
- 19% of 226
- Crashes reported
- 0
- Fires reported
- 1
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 77,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 2
When 2008 Subaru Outback electrical complaints were filed
First complaint Dec 19, 2007, latest Jun 24, 2026.
Electrical System recalls for the 2008 Subaru Outback
- NHTSA 19V297000Apr 11, 2019Electrical System511 vehicles
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
Risk: The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.
- NHTSA 16V738000Oct 13, 2016Electrical System100,127 vehicles
Electrical system
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.
Risk: If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.
Electrical System complaints by Outback model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the 2008 Subaru Outback have electrical problems?
- NHTSA has 44 owner complaints about the electrical in the 2008 Subaru Outback, 19% of all complaints for this model year. Median mileage at failure is 77,000 miles.
- Which Subaru Outback year has the most electrical complaints?
- The 2017 Subaru Outback has the most electrical complaints (396), compared with 44 for the 2008.
- Is there a electrical recall for the 2008 Subaru Outback?
- Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns for the 2008 Subaru Outback concern the electrical: 19V297000 and 16V738000.