2010 Subaru Outback Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
20/100
#13 most-complained of 16 Outback years
The 2010 Subaru Outback ranks 13th of 16 model years with a Complaint Index of 20, earning a "Best" verdict relative to other Outback years. NHTSA lists 356 complaints and 18 recalls, with Transmission & Powertrain the top problem area at 26% of complaints.
- Complaints
- 356
- Recalls
- 18
- Crashes / fires
- 12 / 3
- Injuries / deaths
- 8 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 22
- 19 city / 27 hwy
Top 2010 Subaru Outback problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain93 (26%)
- Engine77 (22%)
- Electrical System61 (17%)
- Airbags44 (12%)
- Steering41 (12%)
- Brakes40 (11%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires31 (9%)
- Other21 (6%)
- Structure & Body18 (5%)
- Visibility & Wipers8 (2%)
What owners report
- Owners report the engine surging or lunging forward unexpectedly at low speed while parking, even with the brake applied.
- Some describe sudden loss of engine power or acceleration control while driving at moderate speeds, leading to loss of vehicle control.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy during head-on or rollover crashes at highway and icy-road speeds.
- One owner reported the windshield wiper motor caught fire after the headlights were turned on.
- Several owners report the vehicle would not restart after being placed in park, tracing back to an ignition connection issue.
2010 Subaru Outback recalls
18 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 20V001000Jan 2, 2020Airbags258,813 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
- NHTSA 20V003000Jan 2, 2020Airbags111,562 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
- NHTSA 20V002000Jan 2, 2020Airbags127,547 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
2010 Subaru Outback fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 19 MPG
- Highway
- 27 MPG
- Combined
- 22 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,950
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2010 compared with other Outback years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2010 Subaru Outback reliable?
- Relative to other Outback model years, the 2010 ranks well, placing 13th worst of 16 years with a Complaint Index of 20 and a "Best" verdict.
- What are the most common problems with the 2010 Subaru Outback?
- NHTSA data shows Transmission & Powertrain complaints lead at 26% of the 356 total complaints, followed by Engine issues at 22% and Electrical System issues at 17%.
- Does the 2010 Subaru Outback have recalls?
- NHTSA lists 18 recalls for the 2010 Outback, covering airbags, the electrical ignition switch, and the electronic parking brake, with none classified as do-not-drive.
- How does the 2010 Outback compare to other years?
- With a Complaint Index of 20, the 2010 Outback performs better than years like 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, which carry "Avoid" verdicts with indexes of 87, 80, 100, and 93 respectively.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2010 Subaru Outback?
- EPA rates the 2010 Outback at 22 mpg combined (19 city / 27 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,950.