1996 Subaru Outback Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Outback years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 30th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 46 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Subaru Outback. That ranks 30th out of 32 Outback model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (10 complaints, 22%), typically at around 115,000 miles. Complaints mention 12 crashes, 1 fire, 8 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 46owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 12complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Subaru Outback problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 22% | 115,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 8 | 17% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 11% | 87,696 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 9% | 169,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 9% | 186,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 7% | 87,696 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 7% | 87,696 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 4% | 519,496 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Subaru Outback recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:springs:coil springs
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with front coil springs originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new york, new jersey, new hampshire, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, and wisconsin, and in the district of columbia. The front coil springs were produced with poor paint quality which, after continued exposure to corrosive salt, can result in breakage of the spring.
Risk: Depending on the location of the fracture, a broken spring could move past the spring seat and contact a front tire. Some tires have deflated due to contact with a broken spring.
Fix: Dealers will notifiy customers to bring their vehicle to an authorize dealership to have a spring guard installed on both front struts to prevent tire puncture and replace any broken springs free of charge. Owner notification began september 18, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
Suspension:front:springs:leaf spring assembly:hanger,bracket
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger station wagon, sedan and sport utility vehicles. Due to improper welding, fractures can occur on the support bracket of the front transverse link.
Risk: Such fractures can result in partial or complete separation of the bracket causing a failure of the lower suspension mounting, leading to a loss of vehicle control.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace if necessary the front suspension support brackets.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Whenever the car has been parked in sub-zero temperatures for a minimum of three hours, the check valve in the brake booster vacuum hose will freeze in place and results in no power assist braking. The first application of the brakes would be normal as there was residual vacuum in the booster…
Recently purchased (1/17/14) vehicle a catastrophic loss after pax side t-bone @ a/b pillar subsequent to hill holder self-activation caused unrecoverable yawed slide/skid (to a non-inputted stop from 40-0mph in +/- .25mi.) during brake/downshift control input on (istha foia file)% uphill grade in…
Recently purchased (1/17/14) vehicle a catastrophic loss after pax side t-bone @ a/b pillar subsequent to hill holder self-activation caused unrecoverable yawed slide/skid (to a non-inputted stop from 40-0mph in +/- .25mi.) during brake/downshift control input on (istha foia file)% uphill grade in…
While driving very busy highway, the temperature gauge went all the way to "h". I pulled over and noticed some steam under hood. Added some water. A little later, still on "h". Mechanic who has serviced my 1996 subaru outback since i got it in 1998 said it had a blown head gasket, common with…
Car overheated without warning. Suspect headgasket failure allowing coolant to escape and engine to overheat . (potential for car to unexpectedly stall on interstate) upon internet search found that hundreds of the subaru 2.5l engines suffer from same condition (1995-1999)…
Other Subaru Outback years
← 1995 Outback · 1997 Outback →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Outback | 18 | 0 |
| 2025 Outback | 82 | 0 |
| 2024 Outback | 104 | 0 |
| 2023 Outback | 89 | 2 |
| 2022 Outback | 465 | 4 |
| 2021 Outback | 297 | 4 |
| 2020 Outback | 899 | 6 |
| 2019 Outback | 1,036 | 3 |
| 2018 Outback | 814 | 3 |
| 2017 Outback | 918 | 4 |
| 2016 Outback | 643 | 4 |
| 2015 Outback | 510 | 5 |
| 2014 Outback | 208 | 10 |
| 2013 Outback | 297 | 12 |
| 2012 Outback | 292 | 16 |
| 2011 Outback | 652 | 16 |
| 2010 Outback | 360 | 18 |
| 2009 Outback | 106 | 13 |
| 2008 Outback | 226 | 8 |
| 2007 Outback | 129 | 8 |
| 2006 Outback | 277 | 7 |
| 2005 Outback | 273 | 9 |
| 2004 Outback | 90 | 10 |
| 2003 Outback | 93 | 14 |
| 2002 Outback | 143 | 4 |
| 2001 Outback | 171 | 3 |
| 2000 Outback | 207 | 1 |
| 1999 Outback | 111 | 1 |
| 1998 Outback | 127 | 2 |
| 1997 Outback | 79 | 4 |
| 1996 | 46 | 2 |
| 1995 Outback | 2 | 1 |
See all Subaru Outback problems by year, every Subaru model, or the Subaru VIN decoder.
Similar Subaru models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Subaru Outback?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, air bags, power train problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 10 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Subaru Outback?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Subaru Outback a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Outback model years, the 1996 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.