1997 Subaru Outback Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Outback years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 29th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 79 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Subaru Outback. That ranks 29th out of 32 Outback model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (24 complaints, 30%), typically at around 103,895 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 79owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 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 | 24 | 30% | 103,895 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 9 | 11% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 8 | 10% | 139,469 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 10% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 5 | 6% | 129,250 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 5% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 4% | 138,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 213,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Subaru Outback recalls (4)
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.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The throttle shaft ball bearing on the sensor side of the throttle body assembly was not installed in certain throttle bodies.
Risk: Operation of a vehicle with a missing throttle shaft bearing can eventuallly lead to an incomplete return of the throttle valve resulting in a high idling condition.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the throttle body and replace the throttle assembly if the bearing is missing.
Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. Due to poor welds, ignition keys can stick, shift levers/linkages can break and shift levers can move.
Risk: This condition can cause unexpected movement of the vehicle increasing the risk of a crash or property damage.
Fix: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission shift lever assemblies (except the handle grip).
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.
Noticed a leak of fluid from passenger side by the rear wheel. Determined it was gasoline. Upon inspection found fuel leaking from the filler tube to the gas tank. Got the car to a subaru repair shop and was told this is a common problem. There is no undercoating applied to the tube. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 subaru outback. The contact was driving at relatively low speeds and depressing the brake pedal in an attempt to park when the vehicle abnormally accelerated. The contact proceeded to crash into a vehicle ahead of him. There were no reported injuries. This was not the…
Driving along i-495 southbound in massachusetts just before exit for i-90. Speed was 65 mph. Hood latch failed causing the hood to come up without warning. The windshield was smashed, the roof was dented, and the hood was bent with the hinges partially deformed and cracked. The hood hadn't been…
I bought a 97 subaru legacy outback wgn and found out the block was cracked in cyl3 after tear down for gasket replacement,now put together and now won't start. *tr
Fuel filler neck rusted causing gas to leak out onto garage floor and while driving and filling tank. Vehicle was brought into dealership for repair to replace the rusted fuel filler neck. From research and comments from dealership, this is a very common problem with this make of vehicle. *tr
Other Subaru Outback years
← 1996 Outback · 1998 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 | 79 | 4 |
| 1996 Outback | 46 | 2 |
| 1995 Outback | 2 | 1 |
See all Subaru Outback problems by year, every Subaru model, or the Subaru VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Subaru Outback?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, service brakes, hydraulic, power train problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 24 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Subaru Outback?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 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 1997 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.