2000 Subaru Outback Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Outback years
- About as many complaints as other years 17th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 207 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000 Subaru Outback. That ranks 17th out of 32 Outback model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (42 complaints, 20%), typically at around 58,000 miles. Complaints mention 17 crashes, 5 fires, 7 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 207owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 17complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2000 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 42 | 20% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 35 | 17% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 30 | 14% | 34,470 | — | — |
| Suspension | 24 | 12% | 127,462 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 7% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 13 | 6% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 11 | 5% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 8 | 4% | 117,200 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 8 | 4% | 79,049 | — | — |
| Visibility | 6 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 2% | 79,049 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 2% | 124,400 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 2% | 98,272 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 2% | 193,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 2% | 48,883 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 1% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 1% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 1% | 114,700 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 1% | 94,500 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 1% | 141,204 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | 68,635 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 138,934 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2000 Subaru Outback recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:rear
Problem: This recall applies to certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Certain rear suspension subframe components were produced with poor paint quality which, after continued exposure to corrosive road salts for a period of several years, could result in rust-out of the component and possible breakage of the subframe.
Risk: If such breakage occurs while the vehicle is being operated, control of the vehicle could be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will clean and rust-proof the rear suspension subframe. Owner notification began july 14, 2003. 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.
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.
Rear sub frame rotted out in multiple places and broke loose while i was driving. There was a recall in 2003. The car was never repaired before i purchased it a few years ago. I had the car towed to doyle subaru in webster ny. They offered to cover the expense of the part but i would have to pay…
The 2000 subaru outback has a noxious smell from fuel in the cabin only in cold weather,that you must ride with the windows open until this dissipates. I called my local dealer to ask if they would have an idea of what is the problem and what would be an estimate for repair? I, just about got the…
Unknown component part/system. Drivers side headlight went out. Checked fuse and bulb which was still good; replaced bulb anyway and it still didn't work. Next day the other headlight also went out. Checked the same things. High beams, fog and parking lights still worked. My son jiggled the bulb…
I was advised by a mechanic on 4/20/15 that the rear cradle is very rusty, enough that i should avoid carrying heavy loads. I just noticed on this website that there was a recall in 2003 for inadequate rustproofing of that part; however, we never received notice of a recall. Can this be repaired or…
While driving at low speed on a town street the check engine light came on, followed by the odor of gas fumes. Subsequent inspection by experienced subaru mechanics revealed a simultaneous failure of the a/c compressor, catalytic converter, a headlight bulb and finally, a damaged fuel line that was…
Other Subaru Outback years
← 1999 Outback · 2001 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 | 298 | 4 |
| 2020 Outback | 900 | 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 | 293 | 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 | 207 | 1 |
| 1999 Outback | 111 | 1 |
| 1998 Outback | 127 | 2 |
| 1997 Outback | 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.
Similar Subaru models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2000 Subaru Outback?
Owners most often report power train, engine and engine cooling, tires problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 42 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2000 Subaru Outback?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2000 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 2000 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.