2001 Subaru Outback Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Outback years
- About as many complaints as other years 18th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 171 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Subaru Outback. That ranks 18th out of 32 Outback model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel system, gasoline (26 complaints, 15%), typically at around 79,400 miles. Complaints mention 16 crashes, 5 fires, 7 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 171owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 16complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 26 | 15% | 79,400 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 25 | 15% | 30,556 | — | — |
| Power Train | 23 | 13% | 25,750 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 22 | 13% | 87,600 | — | — |
| Suspension | 19 | 11% | 157,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 17 | 10% | 41,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 15 | 9% | 155,490 | — | — |
| Tires | 9 | 5% | 29,250 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 2% | 102,611 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 2% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 2% | 72,500 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 2% | 45,485 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 2% | 74,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 1% | 59,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 1% | 23,750 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 100 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 165,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 230,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 Subaru Outback recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Vehicle speed control:cables
Problem: On certain passenger sedans, wagons, and sport utility vehicles, the cruise control cable could come out of its track on the cruise control lever and lodge on the control lever tab when the accelerator pedal is released. If this condition occurs, the throttle will not return to the idle position and will remain in an open position.
Risk: If this occurs during vehicle operation, the driver could lose control of the vehicle, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a cruise control cable retaining clip to the cruise control lever tab on the throttle shaft in order to prevent the cruise control cable from coming out of its track. Owner notification began on april 12, 2004. Owners should contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
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.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions were produced with an improperly manufactured transmission parking rod. When the transmission selector lever is placed in the "p" (park) position, the transmission park mechanism, that is intended to hold your vehicle, may not engage.
Risk: The vehicle could then move/roll without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission parking rod assembly. Owner notification january 8, 2003. An interim owner notification will be sent during november 2002. 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.
I contacted subaru's customer service number and told them that the subframe was broken and that they needed to fix the problem and they said i would have to pay out of pocket and that the recall was completed in august 2005 but the subframe is completely rusted out and broken please contact subaru…
During cold weather, there is a very strong smell of gasoline inside the car. It's coming from a fuel leak near the passenger side of the engine. I first noticed it about 4 years (60,000 miles) ago. The car currently has 150,000 miles on it. It hasn't been fixed yet. It hasn't caught fire yet…
My son was driving this car on may 23, 2015 when he was involved in a single car accident. The car was immediately engulfed in fire and he died as a result of the fire.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 subaru outback. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for service and it was diagnosed that the rear sub-frame was severely corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The vin was not included in the nhtsa campaign number: 03v153000…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 subaru outback. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic because the check engine light was illuminated. While the vehicle was being lifted, the mechanic noticed that the rear subframe was extremely corroded. The contact was informed by…
Other Subaru Outback years
← 2000 Outback · 2002 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 | 171 | 3 |
| 2000 Outback | 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 2001 Subaru Outback?
Owners most often report fuel system, gasoline, service brakes, hydraulic, power train problems. The top one, fuel system, gasoline, accounts for 26 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Subaru Outback?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 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 2001 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.