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2012 Subaru Outback Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 16 NHTSA recalls and 290 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

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Avoid This Year — 2012 Subaru Outback

The 2012 Subaru Outback is among the worst-performing model years for this vehicle. NHTSA data shows high complaint and recall activity. Strongly consider a different model year.

16
NHTSA Recalls
16 recalls on record
290
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
14
Crashes + Injuries
6 fire reports

Own or buying a 2012 Subaru Outback?

Check your specific VIN for open recalls, market value, full specs, and a free AI buyer summary.

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NHTSA Recalls — 2012 Subaru Outback (16)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Subaru dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #19V008000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #18V626000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #19V007000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #19V009000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #20V002000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #20V003000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #20V001000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #19V297000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #16V694000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #18V012000

Showing 10 of 16 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →

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Most Common Problems — 2012 Subaru Outback

Based on 290 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Power Train
107
Air Bags
36
Electrical System
32
Service Brakes
29
Engine
22
Unknown Or Other
19
Exterior Lighting
14
Steering
9
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Subaru Outback — Complaints by Year

Spike in a year = known problem year. The 2012 model year is highlighted.

2010 359 complaints 2011 649 complaints 2012 290 complaints 2013 294 complaints 2014 207 complaints 2015 500 complaints 2016 635 complaints

✅ Best model years: 2014 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2012 Subaru Outback

Is the 2012 Subaru Outback reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2012 Subaru Outback has 16 recalls and 290 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated issues — consider alternatives or a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2012 Subaru Outback have?
The 2012 Subaru Outback has 16 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Subaru Outback?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2012 Subaru Outback are: Power Train, Air Bags, Electrical System, Service Brakes. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2012 Subaru Outback safe to buy?
The 2012 Subaru Outback has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 16 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Subaru Outback should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Subaru Outback are: 2014. These show the lowest complaint rates.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.