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2021 Subaru Outback Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 4 NHTSA recalls and 289 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

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53/100

Buyer Beware — 2021 Subaru Outback

The 2021 Subaru Outback shows a notably poor reliability profile for this model year. Consider an alternative year or have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.

4
NHTSA Recalls
4 recalls on record
289
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
7
Crashes + Injuries
1 fire report

Own or buying a 2021 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 — 2021 Subaru Outback (4)

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

🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #21V024000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #22V485000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #23V755000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #24V227000
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Most Common Problems — 2021 Subaru Outback

Based on 289 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Visibility/wiper
89
Electrical System
71
Unknown Or Other
46
Air Bags
16
Power Train
10
Visibility
10
Vehicle Speed Control
7
Forward Collision Avoidance
7
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Subaru Outback — Complaints by Year

Spike in a year = known problem year. The 2021 model year is highlighted.

2015 500 complaints 2016 635 complaints 2017 914 complaints 2018 798 complaints 2019 1,025 complaints 2020 889 complaints 2021 289 complaints 2022 448 complaints 2023 84 complaints 2024 2 complaints 2025 61 complaints

⚠ Years to avoid: 2017, 2019 — These model years show significantly elevated complaint activity.

✅ Best model years: 2023, 2024, 2025 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2021 Subaru Outback

Is the 2021 Subaru Outback reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2021 Subaru Outback has 4 recalls and 289 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated issues — consider alternatives or a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2021 Subaru Outback have?
The 2021 Subaru Outback has 4 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 2021 Subaru Outback?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2021 Subaru Outback are: Visibility/wiper, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Air Bags. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2021 Subaru Outback safe to buy?
The 2021 Subaru Outback has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 4 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: 2023, 2024, 2025. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years to avoid: 2017, 2019.
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.