1998 Subaru Outback problems & reliability
127 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1998 Subaru Outback, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
7 complaints report injuries (8 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 40 | 31% |
| Power Train | 19 | 15% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 10% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 | 10% |
| Air Bags | 11 | 9% |
| Visibility | 7 | 6% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 5% |
| Tires | 5 | 4% |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 3% |
| Unknown OR Other | 4 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 92,243 miles (middle 50% between 68,500 and 115,250 miles), based on 58 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“While driving in the city streets, I came to a stop and realized the car would not stop. When I took my vehicle to the mechanic he said 3 brake lines on my subaru outback 1998 had broken. I live in pennsylvania. This incident cost me $500 in repairs. I realize there is a recall for newer models, but my older subaru…”
Service Brakes · filed Jul 3, 2014
“On march 19, 2013, I was returning to my place of employment after picking up my outback from bloomington acura subaru, bloomington, mn after a clutch replacement when the hydraulic brake system had a total failure resulting in a near catastrophic collision with several vehicles. This vehicle was taken back to the…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Apr 4, 2013
“I was driving on interstate 90 in idaho at 62 mph when the hood latch failed. The hood was secured down all the way before the incident and had not been opened in two weeks. There had been over 100 miles of highway driving over 60 mph since the hood was last opened. The hood flew up with no safety catch or hesitation…”
Latches/locks/linkages · filed May 18, 2012
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
16 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1998 Subaru Outback. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin announces the recommended cleaning procedures to followed when encountering vehicles with long time exposure to pollen on painted surfaces on vehicles imported from Japan. This bulletin does not apply to…
12-249-23R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 11, 2023
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
01-167-08R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 23, 2022
This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure.
15-302-22 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 23, 2022
This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic essential information during diagnosis and repair of the Infotainment concerns. (Applicable to all models with Harman or Denso CP1 Infotainment).
15-192-22R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 2022
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models
01-167-08R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 2021
This bulletin is to advise of SOAâ s revised catalytic converter recycling program shipping procedure.
09-51-08R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 7, 2021
To help reduce confusion and increase technician efficiency, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) has developed the following cross reference list to help locate the appropriate Special Service Tool.
14-22-16R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 2021
Special Service Tools Cross Reference List.
14-22-16R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 4, 2020
All Models (Vehicle Cleaning- COVID-19Best Practices)
01-181-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2020
This Service Information bulletin announces instruction for application of additional lubrication between the brake caliper support and pad clips. This will prevent the pad from dragging due to corrosion buildup which…
06-68-19R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 11, 2019
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1998 Subaru Outback has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1998 Subaru Outback?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 92,243 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.