2011 Subaru Outback electrical system problems
67 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the electrical system on the 2011 Subaru Outback — 10% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Subaru Outback. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of the purchase on 2/26/2026, the mileage was 95,999. The contact found a bill of sale from 07/29/2026, that stated that…”
filed Aug 3, 2026
“Coolant leak, steering power fluid leak, break pad leak, gasoline line leak, seat heater, clicking noise after turning off car, leaking seats and rear view mirror also leaking, steering wheel expanding due to possible air bag, heater and ac vents lose and also chemical smell/gas/coolant coming from…”
filed Dec 31, 2024
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- Ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switchCampaign 19V297000 · Apr 11, 2019
Related service bulletins
This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or…
15-308-23R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 20, 2026This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
15-304-22R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 13, 2026Techtips newsletter locator index.
Article Locator · Other · issued Aug 5, 2026This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure. This is an revised version of the original bulletin
15-333-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 2026
Electrical System problems in other Outback years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Outback | 12 | 15% |
| 2024 Outback | 16 | 16% |
| 2023 Outback | 17 | 19% |
| 2022 Outback | 51 | 11% |
| 2021 Outback | 75 | 25% |
| 2020 Outback | 258 | 29% |
| 2019 Outback | 363 | 35% |
| 2018 Outback | 265 | 33% |
| 2017 Outback | 391 | 43% |
| 2016 Outback | 309 | 48% |
| 2015 Outback | 127 | 25% |
| 2014 Outback | 32 | 15% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2011 Subaru Outback
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.