2021 Subaru Outback vehicle speed control problems
18 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle speed control on the 2021 Subaru Outback — 6% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“I was already parked in a spot in a public parking lot. I tapped the accelerator pedal to move the car a few inches. The vehicle responded by violently accelerating, hitting a vehicle directly in front of me in another parking space. I applied my brake but the car would not stop. The force of the…”
filed Jul 6, 2026
“The failure involves the engine (powertrain), which was under warranty. The vehicle has experienced four catastrophic engine failures resulting in sudden loss of power, including at highway speeds (65–75 mph). The most recent failure also involved an oil-saturated catalytic converter. These…”
filed Mar 26, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Vehicle Speed Control problems in other Outback years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Outback | 2 | 3% |
| 2024 Outback | 3 | 3% |
| 2023 Outback | 3 | 3% |
| 2022 Outback | 4 | 1% |
| 2020 Outback | 18 | 2% |
| 2019 Outback | 26 | 3% |
| 2018 Outback | 21 | 3% |
| 2017 Outback | 28 | 3% |
| 2016 Outback | 20 | 3% |
| 2015 Outback | 26 | 5% |
| 2014 Outback | 14 | 7% |
| 2013 Outback | 26 | 9% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2021 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.