NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 917 owner complaints for the 2017 Subaru Outback.
One recall for this model year tells owners not to drive or to park outside until repaired:Steering, do not drive (16V-292). Check your VIN below to see whether yours is affected.
4Safety recalls
917Owner complaints
32Complaints citing a crash
3Complaints citing a fire
Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026
Recalled components: steering, air bags, and suspension. Most-reported area: electrical system (391 complaints, 43%; median mileage when it happened: 30,000).
4 safety recalls for the 2017 Subaru Outback
Do-not-drive and park-outside recalls first, then newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.
The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.
Risk: The loss of steering ability would increase the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting http://www.wtd65.service-campaign.com. Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65. Note: Until the vehicles have been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016.
A replacement air bag control module may have been installed that is not compatible with the passenger air bag module, possibly affecting air bag deployment.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating passenger frontal air bag deployment, the air bag may not deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began February 3, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUX-09.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Outback vehicles.
In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be properly attached to the steering beam assembly.
Risk: If the knee guard is not properly attached and the driver is not wearing a seatbelt, the knee guard may not be able to properly restrain the driver's lower body in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the knee guard welding on each vehicle's steering beam, replacing the beam as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTL-72.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured September 21, 2016, to September 23, 2016.
The affected vehicles may have improperly tightened attaching bolts for the front left and right brake calipers, wheel hubs, and the right stabilizer clamp.
Risk: If any of the front brake caliper, wheel hub or stabilizer clamp attaching bolts loosen or detach, the related components would also become loose and may detach possibly making the vehicle unstable and reducing the braking capability. These conditions would increase the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the bolts for proper torque, and replace any loose bolts, free of charge. The recall began on August 8, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTE-66.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Outback vehicles manufactured June 20, 2016, to June 23, 2016.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
The areas named in the 917 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Outback. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Electrical system391 · 43%
Most named: 12v/24v/48v battery (6); ignition (3) · Median 30,000 miles at failure (173 reports)
Visibility/wiper205 · 22%
Median 33,000 miles at failure (148 reports)
Powertrain47 · 5%
Median 27,000 miles at failure (32 reports)
Engine43 · 5%
Median 32,000 miles at failure (21 reports)
Visibility30 · 3%
Most named: windshield (26) · Median 49,500 miles at failure (30 reports)
Speed control28 · 3%
Median 20,000 miles at failure (19 reports)
Body structure26 · 3%
Most named: body (24) · Median 25,000 miles at failure (15 reports)
Unknown or other177 · 19%
Median 28,000 miles at failure (89 reports)
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Subaru Outback recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2017 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2020 Outback drew the most (720) and the 2017 drew 192.
Owner complaints
2017: 917 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Subaru Outback
Model year
Complaints
2016
643
2017
917
2018
811
2019
1,034
2020
897
2021
296
2022
463
2023
89
2024
102
2025
81
2026
16
Safety recalls
2017: 4 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Subaru Outback
Model year
Recalls
2016
4
2017
4
2018
3
2019
3
2020
6
2021
4
2022
4
2023
2
2024
0
2025
0
2026
0
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Subaru Outback SW AWD
Rollover risk 17.5%
Questions
What are the most common 2017 Outback problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: electrical system (391), visibility/wiper (205), powertrain (47). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2017 Subaru Outback safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2017 Subaru Outback earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
How do I check if my Outback has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Subaru dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: OUTBACK.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.