Is the 2012 Subaru Outback a bad year?
295 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 108, 9× a quiet Outback year.
Consider selling
Half of all transmission complaints about the 2012 Subaru Outback were filed between 70k and 130k miles. You're at 103,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2012 Outback owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 103,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 108 (37%) | 70k–130k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 51 (17%) | 86k–140k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Brakes | 39 (13%) | 44k–114k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Electrical system | 37 (13%) | 46k–107k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Air bags | 39 (13%) | 9k–74k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Exterior lighting | 18 (6%) | 28k–84k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Steering | 9 (3%) | 0k–23k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 9 (3%) | 29k–88k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 8 (3%) | 8k–80k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Body structure | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 103,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 295 complaints: 15 mention a crash · 6 mention a fire · 11 report an injury · 14 say the car was towed.
6 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
'went for a drive to run errands and then the transmission started shifting violently in the lower gears. After the third red-light, the transmission shifted so hard that the car shut off on me.
The CVT transmission failed while traveling at a high speed down the interstate with no warning.
At 70,000 miles my car started stalling when coming to a stop or slowing down. Shudders and stalls as I come to a stop.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 103,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2012 Subaru Outback: 16
These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine. The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The electronic parking brake (EPB) may not engage as intended, allowing the vehicle to rollaway if the transmission is not in the proper gear when parked. A vehicle rollaway can increase the risk of a crash.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Due to contamination, components within the windshield wiper motor bottom cover may interfere with each other. If an obstruction, such as a buildup of snow or ice prevents the wiper arms from being able to stop in the parked position, the wiper motor may overheat and the bottom cover may melt. If the windshield wiper motor overheats, the wipers may fail, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the wiper motor cover may melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Components inside the wiper motor bottom cover may overheat. If the components overheat, the wiper motor bottom cover may melt and potentially catch fire.
The moonroof glass may come loose or detach. The amount and position of the adhesive between the glass and retainer was inadequately applied. The moonroof glass can loosen and detach from the vehicle during driving, resulting in a potential road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
If the RES fob is dropped, the fob may malfunction and randomly transmit an engine start request without pressing the button. The engine may inadvertently start and run for up to fifteen minutes. The engine may continue to start and stop until the fob battery is depleted, or until the vehicle runs out of fuel.
These vehicles may be equipped with side curtain air bags that contain an incorrect propellant mixture for the initiator component used, resulting in insufficient output of compressed gas. The side curtain air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
These vehicles may be equipped with a brake master cylinder that could malfunction and cause an increase in the amount of brake pedal travel distance required to slow or stop the vehicle. The driver might misjudge the amount of brake pedal travel required to achieve the desired stopping distance. This could occur unexpectedly and without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Subaru: 170
Repair instructions Subaru sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2012 Subaru Outback. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Step-by-step diagnostic procedure for resolving Remote Engine Start (RES) failures for both Telematics and remote engine start equipped vehicles
Manual Correction to the diagnostic procedure for DTC B2A16 (Immobilizer Key Collation Diagnosis)
Diagnostic procedures to be followed when diagnosing engine oil leakage on FA and FB type engines
Diagnostic flow along with an IMPORTANT caution to follow for certain CVT solenoid related DTCs as listed
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Autoliv Air Bag Propellant Mixture
Neighbouring years
2011 Outback: 653 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2013 Outback: 297 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Subaru Outback year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Outback years side by side
Other Subaru models: Subaru Ascent · Subaru Crosstrek · Subaru Forester · Subaru Impreza · Subaru Legacy · Subaru WRX · Subaru XV Crosstrek. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2012 Subaru Outback a bad year?
295 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 108, 9× a quiet Outback year. At 103,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all transmission complaints about the 2012 Subaru Outback were filed between 70k and 130k miles. You're at 103,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Subaru Outback?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (108), engine (51), brakes (39), electrical system (37), air bags (39). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 70k–130k miles.
How many recalls does the 2012 Subaru Outback have?
16 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 20V-003), Air bags (NHTSA 20V-002), Air bags (NHTSA 20V-001), Electrical system (NHTSA 19V-297) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.