Is the 2017 Subaru Outback a bad year?
921 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Outback years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2017 Subaru Outback are in line with other Outback years. Electrical system and visibility and wipers stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2017 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 32,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 392 (43%) | 18k–44k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Visibility and wipersSTANDS OUT | 233 (25%) | 22k–52k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 47 (5%) | 6k–43k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 44 (5%) | 12k–48k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Speed control | 29 (3%) | 3k–35k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Body structure | 27 (3%) | 10k–36k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 24 (3%) | 5k–34k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Steering | 24 (3%) | 2k–20k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Fuel system | 16 (2%) | 4k–21k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Collision avoidance | 23 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Air bags | 16 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Lane assist | 9 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 7 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 6 (1%) | 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 32,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 921 complaints: 33 mention a crash · 3 mention a fire · 18 report an injury · 20 say the car was towed.
20 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
When the vehicle is placed in park it is not possible to remove the key. This leaves me stranded as I can not leave the vehicle.
The keys could not be removed from the ignition after shifting the car into park and turning the car off. The problem first appeared around september 2019 (Approximately 42,000 miles).
Driving back to michigan from florida, my 2017 Subaru outback (6000 miles) stalled twice unexpectedly in heavy traffic conditions on I75.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 32,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2017 Subaru Outback: 4
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. In the event of a crash necessitating passenger frontal air bag deployment, the air bag may not deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury.
In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be properly attached to the steering beam assembly. 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 affected vehicles may have improperly tightened attaching bolts for the front left and right brake calipers, wheel hubs, and the right stabilizer clamp. 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.
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. The loss of steering ability would increase 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: 207
Repair instructions Subaru sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2017 Subaru Outback. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Diagnostic procedures along with availability of new Engine Control Module (ECM) reprogramming files to address DTC P2404…
Step-by-step diagnostic procedure for resolving Remote Engine Start (RES) failures for both Telematics and remote engine start equipped vehicles
Diagnostic procedures to be used when DTCs B1571(REFERENCE CODE INCOMPATIBILITY IMMOBILIZER CM TO ECM) and B1572(IMM CIRCUIT EXCEPT ANTENNA CIRCUIT)…
Manual Correction to the diagnostic procedure for DTC B2A16 (Immobilizer Key Collation Diagnosis)
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Neighbouring years
2016 Outback: 643 complaints, keep it · 2018 Outback: 816 complaints, keep it.
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 2017 Subaru Outback a bad year?
921 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Outback years. At 32,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Subaru Outback?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: electrical system (392), visibility and wipers (233), transmission and drivetrain (47), engine (44), speed control (29).
How many recalls does the 2017 Subaru Outback have?
4 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 19V-910), Steering (NHTSA 16V-716), Suspension (NHTSA 16V-576), Steering (NHTSA 16V-292). 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.