2012 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

View complaints related to 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 290 complaints submitted for the 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK
    - NAPLES, NY

    TAKATA RECALL THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN A AUTO SHOP SINCE 12/7/16 AND AFTER DIAGNOSTICS THE MECHANIC IS STILL UNABLE TO REPAIR. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS STILL ON. BOTH SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS, BOTH SIDE IMPACT SENSORS, AND THE AIR BAG MODULE WERE REPLACED. THE CODES ARE F2-SIDE SENSOR BUS LH COMMUNICATION ERROR. EA-SIDE SENSOR BUS RH COMMUNICATION. 41-SIDE AIR BAG RH FAILURE. 27 ODS COMMUNICATION ERROR. CANNOT CLEAR ANY CODES STILL. THEN INSTALLED TEST HARNESSES AT AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE AND ODS AND RIGHT SEAT AIR BAG MODULE. PERFORMED OHM TEST - NEED TO START WITH ODS AND BOTH SIDE AIRBAG MODULES. STILL DID NOT CLEAR AIR BAG LIGHT. SO THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. PLEASE INSPECT THIS VEHICLE ASAP THIS IS COSTING A FORTUNE. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO UPLOAD ANY THING OR I WOULD TRY.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK
    - CANYON COUNTRY, CA

    MY SUBARU OUTBACK (2012) IS STALLING WHEN I NORMALLY OR A LITTLE HARDER USE THE BRAKE.I HAVE TO ROLL IN AND STOP VERY SLOWLY. SOMETIMES IT'S EVEN STALL WHEN I'M GOING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY IN REVERSE OR JUST STARTING UP AT A GREEN LIGHT. IT'S STALLING EVERY DAY FOR THE LAS 3 WEEKS. (TODAY IS, FEBRUARY 23, 2017).

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK
    - MUSKEGON, MI

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V694000 (VISIBILITY); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK
    - ANCHORAGE, AK

    THE LEFT/RIGHT HEADLIGHTS, FRONT/REAR RUNNING LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ON MY VEHICLE BURN OUT AT A VERY RAPID RATE. TO DATE, I HAVE REPLACED ALMOST EVERY NON-LED LIGHT ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR AT LEAST ONCE. BOTH HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE (FOUR BULBS). COMPLICATING MATTERS, SUBARU CHARGES OVER $150 DO CHANGE A SINGLE HEADLIGHT IN THEIR SHOP. THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE REQUIRES COMPLETE DISASSEMBLY OF THE FRONT END TO ACCESS THE HEADLIGHTS. LIGHTS THAT BURN OUT SO FREQUENTLY ARE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING THE WINTER IS NOT THE TIME FOR BULBS TO BURN OUT. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH SUBARUS--THE 2011 OUTBACK HAS LIFETIME BULB REPLACEMENT. WHEN I CONTACTED SUBARU ABOUT MY ISSUES, I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO ISSUE WITH THE 2012 MODEL YEAR. THESE ISSUES HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2011. I HAVE SELECTED A GENERIC DATE THIS MONTH BELOW.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK
    - BELLEVUE, WA

    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. VERY DANGEROUS AS IT HAS STALLED WHEN I AM DRIVING UP A HILL, COMING OFF A FREEWAY, IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK
    - STONEWOOD, WV

    HIGH AND LOW BEAM BULBS CONSTANTLY BURNING OUT. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR 4 YEARS AND I REPLACE A LIGHT BUILD IN THE HEADLAMPS EVERY 4-6 MONTHS. USUALLY WHEN ONE GOES OUT ANOTHER WILL FOLLOW. EXAMPLE I REPLACED HIGH BEAM THEN 4 DAYS LATER THE LOW BEAM. GREAT VEHICLE BUT I HAVE REPLACED MORE BULBS FOR THE HEADLIGHTS OF THIS CAR THAN THE LAST 4 PAST OWNED VEHICLES COMBINED. BULBS USUALLY BURN OUT WHEN GOING FROM LOW TO HIGH OR VICE VERSUS. DEALER CLAIMS EVERYONE WITH SAME MODEL SPANNING DIFFERENT YEARS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY CLAIM IT DOES NOT MATTER BRAND OF BULB. I PURCHASED EXPENSIVE BULBS WITH A 1 YR WARRANTY FREE REPLACEMENT IF THEY BURN OUT KNOWING I WILL ONLY GET A FEW MONTHS OUT OF THEM. I WILL STILL HAVE THE HASSLE OF REPLACING THEM BUT ATLEAST I'M DONE BUYING THEM. SUBARU SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. WITH ALL THE AIRBAG RECALLS I DOUBT THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT HEADLIGHTS. NHTSA PLEASE HELP US DEALERS SHOULD FIX THESE VEHICLES BEFORE RESELLING THESE FAULTY VEHICLES!'

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK
    - LAKEWOOD, CO

    TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED PAINS TO THE NECK, CHIN, AND COLLAR BONE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED MEDICAL TREATMENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A YARD BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V014000 (AIR BAGS), BUT THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK
    - OAK HILLS, CA

    PURCHASED A USED 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK AND ABOUT ONE YEAR INTO OWNING IT, IT STARTED TO STUTTER WHEN COMING TO A STOP - AS IF IT WERE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND YOU DID NOT PUSH THE CLUTCH IN. IT WILL STUTTER AND THEN COMPLETELY DIE AND YOU HAVE TO PUT THE CAR BACK IN PARK OR NEUTRAL TO START AGAIN. IF BRAKING QUICK OR HARD, IT WILL ALWAYS DIE. GRADUAL STOPS ARE BETTER, BUT IN THE EVENT YOU NEEDED TO STOP FAST AND GET OUT OF THE WAY - YOU CANNOT. SEEMS TO BE AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD TO ME AND MY FAMILY OR ANYONE THAT WOULD HIT ME BECAUSE MY CAR STALLED, HOWEVER, WHEN CONTACTING SUBARU, THEY DO NOT FEEL IT IS AN ISSUE AND WANT ME TO PAY OVER $8000 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES ON IT. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND MANY, MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE 2010-2012 MODELS AND SUBARU ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN #16-90-13 DESIGN CHANGE TO LOCK-UP TYPE TORQUE CONVERTOR - SO THEY KNOW THERE IS AN ISSUE BUT DID NOT MAKE IT A RECALL - THOUGH THEY ALSO STATE THEY CHANGED THE ASSEMBLY AFTER 2012 BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES WITH THE CVT TRANSMISSIONS. ALSO WHEN RESEARCHING, MANY OTHER AFFECTED OWNERS STATE ONLY THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED AND WERE CHARGED ANYWHERE FROM $1300 TO $1800 TO ONLY REPLACE THAT - AND SOME STATED SUBARU PAID FOR IT ENTIRELY, OTHER SAY THEY REFUSED TO PAY - THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON I SPOKE WITH AT SUBARU STATED THEY WOULD ONLY DO A 'GOOD WILL GESTURE OF $2500 TOWARDS THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. I OWE $15,000 ON THE CAR, IT'S NOT WORTH THAT ON BLUEBOOK AND I DO NOT HAVE $5500 TO PAY FOR SOMETHING I FEEL THEY SHOULD FIX AS A RECALL.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK
    - AUKE BAY, AK

    MY HEADLIGHTS ON MY OUTBACK ARE CONSTANTLY GOING OUT. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN OCTOBER OF 2015 AND I HAVE REPLACED MY HEADLIGHTS 9 TIMES. I LIVE IN ALASKA WITH VERY LITTLE DAY LIGHT AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS HAVE MY HEADLIGHTS ON, REGARDLESS OF WHERE I LIVE. I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO NOT HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER FOR THIS YET BUT I CAN SEE IT HAPPENING IN THE NEAR FUTURE. PLEASE HELP.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK
    - AUSTIN, TX

    ENGINE SHUDDERS AND OCCASIONALLY STALLS WHEN COMING TO A HARD STOP. PROBLEM HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER, AND IS IDENTIFIED IN SUBARU TECHNICAL BULLETIN NUMBER 16-90-13R. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE, AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE