2008 Subaru Outback Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/12/2026

102Air Bags complaints

45.1%Of all 226 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS102 · 45.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM34 · 15%

SERVICE BRAKES30 · 13.3%

ENGINE14 · 6.2%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING11 · 4.9%

Share of the 226 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2008 Subaru Outback overview page.

What owners report

“TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO…”NHTSA complaint 10837463 — filed 02/22/2016

“TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO…”NHTSA complaint 10837429 — filed 02/22/2016

“TAKATA RECALL TRIED TO SCHEDULE THIS RECALL REPAIR AND THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP STATES THEY DON'T HAVE PARTS TO FIX THIS, EVEN STATING THAT THE PART…”NHTSA complaint 10837336 — filed 02/20/2016

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Subaru Outback have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the most-reported problem area on the 2008 Subaru Outback: 102 of 226 complaints on file (45.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2008 Subaru Outback have in total?

226 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 12 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, 6 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.