2012 Subaru Outback Electrical System Problems
NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/12/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How electrical system ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 290 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Subaru Outback overview page.
What owners report
“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL, BRAKE SYSTEM, CHECK ENGINE, AND OIL TEMPERATURE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE…”NHTSA complaint 11131892 — filed 09/27/2018
“THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING A 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK COMPANY VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED…”NHTSA complaint 11097761 — filed 05/24/2018
“WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGWAY SUDDENLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS BLINKING AS WELL AS THE ABS LIGHT,,CONTROL LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT WERE ALSO BLINKING…”NHTSA complaint 11030292 — filed 09/28/2017
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Electrical System complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2012 Subaru Outback have electrical system problems?
Electrical System is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Subaru Outback: 35 of 290 complaints on file (12.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2012 Subaru Outback have in total?
290 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 14 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 10 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
