2021 Subaru Outback Electrical System Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/12/2026

69Electrical System complaints

23.7%Of all 291 complaints

#2Most-reported category

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

VISIBILITY/WIPER97 · 33.3%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM69 · 23.7%

Unspecified / other63 · 21.6%

ENGINE20 · 6.9%

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING18 · 6.2%

Share of the 291 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2021 Subaru Outback overview page.

What owners report

“Car won't start. Battery drained after in garage overnight. The lights weren't left on and keys far from car. This same thing happened after leaving…”NHTSA complaint 11444463 — filed 12/20/2021

“Purchased vehicle 1/2021. Currently has 8500 miles. For the past few months the dash/navigation system intermittently shuts down. Lose everything including speed/cruise/gps/radio. After a few…”NHTSA complaint 11443735 — filed 12/14/2021

“Battery dead after leaving in garage for a day. Happened three times and I brought it to dealer, and they charged battery and said it…”NHTSA complaint 11443722 — filed 12/14/2021

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

Electrical System complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2021 Subaru Outback have electrical system problems?

Electrical System is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2021 Subaru Outback: 69 of 291 complaints on file (23.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2021 Subaru Outback have in total?

291 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 8 involved a crash, 1 involved a fire, 3 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.

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.