There are 7 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2002 Subaru Outbackin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
ALTHOUGH MY CAR IS NOT LISTED ON THE AIRBAG RECALL, I AM CONCERNED MY CAR MIGHT HAVE THE AIRBAGS FROM TAKATA. THE YEAR THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL STARTED IS 2000. MY CAR IS A 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK IS ON THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL LIST. HOW CAN I MAKE SURE MY CAR'S AIRBAGS WERE NOT MANUFACTURED BY TAKATA? *TR
WAS DRIVING MY RECENTLY BOUGHT 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK, WHEN MY CHILD WHO WAS SITTING IN THE MIDDLE SEAT IN THE BACK STARTED SCREAMING THAT THE SEATBELT WAS HURTING HER AND SHE COULDN'T BREATHE. I MADE AN EMERGENCY STOP AT A FULL SERVICE GAS STATION, JUMPED OUT AND TRIED GETTING THE SEATBELT UNDONE BUT IT WAS STUCK. RAN IN AND GRABBED A MECHANIC AND HE WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO RELEASE IT AND HE SAID THAT THE TENSIONER WAS BAD. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH WORSE CASE IF IT DIDN'T HAPPEN A BLOCK FROM HELP. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 37,000. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT TURNED THE IGNITION TO THE BATTERY POSITION TO USE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER, AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE FAILURE WAS. *AK UPDATED 06/19/07 *TR
EVERYTIME IT RAINS OR GO THROUGH A CAR WASH THE SEAT BELT GETS WET AND IS WORSE WHEN THE SEAT BELT HAS BEEN RETRACTED AS THE WET AREA NOW IS ALL ACROSS YOU. IT APPARENTLY IS MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE SUNROOF. WHAT IS THE REPAIR FOR THIS, NEW SEALS IN THE SUNROOF OR THE ROOF RACK MOUNTING HOLES? *JB
THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT IS EASILY UNSNAPPED. THE THUMB RELEASE BUTTON IS VERY SENSITIVE, THEREFORE IF MY ARM/ELBOW TOUCHES IT, THE LATCH WILL RELEASE. THE ACTUAL RELEASE IS DESIGNED SO THAT THE RELEASE BUTTON IS SLIGHTLY ELEVATED MAKING THIS POSSIBLE. ON MY 1994 LEGACY, THE BUTTON IS LEVEL OR SLIGHTLY RECESSED. THE SEATBELT HAS RELEASED SEVERAL TIMES UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. IT SEEMS IN A ROLL-OVER, SOMETHING IS GOING TO HIT THIS BUTTON, WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF RELEASE. THANK YOU, BOB. *AK
WHEN THE CONSUMER REMOVED THE CAR SEAT FROM THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICE THE SEAT BELT WHICH WAS MOUNTED IN THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE HAD CUT ACROSS HALF OF THE WIDTH OF THE BELT BY THE SEAT BELT HOUSING, WHICH CAUSED A TEAR, THE DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT BELT UNDER WARRANTY. *TS *JB
CONSUMER STATES THE LOCATION OF THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE RECEPTACLE IS SO LOW, THAT IT IS VERY DIFFCULT TO BUCKLE SEAT BELT INTO THE RECEPTACLE .CONSUMER AFRAID THAT IN THE WINTER, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BUCKLE UP, DUE TO MORE CLOTHING.CONTACTED DEALER.*JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026