There are 1 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2009 Subaru Outbackin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
MY 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK BEGAN IDLING ERRATICALLY IN NOVEMBER 2009, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD WHEN SLOWLY ENTERING PARKING SPACES AND RESULTING IN ROAD SERVICE PULLING ME FROM A DITCH AT THE END OF A POST OFFICE PARKING SPACE. AS A RESULT I DRIVE WITH THE FOOT BRAKE FIRMLY DOWN WHENEVER I PARK TO FIGHT THE LURCHING. THE SUBARU SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AT TWO SUBARU DEALERS TELL ME THIS IS NORMAL, THAT NEWER SUBARU'S COMPUTERS ARE SET FOR FASTER IDLE TO COMPENSATE FOR POWER STEERING AND AIR CONDITIONING DEMANDS. I BELIEVE THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS AND WILL TRADE IT IN IF THE CONDITION CAN'T BE REMEDIED. THANK YOU. *TR
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