There are 16 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2015 Subaru Outbackin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while the vehicle was at the dealer for an oil change and snow tire replacement, the contact was informed that the sub frame and the brake lines were severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, 802 Toyota (30 Berlin Mall Rd, Berlin, VT 05602) for a Trade-In, and it was confirmed that the sub frame was corroded during the appraisal inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the failure was caused by salt damage; however, the contact stated that the vehicle was used for leisure rather than commute since the contact was retired. The failure mileage was 86,801.
While driving the Parking Brake warning light came on and the Subaru Eyesight system shut down. On stopping the car and restarting, the car got harder to drive. I pulled over again immediately as the parking brake was locking the wheels up. I got a tow truck to take the car to the Subaru dealer. By this time the rear wheels were completely locked up. If the car had to stop at a railroad crossing, the immobile car would be in a dangerous spot. The dealer service shop said there was Code C1411, C1194, C1956, C1942 and "Electronic Parking Brake Connector Failure". This was repaired under Warranty Extension Repair indicating that Subaru knew this was a serious problem but refused to do an emergency recall. Instead they intentionally allowed people to drive a dangerously defective vehicle.
The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving 67 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle suddenly decelerated to approximately 25-30 MPH while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled. After pulling over to the side of the roadway, the contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact's wife stated that the failure had occurred a year prior while driving approximately 55 MPH. The failure only lasted for several seconds. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,700.
The issue below has occurred previously and was addressed by a completed recall "EPB Reprogramming" - WTB63. However, issue has reappeared. Issue: The parking brake engages without engaging parking brake switch while parked and also blinks a red warning while driving. We had an issue a few days ago where brake engaged by itself in parking lot (even though parking brake light never came on). I managed to get the car out of park by turning the car on and off several times and also pressing parking brake switch. The car is scheduled for Subaru service on 5 June, they will be able to do more diagnostics after reading error codes. The dealer told me that parking brake should not engage while driving which is my main concern...but I'm also concerned about possibility of being stranded somewhere because I cannot turn off the parking brake.
Intermittant engine acceleration or engine surge while braking at very low speeds.
The electronic parking brake disengages on it's own after being set. After putting the vehicle in park and pulling on the EPB switch, the light comes on for a short time, then turns off. Attempting to re-engage it results in the same thing, it comes on briefly then disengages without being touched.
BRAKES WERE MOMENTARY APPLIED BY SUBURU EYESIGHT BRAKING ASSIST SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING (IN MOTION AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH) ON A STRAIGHT PORTION OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH NO OBSTRUCTION APPARENT. THIS HAD ALSO HAPPENED ONE OTHER TIME IN THE SAME VEHICLE SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES. ON BOTH INSTANCES THE DRIVER HAD HER FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE BRAKES RELEASED AFTER ONLY A SHORT DECELERATION. A QUICK FLASH OF THE BAS WARNING LIGHT WAS ALSO OBSERVED IN THE SECOND INSTANCE. A SECOND PERSON IN THE CAR AT THE TIME ALSO STATES THAT THERE WAS NO OBSTRUCTION SEEN ON THE ROAD AND THE DISTANCE TO ANY CAR AHEAD IN THE SAME LANE SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM BEING REPORTED. THERE WAS A REAL CONCERN THAT CARS FOLLOWING US ON THIS BUSY HIGHWAY COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A REAR-END COLLISION IF THE BRAKES HAD NOT RELEASED QUICKLY. THE DRIVER HAD NEVER TAKEN HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND WAS CAUGHT COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE.
I'VE HAVING BREAK PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE I FIRST BOUGHT USED. PRE OWNED CERTIFIED WITH THE DEALERSHIP. I'VE TOOK THE CAR IN A COUPLES SAYING THE BREAKS MAKE LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE AND PULSING EVERY TIME I HIT THE BREAK AND SOMETIMES DOESN'T STOP IMMEDIATELY. 'SCARY SITUATION'. THE SERVICE GUY LOOKS AT IT AND ALWAYS SAYS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I TAKE IT BACK AND IT'S REPEAT ALL OVER AGAIN WITH SUPPOSEDLY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BREAKS. I GAVE UP ON PLANET SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND DECIDED TO CHANGE THE BREAKS MYSELF TO SEE IF THAT CORRECT THE ISSUE. NOPE IT DIDN'T CORRECT THE ISSUE. MY BREAKS ARE STILL PULSING AND MAKING A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE. I PUT NOISE FREE ON THE BREAKS AND STILL NOT HELPING, WHEN THE BREAKS START TO PULSES, THE BREAK GETS TIGHT AND WON'T STOP IMMEDIATELY. WINTER IS COMING AND I'M SURE THIS WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME. SUBARU NEEDS TO FIX THIS ISSUES. I'M SURE THERE WILL BE MORE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SOON. SUBARU CARS ARE NOT RELIABLE ANYMORE. I'M SCARED DRIVING THIS CAR WITH MY BREAK PROBLEMS AND SUBARU NOT WANTING TO FIX THE ISSUES. PURCHASED THE CAR APRIL 2018 AND NOW IT'S NOVEMBER 2018. THE LAST 7 MONTHS OF CONTINUOUS BREAK PROBLEMS.. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TODO. SUBARU BREAKS AREN'T CHEAP TO FIX MYSELF. THEY SHOULD STAND BEHIND THERE PRODUCT AND FIX IT.
ATTEMPTED TO COME TO A STOP AT A PARKING SPOT IN FRONT OF A SHOP BUT CAR SPED UP AND COLLIDED WITH A WALL 6 FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR. AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT WORK OR ENGAGE AT SLOW SPEED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH EXTREME FORCE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO REMAIN STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000. UPDATED 7/13/18*JB *TR
INVALID BRAKING INCIDENTS WITH SUBARU OUTBACK'S EYESIGHT PRE-COLLISION BRAKING SYSTEM. MY CAR HAS BRAKE SUDDENLY, WITHOUT CAUSE ON 3 OCCASIONS. 1) SUNNY MORNING ON A CROWDED RESIDENTIAL STREET GOING LESS THAN 25MPH WITH NO CARS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME, CAR GAVE WARNING AND IMMEDIATELY BRAKED STOPPING THE CAR. 2) SUNNY AFTERNOON ON A WIDE RESIDENTIAL STREET GOING ABOUT 30MPH WITH NO CARS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME, CAR GAVE WARNING AND IMMEDIATELY BRAKED SLOWING THE CAR SIGNIFICANTLY. 3) DARK AND RAINING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY GOING 70MPH USING ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL WITH NO CARS AROUND ME, CAR GAVE WARNING AND IMMEDIATELY APPLIED THE BRAKES HARD (NO SKIDDING OR SWERVING) SLOWING THE CAR TO ABOUT 25MPH BEFORE RELEASING CONTROL TO ME. VERY FORTUNATE THAT NO CARS WERE BEHIND ME. AFTER EACH INCIDENT, I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND SAID THEY COULD NOT FIX THE CAR IF THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. AFTER REALIZING THE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE FOLLOWING THE THIRD INCIDENT, I CALLED SUBARU CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE. SUBARU SENT A CORPORATE ENGINEER TO LOOK AT THE CAR AND THE DATA RECORDINGS. THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANY ISSUES WITH THE CAR AND AGAIN SAID THEY ARE UNABLE TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS WITHOUT RECREATING THE PROBLEM. IN THE 2+ YEARS AND OVER 30,000 MILES I'VE DRIVEN THE PROBLEM ONLY OCCURRED 3 TIMES, THE DEALER RECREATING THE PROBLEM SEEMS UNLIKELY GIVEN THEIR LIMITED TIME WITH THE CAR.
OCTOBER 1, 2016 11:50AM, 32,00MILES SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION (SUA) MY WIFE HAD AN ACCELERATION AND BRAKE MALFUNCTION ON THIS DATE AND TIME.SHE HAD JUST TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN INTO A PARKING SPACE. AS SHE TOOK HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE, THE CAR ACCELERATED AND THE BRAKE WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE CAR RAN OVER THE YELLOW CEMENT BARRIER AND WAS HEADING FOR A TREE, SHE CONTINUED TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE AND IT DID NOT RESPOND AS SHE TURNED THE CAR RIGHT TO MISS THE TREE. REALIZING SHE MAY BE HEADING FOR THE STREET SHE TURNED HARD RIGHT, STILL APPLYING PRESSURE TO A UNRESPONSIVE BRAKE PEDAL. SHE CONTINUED TO STEER HARD RIGHT TO MISS A FIRE HYDRANT. SHE LEFT TIRE MARKS IN THE BARK CHIPS NEAR THE HYDRANT. THE BRAKE FINALLY ENGAGED AND THE CAR CAME TO A STOP IN FRONT OF ANOTHER CEMENT PARKING BARRIER THAT WAS PERPENDICULAR TO THE STREET. SHE SAT FOR APPROXIMATELY A MINUTE, GATHERING HER THOUGHTS AND TALKING TO HER GRANDCHILD, IN THE BACK SEAT. SHE THEN DROVE SLOWLY OVER THE BARRIER AND PARKED. SHE DROVE AROUND THE PARKING LOT STOPPING AND STARTING BEFORE PROCEEDING HOME, APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES. THIS WAS A SUDDEN AND RANDOM ACCELERATION AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT FUNCTION. WE BELIEVE IT HAS TO DO WITH THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THROTTLE AND THAT IT MALFUNCTIONED. WE DO NOT FEE SAFE IN THIS CAR AND ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS SUA MIGHT HAPPEN AGAIN. WE ARE ASKING SUBARU TO REPLACE THIS CONTROL COMPUTER. IT IS AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING ON THEIR EVALUATION. WE WANT TO DRIVE AND FEEL SAFE IN OUR 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK! THERE SHOULD BE NO DOUBT OR HESITATION IN KEEPING US SAFE AND ONE INCIDENT OF SUA/BRAKE MALFUNCTION IS ONE TOO MANY. WE HAVE PICTURES OF THE AREA SHOWING THE TREE, FIRE HYDRANT AND BARK CHIPS WITH TIRE MARKS. YOU CAN FOLLOW THE PATH OF THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE PICTURE.
BRAKE PEDAL CAN BE DEPRESSED BELOW THE ACCELERATOR. IF THE RIGHT FOOT IS ONLY PARTLALLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE RIGHT FOOT CAN DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME. WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR NEARLY STOPPED, THE CAR ACCELERATES UNINTENTIONALLY. NO ACCIDENTS.
WHEN APPLYING THE BREAKS SOMETIMES MY FOOT HITS THE GAS PEDAL. 2ND. OUTBACK I PURCHASED .NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. HAD CAR SINCE 21 MAY 2015 HAPPENED APPROX. 4 TIMES.
SLOWING TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON A CITY STREET, MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, CLUTCH IN. SPEED ROUGHLY 2 KM/HR. WENT TO STOP THE CAR WITH THE BRAKES, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO BRAKE ACTIVATION. TRIED BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN, SAME RESULT. ACTIVATED PARKING/EMERGENCY BRAKE WHICH ALSO DID NOT STOP THE CAR. CAR HIT THE BACK OF A GRAVEL TRUCK AHEAD, AND SEEMED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH INTO THE TRUCK 7-10 CM, WHICH IS FURTHER THAN I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED GIVEN THE LOW SPEED OF THE COLLISION. COLLISION DAMAGED THE HOOD OF MY CAR AND BROKE THE HEADLIGHT LENS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, NO DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK, NO INJURIES TO OCCUPANTS OF EITHER VEHICLE. TRUCK TURNED THROUGH TURNING LIGHT, I CAREFULLY MOVED THE CAR UP AND TRIED STOPPING AT THE LIGHT. BRAKES FUNCTIONED NORMALLY, SO I TRIED THE PARKING BRAKE AND IT ALSO SEEMED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND NOTICED MUCH MORE TRAVEL THAN USUAL AND A SPONGY FEEL, BUT THERE WAS RESISTANCE WHERE THERE WAS NONE PREVIOUSLY. I DECIDED THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AND DROVE SLOWLY TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I LEFT IT TO BE INSPECTED.
THE 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5I LIMITED W EYESIGHT SYSTEM HAD BEEN PARKED ON A SURFACE PARKING LOT NEAR MARSHALL BWI AIRPORT FOR ABOUT 12 DAYS. THE PARKING BRAKE HAD BEEN APPLIED AT THE TIME OF ORIGINAL PARKING. THIS ELECTRONIC BRAKE COULD NOT BE DISENGAGED AFTER REPEATED STARTS OF THE CAR. BRAKES WERE APPARENTLY LOCKED. A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED. THE CAR HAD TO BE MOVED WITH THE BRAKES ON TO GET IT OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE AND ON TO A FLATBED TOW TRUCK. THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BRAKE WAS LOCKED IN POSITION. APPARENTLY THE OTHER THREE WHEELS WERE FREE TO MOVE. THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION LIGHT WAS ON THE DRIVERS SCREEN. THE SERVICE ADVISOR RECOMMENDED THAT THE PARKING BRAKE NOT BE APPLIED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED FOR A NUMBER DAYS, PARTICULARLY ON A FLAT SURFACE.
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