There are 12 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2019 Subaru Outbackin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I was involved in a car crash where another car crashed into me at an angle and hit the driver side door and part of the front and the wheel air bag not deploy. The side air bags did. I was going 30, this other car was going 40-50 mph.
While turning left from left turn lane, eyesight failed to detect oncoming traffic resulting in right front side impact. No warning, no braking action. This is an advertised safety system supposedly designed to prevent this type of accident. In addition, passenger side airbag deployed (no passenger in the passenger seat) but driver side airbag did not deploy. Newton's third law of motion says both should deploy. Significant injury occurred to the driver as a result.
According to my Subaru service technician the Occupant detection control module is faulty on my car. Research has found that this is a known problem with 2020-2022 Subaru outbacks that is under recall. I believe the recall should be extended to include the 2019 year model because a faulty occupant detection module means that the air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash which is a serious safety concern.
Right rear safety belt would not retract while installing a car seat with it. Seatbelt was pulled all the way out and it would not retract. Vehicle was taken to Subaru dealership. Dealer stated seatbelt had been over extended. I manually pushed belt in and pulled it out several times, and it finally retracted and started working. If belt doesn't retract it cannot be used. There was no reason for the belt to fail. Belt on left side of vehicle was used and retracted without a problem.
After driving 5 miles or so, the Air Bag indicator light goes on. After stopping for 10 minutes for shopping, etc., Y starting the car again the light is out until I drive a few more miles & then the light comes on again. This started last week when it was very cold here. Today, it was in the 50s & the same thing happened. I have not contacted the dealer yet because of the inconsistency. I have to search the internet more to see if others are having the same problem.
The air bag warning light has come on multiple times and I have received notice from Subaru StarLink to have the vehicle serviced. Upon taking the vehicle to multiple dealers I was advised that there is no problem detected. The vehicle was last checked out at Reedman Toll Subaru on January 17, 2023 and no problems were found. The vehicle was previously checked out at Glanzmann Subaru and again no problems were found. On January 28, 2023 the air bag light came on and I received a StarLink notification. I reported the incident to Subaru and they are looking into the possible cause.
2019 Outback 2.5 Limited purchased new Feb 2019. Driving car with no passengers when Airbag Warning Light and Red Exclamation light came on along with warning message to consult owners manual. Manual says the airbag system is turned off when these lights come on and take car to authorized repair center. Found pulling passenger seat belt out all the way would turn off the lights but then they would turn back on a short time later. Dealer found all harnesses where properly plugged in and no wiring damage. Dealer said vehicle needed a new front passenger occupant detection seat frame as a result of the malfunction. Service advisor stated they have seen several cars with the same fault and that our Outback was not under a manufactures recall for this problem. Dealer was well aware other Subaru models have recalls for this problem. Service advisor recommended contacting NHSTA over this problem since when the airbag system shuts down occupant safety is severely compromised if an accident were to occur. Total cost of repair was $1,922.07
SRS Safety Issue: 2019 Subaru OUTBACK Limited purchased New on Jun 2019 from Austin Subaru in Texas. NO Accident or minor collision AT ALL. SRS warning light illuminate since Jan 2023, three and half years after purchase. No other warning light illuminate before. Front Passenger Seat SRS malfunction and falsely detect present or absent of passenger. The on/off status even alters during the vehicle operations. The airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied. Such safety issue greatly increasing the risk of injury or potential death to the front passenger in case of accident. Repair hx: On March, 2023 Vehicle has been brought up to Brandon Tomes Subaru for diagnosis and service provider recommended to replace front passenger seat sensor. This issue has been informed Subaru American. Inc for safety concerns and requesting repair cost coverage. The case has been procrastinated till April and cost is not fully covered. After brought the vehicle to a local Auto-Repair shop to replace the Sensor and completed the calibration by an Subaru Technician, the SRS still persists. I am keeping working on repairing and expecting more cost. Strongly recommended RECALL for 2019 Subaru Outback SRS safety Issue. Similar recalled before 2015-18MY Forester: Occupant Detection Wiring Harness Inspection.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED HIS VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED HIS WIFE (SEATED AT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT) SUSTAINED 2 FRACTURED RIBS, 2 FRACTURED VIBRATES AND HAD SURGERY ON HER BOTH LUNGS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE INSURANCE DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TOW LOT. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,000.
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND WAS HIT FROM THE REAR, TOTALING MY 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. BOTH MY DAUGHTER AND GRANDDAUGHTER REPORTED HITTING THE DASHBOARD OR THE WINDSHIELD. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND THE DRIVER'S HEADREST ENDED UP ON THE DRIVER'S LAP. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE FRONT AUTO WAS ABOUT TO START FORWARD OR HAD STARTED FORWARD WHEN THE SIGNAL LIGHT HAD JUST TURNED GREEN.. THE POLICE REPORT IS ATTACHED, WITH A LETTER FROM THE MERIDIAN, IDAHO POLICE DEPARTMENT. MY CONCERNS ARE 1) SHOULD THE AIRBAGS HAVE DEPLOYED AND 2) SHOULD THE DRIVER'S HEADREST HAVE DETACHED FROM THE SEAT? IF THE DRIVER'S CONTACT INFO IS NEEDED, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHEN CHARGING SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 9 PHONE WITH STAPLES CHARGER PLUGGED INTO 12V SOCKET. THIS IS NOT ONLY HAPPENING IN MY SUBARU. I RENTED A 2019 NISSAN PICK UP AND THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED. THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ARE: ARE THE AIRBAGS STILL FUNCTIONAL WHEN THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. IS IT AN ISSUE WITH THE SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 9. IS IT AN ISSUE WITH A QUICK CHARGER PLUGGED INTO THE 12V SOCKET. SINCE IT HAPPENED ON 3 CARS (2 DIFFERENT SUBARUS, NISSAN TRUCK), MY ASSUMPTION IS THE PHONE, CHARGER OR COMBINATION OF THE TWO. HAPPENS WHEN I PLUG THE PHONE IN, WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, I'M USUALLY IN MOTION. DOESN'T MATTER CITY, HIGHWAY, TURNING, ETC. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING REGULARLY FOR SOME TIME.
SLOWLY PULLING STRAIGHT INTO PARKING SPOT AT GROCERY STORE. APPLIED BRAKE WHEN CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL STEERING, BUT BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. STEERED CAR INTO EMPTY PARKING SPOT IN FRONT OF ME THEN TURNED HARD RIGHT TO AVOID HITTING PARKED CARS IN ROW ACROSS. SUBARU HIT A PICK UP TRUCK THAT WAS REVERSING OUT OF A DIAGONAL PARKING SPOT. THE CAR DIDN'T STOP UPON IMPACT, INSTEAD BOTH RIGHT SIDE WHEELS CLIMBED UP THE SIDE OF TRUCK AT AN ANGLE. AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY ON IMPACT. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE ACCELERATION WAS UNCONTROLLABLE AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR.
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