There are 3 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2019 Subaru Outbackin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Driver-side Daytime Running Light (DRL) failed after only 3 years. DRL is made up of LED bulbs integrated in the headlight assembly, and not able to be repaired or replaced. Entire headlight unit required replacement; estimated at ~$500, plus additional labor at Subaru dealership service center. There was no warning lamp, message, or other symptoms to indicate a problem with the headlight. It was discovered only when viewing front end of car in a reflection. This poses a threat to occupants’ and others’ safety due to decreased visibility during operation. Exorbitant cost of parts and labor poses a significant hurdle to repair. This problem was inspected and verified by dealer service center. Dealer described the issue as “weird,” and stated “that should not happen; I’ve never seen that before.” By the time I retrieved the vehicle following headlight assembly replacement work, the dealer service center had reportedly taken in 4 additional customers’ vehicles in for the same complaint. Dealership waived all charges associated with parts and labor to repair, despite being out of warranty, due to fact that LED DRL failed well before its projected useful life. Faulty headlight assembly was retained by dealer service center and sent to Subaru corporate for further inspection.
2019 Outback Premium bought Bought May 2019. When I bought the car and for at least 6 months or more the headlight produced nice white light and I could see the road clearly. During this period the car was driven before sunrise and no issues with light emission. Driving the car today on the same roads at same time in morning road visibility is extremely poor. After the first 6 months I only drove while sunlight was present. Last month I drove the car once at night and thought "strange, the lights look dark and the street is not very bright." Then two weeks later I took a trip and stayed at a place that had few street lights. The first night I drove at night I could barely see 20 feet in front of me. Even when I turned on the high beams I still could not see. I notice when I pull behind a car or my lights shine on a stop sign the light looks orange/brownish. I brought it to the dealer today and the said the battery was good and the light output was "legal". They said they put in a new bulb to compare and said the light output was essentially the same. So according to them there is nothing wrong and nothing to do. The covers on my lights appear to be clear and clean.
HEADLIGHTS ARE AIMED TOO HIGH. ACCORDING TO SUBARU THIS CAN'T BE ADJUSTED. THIS IS THEIR STEERING ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHT. I GET HIGH-BEAM BLINKED BUT TOO MANY ONCOMING CARS. ON DARK NIGHTS I CAN SEE THEIR ANGLE IS UP NOT DOWN TOWARD ROAD. I SEE GREAT BUT ONCOMING MUST BE DIFFICULT. YOU MUST BE ABLE TO HAVE ABILITY TO ADJUST.
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