2008 Subaru Outback engine problems
14 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2008 Subaru Outback — 6% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Unknown why car sparked & ignited. Car was driven to grocery store 5min away then sat for approx. 2hrs before catching fire.”
filed Jun 24, 2026
“Four Subaru dealership licensed service centers in Maine and New Hampshire have had for some 8 weeks my Outback to evaluate, diagnose, and -upon my approval- service. Every one of the four Subaru locations was been unable to resolve a single one of these chronic problems of the Outback's erratic 1)…”
filed Sep 16, 2024
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Engine problems in other Outback years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Outback | 4 | 6% |
| 2024 Outback | 7 | 8% |
| 2023 Outback | 1 | 1% |
| 2022 Outback | 20 | 4% |
| 2021 Outback | 20 | 7% |
| 2020 Outback | 47 | 5% |
| 2019 Outback | 39 | 4% |
| 2018 Outback | 36 | 4% |
| 2017 Outback | 43 | 5% |
| 2016 Outback | 53 | 8% |
| 2015 Outback | 47 | 9% |
| 2014 Outback | 35 | 17% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2008 Subaru Outback
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.