2021 Subaru Outback

Visibility/Wiper

The 2021 Subaru Outback has generated 86 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “I was driving when I heard a loud explosion sound. I first thought a rock or gunshot hit my car and pulled over to examine my car. I checked all around the car and didn’t notice any damage on the side of my car but then I noticed that my sunroof was shattered. The glass was pushed outward which meant that it was not hit by an object. Luckily, my interior cover to my sunroof was closed at the time so I was not harmed.” (NHTSA Complaint #11627571)

Electrical System

Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2021 Subaru Outback include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 44 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “Battery keeps draining if car isn’t driven for a few days battery is drained to point of it being dead, cannot get into car, will not start, leaves you stranded. This is the fourth time this year, dealer checks it out tells me nothing is wrong. I have read many problems with parasitic battery drain with subaru’s even that the alternator is programed not to fully charge the battery to save gas. getting tired of the issue to the point where I am thinking of selling the car and finding something that will not leave me stranded. This time when I checked the battery voltage it was 5.80 volts and .29 amps.” (NHTSA Complaint #11614962)

Other Systems

The 2021 Subaru Outback has generated 36 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “I was stopped at a stop sign and the car shut off as the auto on/off function. When I went to drive the car did not re-start as the battery needed replaced. I was left stranded in an intersection. The battery did need to be replaced. The auto start/stop feature is a saftey hazzard on any vehicle” (NHTSA Complaint #11697533)

Air Bags

Airbag defects are safety-critical and may trigger California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22. The 2021 Subaru Outback has 14 NHTSA complaints on record related to airbag warning lights, unexpected deployment, and sensor failures. Owner reports include: “The airbag light came on in my car even though the cars airbags have never deployed. The code that the scanner is bringing up is B1784. The description for this error is Right front occupant detection sensor collision detection, Subaru has a safety recall for this exact issue for this exact year and type of car but are stating my vin does not have the recall. I have contacted them and they stated there is nothing they can do for me to fix this recall because my car’s vin is not showing to have this recall.” (NHTSA Complaint #11712489)

Visibility

The 2021 Subaru Outback has generated 10 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that upon approaching the vehicle, she became aware that the front windshield had suddenly cracked, extending from the center of the windshield to the passenger’s side bezel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the crack was the result of the impact of a small, unknown object. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V712000 (Visibility), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 23,000.” (NHTSA Complaint #11561566)

Active NHTSA Recalls — 2021 Subaru Outback

The following 4 recalls have been issued for the 2021 Subaru Outback by the NHTSA or Subaru. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.

California Lemon Law — Song-Beverly Act

California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2021 Subaru Outback:

• 4+ repair attempts for the same non-safety defect without resolution
• 2+ repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury
• 30+ calendar days out of service for warranty repairs (cumulative, not consecutive)

Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Subaru to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Subaru must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.

What You Can Recover

If your 2021 Subaru Outback qualifies as a lemon under California law, Subaru may be legally required to:

• Repurchase your vehicle — Full refund of your down payment, all monthly payments, registration fees, and incidental costs (towing, rentals), minus a mileage offset for miles driven before the first repair attempt
• Replace your vehicle — Provide a new, comparable vehicle at no cost to you
• Pay your attorney’s fees — Under § 1794(d), Subaru pays all legal fees if you prevail
• Civil penalty up to 2x damages — If Subaru willfully violated the Act, courts may award double the actual damages

Steps to Protect Your 2021 Subaru Outback Claim

Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.

Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Subaru a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Subaru dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.

Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Subaru pays your fees if you win.

Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Subaru a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.

2021 Subaru Outback Lemon Law Questions

How many repair attempts qualify my 2021 Subaru Outback as a lemon?

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.

Does Subaru pay my attorney fees?

Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Subaru is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.

Can I file a lemon law claim without an active recall?

Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.

What is the time limit to file a lemon law claim for my 2021 Subaru Outback?

California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.