2010 Subaru Outback Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

41Steering complaints

11.4%Of all 359 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN79 · 22%

ENGINE44 · 12.3%

STEERING41 · 11.4%

AIR BAGS37 · 10.3%

SERVICE BRAKES35 · 9.7%

Share of the 359 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2010 Subaru Outback overview page.

What owners report

“SINCE DELIVERY, CAR HAS HAD SLIGHT SHIMMY OF STEERING WHEEL AT MOST SPEEDS ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. NOW STEERING WHEEL HAS DEVELOPED NOTICEABLE SHAKE…”NHTSA complaint 10618430 — filed 08/03/2014

“FOLLOWUP TO NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10525592 THE EFFECTED LOT NUMBER IS 0423SD (YEAR 2010, APRIL 23, LOCATION SD) THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE ORIGINAL EFFECTED…”NHTSA complaint 10526149 — filed 07/22/2013

“VEHICLE PADDLE SHIFTER FUNCTION, CRUISE CONTROL, HORN CONTROL ARE INTERMITTENT AND VOL UP AND MUTE RADIO FUNCTIONS DO NOT WORK ON THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS…”NHTSA complaint 10525592 — filed 07/18/2013

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2010 Subaru Outback have steering problems?

Steering is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2010 Subaru Outback: 41 of 359 complaints on file (11.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2010 Subaru Outback have in total?

359 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 12 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 8 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.