2012 Subaru Outback Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/14/2026

39Air Bags complaints

13.4%Of all 290 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 air bags ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN102 · 35.2%

ENGINE50 · 17.2%

AIR BAGS39 · 13.4%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM35 · 12.1%

SERVICE BRAKES34 · 11.7%

Share of the 290 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Subaru Outback overview page.

What owners report

“COLD RAINY MORNING, I STARTED THE CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH NO ONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED…”NHTSA complaint 11056208 — filed 12/23/2017

“I GOT A NOTICE THAT OUR TAKATA AIRBAG MIGHT BE AT RISK OF BEING FAULTY. I WENT ON AIRBAGRECALL.COM AND ENTERED MY INFORMATION. IT THEN…”NHTSA complaint 11044745 — filed 11/08/2017

“PASSENGER AIRBAG "NOT WORKING" LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, WAS INFORMED THAT ALTHOUGH 2012 SUBARU OUTBACKS HAD BEEN…”NHTSA complaint 11016184 — filed 08/18/2017

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

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Subaru Outback have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Subaru Outback: 39 of 290 complaints on file (13.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Subaru Outback have in total?

290 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 14 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 10 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS 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.