2012 Subaru Outback Service Brakes Problems

NHTSA component category: SERVICE BRAKES · data through 07/14/2026

34Service Brakes complaints

11.7%Of all 290 complaints

#5Most-reported category

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

How service brakes 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

“BRAKE WARNING LIGHT FLASHES ABOUT EVERY SECOND OR THIRD TIME YOU START CAR. ST AUSTIN FLASHING”NHTSA complaint 11129211 — filed 09/12/2018

“THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING A 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK COMPANY VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED…”NHTSA complaint 11097761 — filed 05/24/2018

“THE REAR 3RD HIGH BRAKE LIGHT LEAKS EVERY TIME IT RAINS. THIS HAPPENS BOTH WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY OR MOVING. IT HAS BEEN DOING…”NHTSA complaint 11016060 — filed 08/17/2017

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

Service Brakes complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Subaru Outback have service brakes problems?

Service Brakes is the #5 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Subaru Outback: 34 of 290 complaints on file (11.7%). 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 service brakes category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SERVICE BRAKES 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.