2000 Subaru Outback: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2000 Subaru Outback
On the 2000 Subaru Outback, the failure owners report most often is other powertrain problem, and the reports cluster around 55,000 miles. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 78,000 miles. Overall it scores 69 out of 100, high risk for a 2000.
High risk for a 2000 — 91st riskiest of the 327 2000 vehicles we can rate. 247 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2000 Subaru Outback
Owners have reported 41 named failure modes on the 2000 Subaru Outback, and the three most-reported carry 31% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other powertrain problem leads with 27 reports, about 1.3 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 33k to 70,000 miles.
Head gasket failure follows with 25 reports, usually reported between 55k to 90,000 miles. 3 of those reports mention a fire.
Other wheel or tire problem follows with 25 reports.
By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (42), wheels (35) and transmission (33).
When these failures get reported
126 of the reports on the 2000 Subaru Outback came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 78,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 23% by 50,000 miles, 67% by 100,000 miles and 90% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 7 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 60,000 and 70,000 miles, which alone holds 13% of the dated reports.
13% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 41. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 7 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 19 mention a crash, 9 a fire, 8 an injury and 4 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 5.68, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500, head gasket failure at $1,400–$4,000, other wheel or tire problem at $200–$1,500 and other suspension problem at $350–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
36% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 27 | 20 | 33k | 55k | 68k | 1.3 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Head gasket failure | engine | 25 | 17 | 55k | 63k | 90k | 1.2 | $1,400–$4,000 | Critical |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 25 | 0 | — | — | — | 1.2 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 15 | 7 | — | 130k | — | 0.7 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 12 | 5 | — | 130k | — | 0.6 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 11 | 4 | — | 79k | — | 0.5 | $200–$900 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 11 | 6 | — | 49k | — | 0.5 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 10 | 2 | — | 34k | — | 0.5 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 10 | 5 | — | 54k | — | 0.5 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 7 | 1 | — | 87k | — | 0.3 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 6 | 3 | — | 68k | — | 0.3 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Engine bay fire | engine | 5 | 5 | — | 100k | — | 0.2 | $4,000–$20,000 | Critical |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 5 | 5 | — | 78k | — | 0.2 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Fuel leak or fuel odor | fuel | 5 | 4 | — | 120k | — | 0.2 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 5 | 5 | — | 124k | — | 0.2 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 5 | 2 | — | 99k | — | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 4 | 2 | — | 70k | — | 0.2 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| CV axle or driveshaft failure | drivetrain | 4 | 4 | — | 40k | — | 0.2 | $450–$2,200 | High |
| Differential or transfer case failure | drivetrain | 4 | 4 | — | 230k | — | 0.2 | $900–$4,200 | High |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 4 | 3 | — | 110k | — | 0.2 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 4 | 2 | — | 49k | — | 0.2 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 3 | 1 | — | 74k | — | 0.1 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 3 | 3 | — | 141k | — | 0.1 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 3 | 2 | — | 136k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 3 | 1 | — | 177k | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Manual clutch or hydraulics failure | transmission | 2 | 2 | — | 67k | — | 0.1 | $900–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 2 | 2 | — | 72k | — | 0.1 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 2 | 1 | — | 5k | — | 0.1 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 2 | 1 | — | 78k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Other seat belt problem | airbag | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Transmission will not engage a gear | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 59k | — | 0.0 | $1,500–$6,000 | Critical |
| Wheel bearing or hub failure | drivetrain | 1 | 1 | — | 36k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Engine sensor failure | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $180–$900 | Moderate |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 64k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 100k | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 56k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| Wiper or washer failure | glass | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $120–$800 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 4 | 2 | — | 96k | — | 0.2 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2000 Subaru Outback draws about 12 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 89th percentile of complaint rates among 2000 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 21,250 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2000 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other powertrain problem
Clutch and flywheel caught fire while driving on the freeway. Car has 36000 miles on it and is serviced by the dealer regularly. Dealer charged me $1200 to replace the clutch and said that it was my fault, that I must "rife the clutch" or habitually overload the vehicle, neither of which is true. I suspect the clutch was flawed to begin with. *jb
The vehicle experienced a delayed response when changing from one gear into another. The vehicle was stopped on a steep slope and put into reverse. The driver took his foot off the brake and onto the accelerator then the vehicle rolled forward. The consumer believes this problem is called shift lag. *ak *nlm
Head gasket failure
2000 subaru outback wagon developed engine head gasket failure at 61, 800 miles requiring extensive repairs. Dealer claimed the reason to be no coolant flush at the 30,000 mile mark on the vehicle
I own a 2000 subaru outback ltd, white VIN [xxx]. It has approx. 63,000 miles and has had for the last several weeks, an anti-freeze smell after the car has initially warmed up. As it turns out, I brought the vehicle into the nearest subaru dealership for it's 60,000 mile service and was dismayed to receive a call from the service advisor informing me that the head gasket was gone and needed replacing. In this day an age of modern vehicles, a head gasket rarely becomes defective at 63,000 miles; check statistics!!! I believe that this failure is due to a design flaw when subaru went to the 2.5l engine size as many other subaru owners are now experiencing this unwarranted repair at such an early time frame. As these irritated subaru owners approach the 60,000 to 80,000 mile mark and start experiencing these head gasket replacements, you should become inundated with complaints. Before this occurred, I recommended subaru's to may people, but with this expensive repair, which should be partly or wholly covered by subaru, I will never recommend a subaru to anyone ever. *nlm information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information…
Recalls on the 2000 model year
NHTSA has issued 2 recall campaigns covering the 2000 Subaru Outback, affecting an estimated 21,280 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump and suspension:rear. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
397 vehicles 2013-11-29- Defect
- Airtex Products LP (Airtex) is recalling certain model E8598M, E8518M, E8600M, E8596M, and E8597M fuel pumps manufactured July 26, 2013, and July 29, 2013 and used as aftermarket replacements on Subaru Baja's, Outback's and Legacy's. The affected fuel pumps were sold or installed into the aftermarket applications on or after July 26, 2013, and may may leak fuel from the base of a fuel line connection when the gas tank is full.
- Consequence
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Airtex will notify owners, and will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Recall is expected to begin on January 2, 2014. Customers may contact Airtex at 1-800-880-3056. The recall is expected to begin during January 2014. This recall is being conducted by Airtex, not by Subaru.
SUSPENSION:REAR
170,000 vehicles 2003-04-22- Defect
- This recall applies to certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Certain rear suspension subframe components were produced with poor paint quality which, after continued exposure to corrosive road salts for a period of several years, could result in rust-out of the…
- Consequence
- If such breakage occurs while the vehicle is being operated, control of the vehicle could be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will clean and rust-proof the rear suspension subframe. Owner notification began july 14, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2000 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
How 2000 compares with the other years
High risk for a 2000 — 91st riskiest of the 327 2000 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 31 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2026 comes out best at 60 and 2020 worst at 80, with 2000 itself at 69.
If the model year is negotiable, 2026, 1997 and 1996 score lower than 2000 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 1996–2002 generation specifically, 1997 is the strongest year at 62 and 2001 the weakest at 70.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 1996-2002 generation, 1997 Subaru Outback scores best at 62 and 2001 Subaru Outback worst at 70.
What to look at before buying one
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other powertrain problem from about 33k and head gasket failure from about 55k.
On a 2000 Subaru Outback with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other powertrain problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
The limits of complaint data
247 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 247 reports, 126 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 51% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2000 Subaru Outback?
The most-reported failures are other powertrain problem (27 reports, median 55,000 miles), head gasket failure (25 reports, median 65,000 miles) and other wheel or tire problem (25 reports). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2000 Subaru Outback problems start?
Other powertrain problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 55,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 35,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 78,000 miles.
Is the 2000 Subaru Outback reliable?
It scores 69 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 91st riskiest of the 327 2000 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2000 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Subaru Outback is best?
Within the 1996–2002 generation, 1997 scores best at 62 out of 100 and 2001 worst at 70. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed