2019 Subaru Outback electrical problems
366 of the 1,034 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2019 Subaru Outback name the electrical system (NHTSA’s “Electrical System” heading — wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading). Filed under the same heading: 253 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 366 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2019: 4 · 2020: 51 · 2021: 78 · 2022: 83 · 2023: 64 · 2024: 57 · 2025: 24 · 2026: 5
Half of the 103 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the electrical problem between 7,000 and 24,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
1,034 complaints in all about the 2019 Subaru Outback, 5 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Electrical System” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Subaru Outback electrical problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the electrical system. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Brand new 2019 Subaru Outback experiences repeated parasitic battery drain leaving my stranded while traveling. Subaru roadside assistance states that there is most likely an electrical issue with the rear hatch but Subaru refuses to acknowledge the issue. I have been stranded 5 times including once in a remote part of canada
Problem: keyless pushbutton start. Would not start car on vacation. Vehicle manual very confusing. After several nerve racking minutes (1/2 to 45 minutes of trying). No other way known to start car. This was not a battery issue! Vehicle was stationary after fueling up at gas station
Bought new 11/2019. Battery will not stay charged...now on 3rd battery installed by dealer. Today,(02/27/2020) this battery is now dead. My wife is disabled and has a 95 year old mother living 300 miles from my home that she visits on a regular basis...i do not trust this vehicle not to leave her stranded!
Apple carplay and starlink will freeze and make a loud "ringing sound" until vehicle is turned off and turn backed on
Car battery completely drained after sitting over night in garage. No electrical left on to cause drainage, car was locked after use. Approx 6k miles on vehicle, no prior indication of battery failure
What is on file about the electrical system
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications253 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- 15-308-23R Service bulletinAug 20, 2026
- This Service Information Bulletin outlines a systematic procedure for diagnosing parasitic draw (dark/standby current) in vehicles experiencing battery drain when the ignition is off, leading to no-start conditions or frequent jump-starts. This is an revised version of the original bulletin.
- 15-304-22R Service bulletinAug 13, 2026
- This Bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic but essential information during diagnosis of Infotainment concerns. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
- Article Locator OtherAug 5, 2026
- Techtips newsletter locator index.
The 3 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
B2A16 B2A20 P2096 P2097 B224C P0400 P2404
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2019 Subaru Outback names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre electrical problems common on the 2019 Subaru Outback?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 366 owner complaints naming the electrical system on this model year (35% of everything owners filed about it), and 253 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the electrical system on the 2019 Subaru Outback?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 3 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do electrical problems show up on the 2019 Subaru Outback?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 13,563 miles; half of them between 7,000 and 24,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Electrical System" heading cover?
Wiring, modules, batteries, charging, infotainment and driver displays — NHTSA's broadest heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.