2015 Subaru Outback · symptom sheet

Battery dies or the car will not start

87owner reports
45,000median miles
$174median quote
0involved a crash

Newest report Jul 3, 2025 · checked Oct 2, 2026

128 of the 504 complaints on this car are about the electrical system. 87 of those describe dead battery. Only windshield is reported more often on this car.

No recall on this systemas of Oct 2, 2026

No crash reportedin 87 reports

Tick what matches of 87 reports

dead after sitting a day or two

needed a jump start

battery replaced more than once

warning lights or messages

the dealer found a drain

the dealer found nothing

Dead battery on other Outback years

201587 reports 2016238 reports 2017336 reports 2018170 reports 2019283 reports 2020210 reports 202143 reports 202229 reports

Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.

What this problem usually is

These owners walk out to a car that's dead. Some find it drained after sitting only a day or two, some need a jump start every week, and some have had the battery replaced more than once without the problem going away. A good number describe the dealer testing the battery, calling it fine, and sending them home.

Read the full explainer · Which cars report it most

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (83 reports), the alternator (9 reports) and the starter (4 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the electrical system covers the 2015 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.

What owners paid

5 of the 87 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $150 to $1,329.

$150$174$1,329

$0k$2k$4k$6k$8k

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 20,000 and 65,000 miles, from the 38 reports that gave a mileage.

Is this a known problem?

The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 8 service bulletins or notices for the 2015 Subaru Outback that deal with this problem. Newest first.

Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.

Service bulletin15-308-23RAug 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 ...
Service bulletin07-207-22RFeb 3, 2023
Subaru Battery Drain Product Liability Litigation.
Service bulletinSubaruNet AnnounSep 1, 2022
Battery Drain Class Action Settlement- Warranty Extension Training.
Service bulletinSubaruNet AnnounAug 30, 2022
Announcement to Subaru Retailers regarding the preliminary settlement in a class action lawsuit regarding battery drain in certain Subaru vehicles.

4 more on the 2015 Subaru Outback page.

What owners wrote

“There is some kind of electrical malfunction or drainage that the battery drains even when car is turned off. Replacement of new battery results in the same problem after a few days”
Filed Feb 25, 2022

“Battery drain over night, dead battery in the morning. Alternator output normal, terminal post clean and battery will charge with external charger. Battery is less than 2 year old”
Filed Jan 27, 2022

“On four occasions over the past five months my car needed a jump start for no apparent reason. I had a new Subaru battery installed last July, and a check up at a Subaru dealer last month which found no problems with the battery or alternator. I recently read about a battery drainage problem that other owners of this model have been experiencing as well.”
Filed Dec 27, 2021

“I have had to change my car battery three times in four years. A couple times it seemed like my battery went bad soon after having service on my car even though my battery tested okay and given a green symbol. The last date I had to replace the battery is below.”
Filed Sep 15, 2021

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 87 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.

Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found