2019 Subaru Outback · symptom sheet

Battery dies or the car will not start

283owner reports
14,125median miles
$500median quote
1involved a crash

Newest report Jun 24, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026

368 of the 1,034 complaints on this car are about the electrical system. 283 of those describe dead battery. Only windshield is reported more often on this car.

Narrower sheets: Car won't start (46 reports)

No recall on this systemas of Oct 2, 2026

1 crashin 283 reports

Tick what matches of 283 reports

dead after sitting a day or two

needed a jump start

101

battery replaced more than once

warning lights or messages

the dealer found a drain

164

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 (280 reports), the module (20 reports), the starter (12 reports) and the alternator (9 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the electrical system covers the 2019 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.

What owners paid

22 of the 283 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $178 to $1,000.

$178$500$1,000

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

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 7,000 and 28,000 miles, from the 112 reports that gave a mileage.

Is this a known problem?

The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 5 service bulletins or notices for the 2019 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 bulletin15-318-24RApr 28, 2025
This bulletin announces the Warranty Extension for the Data Communication Module (DCM) up to 8 years (96 months) or 150,000 miles (whichever comes first) to address a dead battery resulting from excessive dark current draw caused by the DCM, due to internal ...
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.

1 more on the 2019 Subaru Outback page.

What owners wrote

“Battery goes dead without notice. First time took care to dealer of purchase, Stamford Subaru and battery was replaced. Battery went dead on 9/16/22. Kind stranger gave me a boost. I purchased a portable booster as I no longer trust this car that has 35k miles. Every time I go to start the car, I am left wondering if it will start.”
Filed Sep 22, 2022 · 35,000 miles

“Battery issues Numerous times having to jump the car. Battery drained. Purchased Auto new in May 2019 Had to replace battery in November 2021 Two years six months. Now September 2022 ten months later the battery has to be replaced again. The auto currently has about 31,000 miles.”
Filed Sep 1, 2022 · 31,000 miles

“The car battery was completely dead (no warning light or anything) after ~3 years and 45k miles. When we replaced it, the new battery died within 2 days and less than 150 miles. The mechanic who replaced our battery said that the new one was also completely dead.”
Filed Jun 30, 2022 · 45,000 miles

“My car is a 2019 Subaru Outback. It has less than 20,000 miles on the odometer. This morning is wouldnât start. I called for a jump and when the service person arrived, they told me the battery was dead. They gave it a jump and I let the car run for an hour. After parking the car a couple of blocks away, I tried to start it again. Nothing. Now I have to have it towed to the dealership.”
Filed Oct 14, 2021 · 20,000 miles

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 1 of 283 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