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BR (4th generation) · 2010–2014 · Mid-size wagon/crossover

2010 Subaru Outback parts and specs

Everything you need to own and maintain this exact model year. Verified specifications, part numbers, and the problems that recur, in one place.

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Photo: Kevauto / CC BY-SA 4.0. Illustrative, not necessarily your model year or trim.

Quick facts

Engine oil
0W-20, 5.1 qt (base engine)
Battery
Group 35
Tire size
225/60R17 (base trim)
Wiper blades
26" / 18" / 14" rear
Key fob battery
CR1620 (exposed-blade flip key with integrated remote)
Fuel tank
18.5 gal

Specifications for the 2010–2014 Outback

Oil & filter

Viscosity, capacity, filter part numbers, change interval

Battery

BCI group size, cold cranking amps, AGM or flooded

Tires & wheels

Factory sizes by trim, pressures, bolt pattern, lug torque

Wiper blades

Driver, passenger and rear blade lengths

Air & cabin filters

Cabin and engine air filter part numbers, locations, intervals

Bulbs

Headlight, fog and marker bulb types

Brakes

Rotor diameters, pad references, service notes

Fluids

Transmission fluid, coolant, brake fluid and capacities

Service schedule

What's actually due at every mileage interval

Problems & reliability

Documented failures, recalls, and which years to avoid

Oil light reset

Step-by-step maintenance light reset, no tools

Key fob battery

Which coin cell the remote takes

Specs

Towing, weight, fuel tank, fuel economy

These specifications are shared across every Outback of the BR (4th generation) generation. See the 2010–2014 Subaru Outback overview for the full picture, or the Subaru Outback guide to compare every generation.

What changed for the 2010 Subaru Outback

  • 2010–2012Generation launch; pre-facelift styling, slightly taller ride height than later years

Known problems with the 2010 Subaru Outback

4 of the 6 issues we track for the 2010–2014 generation are documented against the 2010 model year, and 2 carry a recall or service bulletin.

  • Electronic parking brake actuator failure (recall, manual-transmission models)

    majorNHTSA 18V626 (Subaru campaign WTV-81)

    On 2010–2014 Legacy/Outback models with a manual transmission, a defective circuit board in the electronic parking brake actuator's control unit can cause the parking brake to disengage unexpectedly or fail to hold, risking rollaway. Subaru recalled all affected manual-trans VINs; the fix is a free actuator replacement.

    Typical cost: Free under recall

  • Head gasket seepage at higher mileage

    moderate

    A minority of FB25 and EZ36 engines develop slow external head-gasket seepage past 100k miles, showing as coolant loss, a sweet smell, or crust near the cylinder-head mating surface. Far less common and less catastrophic than the internal head-gasket failures that plagued earlier EJ25-powered Subarus, but still worth a cooling-system check on a pre-purchase inspection.

    Typical cost: $1,000–$1,600

  • CVT shudder, hesitation, or premature failure

    major

    Some 2.5i (Lineartronic CVT) models exhibit shuddering under light throttle, hesitation on takeoff, or a whining/grinding noise as the CVT chain and pulleys wear. NHTSA received hundreds of complaints on this generation's CVT. A full CVT replacement is the worst-case repair.

    Typical cost: $3,500–$5,500 for a CVT replacement out of warranty

  • Takata airbag inflator recall

    majorMultiple NHTSA Takata campaigns (e.g. 15V-051, 16V-100 and later expansions)

    Part of the industry-wide Takata recall: the front passenger (and on some VINs, driver) airbag inflator can rupture in a deployment, sending metal fragments into the cabin. Subaru replaced inflators free of charge; check your VIN even if you believe a prior owner already had it done.

    Typical cost: Free under recall

2 more issues reported in other 2010–2014 years
  • Steering column intermediate shaft disengagement (recall) — 2013
  • FB25 excessive oil consumption (class action settlement) — 2011–2014

Full detail, costs and sources on the Subaru Outback problems and years to avoid guide.

Which engines were offered in the 2010 Outback?

EngineTrimsOilOil capacity
2.5L 4-cylinder (FB25, port-injected)2.5i, 2.5i Premium, 2.5i Limited0W-205.1 qt
3.6L H6 (EZ36, 5-speed automatic)3.6R, 3.6R Limited5W-306.9 qt

About the Subaru Outback

The Subaru Outback is a jacked-up all-wheel-drive wagon that has outsold most traditional SUVs in its class for over a decade, and the 2010–2025 span covers three generations built on a shared formula: a flat ("boxer") engine, standard symmetrical AWD, and a CVT on nearly every trim. 6L EZ36 six (the six paired to a real 5-speed automatic, not a CVT) and is the generation most associated with early-CVT anxiety, a steering-column recall, and FB25 oil-consumption complaints that ended in a class-action settlement. 6R onto Subaru's High Torque CVT, and is remembered for CVT chain-slip complaints (Subaru quietly extended CVT coverage to 10 years/100,000 miles on many of these), touchscreen/infotainment flakiness, and a spontaneous-windshield-cracking lawsuit.

The BT (2019–2025 production, 2020–2025 model years) rides on the Subaru Global Platform, dropped the six-cylinder in favor of a direct-injected FB25D four and, starting with the 2022 Wilderness trim, an optional 260-hp turbocharged FA24F four, plus EyeSight driver assist standard across the range; it has its own recall history (a brake-pedal bolt recall right out of the gate, a passenger airbag-sensor recall, more windshield-cracking claims) and an ongoing parasitic-battery-drain lawsuit. Across all three generations maintenance is Subaru-typical: 6,000-mile/6-month full-synthetic oil changes (3,000/3 in severe service), a class-leading 11-year/137,500-mile first coolant interval, a Group 35 battery, and 89 ft-lb lug torque. The CVT is the component owners worry about most.

Factory fluid-change guidance is generous (many owners change it well before Subaru's official interval), and a failed unit is the single most expensive repair on any of these three generations.

For how the specifications changed across every generation, see the full Subaru Outback guide.

Other Subaru Outback years

202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011
Data confidence for this generationHigh confidence

Sources