BS (5th generation) · 2015–2019 · Mid-size wagon/crossover
2017 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.
Last verified
Quick facts
Specifications for the 2015–2019 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 BS (5th generation) generation. See the 2015–2019 Subaru Outback overview for the full picture, or the Subaru Outback guide to compare every generation.
Known problems with the 2017 Subaru Outback
4 of the 5 issues we track for the 2015–2019 generation are documented against the 2017 model year, and 3 carry a recall or service bulletin.
CVT chain slip, shudder, or failure
majorTSB 16-95-15; Subaru CVT customer support program (10-yr/100k extension)Owners report intermittent shudder, hesitation, RPM flare without a matching speed increase, or outright CVT failure, most often traced to chain slip (Subaru TSB 16-95-15). It's frequent enough that Subaru extended CVT coverage on many 2015 model-year vehicles (and separately on 2019–2020 vehicles) to 10 years/100,000 miles under a customer support program, call Subaru with your VIN to check eligibility before paying out of pocket.
Typical cost: Free if within the 10-yr/100k CVT warranty extension; $3,500–$5,500 for a CVT replacement otherwise
Spontaneous windshield cracking (class action settlement)
moderateKhona, et al. v. Subaru of America, Inc.Owners of 2017–2019 Forester and Outback vehicles reported windshields cracking, chipping, or shattering with no impact, often near the edge of the glass. A class action (Khona, et al. v. Subaru of America, Inc.) settled with an extended warranty covering qualifying windshield claims and reimbursement for prior repairs/replacements.
Typical cost: Covered under the settlement's extended warranty for qualifying cracks; $400–$1,000+ for an out-of-pocket windshield replacement with ADAS camera recalibration
Starlink infotainment freezes and screen delamination
minorThe touchscreen freezes, reboots, loses Bluetooth pairing, or (on some units) develops a delaminated/bubbling screen. Software updates fix some cases; a delaminated screen needs head-unit replacement, which can run into the thousands out of warranty.
Typical cost: $0 (software update) to $2,000+ (head unit replacement, delamination)
Parasitic battery drain (class action settlement)
moderateIn re Subaru Battery Drain Products Liability Litigation, No. 1:20-cv-03095-JHR-MJS (D.N.J.)A defective electrical system can prevent one or more control modules from entering a low-power sleep state, slowly draining the 12V battery even when the car is off and sometimes leaving owners stranded. In re Subaru Battery Drain Products Liability Litigation settled with an extended warranty for qualifying battery failures on 2015–2020 Outback (and related Forester/Legacy/Ascent/WRX) models.
Typical cost: Covered under the settlement's extended warranty for qualifying failures; $150–$300 for an out-of-warranty battery replacement (doesn't fix the root cause)
1 more issue reported in other 2015–2019 years
- FB25 oil consumption (2015 model year, class action) — 2015
Full detail, costs and sources on the Subaru Outback problems and years to avoid guide.
Which engines were offered in the 2017 Outback?
| Engine | Trims | Oil | Oil capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cylinder (FB25, revised, port-injected) | 2.5i, Premium, Limited, Touring | 0W-20 | 5.1 qt |
| 3.6L H6 (EZ36, now paired to High Torque CVT) | 3.6R Limited, 3.6R Touring | 5W-30 | 6.9 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
Sources
- sportsubarusouth.com, Subaru Outback oil type by model year
- AMSOIL lookup, 2019 Outback 2.5L FB25 oil spec/capacity
- awdadventure.com, Subaru Outback tire fitment by year (2015–2019)
- Rohnert Park Transmission, Subaru Outback CVT problems guide by model year
- Subaru Battery Settlement, official settlement site (2015–2020 Outback coverage)
- Consumer Reports, 2015 Subaru Outback reliability (CVT complaint)
- classaction.org, Subaru windshield settlement given preliminary approval (Khona/Powell case background)
- Reddit r/subaru, 2019–2020 CVT warranty extension to 10 yr/100k thread