2021 Subaru Outback Mk6 (BT)

A sticking thermo control valve can trigger multiple dashboard warning lights and poor heater output even though the engine otherwise drives normally. Lamps and electrical faults are the most common MOT failure area on the Outback.

Symptoms: Check engine light, Weak cabin heat...

Est. repair cost: £400–£900

Early BT cars can suffer laggy or freezing infotainment, which is particularly frustrating because so many climate and vehicle functions are routed through the main display. Dashboard warning lights and electrical faults dominate the Outback's MOT failure record.

Symptoms: Touchscreen lag, Random system reboot...

Est. repair cost: £0–£1,200

Owners report batteries going flat or dying well before the usual four-to-five-year mark, sometimes linked to parasitic drain from keyless entry or infotainment modules staying awake. Battery condition and electrical faults are recorded MOT checks on this model.

Symptoms: Battery flat after a few days of sitting, Need for repeated jump-starts...

Est. repair cost: £100–£300

Knocks and clunks from the front or rear suspension over bumps and potholes are a common complaint, usually traced to worn control arm bushes, strut top mounts or links. Suspension is the second most common MOT failure area on the Outback.

Symptoms: Knocks over bumps and potholes, Clunking from the front or rear suspension...

Est. repair cost: £200–£600

EyeSight-equipped BT cars use a stereo camera pair mounted on the windscreen. Any windscreen replacement or knock to the camera mount needs dealer or specialist recalibration, or the lane-keep and pre-collision braking features stop working properly. This adds cost on top of the glass itself and is an easy-to-miss expense for buyers.

Symptoms: EyeSight warning light after windscreen work, Lane-keep assist not working...

Est. repair cost: £150–£300