Subaru›Outback›2010›2.5L/subaru/outback/2010/2-5l/

2010 Subaru Outback — 2.5L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2010 Outback 2.5L. Covers both the standard and High Output 2.5L.

Body SUVEngine 2.5LTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2010 Subaru Outback 2.5L arrives as an SUV built around a 2.5-liter engine paired with an automatic transmission featuring variable gear ratios, returning 22/29/24 mpg and taking 4.4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil. With 359 owner complaints logged and 18 recalls issued, its most reported trouble area centers on the power train. In the broader model history spanning 1995 through 2026, the 2010 sits well below the peak complaint year of 2019 (1,029) and far above the 1995 low of just two, placing it in the middle of the pack for reported issues.

Model year2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque89 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy22/29/24 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 25 · 490 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 25 · 490 CCAOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	187.8 in
Overall width	71.7 in
Overall height	65.7 in
Wheelbase	107.9 in
Curb weight	3633 lb
Track (front / rear)	61.4 / 61.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	53/47

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	22 / 29 / 24 mpg
Drivetrain	All-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	105 cu ft
Cargo volume	34 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent published road-test results.

9.7–10.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.70 sec — 2010 2.5i Limited

170 hpHorsepower (as tested)

170 lb-ftTorque (as tested)

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2010	2.5i Limited 2.5L F-4	9.70 sec	17.40 sec	170 hp	AWD
2010	2.5i Limited 2.5L F-4	10.10 sec	17.80 sec	170 hp	AWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 89 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 33.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-6-3-2-5-4. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	Subaru Lienartronic CVT fluid
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	13.2
Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.4 qt
Manual Transmission Fluid	75W-90 · GL-5
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity	7.0-9.0

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	143 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	51-55 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	18.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	22 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	33.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs	5 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	89 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug	17.0-20.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	162 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub	177 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-2-4
Cylinder Firing Order	1-6-3-2-5-4
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	MT: 650, AT: 675, TURBO AT: 700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)	100 rpm
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	9520-12,880 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	NGK
Spark Plug Torque	15 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance	Turbo: 10, Non-Turbo: 8 degrees

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	.88-1.00 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Standard BCI Group Number	25
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	490 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	25
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	490 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	176-183 °F
Injector Primary Resistance	12.0 ohms
Engine Compression	152-203 psi. 14 variance psi.
Engine Oil Pressure	14 psi @ 600 rpm, 43 psi @ 5000
Intake Valve Lash	0.0079 in
Exhaust Valve Lash	0.0138 in

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH SOLID ROTOR / WITH VENTED ROTOR
Torque Caliper to Bracket	20 ft-lbs / 88.5 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	48.7 ft-lbs / 88.5 ft-lbs
Other	STANDARD WHEELS
Wheel Application	17 inch WHEELS
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.059; Rear: 0.059 in
Brake Application	WITH SOLID ROTOR / WITH VENTED ROTOR
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 8 stages

1	21.5 ft. lbs.	21.5 ft. lbs
2	51 ft. lbs.	51 ft. lbs
3	Loosen 180 degrees in the reverse order of installing.	180 degrees
4	Loosen 180 degrees in the reverse order of installing.	180 degrees
5	36 ft. lbs.	36 ft. lbs
6	80-90 degrees.	80–90 degrees
7	40-45 degrees.	40–45 degrees
8	40-45 degrees.; Lightly lubricate new cylinder head bolt, threads and flanges with engine oil.	40–45 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 1,250 mi.

Every 1,250 mi	Engine Oil (inspect fluid level)
At 3,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 5,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exterior Lighting (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 7,500 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 9,300 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 10,000 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect alignment)
At 15,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 mi	Brake Rotor (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 20,000 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2010 Subaru Outback marks the beginning of a sharp upward trend in federal complaints, rising from 111 in 2009 to 359 in 2010, before spiking further to 649 in 2011. This model year recorded 18 recalls, the highest volume of any year in the provided record, alongside a significant increase in Technical Service Bulletins to 310. Primary complaint areas for 2010 included the power train (69), air bags (39), exterior lighting (27), and steering (23). While the record notes 12 crash and 2 fire complaints, the data does not specify the root causes for these incidents, and there were zero federal investigations conducted for this year. Given that 2010 represents a peak for recalls and the start of a deteriorating complaint trend, this is not a recommended year to buy.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

310

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

359

Owner complaints

12 involved a crash · 2 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09’10’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’23 ’24 ’25 ’26

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 359 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train69

Air Bags39

Exterior Lighting27

Steering23

Service Brakes22

Engine20

Engine & Engine Cooling18

Electrical System11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 18 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V626000Parking BrakeReported 13/09/2018

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. The electronic parking brake (EPB) may not engage as intended, allowing the vehicle… Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EPB actuator assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 19, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at…

19V007000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 09/01/2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida… Remedy: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 25, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 310 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
SubaruNet Annoucement (E	2026-06-11	Unknown Or Other	This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood…
01-167-08R	2026-05-18	Unknown Or Other	This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the…
SubaruNet Announcement (R	2026-05-04	Power Train	This announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.
07-240-26R	2026-04-30	Unknown Or Other	This Service Information Bulletin was developed to provide interim guidance for vehicles…
03-97-26	2026-04-24	Power Train	This bulletin announces the service manual correction regarding clutch master cylinder…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Outback. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 25 battery Vehicles taking 4.4 qt

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2010 Outback 2.5L take?

4.4 qt of 5W-30 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 2010 Outback have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 18 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 2.5L get?

EPA figures are 22 city / 29 highway / 24 combined mpg.