SubaruOutback20073.0L/subaru/outback/2007/3-0l/

2007 Subaru Outback — 3.0L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2007 Outback 3.0L.

Body SUVEngine 3.0LTransmission Automatic (S5)

The 2007 Subaru Outback 3.0L occupies the SUV segment with a 3.0-liter engine and five-speed automatic transmission, demanding 6 quarts of 5W-30 API oil and delivering EPA ratings of 17 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined. Within the model's broader 1995-2026 reliability spectrum—a range bookended by just 2 complaints in 1995 and 1,029 in 2019—this particular year registers a modest 129 total owner complaints with air bags representing the top issue area across 8 recalls. That complaint volume positions the 2007 model as a relatively quiet year in the Outback's reliability history, suggesting fewer reported problems than many subsequent iterations despite the noted recall activity.

Model year200920082007200620052004200320022001

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity6 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque74-89 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/23/20 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 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 35 · 490 CCAOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S5)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length175.6 in
Overall width67.3 in
Overall height59.1 in
Wheelbase99.2 in
Curb weight3071 lb
Track (front / rear)57.1 / 57.5 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)57/43

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 23 / 20 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 6 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 74-89 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 FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity10.4
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6 qt
Manual Transmission Fluid75W-90 · GL-5
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity7.0-9.0

Engine torques

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings39 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts53 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18.1 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts22.4 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug33.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs5 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts74-89 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug17.0-20.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub162 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub177 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-2-4
Cylinder Firing Order1-6-3-2-5-4
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)MT: 640, AT: 700, TURBO: 750 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)MT: 110, AT and TURBO: 100 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug Torque15 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing Acceptable VarianceTurbo: 10, Non-Turbo: 8 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity.81-.95 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance490 cca
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance490 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Injector Primary Resistance5-20 ohms
Engine Compression185-213 psi. 7 variance psi.

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH SOLID ROTOR / WITH VENTED ROTOR
Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs / 27 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle39 ft-lbs
OtherSTANDARD WHEELS
Wheel Application17 inch WHEELS
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.059; Rear: 0.059 in
Brake ApplicationWITH SOLID ROTOR / WITH VENTED ROTOR
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 8 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Coat bolt head washers and threads with clean engine oil

114.0 ft. lbs.14 ft. lbs
237.0 ft. lbs.37 ft. lbs
3Loosen bolts 360 degrees in reverse order360 degrees
418.0 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
518.0 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
690 degrees90 degrees
7Bolts 1-490 degrees
8Bolts 5-845 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 3,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 3,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 9,300 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
At 15,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Clutch Assembly (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection)
Every 60,000 miWheel Bearing (inspect)
At 105,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)

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 2007 Subaru Outback sits at a notable low point within its generation's complaint arc, recording 129 federal complaints compared to 280 in 2006 and 230 in 2008 — roughly half the volume of its immediate neighbors. Recalls held steady at 8, consistent with the 7–9 range seen across 2005–2008, while TSBs dipped slightly to 195 from 200 in 2006, suggesting no major surge in manufacturer-identified service issues. The generation as a whole (2005–2009) saw complaints peak early at 273–280 in 2005–2006 before declining, with 2007 representing the cleanest midpoint before a modest rebound in 2008. Air Bags dominate the 2007 complaint profile at 36 of 129 complaints, far outpacing Engine (9), Vehicle Speed Control (7), and Service Brakes (6), though the data does not specify a root cause for any of these categories. The 9 crash complaints and 2 fire complaints are modest relative to the generation's higher-volume years. Given that 2007 shows the lowest complaint count of the first four years in its generation and recall activity is stable rather than escalating, this appears to be a relatively favorable year to purchase within this generation — provided the air bag-related recalls have been addressed.

8
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
195
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
129
Owner complaints
9 involved a crash · 2 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 129 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags36
Engine9
Vehicle Speed Control7
Service Brakes6
Power Train6
Suspension6
Electrical System4
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 8 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V003000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 02/01/2020

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold… Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020…

20V001000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 02/01/2020

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold… Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 195 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SubaruNet Annoucement (E2026-06-11Unknown Or OtherThis announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood…
01-167-08R2026-05-18Unknown Or OtherThis bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the…
SubaruNet Announcement (R2026-05-04Power TrainThis announcement provides information on the remanufactured CVT transmission program.
07-240-26R2026-04-30Unknown Or OtherThis Service Information Bulletin was developed to provide interim guidance for vehicles…
03-97-262026-04-24Power TrainThis 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

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VIN
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Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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Vehicles with shared specs

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

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2007 Outback 3.0L take?

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

Does the 2007 Outback have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 3.0L get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 23 highway / 20 combined mpg.