PROJECTOR BEAM HEADLIGHTS WITH SHARP CUT OFF..... LOW BEAM LIGHTS ARE BRIGHT AND GREAT ON LEVEL STRAIGHT ROAD AT MODERATE SPEEDS, DEVIATE FROM THAT AND IT IS DANGEROUS. NEED FURTHER PENETRATION FOR HIGH SPEED DRIVING.. GOING DOWNHILL OR ON ANY SLOPE AND AROUND CURVES LIMITED VISIBILITY;;; . DOWNHILL FREEWAY CLOVERLEAF ON RAMP, IMPOSSIBLE TO NEGOTIATE SAFELY WITH LOW BEAM.. DEPTH OF FIELD 20 TO 25 FEET, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. LIGHTS JUST CUT OFF RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. HAVE TO TURN ON HIGH BEAM TO SEE... ALSO LIGHTS DO NOT LIGHT UP THE SIDES OF ROADS VERY WELL, WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SEE WILDLIFE VERY WELL. LIMITED VISIBILITY TURNING CORNERS IN RESIDENTIAL DRIVING, HARD TO SEE PEDESTRIANS AT SIDE CROSSWALKS. HARD TO SEE PROJECTED PATH.. LIGHTS DO NOT PROJECT HIGH ENOUGH TO THE RIGHT TO PROPERLY LIGHT UP STREET SIGNS. SELF LEVELING MAY HELP WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. *TR
2015 Subaru Outback complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2015 record →
NOTICED AN 18 INCH CRACK IN MY 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK WINDSHIELD STARTING AT THE TOP UNDER THE HEATING ELEMENT TWO MONTHS AGO. WAS NOT HIT BY A ROCK AND NO IMPACT SPOT FOUND. HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED THREE WEEKS AGO. WHILE DRIVING YESTERDAY, HEARD A CRACKING SOUND AND NOTICED A 12 INCH CRACK APPEAR IN THE LOWER LEFT (AGAIN, STARTING WHERE THE HEATING ELEMENT IS AND AGAIN, NO ROCK SOUND OR IMPACT SPOT). MY SISTER HAS THE EXACT SAME CAR WITH A CRACK IN THE *EXACT* SAME SPOT THAT DEVELOPED LAST WEEK OUT OF THE BLUE (I HAVE PHOTOS OF BOTH OF OUR CRACKS FOR COMPARISON). FROM DOING RESEARCH, IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARU WINDSHIELDS (WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG HAS SEVERAL FORUM THREADS DETAILING SIMILAR REPORTS). *TR
IN NOVEMBER 2014, I TOOK DELIVERY OF A NEW 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, 3.6 LIMITED. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH THE OPTIONAL PREMIUM ELECTRONICS PACKAGE, AND THE EYESIGHT COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM. AFTER ABOUT THREE WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP, I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE RANDOM MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE KEY-LESS IGNITION, AND THE KEY-LESS ENTRY SYSTEMS. THE IGNITION PROBLEMS ALL INVOLVED ENGINE START, AND OCCURRED IN SCENARIOS WHERE THE KEY-FOB WASN'T RECOGNIZED. ABOUT THE SAME TIME, THE GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM STARTED TO DISPLAY ERRONEOUS LOCATIONAL DATA, AND THE ASSOCIATED 'STARLINK' TOUCH SCREEN SYSTEM WOULD FREEZE-UP (BECOME INOPERABLE). AS OF TODAY, I HAVE POSTED SIX DIFFERENT VIDEOS TO YOUTUBE TO DRAMATICALLY ILLUSTRATE THE PROBLEM. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=9MF_RUMICQM . I HAVE HAD THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND IT CAN'T BE FIXED. I HAVE ALSO MET WITH SUBARUS, SEATTLE ZONE SERVICE MANAGER. IN EMAILS FROM SUBARU'S CORPORATE SERVICE OFFICIALS, THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM EXISTS, DESPITE THE VIDEOS. UNOFFICIALLY, THE ZONE SERVICE MANAGER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT SOME OTHER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE, WHICH HE BELIEVES IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM IN VEHICLES WITH THIS OPTION COMBINATION. HE DOES NOT KNOW OF ANY SOLUTION. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM CAN OVERRIDE DRIVER COMMANDS INVOLVING BRAKING, AND ENGINE THROTTLE. WILL THE PROBLEMS WITH THE GPS AND STARLINK TOUCH-SCREENS POTENTIALLY CREATE A DANGEROUS MALFUNCTION OF THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM T
AFTER BEING PARKED OUTSIDE OVERNIGHT WITH TEMPERATURES BELOW 0 DEGREES F, THE VEHICLE STARTED FINE THE FOLLOWING MORNING BUT HAD NUMEROUS WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATE (POWER STEERING, AT OIL TEMPERATURE, AMONG OTHERS) WHILE IDLING IN MY DRIVEWAY. VEHICLE WARMED UP FOR 5 MINUTES. ONCE WARMED UP, OWNER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART 20 MINUTES LATER. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART BUT OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS (LIGHTS, RADIO, ETC) WORKED BUT THE STARTER WOULD NOT ENGAGE. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 856. UPDATED 02/18/15*LJ UPDATED 9/12/2017*CN
THIS CAR HAS A SCREEN IN THE DASHBOARD THAT CONTROLS THE STEREO, PHONE, AND OTHER FUNCTIONS. IT HAS A VERY REFLECTIVE GLASSY FINISH. THE SCREEN IS NOT SURROUNDED BY A HOOD OF ANY SORT AND IT IS TITLED AT ABOUT A 50-DEGREE ANGLE. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS SCREEN REFLECTS A LOT OF SUNLIGHT, BUT IT WAS MORE OF AN ANNOYANCE THAN ANYTHING. ON THIS OCCASION, I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT ABOUT 1:30 IN THE AFTERNOON, GOING EAST ON A HIGHWAY. THE DASHBOARD SCREEN WAS REFLECTING THE SUN INTO MY EYES SO DIRECTLY THAT IT WAS PAINFUL. IT WAS ALSO DISTRACTING. THE LIGHT WAS SO BRIGHT AND SO CONSISTENT THAT I HAD TO DRIVE WHILE HOLDING MY RIGHT HAND IN FRONT OF THE SCREEN TO BLOCK THE LIGHT. I HAD TO DRIVE THAT WAY FOR PROBABLY HALF AN HOUR. I DID NOT HAVE ANY SORT OF "ACCIDENT." HOWEVER, I CAN FORESEE THAT UNDER THE WRONG CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR COULD BLIND OR DISTRACT A DRIVER FROM SEEING OTHER TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC SIGNALS, ETC. AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. IT COULD ALSO CAUSE SOMEONE TO KEEP ONE HAND OFF THE WHEEL AND MAYBE CAUSE AN ACCIDENT THAT WAY. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. *TR
BLINDING DASHBOARD GLARE AT CERTAIN AUTOMOBILE/SUN ANGLES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE ENGINE SEIZED AS THE KEYLESS ACCESS SYSTEM DISABLED WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A FAULTY CONNECTOR IN THE WIRING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.
RED ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR DIED. LOST ALL POWER/ DRIVE. NEEDED TO COAST TO BERM. WOULD RESTART, BUT DIE IMMEDIATELY. EVERYTHING WAS IMMOBILIZED. THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED AT 70 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE! OUR WAS VERY CLOSE TO BEING REAR- ENDED. *TR
THERE IS A GLOSS FINISHED PLASTIC TOUCH PAD KIND OF COVER THAT COVERS THE ENTIRE NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THIS IS APPROXIMATELY 6"X8". IT IS NOT ONLY THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM, BUT THE RADIO, FUEL INFORMATION, ETC. IT IS SLANTED AS PART OF THE FRONT DASHBOARD, AND WHEN THE SUN HITS IT, IT BOUNCES DIRECTLY INTO THE DRIVERS EYES. THIS NAVIGATION SYSTEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECESSED INTO THE DASH, OR AT A MINIMUM, A MATTE FINISH INSTEAD OF A GLASSY FINISH ON THE PLASTIC. IT IS DEFINITELY A HAZARD TO THE DRIVER, AS IT IS BLINDING. IF YOU ARE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, WITH THE SUN AT AN ANGLE, THE REFLECTION OF LIGHT IN YOUR EYES IS AS BLINDING AS SOMEONE HOLDING A FLASHLIGHT STEADILY INTO YOUR EYES. I HAVE PICTURES THAT I TOOK OF THE SCREEN. IT MUST BE RECALLED SOON, WITH EITHER SOME TYPE OF REPLACEMENT COVER THAT IS A MATTE FINISH, OR AN ATTACHMENT THAT GOES AROUND THE SCREEN SO IT WOULD APPEAR RECESSED. I PAID THOUSANDS EXTRA FOR NAVIGATION, AND NOT ONLY IS IT BLINDING, BUT I CANNOT EVEN SEE THE NAVIGATION SCREEN ANYWAY. BEFORE I CAUSE AN ACCIDENT THAT INJURES MYSELF OR OTHERS, OR SOMEONE ELSE DOES, PLEASE CONSIDER RECALLING THIS. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHS TO SHOW THE REFLECTION. *TR
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2015 Subaru Outback → · Every Outback year → · How the figures are calculated →