2017 Subaru Outback complaints

I am having issues with my 2017 Subaru Outback on battery drain. 37,000 miles. I've had to replace the battery 2x (2019 and again today) and a failed battery right after getting it fixed by Subaru services. The battery drains much quicker than required.

Battery kept on dying. The latest happened after I drove it daily for 3 days, so it's an active car and no unattended light to cause drain. It's a well maintained, low mileage (17,800 miles) car and I'm the original owner. When battery died 2 years ago, Subaru admitted malfunction and replaced the battery. Since then I had multiple jump starts wasting time to call roadside assistance, missed school/ meetings and I'm afraid deadly risk if I'm off road to call for help.

As I am slowing down by pushing the brake pedal, the vehicle will attempt to accelerate. It will increase speed by about 2 miles per hour and the RPM increases when this happens.

The battery frequently goes dead, just a few days after the last drive. We don't believe any lights were left on, etc., but perhaps there is an unknown current drain. This happened at home, so it wasn't dangerous, except for the need to jumper to another vehicle. It could be dangerous if we were stranded away from home. Not reproduced by a dealer or service center. The battery was replaced once, already. No warning lights or symptoms before the failure.

I'm the 2nd owner of a 2016 Outback. I bought it with 28k miles on it in 2017. It now has 33k. However - I drive daily...just not far. There is zero excuse for my battery dying at 30k. I called Subaru - and they initially to me to 'buy the battery (Sunday) and we'll cover it. Upon meeting with Subaru mgnt - looking for my money back.....I'm then told "you're out of warranty last week". Something is very wrong with this electrical system and Subaru dealerships - as Subaru is walking away from it. I got stuck with the new battery bill - but Subaru is stuck with a major problem - one that'll come back to bite them hopefully!!! SHAME ON SUBARU.

I drove my Outback for 10 minutes. I stopped to run an errand that took 30 minutes. I then tried to start the car and it wouldn't start. All the lights on the dash turned on. I then tried several more times. It still would not start. Then I waited several minutes and it started. I drove it home. I have since tried to start it several times and it has started. The car has slightly less than 20K miles on it. This has never happened before. It was a very hot day - nearly 100 degrees and I was quite panicky that it would not start. I was worried I would be stranded. There was never any indication before that something like this might happen. I am going to call the dealership tomorrow.

The ignition key becomes stuck in the ignition upon stopping the vehicle and placing the gear shifter into "park" and turning the vehicle off. Intermittently the key is unable to be removed from the ignition even though the vehicle is in the "park" position and turned off. Usually after starting and stopping the vehicle and moving the gear shift a few times the key can be removed from the ignition. This problem does not occur every time the vehicle is driven, but lately it is happening more frequently.

The windshield cracked spontaneously needing replacement

Our 2017 Subaru Outback has had multiple incidents of “ Sudden Dead Battery “ in the Mornings. We have had the Car Checked out at CarMax where we purchased it and we’re told the Service Tech couldn’t determine the Cause and we should take it to a Subaru dealership which we did…. The Technician could not Identify the Cause either but suggested a New Battery which we chose not to do… No Service Representative acted ignorant to the facts that this is becoming a Known issue on a National Scale with Multiple Lawsuits being Filed for the Same problem… We now Carry a Battery Jumper and Always have the concerns that the Car will not start.. So far, the Battery continues to go Dead at various times after being parked overnight so I can jump start it from home… I read another complaint that mentioned the multiple lights/ warnings and Displays coming on the dashboard- We have experienced that same scenario… we see flashing lights and information that do not show during Normal Driving operation.

In October of 2020, I awoke to find that my 2017 Subaru Outback's windshield had cracked during the night. I assumed it might have been struck while I was driving the previous day and then it subsequently cracked as temperatures dropped. A Subaru-recommended company replaced the windshield with an OEM windshield. However, on July 18 of 2021, the windshield cracked again. Thus, not even a year passed before the windshield cracked a second time. Once again, I assumed the windshield might have been struck while driving. After getting a quote on replacing the windshield a second time, the crack spread an additional 12" after the vehicle was parked outside for 4 hours. This time, I photographed the crack. The windshield is scheduled to be replaced on 7/27 so it will not be available for inspection after that date. My concern is that the windshields on this vehicle crack VERY easily in response to impacts that I didn't even notice. The cracks then spread very easily. These cracks obstruct drivers' visibility, which presents a safety risk. Replacing the windshields is very expensive because of the safety features require calibration.

At 15,000 miles my battery died while on vacation (July 2019). We were far from the main road. We were lucky to see a motorist who helped us jump start the car. I replaced it with a new battery. The battery died two weeks ago at 37,000 miles. Something is draining the battery but Subaru will not acknowledge it. This defect can have serious consequences for people who get stranded in remote areas and far away from towns and population.

My wife contacted me thru text this morning (Monday the 19th, 2021) asking if I remember seeing the windshield cracked (starting on the passanger side) on Saturday, as thats the last time the vehicle was driven. She had just got in the vehicle to go to work, when she saw it. I told her no and couldn't figure out how it even happened as there is no damage of any sort that would of caused it. Where it started to crack, its not just cracked but deeply separated about half the length of the damage. To the point your fingernail can fit in easily. It craked a bit further later in the day.

Battery keeps draining. The battery has now been dead three times for no apparent reason.

Battery drain due to electrical issues. Two replaced batteries in under 2 years.

Battery was dead many times due to a parasitic draw. Dealer installed new batteries at no charge. Dealer with the help of Subaru Technical could not find the cause. Auto is available for inspection. Dealer could not duplicate problem but was able to inspect on each occasion. There were no warnings that the problem would occur. Last case is #68469384405 hat was communicated to Subaru Techline

Car battery drains at an accelerated rate.

I purchased the car new on 28 February 2017. The car was started and driven to the front of the dealership for me to pickup after purchase. When I went to start the car, it did not start. The dealer said a light was probably left on and the dealer replaced the battery. On 29 January 2021 my car required a jump to start. I drove to the dealership and they said I needed to replace the battery. From the time of purchase I have noticed battery problems such as slow start or difficult starting. Also I required more than one attempt to start after the radio was used without the engine running for less than 10 minutes. On 26 March 2021 I notice the clock was not keeping correct time, the keyless entry stopped working and other electrical malfunctions. I took the car to the dealership and it took 7 days to troubleshoot the problem. The dealership said the problem was the driver side approach light was shorted. I have also have passenger side front window automatic closing problems. The window closes all the way then immediately opens half way.

The windshield was hit by a small rock while driving on a highway at 65 mph. The rock caused a crack less than a millimeter in diameter. After continuing to drive the vehicle on highways and paved streets for 4 more hours, the small crack expanded to be approximately a foot going across the windshield from the passenger side to the middle of the windshield.

The windshield randomly cracked while parked in a parking lot. The crack propagated over half of the windshield over the course of the day. From the pictures you can see there are no starbursts or evidence of road debris initiating a crack. There are active lawsuits over the weakness of the OEM windshield on Subaru Outback’s. I have not had this inspected by a Subaru dealership.

On six separate occasions four times with out any battery drain and twice when I had charged my phone after turning off the engine the battery failed to start the car. It had to be jumped with a portable charger. The car has 62000 miles on it and no warning lights or any other indicators. On my last oil change 7/12/2021 it was tested and just crossed the line into the red and needs to be replaced.

The battery on this vehicle needs to be charged weekly, the battery tests fine, but something is drawing the charge.I have been charging the battery weekly for almost a year now.

The original battery completely died a year or two ago and the replacement battery completely died four months ago.

Purchased 05/2017. Within 2 weeks battery dead. Towed to dealer. Told okay. July 2017 , dead battery. Charged, dead next day. New battery. 10/2018 new battery. 04/2021, new battery. Condenser for a/c was replaced 05/2021

Battery issues, continued changing when the battery isnt drained

Random dead battery. Battery replaced. Random dead battery. Got a boost start battery for emergency. Random dead battery, etc. Car will not start you do not know when. No warning. Will contact dealer, again but they were dismissive of the issue last year.

Car was left in garage for 8 days, did not start upon return. no lights or devices were left on during that time but battery was completely dead. needed a jump from roadside assistance; incident follows pattern history of battery issues ranging from trouble starting and lack of power to quick drain of power if the car idles too long. Original battery that came with the new vehicle has already been replaced under warranty once. Manufacturer is currently facing a class action lawsuit based on the electrical system's inability to fully power down even when the vehicle is completely turned off, which drains the battery if the car isn't operated frequently. service center told me I just needed to drive it for up to 30-40 miles of constant speed e.g. freeway driving on a regular basis. this is obviously not practical and should not be necessary for normal operation of the vehicle.

We have had to get a third-party charge to the battery 3 times in the last 2 months. The car had been turned off so there should have been no battery drain.

My car wouldn't turn on in April of 2020. When I opened the hood there was corrosion around the top of the battery. The battery was dead and had to be replaced. I bought the car new at the end of 2017 from a dealership.

Received clean bill of health for battery after 10/24/19 service at dealership. AAA replaced battery on 10/31/19 when car would not start. Car would not start. Had to jump battery on 3/15/21. Car would not start. Had to jump battery on 6/20/21. Car would not start. Had to jump battery on 6/21/21. AAA replaced battery on 6/22/21 when car would not start. Blind spot monitoring turns itself off about 50% of the time. Repaired multiple times at dealership.

The key gets stuck in the ACC selection mode when trying to turn the car off. It will not turn all the way back to turn off the electrical or allow the key to be removed. this has been happening often for a few weeks.

I have noticed a crack on the lower corner of the windshield on the driver side. The crack goes from one side to across the bottom of the window, with no evidence of an impact point.

Since I bought the 2017 Subaru Outback new from the dealer, I have experienced at least four instances when the car wouldn't start because of a dead battery. Once, (I assume) it was because the doors were open for a long time (a couple hours) while I cleaned the interior. The other three times were after I had driven it for a short trip, shut the car off, and returned to the car and it wouldn't start. There were no lights or auxiliary items left on. The most recent time (6-29-2021), it was parked for 20 minutes between trips and wouldn't start. I made a video of the engine compartment when I tried to jump start it and there is a loud noise coming from the engine. Something is running in the engine when the battery is too dead to start. It's loud.

The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 35 mph, the front windshield cracked without impact at the bottom on the passenger’s side of the windshield. The contact then stated as the day progressed, the crack continued to grow and spread throughout the front windshield. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer nor an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.

In May 2020 my car battery was replaced. The battery would not hold a charge after a few days of sitting. The dealer found no issues at the time. Today I had a similar issue. The car was parked in my driveway for 5 days, I was unable to start the car, the battery was dead and needed to be jumped. The vehicle is back at the dealership. I was told that if the battery failed, I would be charged for the replacement, as they do not prorate batteries.

Purchased my 2017 Outback in 2016. I have had FOUR batteries in less than four years. We were stranded in the middle of the night on the freeway hours from home, for a problem that has been ongoing. Each time the dealer has given us a new battery instantaneously. Ironic, that they claim there are no problems, when this issue is well documented online. No warning, but each time different symptoms. Hatch beeping unexpectedly, car won't start after short trips, etc... First time was only 9 months after first purchase of vehicle, 2nd time was a year and a half later, 3rd time dealer downloaded software patch, and battery still didn't last past 22 months. Thankfully battery is warrantied 36 months. How many complaints does the NHTSA need for further action? Isn't two lawsuits enough?

The contact owns a 2017 SUBARU Outback. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, the windshield fractured at the top middle section of the windshield. The contact stated that the fracture was not caused by an impact. The windshield was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 56,500.

The battery seems to die frequently. I am on the second battery after having purchased this car. I now carry a portable charger in the car just incase the car dies in transit. Just today, I ran a quick errand, got to my destination. Decided to repark my car and it would not start.

Battery drains all the time when car is off OR in accessory mode: This vehicle was purchased new. The battery has died quickly multiple times throughout the life of the vehicle. My husband and I realize that we have had the car jumped many, many times for things that should have not caused the battery to drain. We also looked on this nhtsa site, realized this is a problem with other similar vehicles and a class action suit is pending. For the past year we have learned to not keep any electrical on when the car is not running. The last two times: within the last month. I was waiting to pick up my child from an event, I turned the car totally off but left the key in the ignition. This, I found out later, caused the battery to drain in 10 minutes and I was stuck. Two weeks ago, I went to the drive in. When pulling in, I remembered that the car battery dies but I needed the radio to hear the movie - thankfully the movie theater had a jumper as my battery died in less than 30 minutes. No one else at the movie had this problem. I had three kids with me and that is the point, the car was specifically purchased because Subaru advertises that they make reliable vehicles, but this car is not as does not hold a charge. There is no warning that the battery will die. My liftgate also once stopped working. We googled it and had to jump the car to reset the computer to make the liftgate work again. I went to the dealership on 6/9/21, and asked them to do a diagnostic on the battery and alte

I am the original owner of a 2017 Subaru Outback Limited. There is an undiagnosed drain on the electrical system that causes the car not to start. The first time I replaced the battery, but two months later the car wouldn't start after being left in the garage over the weekend. I had to call AAA to jump the car. The Subaru dealership couldn't find any issues with the electrical system or the battery. A month later, I drove it to work and the car wouldn't start when I got in it to go home and had to be jumped to start. About three weeks later we made a six-hour road trip, parked the car at the hotel and not only would it not start in the morning, it was so dead that the back hatch wouldn't open so I could get the jumper cables out of the spare tire compartment. Fortunately a good samaritan in the parking lot had cables and jump started the car. If I park the car Friday night and don't drive it Saturday it won't start Sunday. I had to buy a battery charger for the garage so that I can jump it if it won't start. When I know I am not going to drive for more than a day, I now disconnect the battery cables so it will start when I drive it next. Ridiculous for a four year-old car with 63,000 miles.

We were driving along the highway when the windshield began to crack at the edge of the driver's side. We parked the car and went shopping for an hour. When we came back, the crack had doubled in length. I see, and know, there are issues with the windshield for this model year (a friend of mine had his replaced for free a couple of years ago). Need to get on that list.

I have had multiple issues over the years with the battery 2017 Subaru Outback keeping a charge and I have required a jump multiple times. My latest issue is over the last 3-4 months I have required a jump and while researching the issue, I came across Chimicles action lawsuit for the same problem I've been having. Please include my information in any database where information is being collected. Feel free to reach out to me if more information is needed.

Vehicle’s battery keeps draining unexpectedly. Vehicle takes multiple attempts to start in heat, battery has been replaced by Subaru certified dealer after inspection and is still occurring. Vehicle has only been in my possession for a month and a half. No warning lamps. There are MULTIPLE dates for this occurrence.

After the transmission is in park and the key is turned to turn-off the engine, the key will not advance to the "LOCKED" position and cannot be removed. Also, the steering wheel does not lock. This apparently can be remedied by repeatedly shifting from drive to park forcefully. Also, disconnecting the car battery seems to allow turning the key to "LOCKED."

Ignition key fails to be removed after placing car in park. Key is locked in the ignition column. Steering wheel lock is not the culprit. User must turn key to accessories and continually shift car from drive to park in order for computer to recognize the car is in park to release key.

Battery losing power. Bought new battery in 5/2020, recharged in 1/2021 and again in 5/2021. AutoZone has stated it's a good battery, but is being drained by something. No lights have been or other known things left on after turned off car. The lights do not dim when driving either. I have read a lawsuit has been filed regarding it could be an electrical problem with the Subaru. I have been stranded 3 times with this problem.

Battery completely drained. Replaced with new compatible battery that drained completely again in two days. Can jump start but otherwise no power to anything (locks, dash, etc). Nothing left on in car to drain battery.

- I have been stranded multiple times waiting on a jump because the battery has drained and died for no apparent reason. - OEM Battery on my 2017 vehicle was replaced under warranty at the end of 2019. At the end of 2020 (one year, and less than 10,000 miles later) I was stranded in a parking lot waiting on a jump after sitting in the car with the radio on for 45 minutes. I took the car to an auto parts store for testing and it "failed." - In May of 2021 I went to get in the car after 3 days of not driving it and the replacement OEM battery was completely dead. To the point that it wouldn't even unlock the car doors using the key fob.

Subaru battery drain problem for my 2017 outback

Car will not hold a charge. Have seen dealer and called Subaru of America. Problem remains unresolved.

The electrical system regularly drains the battery. I have replacement the factory battery TWICE with an aftermarket high end battery and the issue still occurs. Car will be completely dead.