2019 Subaru Outback complaints

Windshield cracked spontaneously without impact. Upon further investigation, this is a common issue observed with Subaru on multiple models from previous and current years. There has been a couple of class action lawsuits against Subaru in other states for the same issue, and both cases were ruled in favor of the plaintiff and the court deemed these windshield defective. My concern and question is, why is Subaru still using parts/models that aren’t safe and getting away with this?

I own a Subaru Outback 2019, and am based out of Chicago. The car was parked outside during a snowfall. After snowfall I went out to clear the snow off my car, and turned on the defoggers of the car to help clear out the snow on the windshield. After brushing off the snow I noticed a huge crack on the lower part of the windshield across the windshield wiper deicer. There was no other probable cause for the crack. I believe it is the change in temperature when from using the defogger which has caused the windshield to crack. Subaru dealership denies that it is possible, and claims that I was somehow responsible for the crack.

I was driving on paved road, clear conditions, no other traffic, sunny, temperature around 10 F. Without warning, my front windshield cracked. There was no impact of any kind. The crack starts about 6 inches to the right of the driver's side A-post, about 6 inches above the dashboard. It extends horizontally about 2 feet and then curves down to the dashboard. There is no immediate hazard, but clearly any compromise to the front windshield represents a potential hazard. I am currently working with the dealership to resolve the issue.

We purchased our 2019 Subaru in 2018, before the New Year from the showroom floor. We will now have had to replace the windshield twice. Once in October 30, 2019 in which the dealership said that it was too no fault of Subaru, and now today February 22, 2022, the windshield is cracked again from the passenger side towards the middle. This has been a costly expense for us as we are retired. The little round spot you see is from the light of the flash.

I purchased this car in July 2019. Three times the windshield has cracked without any explanation or cause. Three weeks ago, I replaced the second cracked windshield at my own expense. Three weeks later -- just yesterday, Feb. 17, 2022 -- the brand new windshield simply cracked. All three times the crack has appeared in roughly the same place. There was no road debris or anything else that came into contact with the windshield.

Came out of Home Depot on Sunday February 13, 2022 to find large crack in our 2019 Subaru Outback windshield on drivers side for no reason. This spontaneous cracking happened on this same vehicle on Feb.20, 2021 on the previous windshield but on the passengers side and I reported it to NHTSA ID # 11397305. Had it replaced last year and now same issue with spontaneous cracking. Clearly these Subaru OEM windshields are defective and they are very expensive not to mention extra cost of eyesight recalibration on them. I am attaching photos but hard to get whole crack accurately as it originates from the very edge of the windshield and radiates across.

I purchased this car in 2019 and I have brought into into the dealership because it keeps dying and I have to jump it. It will die several times a day and this has been a consistent problem since I purchased the car. I have made the dealership aware and they have inspected the car 4 times and I am always told that there is no issue that they can find with the car.

The windshield has cracked from the outer edge while sitting in the driveway. There was no initiating damage from where the crack started. I see online that there are concers with the integrity of the windshield and am concerned.

Once in a while when I back up out of my driveway the brakes slam on but there is nothing behind me. My windshield cracked and I have to get a new one.

Bought car November 2019. New battery April 2020. Losing charge February 2021 got another battery. Reliable Subaru, Springfield, MO recommended trickle charge every night. Car losing charge June 2021. Reliable Subaru put in new battery. Again recommended trickle charge every night. August 2021 car dead and would not start. Reliable Subaru towed in and put in another new battery. December 2021 car was not started in four days and was dead, had to be jumped. 1/17/22 within four hours of drop off, Auto Nation West, Golden, CO determines the DCM unit which is connected to the Starlink system was,in fact, a parasitic drain. It is drawing more than it should. Fixed 1/20/2022 2/1/22 parked car n garage at 8:33 pm. Returned to vehicle at approximately 7:30 pm on 2/4/22. The key fob produced no response from the car. The car was dead— no lights, nothing. Called roadside assistance. The car was jumped the following morning.

The battery dies often. Liftgate opens spontaneously. Dealer replaced battery, issue persists. Vehicle is available for inspection; it isn't going anywhere right now! Battery failed 3 times in 2 weeks, and is dead right now. The vehicle is useless. No warnings. This has been a problem for the last year.

Windshield durability is questioned. We have had a large crack form near the rearview mirror stem within 3 months of our purchase we have had more than a half dozen other crips and cracks occur during the past 18 months. My impression is the glass used in this vehicle, is not as durable as other windshields from other vehicle manufacturers. I understand other Subaru owners are reporting similar issues. The cost to replace the windshield is plus or minus $1,000. Please look into this matter.

Front windshield developed an 8" crack in one day that continues to grow. Crack is near one front-facing camera, leading to concern that safety features related to the camera may not be effective. Dealer acknowledges a number of complaints about windshield cracking, but will not cover in this case due to it failing a "pen-head" check. In 40+ years of car ownership, I've never seen a crack just take off like this, even from a rock chip, leading me to believe there is a design or manufacturing issue

The battery keeps draining, leaving us without a vehicle. After numerous jump starts, the dealership replaced the first battery. Within a few months, the new battery has the same issues. So back to the dealership, now with the knowledge that many Subaru owners are experiencing the same issue with their Outbacks.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that on multiple occasions, the battery was inadvertently drained, and the vehicle would not start. After recharging the battery, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who indicated that the battery was not faulty. The battery was recharged but the rear hatch door would not open while pressing the open button on both the key fobs, the driver’s side seat panel button, or while attempting to use the hatch button at the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated that the only way to open the rear hatch door was by using the emergency release inside the hatch space. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000

Unknown, but seems like steering is affected. When turning the vehicle over and bump there is a clanking that you can hear and feel coming from under the bottom of the vehicle. It was present about 3 months after purchase of the car new, and has progressively gotten worse. The steering wheel feels loose for the moment it clanks. It has been reproduced by two dealers. The first was unable to provide a solution, stating it is a “manufacturing defect” of that model. The second replaced a spring in the steering box, but this did not fix the problem. It has been inspected by Subaru dealers. There are no warning lights on.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that his vehicle was parked outside of his residence, and there were no issues with the vehicle. The following day while driving the vehicle he noticed that the windshield was cracked. The contact stated that no object had struck the windshield to cause the crack. The contact stated that the vehicle was still drivable however, he was concerned that the windshield might eventually shatter while driving. The local dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could be repaired out of pocket. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 14,000.

Sudden Acceleration Defect has occurred several times with last incident Friday 21Jan2022. Each time I have had the brake pedal engaged, yet vehicle fails to stop, and accelerates on it’s own, causing me to go through stop signs with potentially dangerous outcomes for pedestrians, other vehicles, barriers. Dealer appointment rescheduled for Monday 24Jan2022. No inspections to date. No warnings- the first time I thought I may have caused it by accidentally touching the accelerator, but now I know that is not the case. First occurrence was in Dec 2021, exact date not known, happened in a parking lot.

I am leasing a 2019 Subaru Out back which has a battery drain issue. The most recent incident occurred on Jan. 21st 2022 when the battery failed after having been at the dealers for the 2 days prior to fix this problem. This was the fourth time the battery has gone dead in the past year. I have read articles that say the electrical system is draining the battery which is inadequate to handle the demands. I don't know that Subaru has a solution to this problem. Being left in a parking lot or remote location is a dangerous situation during these Winter months.

We left our Outback at the airport and went on a 4 day vacation. When we came back on December 5,2021 the car would not start and the battery was in a deep failure. The battery had approximately 32,000 miles on it and was the original battery. Took home, put on charger and on December 7, 2021 the vehicle still would not start and had to be jumped. The Subaru dealer replaced the battery under warranty with a larger cranking battery. Fail Code L0XXF4Q-3J8KGD1. A month later and less than 1,000 mile later, the battery failed again. It was jumpted and taken to the dealer. They said they found no problem and replaced it with a "courtesy" battery as a ONE TIME only fix. I had to buy a portable jumper because I'm afraid the car will fail again. There are many instances on the Subaru website of other owners having this problem due to electrical failure. I did notice that my "welcome chime" only turns on some of the time, which leads me to believe that the vehicle is not shutting down properly every time.

Battery keeps draining. We jumped it two days ago and already it's dead again. We've checked all lights and other systems for user error--it's not us, it's the car! I'm scared to go anywhere remote for fear of getting stranded, especially now that it's winter in New England!

2019 Subaru Outback. Two failed batteries in the space of one year. The first was on 2/11/21 with 21,520 miles on the car. We were on vacation in Florida and the local dealer (Bert Smith Subaru) in St. Petersburg confirmed that the battery failed and installed a new one. On 11/28/21, newer battery died. Local Dealer (Dean Team Subaru) performed a battery test, confirmed that the battery was bad and replaced it (with the same type of battery, 36000 miles). Being repeatedly stranded with a battery that is not working is a safety issue. We have a concern that there must be a larger electrical issue or that something is draining these batteries. We also have a concern that the battery is large and powerful enough for the vehicle. I have read of many Subaru Outback owners with similar issues.

2019 Subaru Outback purchased 7/10/19 during that fall and following winter had the battery die multiple times. We keep it in a garage where it does not freeze in the winter. Had to jump it to start each time. Finally took it to the dealership 4/29/20 with 4,669 miles on it to complain to dealership. They said that there was nothing wrong with the battery. They told us that it needed to be driven every couple of days to keep the battery charged to prevent the parasitic electrical draw from draining the battery. This was during the heart of the 'Stay at home/COVID' so we did not use it everyday. It continues to have the battery drain problem. Just this weekend 1/15/22 we had to jump the battery in our driveway to leave and drove 30 minutes to the store and expected the battery to keep the charge but after leaving the store found the battery dead again. Luckily we found a nice guy who offered to give us a jump. This is a continual problem.

Windshield on 2019 Outback cracked without being chipped. This is the same as many, many other owners are complaining about. Lower passanger side of windshield cracked while setting at wifes work. Subaru knows about this defect and will not fix .

I am trying to submit a complaint to the electronically with no success. Is there an email address that I can send my complaint directly to? The complaint in its entirety takes up one 8.5 by 11 inch-sized paper, I need enough space for 3494 characters. Not enough space given to explain my situation. In order for the context of the complaint to be understood, it must be read from top to bottom. As I have no idea where this is going, nor to whom, I am hoping to hear back from someone. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary at a traffic light, a crack developed at the center of the front windshield. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the front windshield to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but on 12/24/2021, he had experienced the failure for a second time. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.

The battery failed for no apparent reason. After getting it jumped, it would fail to keep a full charge. Starting the car, it was always a gamble as to whether it would start-up or not. This lasted a month or so until the car battery was completely dead. I then had a tow truck come from my insurance to replace the battery.

I have a large crack that started below my field of vision on the passenger side.

Parasitic Battery Drain left battery dead and unable to start vehicle. This was caused by a defective DCM (Data Communication Module). This problem first surfaced within weeks of new car purchase and took about 6-months and several visits to dealer to remedy. I also replaced the oem battery with a new upgraded battery at my own expense. Recently the problem reoccurred as the DCM module again failed and created a parasitic drain. This has probably damaged the new battery which is only a year old as it was completely discharged. The dealer again fixed the problem but as before was initially skeptical that it was caused by user error or letting vehicle sit too long between use; both of the most problematic failures occurred when the vehicle was left parked for 2-weeks at parksleepfly hotels while on trips and returned to find dead battery.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact noticed that the windshield was cracked from the middle going upward. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the windshield needed to be replaced. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 46,000.

In Feb, 2021, I went to start my car in the garage. It was totally dead. It had just been in for 6 month svc 2 weeks earlier. I called dealership, they sent a tech to my home to get the car started. He said it was totally drained, left and came back later with a jumper system and got it started and drove it to the dealership. They installed a new battery and the tech said they were having trouble with original equipment batteries but this one should not have the problem. Now, Jan, 2022, the car is dead again. I am 79 and the sole caregiver to my wife who has dementia and cannot talk. At this moment, I have left a message for dealer service manager but have not received call back after 5 hours. It is just like the information posted on line about this Subaru issue.

CRACKED WINDSHIELD

The battery will drain in under a week if the car is not driven. Subaru dealer gave me 3 batteries in 6 months. The battery tests fine, but discharges if the car sits for a week. Subaru USA gave $350 to go buy a top of the line battery and the issue persists with an Optima yellow top.

Windshield cracked overnight in garage without any driving or other incident Crack is over 12 inches long

I have had battery failures in the last 34 months 3 times. I have reported this problem before. The dealer replaces my battery and gives advice about not driving enough. not keeping my fob the proper distance from the car. This is casing me to be concerned about safety issues. I know there is a class action 2020 for this problem but subaru needs to solve this issue. It is a computer on wheels and I realize that uses a great deal of electrical power but you should not be stranded because subaru refuses to solve their issues. My next step is to contact subaru but I doubt they will take any action. So I guess next step is to change cars. Its a shame as they charge a great deal of money for this car. I owned the first outback when it came out and had no problems. I am extremely disappointed in their cars now.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the garage unattended, the front windshield cracked without impact. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted or notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 27,000.

Front windshield spontaneously cracked while parked in a parking lot. No trees or overhead objects fell on windshield. Crack developed from bottom middle of windshield & cracked out in 2 directions.

Driving north on I-95 at speed limit. No vehicles in front of me for at least 1/4 mile. Heard a POP and immediately a crack appeared from the bottom outside edge of the windshield approximately 18" from the left hand edge of the window. The crack ran vertically for 5 inches then made a right turn (looking out of the window) and continued on for 3 more inches. This running of the crack occurred in less than 5 seconds. We were traveling that day for about 700 miles and each time we stopped we marked the crack length with a sharpie. During the traveling the crack continued to grow to a length of over 18 inches and made a fork in the crack for one turning up, and one continuing to the right. Crack continued to grow as car sat and heated through the following 2 days. By the end the windshield was almost completely cracked from top to bottom, and the crack to the right was 3/4 of the way across the windshield. The point where the crack started had no indication of a strike by an object, and did start from the outside edge of the windshield. Windshield was replaced with a NON OEM windshield by SafeLight Auto Glass.

Battery Drain....3 different times, car will not start, kills the battery 89 year old lady left to call for help with starting the car.

The battery of my Subaru Outback appears damaged. My car's battery has died or shorted two times over the past two days. It had to be jump started for it to work, only for it to stall again. This puts I and my passengers at risk because the vehicle could've stalled while in motion. This problem has been confirmed by an independent service provider, the towing company. There were no warning signs or symptoms prior to this problem.

Abnormal draining of battery when I dont drive for a couple of days leaving me stranded due to my medical immobility. This has been ongoing for the past six months. . Several instances of where I have had to jump start it only to find the battery dead in a few days Have alerted dealer on issue and will need to be checked when I take it in for the Fuel Pump recall for which I was put on a waiting list as they did not have the parts in???? A very annoying problem with the battery even had to have it jump started thi evening. Unrelable

Chipped and cracked windshield. My first Subaru Outback was a 2018. The windshield was chipped 2 times than the third time I had it replaced at my expense. Traded that car in and the 2019 windshield cracked.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at 40-50 MPH, the steering wheel felt loose, causing the vehicle to drift from the lane. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that no issues were found. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 23,000.

I purchased my vehicle in the summer of 2019 and within that same month my windshield got hit by rock and needed to replace it. Again, yesterday, the same thing happened.

We bought the car from the Ford dealership. after nearly owning it. the windshield crack in a place where no rock or vandalism could have happened. It started underneath the windshield wiper and has scaled across the whole windshield within a week. I contacted my bumper to bumper warranty and they don’t cover replacements. I looked up and their is a current lawsuit on suburu for this exact reason.

I have had 3 windshields crack for no apparent reason in the 2.5 years that I have had the vehicle. All had to be replaced. Average costs to replace was $950. All started with the smallest cracks only to spider across the windshield within minutes.

My windshield started to crack from the bottom of passenger side where wipers come up for no reason at all. Now it has spread scross whole windshield.

Windshield cracks at the smallest pebble. I have needed 3 windshields in this calendar year. I have driven for 52 years and have never had any issue with windshield damage until this year with my Subaru Outback.

2019 Outback Premium bought Bought May 2019. When I bought the car and for at least 6 months or more the headlight produced nice white light and I could see the road clearly. During this period the car was driven before sunrise and no issues with light emission. Driving the car today on the same roads at same time in morning road visibility is extremely poor. After the first 6 months I only drove while sunlight was present. Last month I drove the car once at night and thought "strange, the lights look dark and the street is not very bright." Then two weeks later I took a trip and stayed at a place that had few street lights. The first night I drove at night I could barely see 20 feet in front of me. Even when I turned on the high beams I still could not see. I notice when I pull behind a car or my lights shine on a stop sign the light looks orange/brownish. I brought it to the dealer today and the said the battery was good and the light output was "legal". They said they put in a new bulb to compare and said the light output was essentially the same. So according to them there is nothing wrong and nothing to do. The covers on my lights appear to be clear and clean.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that since purchasing the vehicle, her windshield had cracked on four separate occasions due to minor road debris. The first crack was a diagonal crack that formed on the lower corner of the driver-side windshield. The second crack was like a spider’s web that formed on the upper passenger’s side of the windshield. The third crack was a diagonal crack that formed in the middle of the passenger’s side windshield. The fourth crack was a Z-shaped crack that formed in the middle of the windshield right below the eyesight camera. The contact stated that each crack obstructed her vision while driving. The contact had the first two windshields replaced at Subaru of Richmond (9177 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23294) and Hyman Bros. Subaru (11960 Midlothian Turnpike, Midlothian, VA 231130) respectively. The contact had an independent mechanic replace the third windshield after the failure. The fourth crack was not yet repaired. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and offered $250.00 towards the replacement of the windshield. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.