2019 Subaru Outback complaints

The head unit is malfunctioning due to bubbles behind the screen, causing various systems to act up. When a phone is plugged in for guidance it will randomly change the settings and guidance goes away. It will automatically call people. Radio stations and music turn on and off, and change by themselves. All of these are distractions while driving, and negate the safety features of the in dash guidance and hands free phone features. This is a continuous problem.

The battery keeps draining/dying and I need to constantly jump start the car. I’ve replaced the battery and it keeps happening.

The DCM component failed and is available for inspection by the dealer. When a manufacture has knowledge of a component that has a record of failure but ignores the need for replacement; it becomes a safety concern. Any problem when neglected is a potential safety issue. The dealer has confirmed the DCM is responsible for causing the engine battery to fail. No warning. No mention in vehicles regular maintenance schedule. The dealer reports SOA advised the service department to stock DCM's.

My windshield cracked for the 6th time with nothing hitting on this occasion. It immediately shattered and even lost a piece of glass from where it cracked. I believe this to be a safety issue as it could immediately inter with my safety and radar equipment. I am worried if the glass cracks without contact what would happen if something significant hit it. Additionally since this is the 6th time I am concerned that something could be wrong with the design of the vehicle. I have contacted Subaru multiple times without resolve.

Windshield has cracked (large about 10 inches or more) 2 times within a year for no apparent reason. Both times the weather did not have fast shifting changes and the car was sitting in the driveway or in the garage at my residence.

I subscribe to Subaru Star Link from the time I first purchased our Outback in 2019. The system does not continuously perform correctly. I have taken our Outback to the dealer and they try to recalibrate the unit, but it does not continue to perform correctly. In March of 2023 I was in an accident and Star Link did not notify the police. When we called the police they stated that they received no notification from Star Link. On February 23, 2024 youngsters tried to break into our Outback the Police saw this incident and expressed surprise that Star Link gave them no notification. Can not manage to get Star Link to continuously work. Unit does not give traffic warnings.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the front windshield fractured without impact. The contact stated that it was the second time that the failure had occurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the failure was due to the impact of a possible rock chip. The contact was also advised that the failure was not a factory defect. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 50,535.

I have had 3 dead battery issues with this car. Something is draining the battery while the car is off.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the entertainment system randomly restarted without warning, froze, and then became unresponsive. The system was uncontrollable and was transitioning from one program to another independently. The entertainment system affected Eyesight warnings, back up camera, and the GPS. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.

Repeatedly DEAD BATTERY. Experiencing premature parasitic battery drain in Outback, I had to jump the car every morning.

My subaru outback has been having an issue with a dead battery, every month for the past 4 months. My dealership has done 2 complete diagnostics, overloading the system, etc. They have come up with nothing on why my battery dies. When I have taken my car in to be checked, it's always with a new battery that is still good. I have had 3 new batteries in the past 4 months, plus multiple charges. Something drains the battery within a month's time. This past visit to the dealership, I have refused to pick up my vehicle because I know it's going to die in a month. I can't live like this, not knowing when it will die. I am most particular about making sure doors and tailgate are completely closed. Is there anything more the dealership should be checking into? Any advice would be appreciated.

DCM is a parasitic drain on the battery according to the dealership. Replaced battery twice. The "fix" online is to pull the fuse but starlink and hands free won't work without it.

My 2019 Subaru outback has a defective screen. The screen has begun to delaminate from the inside and causes the screen to jump around and not be able to stay on one screen. The power button also seems to not be working and is cause the radio to turn on and off. Because of those two issues, the radio screen jumps around and turns off and on, posing a major safety risk. I tried taking the car to the place I bought it and a Subaru dealer, and they will not help financially or with the repair even though they have this issue with other year models of the same car. Picture is attached. Has sense gotten worse.

Faulty dcm causing parasitic drain on battery causing dead battery every two days. New battery did not solve problem.

2019 Subaru outback with 55,000 miles has a head gasket leaking 3 months over the warranty. But within the mileage. Also the steering column manual lever adjustment collapses intermittently causing severe safety issues and/or an accident.

2019 Subaru outback many issues bought the car for safety for my newborn child in 2019. Has had multiple issues windshield keeps cracking. The steering column manual lever keeps collapsing causing unreliable steering and safety issues could possibly cause injury/death due to accident. The other major issue is there is now a head gasket leak in a car that only has 55,000 miles it's under on the miles for warranty but 3 months over for time. Try to work with the dealership and Subaru America to no resolve of the issue they offered a minor discount they should be covering the whole thing I have owned many cars brand new going over 100,000 miles plus with no such issue of a head gasket. I am a disabled Marine corps military veteran and the cooperation from Subaru as supposedly number one safest vehicle was not what I expected. If Subaru doesn't fix this it will be my last Subaru ever and this was my first not a great impression by any means.

Repeated dead battery. Have replaced battery to no avail.

Windshield has been cracked and replaced 3 times and currently has another crack, all within 17 months. Also head unit has internal malfunction and must be replaced at cost of $1700 +/-

2019 SUBARU OUTBACK Purchased new 10/10/2018. December 13, 2021 Original Battery Dead Replaced by Firestone cost $164.51 - 53,931 miles. June 8, 2023 Dead Battery - Towed to Firestone - Replaced Battery. December 28, 2023 - Dead Battery Vehicle wouldn’t start - Recharged Battery. January 7, 2024 - Dead Battery Vehicle wouldn’t start - Recharged Battery. January 9, 2024 - Firestone Tested Battery - Could not diagnose problem cost $37.99. January 12,2024 - Subaru Dealer performed Battery Draw Test Cost $170.00 - Concluded DCM (Data Communications Module needed to be replaced) - 88,009 miles. February 1, 2024 Currently still waiting on DCM Back-order to arrive at the Subaru Dealer. Cost to replace DCM $800. Subaru has many class action lawsuits on its 2015 - 2020 Vehicles over dead battery failures but is not offering a recall replacement of the DCM causing the failures. Also, the reimbursement for a dead battery has expired leaving owners of these vehicles to replace this DCM part on their own expense. Without replacing this part leaves the owner waking up every day not knowing if their vehicle will start.

Starling system that also controls the hands free voice control for phone and navigation has a data control module that is trying to connect to an out dated relay or 3g phone tower. Because the system cannot connect the car continues to loop itself in its programming to keep trying. The continuous retrying eventually drains the battery causing the car to not start. The fix within the Subaru Outback forum has a fix to remove the data control module fuse. When this fuse is remove the hands free calling and navigation is also disabled. Repeated attempts for Subaru to replace or update the starlink system is not acknowledged and it’s claimed that Subaru does not recognize that there is an error in the starlink programming or system that causes a battery drain.

Battery failure! Something is draining the battery constantly causing it to fail and the vehicle will not start without a jump. We have owned the vehicle since it was new and have been dealing with the battery failing ever since. We have gone through several new batteries and the batteries continue to get depleted and fail...

As of Today 1-31-24 I have to replace my windshield for the 3rd time. The first windshield was broken when a rock from a semi the rock stuck the windshield (7K miles). I paid for that one b/C that rock would have cracked any windshield. The 2nd windshield cracked for what seemed to me to be no apparent reason (36 K miles). And the fourth Windshield (48K miles) has now cracked in two places for no apparent reason. Subaru paid for the 3rd windshield but Subaru Customer Advocacy says they won't pay for another windshield b/c they paid for the 3rd windshield as a matter of "courtesy". My wife and I have owned 10-13 Subaru's and many other vehicles since the 1980's and have never had any windshield problems like this before. There has to be something wrong with the design or materials in these windshields.

The head unit (radio) on my 2019 Subaru Outback began developing "bubbles" behind the touch screen which is causing phantom touches. Without any human interference, the radio will suddenly start switching channels and functions on the radio in a very rapid sequence. When this occurs while driving, it is EXTREMELY distracting for the driver. The only solution is to turn the entire head unit off and go without radio, navigation, nor bluetooth capabilities. Subaru prides itself on safety, and yet Subaru of America seems to not take this issue seriously. I have filed a case with Subaru of America, but they seem satisfied to make customers foot the bills for diagnostic testing, meanwhile the head unit in question is on a backorder and simply not available. Harman Kardon is the maker of the head unit and should be made to pay for the development of a new head unit without serious defects. But if Subaru is truly the company they say there are, then they need to take responsibility as well and provide the replacement of the defective units regardless of warranty status. At first this may appear as a "cosmetic issue," but I can honestly say that my initial experience was so distracting and confusing, and occurred in an area where I was not able to pull over. I consider myself very lucky that I was involved in any kind of accident.

I have 2019 Outback Subaru. I just paid 5k to get the cam carrier fixed in November, now i am being told my motor is going out and i have to get additional work done to the cam carrier. I got my car in October of 2019 with 3/miles, my car has a little of 91k miles. Why do i have to come out my pocket almost 10k with this car being a 2019. I am very angry, beyond words. Subaru is coating people alot of money. I would never tell anyone took get a Subaru.

Battery has been dead,if sitting acouple of days of not driving,charge it up and in acouple of days it's is dead again,seem the data communication module(DCM) IS what is drawing the Battery dead

The radio receiver is defective as it experiences ghost touches and changes screens by itself while driving. This causes it to change settings, remove paired devices, open apps, change the radio stations, and several other things. As one could imagine, this is a major distraction while driving. I purchased the car working flawlessly in June of 2023. The issues did not arise until after a few hot days happened in FL around August of 2023 and I noticed the screen started to form bubbles. The touch screen is now inoperable so I am unable to change the clock, use navigation, reset maintenance reminders, or use any other built-in functions. Luckily the backup camera still works but can be hard to see in certain lighting. Previous model year Subarus were covered under a class action lawsuit for experiencing similar issues but not 2019. The last time I took my vehicle in for service, the service rep had mentioned they were unable to reset my maintenance reminder due to the touchscreen being unresponsive. I reached out to Subaru of America to ask for assistance in getting it resolved. They offered to pay $1,000 of the over $2,800 repair quote I received from my local Subaru dealer. Since an OEM unit will most likely do the same thing after a period of time, I looked into an aftermarket replacement as well. I was quoted around $1,100 to get a new aftermarket receiver and maintain majority of the factory "creature comforts" like steering wheel controls, backup camera, and vehicle infor

Ignition and battery failure - unable to unlock certain parts of the car, all electrical is dead This is the second incidence in 6 months. Not weather dependent. One incidence in June and another in January. Entered car, pressed ignition button, no ignition, the icons all lit up in red on the indicator dash. Previously AAA indicated that the battery was totally dead, no amps, appeared to be an electrical problem and not strictly a battery problem according to AAA. At dealership they performed a "drain test." They told me that is all they could do. Customer Service gave me a battery for "free." I don't know if it was a used battery or a new one. This time I will pay for the battery to make sure it is new. No words of why this occurred to my car were stated. They just pushed the repair invoice towards me with the keys and said I was ready to go. This time when I called they told me they could only do the "drain" test again. I knew I had to investigate since they were not helping me find the source of the problem. This could be a major problem if one was locked in the car and the electrical failed. Worse yet if a fire occurred and one could not get out, death could occur. When I left the car after the ignition did not work, the ignition light on the ignition button stayed on. (lit up in red) Please help me out with this. The auto is a Touring Outback - year 2019.

After driving 5 miles or so, the Air Bag indicator light goes on. After stopping for 10 minutes for shopping, etc., Y starting the car again the light is out until I drive a few more miles & then the light comes on again. This started last week when it was very cold here. Today, it was in the 50s & the same thing happened. I have not contacted the dealer yet because of the inconsistency. I have to search the internet more to see if others are having the same problem.

I purchased this 2019 Subaru Outback new. In less than three months, the windshield cracked at the edge on the driver's side. I had the window replaced and two years later it cracked again in exactly the same place. I have not had the vehicle inspected since then and there were no warning lights or other symptoms prior to the crack appearing.

The DCM Fuse was draining my battery. Which lead to me having a dead car battery. I had the battery replaced and paid out of pocket. The less than a week later it drained that new battery, which I had to pay for again. This lead to having my car dead on the side of the road because this DCM Fuse was draining power from my battery when the car was off. This is a major issue and should be a recalled part ASAP.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start on several occasions due to the battery failing to retain the charge. The vehicle had to be jumpstarted. Additionally, the liftgate failed to open due to the low battery. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the DCM was draining the battery and determined that the DCM and battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

The touch screen on my head unit no longer works consistently. The screen flickers and changes menus constantly. When making hand's free calls, the call often goes on hold with no way of getting out of hold due to the broken touch screen. The knobs and side buttons also regularly don't work. Need to use the phone to cancel call or get out of hold. This is extremely distracting when driving and has almost caused an accident multiple times.

Front windshield cracked without any impact. Was parked in my driveway for previous 3 days. Got in to drive and noticed the large crack right away. It started from the passenger mid lower edge and within a day it cracked halfway across passenger side. There was no divot or impact that caused this.

My 2019 Infotainment systems has begun delamination from the outer glass on the back side. It is causing ghost operations of the systems. Access to my safety features are through the system.

I purchased this vehicle brand new in 2020 and had never experienced any issues with the battery this year alone(2023) I have had to replace the battery 4 times. I would used the jump method leaving the to car running for at least 15 minutes before driving and then within the next month or two the battery is drained and dead again. When I took my vehicle to the dealership the mechanic already knew what the DCM would be the issue. I then called the manufacturer after doing more research and noticed that this is a very common issue and it has not been recalled yet. After performing the DCM test it was confirmed that was the issue and I am still being ask to pay the 1200.00 bill.

Battery started draining while parked when the car was about 3 years 8 months old. I got a new higher capacity battery and it also drained several times.

Windshield started to crack despite no incident and crack has rapidly expanded

I have submitted for Extended Warranty Battery Service in the Subaru Battery Settlement confirmation number is SB68712430. This battery settlement should include the DCM as replacing the battery does not fix the problem. I believe this is an electrical fault (parasitic current draw) is caused by the the faulty DCM. There are hundreds of people posted the same issue. This should be a recall.

Subarus have a battery drain problem. Frequently, my car would unexpectedly have a dead battery and not start. This is a safety issue for anyone needing to drive as part of an emergency response, to a hospital, to a doctor, etc. Being unexpectedly unable to drive at all could leave people stranded on cold nights, on the side of the road, or unable to get to necessary services/meals/warmth/ etc. The issue is a common one for Subaru owners like me, and there was a class action lawsuit on the issue for 2015-2020 Subarus. That lawsuit was settled with a battery replacement warranty extension, and a software update to the ECM. Replacing the battery and updating the ECM software did not solve the problem. Not for me and not for many others. The real source of the parasitic drain is the DCM. Subaru knows this and dealerships will readily admit it is a widespread common problem, with the DCM, an expensive part, on backorder, and weekly repairs being done at most Subaru dealerships to replace faulty DCMs. But it is not covered under the class action settlement, and there is still no recall for it. Subaru should be accountable to ensuring their car batteries are not unexpectedly dead, and that people can drive when needed, and their cars can start. This is a widely spread issue, and Subaru dealerships will try to hide the issue in the software update, which frequently doesn't fix the problem, when they know the real issue is that a replacement DCM is needed.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked in the residential garage, the contact turned the ignition key to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start. The contact charged the battery for six hours and then was able to start the vehicle. The following day the contact attempted to start the vehicle and the vehicle failed to start. The contact was advised to purchase a new battery to replace the old battery. The contact stated that the battery was replaced; however, the new battery lasted for only six weeks. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed data control module. The contact was informed that the data control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,500.

Starlink system is malfunctioning. The radio spontaneously begins scanning through stations and will not stop even when "scan" icon is pressed or preset station pressed. Also, the bluetooth connectivity to my phone is randomly lost. This has caused distractions while driving and loss of "hands free" features for my phone and is a safety hazard.

Battery dies on a consistent basis and appears to be a trickle drain on the battery. After reading numerous online forums this appears to be a consistent issue that has not been addressed by Subaru of America. It appears the drain is caused by the DCM fuse being faulty. I have recently had the vehicle inspected by an authorized Subaru dealership with no issues noted. While this issue does not create any immediate safety concerns, it could place individuals at risk if they found themselves in remote and/or dangerous locations with no ability to start their vehicle. According to online forums this issue has been observed by multiple Subaru dealers. There are no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of this issue other than a dead battery.

Cracked windshield (2nd incident in less than 18 months). Windshield cracked without any impact with rocks or other objects. This is an OEM windshield that was installed and calibrated at Sheehy Subaru Springfield, VA. This windshield easily cracks or is damage (impacts blemishes) by minor/small objects, which is unreasonable. This latest incident that I am reporting is a hair line crack, about 14” in length that runs from the edge of the windshield to the middle; there was no impact; this appears to be a temperature change like crack. It adversely affects visibility. This is a very expensive repair $1,500 for OEM and calibration.

2019 Subaru Outback, 3.6R limited, approx. 3.5 years old with around 36000 miles, when I noticed small bubbles forming near the upper right hand corner of the infotainment touch screen. Shortly thereafter, the number of bubbles increased, the radio would change stations on its own, sometimes turn on by itself, and the navigation would not work. Took it to the dealer and was told I would need a new info system at my expense and they were on back order.

There is a persistent battery issue that, after repeated periods of short-trip-driving, results in a dead battery. There is a parasitic drain on the battery. We've had the battery replaced twice, and the issue still continues. We're worried that this will leave us stranded somewhere with a vehicle that won't start.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the head unit had delaminated, and the GPS unit was inoperable. The contact stated that the radio volume increased to high independently. Additionally, the GPS made phantom calls. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the GPS unit was delaminated and needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the part was on backorder. The manufacturer was contacted and offered to assist with the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked unattended, he noticed that the front windshield was cracked. The crack began on the passenger’s side and went towards the middle of the windshield. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 46,000.

The hood popped open at 35 mph causing loss of sight. I was in traffic and luckily was able to pull the car off the road. I am taking it to the dealer as soon as I can get an appointment. There were no warning lights or messages prior. I will secure the hood with something before I drive it to the dealer. If I had been driving on the Interstate I am sure the hood would have smashed into windshield. I consider this a very dangerous problem.

I had a sudden dead battery in January 2023. My mechanic replaced it, and told me that Subaru had a service bulletin about a parasitic drain issue. In October, my battery died again, so my mechanic kept the car for several days, discovered that it would drain after charging, so he pulled all the fuses, individually, based on his hunch from the service bulletin, and found that the Starlink fuse was the problem. (I believe it’s DCM #9). So, he pulled it, and replaced the battery again (under warranty) as it had been totally drained. He talked to Subaru, who said the fuse is back ordered around the country, and he will notify me when the part is available. He estimates it will cost about $600 to fix. My car seems fine, now, except I’ve also lost the hands free phone capability and had to buy a phone holder in the meantime, to be safe and legal. And I always have jumper cables in my car so I don’t get stuck somewhere. It seems to me that Subaru must be aware of this problem, and I think they should pay for replacing this part, as it is a very expensive fix.

I have a 2019 Subaru Outback. I bought it used in June 2023 and all warranties have expired. My battery has been drained multiple times. I have to get it jumped to start the car. There is a long Reddit thread that explains that a fuse powering the Subaru Starlink system (its version of OnStar) drains the battery even when the car is off. See --> [XXX] My dealership has pushed back that my problem is the DCM fuse--they say the radio unit is draining my battery. Their only solution is to find either (1) a used radio or (2) order a new radio which costs $1500 and it on a 6-12 month back order. I've contacted Subaru of America for help and I am awaiting for one of their specialists to contact me. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)