Subaru Outback Complaints

1,029 consumer complaints on file.

#11440528November 15, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
We purchased a new 2021 Outback Subaru 2 months ago. Three days ago, on 11/12/21, a crack appeared on the windshield overnight, while the car was parked on our driveway. Nothing hit our car while we were driving and there's nothing that stands above the car that could have fallen on it while parked at our house. The crack is linear and started on the very left side right above the driver's sight. It started at about 5 inches long and the next day was already extending almost halfway through the windshield length. We are highly suspicious that the crack is a result of a defective windshield specially after learning that Subaru has several lawsuits regarding this same issue. We had to stop driving the car in fear that the windshield may completely break at any time. My husband contacted Subaru twice and the representatives told him someone would soon contact him about the incident. Nobody contacted us for the next two days. My husband then called Subaru and they said it would cost $1,500 to fix it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11439818November 9, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Windshield cracked at 4,900 miles, parked at work. My safety was fine when it happened because no one was in the car. Contacted Subaru of America and local Subaru dealer, they both sent me to one another but neither has helped to help fix this reoccurring issue with 2022 Subaru Outbacks.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11439654November 8, 2021
STEERING
After 20 years of driving experience that's probably the first car where I feel unsafe. Once in my life I had such experience which I have every day right now. It was hydroplaning on the very wet road. In another words it feels like driving under strong side wind or really wet/slippy road and car not under my full control. I already had five visits in two different Subaru dealerships. They twice did wheels allignment. But it didn't help. The last my visit they told they can't find and reproduce the issue. I guess I can be close my eyes for another issue but that's can be dangerous not only but another guys on the road.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11439615November 7, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
2021 outback purchased Feb 2021. Within 2 weeks the touch screen, which controls the cruise control, heating, all eyesight controls went blank. This causes cruise control at highway speed to quit, causing sudden deceleration at highways speeds. Sometime the screen reboots, most times it requires driver to pull car over to reset. This also controls GPS and Heating/Air. There have been times when I have working canines in the car and loss of air conditioner in summer months has been extremely problematic requiring pulling car off road to open windows to ventilate. Multiple trips to dealer, and open case with SOA results in no resolution, as there apparently is no fix. Recently 11/1/21 instructed when this happens to push my front defroster button five times after reboot to record codes. How distracting while driving is this? Feel like this is severely underreported as owners frustrated. Receiving dealer instruction to look at touchscreen while driving causes the cars alert function to activate saying “keep eyes on road”. Why are they advising this unsafe action? Recent software updates as late as last week of October installed and does not fix issue, verified by dealer service manager. Multiple incidents, recorded on my phone video, last incident occurred 7/12/2021.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11439584November 6, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The windshield cracked without an object striking it while driving. It cracked from the center lower edge of the windshield. This issue was part of a clas action suit in 2019.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11439209November 3, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Front window crack without being struck by rock or any other object in the second month of ownership.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11438733October 30, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The vehicle on board computer system periodically goes completely black (i.e., completely shuts down) disabling all of the operator controls (heater/fan/defrost controls, seat heater controls, temp controls, navigation, radio and other dash monitoring and informational controls, etc.). I am not sure of all features/functions that are lost because it happens when I am driving and I cannot investigate to see what all functions/indications I have lost. It remains out of service for a short period (the times of the shut down seem to have varied) of time and then comes on and reboots itself. Sometimes it comes back to where/when it shut down, and sometimes it just comes back to the initial ignition/start screen. This requires action by the driver (which is a safety concern because it requires the driver's attention and is distracting) to reset control settings. Navigation sometimes requires resetting an address because the computer lost its destination. This is dangerous. I just had the vehicle serviced for this issue and had a Subaru "FIX" installed - that apparently did not work. The problem still exists.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11438084October 25, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the home screen on the center console would go blank without warning. Once while driving 65 MPH with the cruise control activated, the center console went blank and the cruise control deactivated with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that vehicle abruptly slowed down due to the failure and the 360-camera feature failed to operate as needed. The dealer was notified and acknowledged the failure; however, they informed the contact that there was no remedy for the defect. An independent mechanic was also notified and provided the contact similar information as the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11437984October 24, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Windshield spontaneously cracked on passenger side at eye level after 5 months, 5,700 miles
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11437824October 22, 2021
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The emergency braking forward collision system has deployed several times when it should not. In some circumstance the braking could result in the person behind me rear ending me. The main problem is that if the car detects another car directly in front of you, the system will sometimes deploy even if the vehicle is not in the same lane as you. I've had the emergency brakes deployed incorrectly in the following situations. I am driving in the left lane of a 2 lane road with a speed limit of 45 mph and the road is banking sharply to the left. Because of the sharp bank, a car was directly in front of me but in the right lane, so this is a normal non dangerous situation but the brakes deployed. I exited a parkway, the exit ramp banks sharply to the right as most exit ramps do. Directly ahead of me but off the road is a disabled vehicle. There is no danger to me as it is safely off the road, but the brakes were deployed. In both instances there was no one following close behind me but if there was, either situation could have resulted in them rear ending me. I have taken to disabling the emergency braking feature because I no longer feel safe using it. Unfortunately this takes 7 key presses to accomplish and it resets every time you turn the car on. I contacted Subaru customer service to complain, but got ridiculous suggestions, like just turn off the emergency braking when you expect to be driving with a lot of cross traffic. If not rectified, sooner or later that's going to cause an accident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11437674October 21, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Driving on a highway but no other vehicles in front or to the side. Possibly there seems to be a central point from a dot, but this is no larger than a no larger than a pencil point. In a matter of a few minutes a crack extended across the windshield in a snake pattern. I had concern since this seemed to be a drastic outcome and was more thinking it was a stress crack rather than a rock chip, especially in light of the fact that there were no other vehicles on the road. Curious, I researched Subaru windshields and became aware of previous recalls on Subaru windshields.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11436737October 14, 2021
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES
Your form would not allow me to chcek all applicable issues. I believe the computer system and brakes are the major issues. The start/stop system engaged when I was turning in the middle of an intersection. When driving at cruising speeds (foot on the gas pedal), the car suddenly felt as if the brake was being engaged. The forward and rear collision warning signals do not work. The blind spot warning does not work. There is grinding coming from the undercarriage at times (random), while my foot is on the gas. The car bucks for no reason. The battery is draining (less than 2,000 miles on the car). Sometimes I have to turn the ignition twice in the morning. I turn everything off when I get out of the car. My safety and safety of others is definitely at risk. What I didn't realize until recently is that prior to accepting the vehicle, the salesman must have turned the start/system off, because when I went for a test drive, the start/stop did not engage once and I drove in city traffic with multiple stops. Immediately upon diving off lot, the car stopped and I had issues. The salesman told me I had to get used to the start/sytem. This is a dangerous situation. My car is currently being looked at by the dealer.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11436575October 13, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I am on my third cracked windshield in FOUR MONTHS! First crack in July 2021, second in August 2021, third in early October 2021. Haven’t replaced the latest as I’m concerned about insurance rate increases. Each time the crack appears in the bottom of the drivers side and spreads to more than 12 inches in minutes. Summer in Utah is typically not problematic for cracked windshields. All windshields have been replaced with Subaru product as aftermarket products don’t exist.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11436546October 13, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
My windshield cracked with out a direct impact to the windshield. I replaced the windshield with an OEM windshield, approximately one week after install the windshield cracked again. There is most likely a bad lot of windshields.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11436436October 12, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
A small object struck the windshield on the lower driver side, it created a horizontal crack about 1.5 ft long within a minute.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11434917September 29, 2021
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Infotainment system suddenly shuts down while driving blank screen often triggered while using GPS. Radio will turn on spontaneously at full blast creating a startle effect, often unable to turn off. Had to pull over and turn car off. Daily event has been escalating. Apparently dealerships aware Subaru has been non-responsive. Telling dealerships there is a software fix issue, finally communicating to me there is no current fix. Multiple communications have led to no response. Despite near miss of an accident due to these issues. Almost daily over last 2-3 months
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11434659September 28, 2021
VISIBILITY/WIPER
This is my second experience with a cracked windshield in the 6 months I have owned this vehicle. The first time the windshield cracked I was driving on the interstate and the windshield simply cracked. No debris impact, no bumps, just a long crack running from the top center of the glass down apx 8 inches. Subaru replaced under warranty. The second time the glass cracked I was driving on the interstate and was hit by a small piece of debris. So small it took a moment to find the point of impact. The crack immediately started to spread and after a few hours was apx 12 inches long. After apx 2 weeks the crack has run and is apx 2.5 feet. Insurance claim has been filed, but due to a shortage of glass the repair has not been completed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11434035September 23, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the vehicle would independently accelerate without warning. The contact would be forced to place the vehicle into neutral to stop the acceleration. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent and recently became more frequent. The contact also stated that an abnormal grinding noise would emit from the vehicle when the vehicle would independently accelerate. The contact called the dealer and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer kept the vehicle for almost two weeks and was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 700. The VIN was not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11433407September 17, 2021
ENGINE
Bought this new Subaru in December and the battery died twice after a week and a half of not driving. The first time I had to get the battery replaced. If I don't start the car every few days (and during COVID I don't) then the electricity completely drains the battery dead.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11433231September 16, 2021
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
(ADAS) R WAVE RADAR SENSOR/BLIND SPOT WARNING SENSOR. NO WARNING FOR THE STATIONARY OBJECT (TREE) BEHIND MY VEHICLE CAUSING A COLLISION. A REPORT WILL BE MADE TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP ONCE THE VEHICLE IS REPAIRED BY THE COLLISION CENTER. INSURANCE ADJUSTERS HAVE REVIEWED. NO WARNING LIGHTS, OR ANY SIGNS OF ANY ISSUE UNTIL THE BLIND SPOT SENSOR FAILED TO PROPERLY WARN ME OF THE STATIONARY OBJECT.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Subaru Outback