Subaru Solterra Complaints

78 consumer complaints on file.

#11732522April 20, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Summary of Incident On February 21, 2026, a Level 2 charging event resulted in a catastrophic electrical failure involving my vehicle and the associated EV charging equipment. The incident caused: Severe damage to the EV charging connector (pigtail and receptacle) Destruction of my home inverter system Sustained electrical arcing between L1 and L2 conductors Loss of primary electrical service to my home The vehicle was actively charging at the time of the incident. Safety Concern The failure presents a significant safety risk, including: Potential for fire due to sustained electrical arcing Possible high-voltage backfeed from the vehicle’s onboard charger (OBC) onto the AC input lines Failure of protective devices (surge suppression components destroyed) Risk of similar incidents occurring in other vehicles The damage pattern suggests a high-energy electrical fault localized between L1 and L2 without ground involvement. Current Status Vehicle has been out of service since February 21, 2026 Subaru has had possession of the vehicle since February 24, 2026 No determination or repair has been provided after several weeks Requested Action I request that NHTSA: Investigate potential onboard charger (OBC) failure modes Evaluate risk of electrical backfeed or uncontrolled fault conditions during charging Determine whether this represents a broader safety defect affecting other vehicles
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728844April 2, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Phone calls constantly get dropped using hands free CarPlay, requiring me to switch to using my phone manually on the call. Big safety issue. I see online in numerous forums that this is an issue with Subaru use of CarPlay. It is not the phone, and I have tried every fix suggested.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11726521March 23, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Solterra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and occupied, while attempting to start to the vehicle, the horn sounded unexpectedly. Several warnings lights illuminated, and the gear shifter failed to shift to drive(D). A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure had occurred more than eight times. The battery was replaced twice. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the battery would be replaced under warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 15,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725925March 20, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
BLUETOOTH CONNECTION WITH PHONE KEEPS DISCONNECTING WHILE I'M DRIVING AND/OR USING MY PHONE FOR CALLS/MAPS/GUIDANCE. DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. USB CONNECTION HELPS, BUT STILL DROPS. SAFETY ISSUE, CAUSES MAJOR DISTRACTIONS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725788March 20, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
When the sun is at certain angles in the middle of the day, direct sunlight bounces off of the high-gloss plastic trim around the shifting knob directly into the driver's eyes. This is distracting and makes it hard to see the road.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725750March 20, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Bluetooth consistently drops my calls, it is not my phone, because the call doesn't drop completely, am able yo pick up my phone and continue to talk. This takes away my hands free driving, which can be dangerous. Been an on going issue since I purchased the car almost 2 months ago.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725703March 19, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I am reporting a defect involving the Bluetooth and infotainment system in my 2026 Subaru Solterra. While driving, the vehicle’s Bluetooth connection consistently disconnects after approximately 5–10 minutes. The phone call itself does not drop; however, the connection to the vehicle’s hands-free system fails. In addition, infotainment functions such as audio streaming and app connectivity also disconnect or become unstable. This issue occurs repeatedly during normal operation and has been reproduced multiple times. This creates a safety concern because it interrupts hands-free communication and may require the driver to handle the phone or attempt to reconnect while driving, increasing the risk of distraction. The issue was inspected and confirmed by a dealership technician. The technician paired both my phone and his own device, and the same Bluetooth and infotainment disconnection occurred. This confirms the defect is not related to a specific phone or user error. The vehicle has been taken in for service, but no repair or resolution has been provided. I have been informed the issue may be software-related, with no available fix or timeline. This defect affects core vehicle functionality and safe operation of hands-free systems.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725538March 19, 2026
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:COMPRESSOR
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Solterra. The contact received notification of Subaru Campaign Number: WRD-25, and the vehicle was taken to dealer, where the repair was completed; however, four days later, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound while the HVAC system was engaged. Additionally, the HVAC system became inoperable, and the defroster and defogger were inoperable. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with an electrical compressor failure. The contact was informed that there would be a charge for the repair; however, the contact stated that the repair should be covered by the manufacturer because the manufacturer’s recall repair had failed to prevent the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the Claims Department; however, the Claims Department staff was on leave. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720865February 27, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Malfunction of the lane keeping assistance - I have had two incidents, where the second has resulted in damage to the vehicle. First incident, lane assist (passive) system jerked me off of an exit lane into the rumble strips before I could correct. (no damage done) This was approx. Mid-late January, and unknown conditions. I didn't think to report it until I was prompted by the Subaru Maintenance facility after incident #2. Second incident - active lane keeping assist was on (with adaptive cruise control) for my own testing on this new car. I was at low speeds, at ~6 am. The vehicle suddenly jerked hard to the right and collided with/drove over a curb at speed. It quickly displayed a warning on the driver cluster and short audible warning beeps but I did not see what it was because it was so fast. The car immediately corrected back into the lane before I could even react to the collision. Important context: This was on a concrete material road that was newly repaved (summer 2025) with road lines that were painted at the same time. It was also under winter conditions, not actively snowing, but there was lingering salt residue/coloration on the road surface as well as large snow banks along the grass strips due to plowing. The snow bank in the area was approx. 3 ft high at the location the car collided with the curb. There was also lingering salt and dried snow-sludge on the car that could have had an impact on the sensors. I did not, however, have any sensor obstruction warning. The vehicle was taken to the Subaru dealer for service, was determined to be out of alignment and fixed as a warranty request. The vehicle is available for inspection, however this was clearly a software failure and not a component failure, and the damage has been repaired. To my knowledge, the dealer service center did not attempt to reproduce the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720496February 25, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
I was driving and my SOLTERRA windshield just suddenly cracked. There are many videos online of how the newer Subaru models crack because of thinner glass
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718387February 17, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
In light snow, the car automatically braked at speed causing the car to veer off the road after skidding, multiple times. The "safety" features of this car make it dangerous to operate.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710362January 12, 2026
VISIBILITY, BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2024 Subaru Solterra. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V577000 (VISIBILITY) and 25V744000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repairs. However, the contact was informed that the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707921December 30, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Was told by Subaru today that the rear drive unit of the rear motor needs replaced already at 50k miles and was not covered under warranty. Upon searching online it appears that Subaru Solterras and the Toyota Bz4x are having multiple users report this issue. The issue causes a hum and loud concerning noise to the breaking system but no alerts provided by the car. According to online it is a serious problem that needs fixed (I was also told by Subaru not to drive the car until fixed) and I feel like this should be a recall if multiple vehicles are having this issue that has potential safety concerns when operating the vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11705320December 16, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
On December 15, 2025, driving on a highway in low temperatures, my 2024 Subaru Solterra (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced a progressive loss of power. At 9:20 a.m., I departed NYC for Amenia, NY (91 miles). The range showed ~130 miles (no AC). For the first ~70 miles, the range indicator consistently remained higher than miles-to-destination, confirming sufficient charge to arrive safely. Around mile 70, the range buffer diminished rapidly. By 10:52 a.m. (approx. 85 miles in), the vehicle stopped responding normally to the accelerator. Speed became limited to 36–40 mph. The panel displayed: “Traction battery empty, Output power reduced.” However, immediately next to this warning, the dashboard displayed "7 mi" range and 4% battery. Relying on this data—which indicated sufficient range to reach a safe location—I continued. This contradictory information prevented an informed safety decision. Vehicle behavior became unstable. At 11:01 a.m., I pulled to the shoulder and called roadside assistance. After this stop, the vehicle appeared to recover traction, so I attempted to reach destination (6 miles away). However, unreliable power delivery persisted and the vehicle eventually failed completely at 11:25 a.m., leaving me stranded. Towing arrived at 2:00 p.m. This incident involves a critical range estimation failure. The vehicle promised 130 miles but failed after ~85 miles of conservative driving—a ~35% discrepancy. Furthermore, erratic behavior and conflicting data (showing available range while warning "Empty",) misled me into believing the vehicle was safe to operate, leaving me stranded in winter conditions on an active roadway. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699653November 16, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Recently received a recall notice on the software and HVAC compressor. Took vehicle into dealership, and they told me my vehicle failed the recall. They said that there were only 7 replacement parts in the entire nation and they were all taken. When asked what impacts the failed recall will have, they told me I would have no heat due to HVAC compressor being fried. My family and I feel unsafe driving this vehicle without heat in the Wyoming/Colorado winters where windchills repeated get below 0F. Not having heat is extremely dangerous. Halladay motors of Cheyenne, WY refuse to provide us a loaner. This vehicle is truly a lemon and we can’t wait until the lease is up next year.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699626November 16, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Rear differential has intermittent grinding noise that was confirmed by dealership. Eventually the differential will fail which will cause the car to stop unexpectedly.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698128November 7, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
minor accident in July 2024. it took more that 6 months to get sensor parts. still to this day Subaru cannot reactivate the parking assist braking function after working with the body shop and the locat dealer. they have give up. Subaru knows there is a problem with the software. it’s basically a toyota ev. very frustrating.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693617October 15, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The air conditioning has stopped working and after 30 days has not been repaired. Visibility issues during cold conditions
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690346September 29, 2025
STEERING
Took the car for new tires and alignment as it did not drive straight. Firestone replaced tires but during attempt to make alignment they found the RIGHT FRONT INNER TIE ROD END BENT. The car has never had an impact nor hit a curb with force. Subaru dealer says entire rack and pinion system needs to be replaced at a cost of close to 6,000.00 dollars. This car has about 35 K miles and has never had an impact. I am concerned for a possible manufacturing defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11685948September 9, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Lane departure feature is overly sensitive, often adjusts the car when not needed and has made car swerve inadvertently
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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