Subaru Outback Complaints (2021)

296 consumer complaints on file.

#11524985June 2, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Car would not start this morning. It’s driven every day, so it had not been sitting. Last service was 3/23 (today is 6/2/23), and the battery passed dealership inspection with no issues. Roadside serviceman stated this was the fourth “relatively new” Subaru he’d had to jump this week. Jumping the battery fixed the issue (for now), but the Subaru dealership, themselves, advised submitting a claim for potential “parasitic battery drain.” However, the current class action suit only covers 2015-2020 Subarus, and mine is a 2021 Outback.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11522446May 17, 2023
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Faulty windshield cracking rapidly - without impact
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11520961May 8, 2023
WHEELS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This vehicle has 3 major issues that the dealership has not been able to resolve and are as follows: 1) Battery---is not able to hold charge. In early 2022, dealership replaced a new battery, however, the problem still exists. Battery size does not have the charge capacity REQUIRED to start the vehicle even less than 1 week of parking during warm weather months. 2) Heating System---has a defect, specially on driver side of the system. With seat and steering heating on, the vents on driver side emit uncontrollable hot air that forces the driver to shut the driver side heating system. During winter this is unreasonable! Did inform the dealership of this issue and were unable to resolve the problem as I understand was inherent with the design. This problem is likely to cause fire if electrical wires are exposed to the heat. 3)Tires---are supposed to be inflated with nitrogen, and this innovation is to maintain the tire pressures for most weather conditions. However, all of my five tires are unable to maintain the pressures. Did bring it to the attention of dealership at each service. However the problem still persists. Possible problem can be any of the following individually or in combination: a) Seal between the tire and rim is inadequate. b) Slow leakage in tire valves or c) Tires are of poor quality permitting air to escape from the body of the tires.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11520775May 6, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER
When there is an alert for “low windshield” washer fluid. I receive multiple audible alerts from the car while driving. The alert will go away and then come back. I think the fluid level sloshes while driving, going above and then below the sensor repeatedly. The multiple alerts are distracting and cause alarm fatigue. I think one alert per driving session would suffice.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11519421April 28, 2023
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that on three separate occasions the windshield cracked without impact. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer after each failure and was informed each time that a rock chip might have caused the failure. The contact purchased a carbon steel film after which he was informed would prevent the windshield from breaking in the event of another cracked windshield, with the purchase of this protective film, he could have a total of 4 windshield replacements free of charge. The contact stated that each failure obstructed his vision while driving. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11517878April 19, 2023
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The front windshield spontaneously cracked sometime overnight, while my car was parked in my garage. I noticed it when I got into my car one morning, and a roughly 6 inch horizontal crack had appeared, originating from the driver's side edge about halfway up the glass. I immediately got out and inspected the crack to find a point of impact, but it was a perfectly smooth crack line w/ zero points of impact. I drove the short distance to my destination, and an hour or two later when I got back in the car, it had continued to grow to maybe double the previous size (now 15-20" wide). The crack was directly in my line of sight from my eyes to the road ahead. The next day, I took it to my Subaru dealer, where they took photos and said they'd contact Subaru corporate to determine if they'd pay for the replacement. I just got news today that they'll replace it, but I'm responsible for a hefty "deductible" to replace their faulty glass.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11517873April 19, 2023
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The front windshield has a rapidly growing crack that now spans almost half of the glass. Our car was parked in our garage overnight, like it always is, and one morning we got in to drive, and there was a 6-8 inch horizontal crack that started at the far edge of the driver's side, in the middle of the windshield (right in the line of sight between my eyes and the road). I immediately got out and inspected the crack to find absolutely zero point of impact. I took it to the Subaru dealer the next day, and by the time they looked at it, it had grown to at least 20+ inches across the glass. They contacted Subaru corporate, who just called me back today to tell me that I need to pay them a deductible to have the glass replaced.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11517713April 18, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Both passenger and driver doors leak water onto floor while using the car wash. The dealership has replaced the door moldings but it still leaks.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11517712April 18, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Infotainment screen goes blank. It has been addressed at dealership but still happens.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11517711April 18, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Issues with both driver and passenger windows. There are times when windows don’t close all the way or just go back down. Wind and rain while driving is very unpleasant. This has been addressed 3 times at dealership and still we have issues.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11517709April 18, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Tried to start outback and nothing, no clicking for battery dying, just nothing. Tried again and again, no noise in engine at all. Waited 2 minutes longer and it finally turned over and started.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11517236April 15, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The moonroof glass exploded yesterday in my parking lot. I contacted local dealers and they refused to cover it under factory warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11517076April 14, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Car experienced unintended acceleration and the pre-collision safety system failed to engage. Car accelerated into a building and the driver stopped car's attempt to continue forward progress by taking the car out of drive mode. The pre-collision system failed completely. The Electronic Control Units seemed to fail entirely. This happened while pulling into a parking space at a very low rate to speed (until the car "took off").
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11516593April 11, 2023
AIR BAGS
Passenger seat air bag system does not recognize my wife at times. She weighs some where around 100 pounds. Sometime the “The passenger is here light” comes on right a way, sometimes with in a mile and sometime never. Talk to the Subaru services rep. He said there was nothing they could about it. I told him I would bring the car in and leave for days so they could check it out, he told if I wanted to waste my time to go a head. Looking online this has been a safety problem for sometime that Subaru won’t do anything about. Like most safety issues someone will have to die before something is done.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11516277April 10, 2023
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Hit a pothole while driving at highway speeds, that resulted in a large crack in the windshield. there are no visible chips in the windshield, just a large (approx. 5") crack that has since expanded. We have gotten a quote to replace it from a few repair shops and each one quoted roughly $1500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11514090March 27, 2023
STEERING
The contact's wife owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle experienced loss of power steering as the power steering warning light and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, that the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 17,500. The VIN was not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11513834March 26, 2023
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Windshield cracked for second time, no warning given.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11512862March 20, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Defective windshield. I purchased my Subaru Outback XT from the Subaru dealership in Shoreline, Washington in October 2020. Since then, the windshield has cracked 4 times beyond repair. Each time, a small hairline fracture develops and quickly spreads across the windshield until the windshield has to be replaced. I have taken the car to the Subaru dealership each time to replace the windshield. The car remains under warranty. I reached out to Subaru of America after the windshield cracked for the 4th time, but I was told that the crack was a result of "outside influence". I have never had a car windshield crack until I purchased the Subaru, and 4 cracked windshields in about 2 years is beyond excessive. After doing additional research online, it appears that this is a frequent and ongoing issue with newer Subaru models possibly because the windshield used now is of a thinner material.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11508205February 20, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The front windshield of my vehicle cracked excessively after being hit by a pea sized piece of gravel while traveling less than 50 MPH. I felt that the safety of my family was put at risk as the crack quickly spread to over 8 inches in length by the end of that same day.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11507567February 16, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Subaru has a known issue with windshields being easily cracked. I purchased a new 2021 Subaru Outback Onyx XT and had to replace the windshield 2 times within the first year of owning due to cracked windshield, both happened after having a small chip from likely a small rock hitting windshield. I currently have another cracked windshield after hearing a slight hit on my windshield , after a semi truck passed me going in the opposite direction. I have had other vehicles that have had small chips after taking a slight hit from rocks and never developed cracked that required windshield replacement. Truly think that Subaru could do better and correct this issue as windshields are very expensive to replace and those who can’t afford replacement will continue to drive with potentially impaired visibility.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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