This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The windshield on my 2018 Outback cracked within the first 150 miles of ownership.the Subaru service department said it was caused by something hitting the windshield which is a possibility but was not the case. I had the windshield replaced by my insurance company and I paid the deductible amount. I drove the Outback back to my house and parked it for a week while I drove my other car. When I went to drive my Outback after a week of it just sitting still I noticed that the windshield had a big crack in it. I had the windshield replaced under warranty. In the year and a six months that I have owned the car I am on the 4th windshield including the original equipment one.
Windshield cracked less then 2 months from purchase.. for no reason..assisted driving deactivated... stereo and gps system also need ed to be replaced... rear door motor needed to be replaced... stereo and gps software needed to be updated... still had problems.. finally replaced system...
The windshield cracks and shatters for no reason. I have now replaced two windshields and they continue to break, even though no impacts with flying debris occurred. Many Outback owners report similar things happening. There is something defective with the windshield that cause them to be fragile.
Windshield cracked a second time just a few months after the new windshield was replaced. The pebble that hit the windshield wasn't large on either occasion. The dealership charges a large fee to calibrate the eye sight feature and that can only be done at a dealership so we can't get a better/stronger windshield anywhere else nor purchase a competitively priced one. It feels like Subaru is making good money off of defective weak windshields. In my previous car, a Mazda 3, I drove for 12 years without a single crack. In a new Subaru, it's happened twice within a year. Both times I was driving highway speeds between 65-70 mph. Both rocks where small. The first time was between cities driving back from lubbock to dallas when a truck slowed to the right for me to pass. The 2nd time was while driving in rush hour traffic on the tollway in a middle lane.
10/2018 to present: Infotainment sys: While driving gps screen goes white entirely & sound stops. While driving gps sound is lost or partial loss. While driving gps will reroute to different location. The above causes mental confusion/distraction to driver w dangerous situations. Before driving/when driving re/programming map when directions stop or screen white or gps vol drops or varies the unit will go fm map to phone fav reliably causing distraction to driver, mental confusion on local roads & on the interstate during rush hour in bumper to bumper traffic. While driving radio: Sound volume goes high & low or drops sound or when choosing a station from programmed radio buttons channels begin to cycle rapidly through each programmed channel and repeats cycle until I can manage to power off the radio & takes up to 5 times to press radio power button to power off causing distraction to driver & mental confusion trying to power off the radio in traffic on local roads & on the interstate during rush hour in bumper to bumper traffic. Steering: While driving feels like high winds/hydroplaning as car sways in lane & out of lane with no rain & no high wind conditions causing distraction to driver & mental confusion trying to control steering to stay in lane in traffic on local roads & on the interstate during rush hour in bumper to bumper traffic. Engine: While driving in emergency maneuvers severe delay in acceleration when pedal is to the floor causing near collision situations, distraction to driver & mental confusion trying to avoid a collision in traffic on local roads & on the interstate during rush hour in bumper to bumper traffic. Engine: RPM extremely high on acceleration as if I am in low gear & manual paddle never was touched causing distraction, confusion, and inability to control intended speed of vehicle causing dangerous driving conditions.
- Virginia Beach, VA, USA
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Two tire blow outs causing immediate loss of air. Car was travelling at approx 35 mph. Each time on a city street. First at 4000 miles. Second at 21000 miles. Tire had circumferential crack at bottom of tire groove. Original oem tires. Car purchased new in Sept 2017.
The head unit in the sound system/electrical system keeps failing resulting in a loss of all sound functions. I don't get any warnings of problems as the sound system simply does not work. This is unsafe. To date, the dealer has replaced what he calls an amplifier twice. The new unit works for a few days or weeks and then fails again. So far, the other components connected to this system -- back up camera, for instance, still work. I don't know if this is related, but the rear hatch has opened by itself three times, each time when the car was parked. Once, this caused the battery to drain because we did not discover it for more than 12 hours. Once, there was damage to the rear hatch because we did not know it was open and it was damaged by the garage door when we opened it remotely from outside.
Sunroof spontaneously shattered/exploded while driving without impact or other vehicles around. Outside temperature was 86 degrees at the time. Was at highway speed on an interstate. Nothing was overhead. Glass exploded up and out.
The radio malfunctions, it crackles, static interference, other stations interfere with current station. This occurs during all weather conditions and all different roads and whether car is moving or stationary have been to the dealer several times.
Windshield severely stress cracked and had to be replaced within 10 months of ownership. This was not covered by dealer warranty and I had to pay to have replaced. Windshield contractor told me that Subaru is using thinner glass now that stresses very easily. He had just replaced the same the day before mine. I've never had to replace a windshield from stress before. I don't know if this happened while in motion or stationary, but I did notice a small crack and then it went sideways across from driver to passenger side of window.
Rear liftgate operates intermittent and when open intermittently will not close; I have had to drive the vehicle with the liftgate not fully closed or latched. I have had the vehicle in service seven times.
While parked in the sun and with a sunshade installed inside, we returned to our car and removed the sunshield and noticed a new windshield crack in the windshield. Sitting still. This car has the eyesight system and was told the windshield is very expensive and insurance and Subaru say not covered. Car has just turned 12,000 miles and is always garaged at home. Subaru has defective windshields and my dealership says so.
The steering with lane departure warning will sometimes jerk the car from side to side, as if self correcting, even though the car is well within the lane. At times the car also feels like it is hydroplaning on dry ground with little steering feedback. Purchased used with a carfax report indicating no problems. It is a very scary feeling on dry surfaces to get no steering feedback or have the car self correct the even while in the middle of the lane. At 20,000 miles had an alignment performed, did not correct the problem. Online there are numerous reports for this occurrence with no viable solutions. Our family always wanted a Subaru for safety, but this feels very dangerous. When the lane departure self corrects there is little steering feedback and the vehicle seems to be guiding itself and steering during these times seems very loose.
Windshield cracks. I have had the car since March 2018 and the windshield has cracked three times. The first two were the result of rocks hitting the windshield - the third was just a small crack on the passenger side right above the windshield..I have been driving for 45 years and have never had a windshield crack - this windhield cracks constantly. - the product should be recalled
NAVIGATION SYSTEM SUCKS!!!!!!!!! THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND CAUSES ROAD RAGE !!!!! WHILE DRIVING THE SYSTEM USUALLY WILL NOT ACCEPT VOICE COMMANDS. SYSTEM SAYS "I'M SORRY I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. LET'S TRY AGAIN." I TRY AGAIN; SAME RESPONSE. I AM USING THE SYSTEM RECOMMENDED COMMANDS SUCH AS "FIND NEAREST" OR "NAVIGATE TO : " ALSO WHEN TRYING TO ENTER A STREET NUMBER, STREET, CITY, STATE; I GET THE SAME "I'M SORRY I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. LET'S TRY AGAIN." WHEN I TRY AGAIN SYSTEM REPEATS "I'M SORRY I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. LET'S TRY AGAIN." OR INTERRUPTS ME BEFORE I CAN TRY AGAIN. MY WIFE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SYSTEM. A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I SET A DESTINATION WITH THE KEYBOARD (NOT AVAILABLE WHEN MOVING); THE DIRECTIONS ARE WRONG WHEN YOU ARE NEAR THE DESTINATION, SUCH AS THE TURN DIRECTION OR LOCATION BEING TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT.THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND CAUSES ROAD RAGE !!!!! DEALER SAYS THE SYSTEM IS WORKING AS DESIGNED AND IS DIFFICULT TO USE. NO [XXX]! WE CONTACTED SUBARU. NO RESPONSE. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Started car this morning and the unit that controls the radio, backup cameras, navigation and bluetooth is blank and unresponsive.. dead. Car in garage when starting. Car drives fine except for above deficits
On February 22, 2019, the plastic cover on the dash below the steering wheel on the driver's side came loose while I was driving. It was hanging down attached by wires and dangled over the accelerator and brake pedals, interfering with their safe operation. I was on a highway about a mile from my home when this happened. I carefully drove home. Subaru roadside assistance fixed the problem. The dealer confirmed the next day that the panel had been properly reattached.
Driving approximately 50 mph on South us hwy 231 (left lane), without any incident rear passenger window popped and shattered and then broken glass fell into backseat of car. There was no car in right lane or in front of my car. There were no adverse road conditions. No other damage to car.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Greenwood Village, CO, USA