1.8
hardly worth mentioning- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 88,714 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
Individual wires in the harness powering and controlling the brake, turn, backup, and license plate lights, and the rear wiper motor and washer pump, may fail without warning. This failure could result in an rear end collision or impairing vision out the rear window in inclement weather. The point of failure is inside the flexible rubber boot protecting the harness where it passes from the rear frame of the main body to the top of the rear lift gate. It appears that repeated flexing of the wires inside the protective boot, as the rear lift gate is opened and closed, work hardens the insulation and copper wires causing them to eventually break. Symptoms may appear as static on the radio, failing rear lights, and/or failing rear wiper/washer motors. In my case, I experienced radio static and a failure of the rear wiper/washer motors. Trouble shooting led me to cut open the protective boot revealing the broken wires. Further inspection revealed that the wire insulation was brittle in the area of the breaks. A search online revealed this is not an isolated incident.
- Londonderry, NH, USA
After fuses blown repeatedly and replaced, rear wiper, washer pump and lock ceased to operate for perhaps a year. Recently the headlights got real funky - would not operate in normal "on" position. But then some strange behavior when shifted into reverse (ignition on without starting to allow shifting). Headlights still not lit in either off or on position, but then came on as switch moved back from headlights on to running lights position! I happened upon the video mentioned in an earlier post about rear wiring harness issue which easily could have been related to wiper/lock issue, so took a look. Inspection revealed 11 severed wires with a clump of 5 or so melted together and another 3 wires nearly severed (see photos). Dealer says he'll replace wiring harness for $350 -500, and had a same generation Outback in the shop for same work. Service mgr suggested a call to Subaru customer care line. If you have goofy electrical issues, especially in rear, check the wiring inside boot from body to door on upper right side. It's not easy to get at as wires are short, which may have led to quite a serious, um, short. Call Subaru before your headliner ignites...
- Wausau, WI, USA
The rear gate wiring harness failed, causing rear brake lights and tail lights to stop working. Without replacing the rear gate wiring harness ($88.80 parts + $448.80 labor + $51.07 tax) soon the rear wiper and defrost would not work and the back hatch would lock. This is a serious safety issue, I want to see a recall and reimbursement of $588.67 from Subaru of America.
- Shoreline, WA, USA
Wiper switch on steering column fails to operate at temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Please investigate. Thank you
- West Newton, PA, USA
While traveling on a 2 lane road at night during a heavy rainfall, my driver side windshield wiper disconnected and jammed into the bottom of the windshield, jamming the passenger side wiper as well. Visibility in the rain was reduced to almost nothing. I turned on the emergency lights and traveled further down the road a greatly reduced speed, unable to make out any place to turn off. By slowing down I was increasing my chances of avoiding an accident, but increasing the risk for the cars in front, approaching and behind me. The problem was that a small plastic pin in the wiper blade had fallen out, a quality control issue. This tiny part could have caused a major accident. I urge you to require higher quality standards for the wipe blades. I can't find a manufacturer identification on the wiper blade, but I still have it.
- Berkeley, CA, USA
09 Outback was blowing fuses on the door lock circuit. Put in a new fuse and it would blow in a few days, often when car washed or driven in rain (or perhaps when rear hatch operated). Last replacement fuse has held for a few weeks now, through summer. Then the rear wiper stopped working. Saw this video and then pulled the wiring boot connecting hatch with body (to right of hatch hinges) and sure enough four wires are snapped right where video shows - at bottom of right boot: Https://www.youtube.com/watch?V=amekptvgmhs.
- Wausau, WI, USA
- Westwood, MA, USA