10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
25,304 miles

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #21

Sep 082017

Outback

  • 7,500 miles
The windshield developed a crack while the vehicle was parked. There was no damage from the road or other sources. This problem has been reported by dozens of owners of Subaru Outbacks, especially ones with the Subaru eyesight safety system, which my vehicle has.

- Macungie, PA, USA

problem #20

Sep 022017

Outback

  • 28,000 miles
The windshield developed a fissure over 2 feet long with no known (visible or audible impact) I simply noticed it as I was driving home and it was not there when I left home. It starts in the lower passenger side under the black portion and runs half way across the windshield.

- Carmel, IN, USA

problem #19

Jul 192017

Outback

  • 26,200 miles
Front windshield spontaneously cracked from top of driver side down both sides while sitting in home driveway for about two hours on clear, 90 degree day. No impacts noted while driving about 25 miles earlier in the day, and no chip in windshield at apparent impact point. Nothing fell on the vehicle in the driveway or exerted pressure on the glass.

- Sewickley, PA, USA

problem #18

Apr 142017

Outback

  • 20,000 miles
While driving down an open road going about 45mph with no trees and no other vehicles around us, our sunroof exploded. I say exploded because we thought we had been shot. It was a very loud pop and then we were instantly covered in glass. Like almost the entire sunroof was now in pieces and inside the car. I actually googled "exploding sunroof" because we knew we didn't hit anything. There are literally pages of accounts of this happening and there are numerous manufacturers listed as having this problem. Anyway, Subaru did replace it and we did not have to file a claim with our insurance but we could have been seriously injured if we were going any faster. The prevailing theory is that in order the save weight on the affected vehicles, the frame of the sunroof isn't rigid enough allowing the glass to move too much which causes the spontaneous explosion.

- Alpharetta, GA, USA

problem #17

Feb 202017

Outback

  • 10,500 miles
Windshield crack appeared suddenly originating near the heating element at the bottom.do not see any visible rock hit marks. Dealership does not acknowledge any manufacturing defects and I have to get it repaired using my insurance.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #16

Oct 122016

Outback

  • miles
Windshield cracked while driving on I-684. There was no object that hit the glass or sound of anything hitting. Just a crack originating from the deicer area of the windshield towards the driver's side and up and to the right that appeared suddenly. There was no adverse weather and the car was operating as normal. The defroster was on at the time.

- Ridgefield, CT, USA

problem #15

Jul 072016

Outback

  • 600 miles
Rear view mirror broke loose from windshield while being adjusted. Vehicle stationary, vehicle off, preparing to drive after being parked during the work day. A chunk of glass remained attached to the base of the mirror. Vehicle has less than 600 miles on it and the mirror had not been subjected to any abnormal forces. Ball sockets on mirror support seem very tight.

- Rocklin, CA, USA

problem #14

Jun 042016

Outback

  • 2,200 miles
Windshield crack on a 2016 Subaru Outback limited with eyesight, purchased new in April 2016 and currently has 2,200 miles on it. Went to run a quick errand, did not notice anything unusual. On the way home while driving in a rainstorm, I noticed a 6" crack on the driver's side windshield. The crack runs from the edge of the driver's side, about 1/3 up from the bottom and about 4' in toward the center. The crack has grown to about 18 inches overnight. There is evidence of a small chip in the glass, but nothing I would expect to cause a crack and I don't recall anything impacting the windshield. This crack only affects the outer glass and does not propagate through the lamination into the inner glass. There is evidence of delamination of the glass in the area adjacent to the crack. This is a wide crack. I measured 0.009" immediately adjacent to the chip damage all the way to the edge of the glass with a starrett model 66 thickness gage. It seems the outer glass may be subject to tension in the "as installed" condition as evidenced by the opening of this crack. This may contribute to the apparent damage intolerance of the windshield. Pictures of the damage and measurement are attached.

- Bremen, GA, USA

problem #13

May 032016

Outback

  • 2,750 miles
Second windshield crack in 10 days. While driving on interstate in the rain, I turned on the front de-fogger. Approx 20 seconds later the windshield cracked from the center bottom up and toward the drivers side. Crack currently extends up about 8 inches. As before, there was no strike that caused this and pavement was clean and smooth. This was a new Subaru branded windshield that was installed literally 4 days ago. Going back in to the service dept for repair as soon as possible.

- Hanscom Afb, MA, USA

problem #12

Apr 232016

Outback

  • 2,578 miles
Car had 2578 miles on it. While parked overnight windshield cracked starting at passenger side and extending approximately 12 inches toward driver side. Went immediately to the local Subaru service dept and they determined that it would be covered under warranty due to no evidence of a strike causing it. Windshield was replaced with Subaru branded part 6 days later through Subaru but by then the crack had grown to approx. 18inchs.

- Hanscom Afb, MA, USA

problem #11

Apr 242016

Outback

  • 1,973 miles
Vehicle purchased new 2/25/2016. 1990 mileage. Cracks developed while driving at 70mph. No sounds of stones hitting glass at any time during drive. Stopped to wash windshield at gas stop. Did not notice cracks until later in drive. Ac was turned on & off during drive, if that made a difference. Driven 500 miles in modestly warm sunny weather in 8 hrs that day,4/24/2016. Crack progressed to drivers line of site within one hours time. Was informed by Subaru dealer not covered by warranty. Repair is my expense.

- Harvard, IL, USA

problem #10

Apr 052016

Outback

  • 6,000 miles
Windshield cracked while sitting in a parking area. There was a small chip in the deicer area where the crack began. However, it appears the strike was minor and would have been easily repaired before spreading. Already had one chip repaired for another minor strike. Windshield appears to be excessively fragile which could result in a major safety problem. Dealer is willing to repair, but I am concerned about the quality of glass being used in the Subaru.

- Harker Heights, TX, USA

problem #9

Apr 032016

Outback

  • 150 miles
Windshield cracked within first 150 miles/48 hours of ownership of the new car. A very small piece of gravel hit the windshield near the passenger side wiper blade. It barely made any noise. On any other car I've owned, it likely would not have damaged the windshield at all. It left a star on the Outback, which turned into a foot long crack within 30 seconds. Sitting overnight the crack doubled in size. A windshield which fails under typical day-to-day conditions is not acceptable.

- Plano, TX, USA

problem #8

Mar 202016

Outback

  • 1,000 miles
I bought a 2016 Subaru Outback on March 5th, 2016. After two weeks I took a trip down to atlanta and back to knoxville, tn. I was driving on I-75 and going 70mph. I heard no sound nor did I see a rock or debris hit my windshield, but all of a sudden I saw a crack appear. Within an hour of home this crack grew from about 3 inches to 5 inches. I called Subaru of America and all they told me was 'cracks happen.'

- Knoxville, TN, USA

problem #7

Mar 202016

Outback

  • 125 miles
The day after driving the new car home from the dealership, a crack approximately 12 inches in length appeared in the windshield. The crack was not noticed until the vehicle was stationary and had not moved for about 24 hours. The crack started at the extreme edge of the windshield on the passenger side toward the top and curved down.

- Laramie, WY, USA

problem #6

Mar 092016

Outback

  • 11,000 miles
When driving about 60mph on a smooth flat highway, a small click was heard. Didn't think anything of it at first. After about 10 more minutes of driving I heard a loud pop. A 8 inch vertical crack started on the windshield. It started low, by the wipers, around the mid-line of the windshield. The crack has continually grown and is now running horizontally across the driver-side.

- Baraboo, WI, USA

problem #5

Feb 242016

Outback

  • 2,100 miles
While the car was garaged with the garage door closed, it developed at roughly 12" crack running from the right (passenger side) pillar. There is no rock strike or other impact, nor had there been one prior to it being garaged. It developed overnight.

- Gonzales, LA, USA

problem #4

Dec 022015

Outback

  • 2,000 miles
During a recent trip to Florida, the front windshield on my new 2016 Subaru Outback developed over half a dozen small pits in the exterior glass surface from contact with very tiny pebbles. The tiny pebble strikes should not have caused such pits based on my extensive driving experience. I believe there to be a defect in the glass itself, making it unusually brittle. The pebble strikes occurred while driving at low speeds on highway off ramps. The temperature outside during the pebble strikes, which took place over several days of driving, ranged from 60 to 85 degrees F. the dealer examined the windshield and said there was nothing inferior about it.

- Stratham, NH, USA

problem #3

Jan 272016

Outback

  • 5,200 miles
I was driving on the highway and heard the window crack (possibly a small pebble, but not a rock sound) and saw a crack on the drivers side window that extended to near the lane departure system. I disable the lane departure system out of caution. When I stopped I found a tiny pit likely from a small rock/pebble near the edge of the windshield. It seems like it formed a crack very easily with no noticeable impact..

- Littleton, CO, USA

problem #2

Oct 082015

Outback

  • 2,800 miles
Non collision or other vehicle damage crack in windshield. A crack appeared on the passenger side of the windshield. According to owner website this is an ongoing problem of which Subaru is aware for the 2015 and 2016 model years. They occasionally cover the repair under warranty claiming they do so as a "courtesy" car was stationary, parked in garage engine off. Windshield just cracked

- Glenmoore, PA, USA

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