10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 3 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 6 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 16,299 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.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Windshield cracked today but nothing hit it.
- Medina, OH, USA
I have a 2017 sabaru Outback with the eyesight system. In late July 2017 I had to replace a windshield when I guess a pebble hit and it immediately spread a large crack that over next few days covered entire windshield. $678.80 + half day of work lost. On 9/27/17 as I was going about 10 mph entering highway I heard two popcorn pops - nothing hit the windshield- looked over, and the same type crack appeared starting at edge of window. This has spread over last few days to cover most of teh windshield. When the windshield replaced in July 2017, a lady waiting there told me that her 2016 Outback windshield had been replaced three (3) times already. This is an expensive consumer defect which sabaru refuses to acknowledge, and they will not cover teh windshield under the vehicle warranty.
- Cookeville, TN, USA
September 9th 2017, our Outback was involved in an accident on a mixed residential/commercial street intersection, when it was hit on the left front wheel, hard enough to spin the car so that the left rear corner made contact with the other vehicle. The impact resulted in serious injuries requiring hospitalization and weeks of recovery. The airbags & seatbelt pre-tensioners did not activate. After the collision, the "sos" button was pressed, but there was no response from starlink. Several days later the starlink concierge called to advise us that the lights were "on" and checking on our wellbeing. They were unaware that the vehicle had been in an accident several days prior, nor did they have any record that the "sos" button had been activated. The cause of the non-activation is still under investigation by our insurance and Subaru
- San Diego, CA, USA
Windshield had internal cracking developed where right under rear view mirror mounting area. No physical contact but the car was parked hot outside for 3 days and defect happened. Initially rear view mirror was still on windshield but after several days drive, it fell down. It is definitely safety related defect.
- Danville, CA, USA
Door locks doors dont autolock when in drive. Door would have opened while driving.
- Overland, MO, USA
Front driver and front passenger doors do not lock automatically and remain unlock when shift in drive when car is stationary and also when care in motion. No voice, light or any alerts that alert the driver to lock the doors manually every time you drive the car. This a safety issue as if you forget to lock the doors manually and by any chance snaps on the door handle, car door will open and fatalities can occur. Spoke with service advisor at my Subaru dealer and he stated that this issue is real and there is no way to program the vehicle to lock the front doors automatically when it is in drive or at certain speed. I am not aware of any other cars that have same issue, even older cars 10 plus years old cars has this safety feature as standard. This issue is not mentioned anywhere in the vehicle manual and sales persons do not talk about. In my opinion this is a safety issue and a key factor when choosing to buy Subaru Outback.
- Irvington, NY, USA
I would really like to purchase a new Subaru Outback, but the forward jutting headrests ("head-restraining system") is way too uncomfortable. We are learning all newer vehicles seem to have these remarkably uncomfortable and posture damaging forward tilts due to your recommendations/requirements. Please re-think your current recommendations and design recommended headrests which are safe and do not sacrifice posture and comfort. Your current recommendations are certainly leading to worsening arthitic symptoms and pain for people such as me and may be contributing to the opioid epidemic.
- San Diego, CA, USA


- Sacramento, CA, USA