10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 2 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 10,781 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
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« Read the previous 20 complaints
The battery in my 2018 Subaru Outback has died 3 times in the past 6 months. The first time I was parked close to a local mechanic and after jumping and testing the battery he deemed it dead and replaced it. 2 months later, while parked and idling as I waited for my husband at an appointment, the car shut down and went dead. It would not restart, but after I waited a few minutes it restarted. A month ago as I was driving about an hour from home, all the dashboard lights went on and the safety (eyesight) system disabled. I took the car into the dealer the next day and also told them about the dead battery and asked them to check the electrical system for a drain. This morning (exactly one month since dealer service) the battery was dead again. After jumping it and starting the car I discovered that the rear liftgate will not work. I have tried from inside the car, outside using the button on the liftgate and remotely with the key fob, nothing. After a a quick internet search I see that this battery drain is a common complaint with this model/year and that Subaru just replaces the battery rather than address the underlying problem. This is not acceptable, I should not have to worry about whether my car will start every time I get in it.
- Northport, NY, USA
One day in April, the battery was spontaneously completely dead. At the time it seemed that leaf debris shorted the circuit of the battery causing connections to corrode and the battery to be destroyed. The dealership replaced the battery because it was within warranty. The new battery now is having issues within 6 months of installment. Within a 4 day period the battery has been drained 2X inexplicably (9/23/20 and 9/26/20). The first time it could be jumped to allow vehicle use, but the second time it could not. The Subaru dealership advised it is likely a bad cell in the battery and wants to replace the battery.
- Rockville, MD, USA
When the power tailgate is left opened for a prolonged period, the battery drains. The shortest hours left opened was 4 hours. Took the vehicle to the dealership, and the battery was tested to be normal (rated 550 cca, measured 504 ca, voltage 12.74V, temperature 90F). The instruction provided by the dealership was to run the car every day to keep charging the battery. The car is equipped with the memory height to keep the hatch open, and that feature is useless when the battery keeps draining.
- Dekalb, IL, USA
Battery in my 2018 Outback continues to be dead when I go to start it after sitting overnight. Just took it to the dealer and they called and said they did not find anything wrong. They are keeping it overnight to see if it is dead in the morning. In the past week I have had to jump start the car 5 times because it was dead. Just called Subaru and filed a complaint about the problem. This is my 4th Subaru and never had a problem like this.
- Bucyrus, OH, USA
The electrical system of the car drains the battery after a few days of not using the car. The car was purchased brand new in July, 2018. The car has a battery problem from the beginning. First time when the battery died I charged it myself and I took the car to the dealership for inspection. At the dealership they couldt find any issue. Since that time the car's battery drained completely six times preventing the car from starting. If the battery was not connected to a battery tender it went completely dead after a few days. Last time when the battery drained it couldn't be charged with a charger and also the car couldn't be jumped. After investing in a new battery and installing it on the car the battery drained again completely after a few days when the car was parked in the garage and not used.
- Beaverton, OR, USA
Purchased this car in Feb 2018. Despite the pandemic of 2020, mileage is somewhat similar, driving trips are similar since getting the car. The battery has been dying over and over since earlier this year (Feb/March 2020) for no apparent reason. On many occasions, after sitting in the driveway for a few days, a week, a day - the battery would be dead. Brought it to Subaru and they told me some crap about not driving it for periods of time could cause this (a week?!). they tested my battery and said it was better than perfect. Now it's going back in to them because it is still happening and now they are claiming it's due to low mileage. They know more about this than they are leading on and are blaming the vehicle owners' driving habits instead of getting to the root of the problem.
- Dover, NH, USA
Battery doesn't hold charged when parked over night. Can't start the engine after a few hour drive and park over night. Now I have to let the car engine running for a few hour everyday to keep the battery charged up enough to start the engine. Has to jump the car many times already. Gonna call the dealer and ask what are my options tomorrow.
- Lewisburg, PA, USA
Dead battery overnight and liftgate random opening when vehicle is parked in the garage.
- Stroudsburg, PA, USA
My Subaru Outback 2018 to date is on its third battery, third battery replaced 8-7-2020 is dead today (8-13-2020). Vehicle parked in driveway.
- Zachary, LA, USA
Vehicle has 17,000 miles, battery has died at least 6 times. Battery has been found drained in the am after being parked in garage. Dealer replaced battery at 16,000 miles. Battery problem still exists. Subaru tries to explain problem by stating interior lights are left on or key was left to close to car. Tests show there was no parasitic drain on battery. Subaru does not want to fix or admit the problem.
- Sea Girt, NJ, USA
During vehicle operation, both stationary and in traffic, the driver window intermittently does not close normally. Upon activation to raise the window when in open position, it rises only partway, then bounces back down. Only after repeated efforts, using multiple maneuvers of the power control, sometimes requiring pulling over on the highway so as not to further drive distracted, can one finally raise the window. This is a safety issue in that it requires driver attention during vehicle operation. It is also a hazard when needing to close the window rapidly to avoid dust, debris, weather precipitation, or strangers approaching the vehicle. We have taken it to the dealer to fix it on multiple occasions and each time are told that 1) nothing was wrong (again, it is an intermittent issue that we have documented with video 2) it was software-related and that they updated it to fix it and 3) it was the power window regulator and assembly (replaced twice). None of these efforts have solved this issue and the dealer has not been forthcoming with a reasonable solution over the past 2+ years while we are approaching our warranty expiration.
- San Antonio, TX, USA
We were getting ready to leave to the store and got in the car and tried turning it on and when we inserted our keys and tried turning on the car-the car would not start and all we could hear was a clicking clacking sound coming from inside the hood. We tried starting the car again and we encountered there's the same issue, the vehicle would not start at all. We went in our other vehicle straight to the dealership to let them know that our car of 2 years would not start at all and they informed us it might be a battery issue and that we should call roadside assistance for further help. We asked if our battery was under warranty and they said they didn't know it all depended on the mileage and we informed them that our car was a brand new 2018 model with under 21,000 miles. They again said if it was a battery issue best bet was to replace with them and that it would be for a fee of $200 or more.
- Hawthorne, CA, USA
11/16/2018 dead battery for no known reason 6/15/2019 dead battery for no known reason
- Stratford, CT, USA
Second occurrence of the problem in less than a week. Replaced original battery on 7/24/2020 (see complaint number 11341827). Battery drains for no reason, leaving battery dead and car inoperable. Car was stationary on driveway. Could not start it, so checked battery which was dead 0 volts.
- Darien, IL, USA
Battery drains for no reason, leaving battery dead and car inoperable. Car was stationary on driveway. Could not start it, so checked battery which was dead 0 volts.
- Darien, IL, USA
Battery drains for no apparent reason while parked overnight in driveway.
- Elizabethtown, KY, USA
The touch screen on my radio/head unit intermittently freezes. Was told by dealership service it is likely due to bluetooth, and tethering interference because they both try to connect. Dealer reset the radio, and I have not connected the bluetooth at all after the reset. Yet again same problem. This has been replaced once due to the recall and class action lawsuit. It still has issues. There isn't any real time frame when it does this just randomly turns non-responsive on the main touch screen. There have been multiple time this has occurred, and have been to the dealer 2 or 3 times now.
- Fargo, ND, USA
When I park my car in the garage on Thursday July 2nd and close the garage with no problem. On July 4th my wife open the garage and got a chair from her car Acura rdx and watch the fireworks on the drive way. Later on put the chair back in her Acura and close the garage. Sunday afternoon I had to go to the garage and get tools to fix the bathroom sink and saw the Subaru Outback hatchback open. I then found the subraru Outback battery dead and the hatchback all scratches. My wife only has her Acura car fob, the other subraru hanging on a closet door. My subraru key fob is in my work computer briefcase. Definitely nobody touch the subraru fobs. However, I only drive the subraru Outback to work ( vanpool meeting location) about 4 miles from my house and usually about 5 minutes one way. The car unable to startup after the incident.
- Costa Mesa, CA, USA
My 2018 Subaru Outback has been having issues with the battery and the car not starting. It seemed to have stemmed from the liftgate working improperly and draining the battery. It happened about a year ago, but self-resolved after resetting liftgate and jump starting car. Recently, about two weeks ago, it started having issues with the liftgate and battery again and was left stuck at a shopping center parking lot until I was able to get roadside assistance with a jumpstart. I brought it to Subaru in fairfield, ca, where they diagnosed it as a liftgate issue that was draining the battery. They reset the liftgate and then charged the battery and sent me on my way. Today 6/6/2020, my car had difficulty starting again, took a few tries to start, though there were no issues with the liftgate. I brought it to Subaru fairfield, ca again, where they said there was a battery failure, I was out of warranty for a replacement, and would be charged for a new battery even though they said that they know that there is an issue with a number of recent Subaru owners with battery issues. Doing research online, it seems like it is a very common issue, leaving owners stranded randomly and needing a jump start, and that battery replacements are not fixing the problem, as the electrical draining issue is still there.
- Fairfield, CA, USA
- Brooklyn, NY, USA