7.3

pretty bad
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
7,239 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.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2019 Subaru Outback:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

Get free help with your lemon!
close ad

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #21

Jun 292019

Outback

  • 10,000 miles
Small rock hit lower left corner of windshield, approximately 2 inches from edge. Continued driving. Suddenly, entire windshield cracked across approximately 70% of glass within 5 minutes, obstructing view. Initial impact was tiny chip, barely visible without close inspection. Normal driving conditions, highway, 60mph, dry road & weather, before sunrise. Single owner vehicle, 10K miles. Complaint also filed with Subaru.

- Chambersburg, PA, USA

problem #20

Jul 032019

Outback

  • 600 miles
Purchased new 2019 Subaru Outback. When parked in the garage overnight after just a couple weeks a stress crack began to form from the top of the windshield going down. The next day it was outside on a hot day and the crack began to get worse. No impact on windshield from rock or anything else. May be caused from heat? vehicle was stationary in both cases.

- Wichita, KS, USA

problem #19

Jun 102019

Outback

  • 12,000 miles
Just experienced my second spontaneous crack within four six months where the windshield needed to be replaced on my 2019 Subaru Outback. The crack starts at the bottom of the windshield below the wiper blades and the crack expands upward approximately 12-18 inches. It is beyond meshy these windshields have to be replaced so often and it is my opinion they are made with materials that cannot stand up to day to day temperature changes of new england. The car was parked all weekend and had no crack. However, on Monday morning, the crack was there.

- Rochester, MA, USA

problem #18

Apr 172019

Outback

  • 3,500 miles
Please review and escalate this manufacturing defect. The same issue resulted in a class action lawsuit in California. I purchased my 2019 Subaru Outback on 12.31.18. After work in mid April of 2019, I returned to my parked car. Unlocked and entered the vehicle from the driver's side. I lowered the sun shade and noticed a large crack in the front windshield. It started at the bottom edge of the glass on the driver side, arced up and curved towards the passenger side of the car. No other damage was noticed inside. I got out of the car and checked it for any additional damage and checked the windshield from the outside. There did not appear to be any other damage than the cracked windshield and a miniscule left passenger door ding. As if the edge of another car door came in contact with my Subaru. No road hazards or debris was encountered on the way to or from work. I notified the dealership, hiley Subaru of fort worth, and requested to have the windshield replaced during my next service appointment indicating this was a manufacturing defect under warranty. At the service appointment, they declined to replace the windshield under warranty.

- Granbury, TX, USA

problem #17

Jul 012019

Outback

  • 7,400 miles
I purchased this vehicle brand new March 2019. I developed a crack that started at the base of the windshield, closer to the passenger side, that quickly spread throughout the windshield 3 months after purchasing and with less than 6K miles. It appeared to be from a small stone chip. The point of impact was very minimal and I have had other vehicles that have had much larger chips that have 'spidered' but never spread as rapidly as this crack on my new Outback. I worked with my insurance to have the windshield replaced, total cost was over $800. I drove the car 4 times in 3 days after getting it replaced, all on paved roads. This morning I developed a crack at the top of the windshield right in the middle that quickly spread throughout the windshield again. Their appears to be a small sandstone chip that may have been the reason for the crack. I am taking it back to the place that replaced it and hoping it's covered under the warranty of the recent replacement. This issue needs to be resolved by Subaru because it sounds like it's a very common problem.

- Belle Plaine, KS, USA

problem #16

May 202019

Outback

  • 8,500 miles
The windshield cracked after less than a month of ownership. It started from the lower passenger side below the wiper on the heating element. It manifested one morning before I left for work in late May. My dealership refuses to replace it, claiming it was a rock, though there are no chips or spidering. It's a single long crack that winds across the windshield. When I asked them how it could have been a rock without a point of impact, the response from the service manager was "rocks can do funny things." My 2016 impreza had its windshield replaced with this exact type of crack under warranty.

- South Ogden, UT, USA

problem #15

Jun 212019

Outback

  • 6,000 miles
Vehicle was stationary, parked at my house when I realized the back windshield was completely shattered. It was still in place because of the tempered glass. I opened the door to get something out of the car and the windshield fell apart into my car and on the ground. Under 7000 miles on the car.

- Villa Park, CA, USA

problem #14

May 092019

Outback

  • 5,000 miles
I took delivery of a 2019 Subaru Outback in mid-January 2019. In March (03/12/2019) a small rock hit the drivers edge of the windshield resulting in a large crack. I worked it through my insurance and the windshield was replaced by a third-party installer working directly with the local Subaru dealership. At the time, I had only 2K miles on the vehicle. In may (05/09/2019), a small rock hit the replacement windshield and there is now a large crack. The windshield will need to be replaced. The vehicle had less than 5K miles on it. I've had two (2) broken windshields before I have even had my first oil change. My previous vehicle was a 2007 Subaru Outback. I drove it for 12 years and 235K miles and never had a cracked windshield even though it had been hit by countless rocks and had numerous chips. Two windshields in three months suggests the problem is with the modern glass that is designed to work with the Subaru eyesight system. I wrote and asked Subaru to replace the second windshield as a warranty item but they declined. Both incidents occured while driving on paved highways.

- Flagstaff, AZ, USA

problem #13

May 262019

Outback

  • 6,000 miles
My windshield cracked below the wiper.it started dead center and crack spread rapidly.research shows other Subaru owners with the same issue. Subaru will not admit to a defect. Vehicle was in motion. No vehicle was in front of

- Island Hghts, NJ, USA

problem #12

May 262019

Outback

  • 1,100 miles
We were driving our Subaru Outback with 1100 miles on it on the highway on Sunday May 26, 2019 - there was not much traffic and no one was in front of us. We noticed a crack in our windshield and at first did not think it was a crack. When we got to our destination we looked at the windshield - only to find what was a 4 inch crack. Nothing hit the windshield it just cracked. The crack started on the passenger side of the windshield below the wiper blade (as others have stated also) at the present time the crack is about 18 inches and has gone from the passenger side of the windshield to the driver side and has taken a turn now back to the passenger side. Know that others have voiced similar problems with the Subaru Outback from 2019 as well as earlier years of the model. Feel as though Subaru is responsible for this issue.

- Westmisnter, MD, USA

problem #11

May 022019

Outback

  • 12,000 miles
I had parked try 2019 Outback for work on a public street. When I got in after work and closed my door, the rear glass shattered and about 1/4 of it fell into the back of the car. I inspected the interior of the car and the outside area where it was parked, looking for some sign that maybe someone had tried to break in or vandalized it. I found no sign. I then pushed more of the shattered glass inside my car to improve the rear visibility, and drove to a glass repair store.

- Des Moines, IA, USA

problem #10

Apr 242019

Outback

  • 8,900 miles
Warm sunny day. Left work, driving home, heard a pop and there is a 12" crack in the windshield that starts at the top and goes down from there. No stone/rock hit,

- Lake Ridge, VA, USA

problem #9

Apr 222019

Outback

  • 7,500 miles
2 windshields have cracked without an obvious cause. Occurred at 2,000 and 7,000 miles.

- Plainview, NY, USA

problem #8

Apr 142019

Outback

  • 6,300 miles
2019 Subaru Outback purchased 2/20/19; took possession 2/22/19. On 4/14/19 two very large (18-24in)cracks, rapidly spreading appeared as I started up my vehicle. One crack started about 2 in above the lower corner on the driver's side. Approximately 2 weeks before this crack appeared, a very small piece of gravel struck the windshield in this area but no damage/cracks/holes were visible on close inspection following this. The second crack originated approx. Midway below the wiper apparatus on the drivers side. There had been no rocks hitting in this area previously or other damage. Again, both cracks started after the vehicle had been immobile overnight in my garage; the temperature that morning was in the high 40S (48F) and immediately occurred on starting the vehicle and spread within seconds to 18-24 inches arching across the driver's side windshield. Since, the cracks have continued to spread approx 1-3 inches per day. In contacting the dealership, they deny any issues with Subaru Outback windshields. This is unlike any windshield cracking experience I have had and does not appear to be due to rock damage, other external damage.

- Libby, MT, USA

problem #7

Apr 172019

Outback

  • 3,200 miles
My concern is with the quality and safety of the windshield on the 2019 Subaru Outback. I purchased a 2019 Subaru Outback on 12/31/18. It now has 3200 miles on it. On 04/17/19 I noticed an 8-10 inch crack in the windshield. There was a very small, barely noticeable, chip within the crack. At no time did I hear anything hit the windshield while driving. Therefore, a cracked windshield was shocking and entirely unexpected from such minimal contact with the windshield. When the car is not in use it is garage kept. My commute has not changed since buying this car and I have never had a car windshield crack in over 30 years of driving. Due to the size of the crack, the entire windshield must be replaced and the Subaru "eyesight" system re-calibrated. It is my opinion that the windshield should not have cracked in this situation. A simple google search indicates that others have concerns with the 2019 Subaru Outback windshield.

- Ambler, PA, USA

problem #6

Apr 102019

Outback

  • 4,200 miles
On 4/10/19 as I was getting into my car, I noticed a huge crack on my driver side of the windshield that starts from the base running toward the center of the windshield. The car was bought on Jan 20th of 2019 and has 4200 miles. Called safelite and they are estimating $1300+ to replace.

- San Jose, CA, USA

problem #5

Mar 272019

Outback

  • 7,500 miles
On two separate occasions, something was kicked up and hit the windshield of the vehicle. Both time an immediate crack was sent throught the windshield. Both times were on an highway, traveling about 45mph. I have had things pop up and hit my windshield in other vehicles and maybe they just chill or star. I feel there is a significant difference in the strength of the glass that is used, in this vehicle I feel it is extremely weak.

- Aurora, IL, USA

problem #4

Mar 172019

Outback

  • 1,465 miles
I got a new 2019 Outback in December. I have barely driven it. I finally took my family out and my passenger window cracked in two places while we were parked.

- Royal Oak, MI, USA

problem #3

Jan 112019

Outback

  • 750 miles
Windshield spontaneously cracked at the base of the windshield, under the wiper blade while driving on the highway. I was not following any vehicles so a rock chip could not be the cause. This is poor windshield quality and design by Subaru.

- Lawrence, KS, USA

problem #2

Jan 072019

Outback

  • 2,200 miles
The car was not used over the weekend except for a 5 mile trip to church where it did not encounter any rocks, hits, etc. Drove home and the car windshield was find. The next morning when I got into the car, after I used my remote to start and warm up my Outback, there was about an 8-10 inch crack in the windshield that originated from beyond the windshield wiper on the passenger side of the car. The crack grew worse to about 12 inches. Called Subaru dealer who directed me to their windshield service agent. Took time off from work and they installed oem glass (insurance covers this) and calibrated the windshield. After driving home, the car made wind tunnel noises, windshield fluid system did not work, navigation did not work so I brought the car to the dealer (took more time off from work). They found a leak in the windshield, repaired the fluid unit and ignored the navigation issue. They sent me back to their agent. They took out the windshield repositioned it and sent me on my way. Today I found puddles of water on the floor of my car (leak), navigation does not work and wind tunnel noise is still there. This windshield is supposed to protect the driver and passenger as extra support for the roof, prevention of objects flying at you and allow for the eyesight system to do its job. This car is one month old and the crack in the windshield experience sounds eerily similar to others' complaints. When you pay the money for a top safety pick, you want the safety and I do not have it.

- Rochester, MA, USA

Read the next 1 complaints »