10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
4,145 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #176

Aug 012022

Outback

  • miles
Infotainment system screen is bubbling causing input to the user interface with no driver action. I consider this a safety issue due to the fact I can not turn the system off or deactivate it. The car starts playing music, making phone calls, changing navigation settings ect... This creates a persistent and strong hazard. I can not focus on the road, hear emergency sirens or other cars alerting with their horns.

- Placentia, CA, USA

problem #175

Aug 152022

Outback

  • miles
Over the last month or two the battery has been going dead over night, and sometimes almost immediately after parking it. I understand that there is a class action law suit pending on this issue, and I understand Subaru will replace the cheap small battery with another cheap small battery which is only kicking the can down the road since as far as I know not fixing the underlying electrical issue in the car. I tend to drive some roads that have long stretches of mountainous terrain even though a Federal Highway. No phone service is often and issue and should this problem strike me on one of these trips I may have some problems getting going again.

- Klamath Falls, Or, OR, USA

problem #174

Aug 162022

Outback

  • miles
Battery dies every couple months despite nothing being on without vehicle on.

- Decatur, GA, USA

problem #173

Aug 092022

Outback

  • miles
The battery continues to drain by itself, even with no usage. I have already replaced the battery once and the issue continues. Seems like there is an electrical problem. I have tested the new battery and it is fine just needs to be charged regularly in order to start the car.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #172

Aug 012022

Outback

  • miles
-??Condensation like-?? artifacts have appeared on the substrate of the LCD control screen similar to the recall issued for the 2018 model year. This affects vital control for most any vehicle setting and navigation. Also the system behaves erratically while in motion.

- Livermore, CA, USA

problem #171

Aug 022022

Outback

  • miles
The automatic liftgate fails to latch and requires extra steps that most car owner would not know to temporarily resolve the issue. My situation has been difficult to replicate. The liftgate will open but not close. It will also close but not open. It will also latch but not securely. This evening, the hatch opened but failed to close. It also latched but found out at 55mph that it was not properly secured when my dog leaned against it. It did not open but the light turned on like a door was opened. This has been a known issue with many other Subaru owners as well. The answer always seems to hold the button for 10 seconds to reset but this does not work every time.

- Newport News, VA, USA

problem #170

Jul 172022

Outback

  • miles
The car is a 2019 Subaru Outback, purchased certified pre-owned in the summer of 2020 from North Park Subaru, San Pedro Ave., San Antonio TX.On 17 July 2022, the vehicle began shuddering, rolling backwards, and the transmission would not go into any gear position after starting it. The only way to keep the car from continuing to roll backwards was to remove the key from the ignition. At that point the vehicle stopped. Afterwards we tried to start it again, the car would go through the same sequence of events. We called a tow truck to have it dropped off at North Park Subaru, San Pedro St., San Antonio TX. It was determined by Subaru technicians the Electronic Control Module (ECM) needed to be reset. That was completed and symptoms could not be mimicked at the dealership. So, the vehicle was returned to us on 20 Jul 2022. On 21 Jul 2022, it malfunctioned again and repeated the symptoms; shuddering, rolling backwards, not going into gear, etc. It was returned to the same Subaru dealership and a few days later we received text messages to test drive it because technicians could not mimic ongoing issues during their test drives. We refused to retrieve our vehicle due to its unsafe condition and filed a complaint with Subaru of America Inc. on 27 Jul 2022.

- Castroville, TX, USA

problem #169

Jul 242022

Outback

  • miles
The battery does not hold power and we have been stranded in a remote location more than once. I am nervous about going anywhere on my own, especially at night. The dealer has been totally unresponsive and told us this is normal and we should just buy a portable charger. We do now take a charger everywhere we go but this seems unacceptable for a new (and not inexpensive) car. It seems this is a problem with the 2019 outback. The date below is the last time this happened but it has been an ongoing issue since we bought the vehicle

- Hansville , WA, USA

problem #168

Apr 182022

Outback

  • miles
At about 35,000 miles the car would not start. Had the battery checked and was told it was fine. Subaru garage could not find a parasitic drain. Replaced the battery and the car still would not start reliably. Took the car back to the Subaru garage and they had it for 5 days and at first said the DCM needed to be replaced then they back tracked and said the car was fine and they could not find anything wrong with it. Subaru garage told me to contact Subaru and they would give me a $500 "gift card" and I could bring it back and they could put in an AGM battery and a battery tender. The car would not start a total of approximately 8-10 times unless it was kept on a trickle charger. I did not want to have to rely on plugging my car in all the time. We sold the car because we could not have an unreliable vehicle.

- Peshtigo, WI, USA

problem #167

Jul 202022

Outback

  • miles
The entire electrical system stopped working while parked in garage probably because the battery completely drained. Since the car was parked, there should have been no mechanical or electrical activity. Because this car depends so much on electronic control almost nothing can be operated. Locked doors cannot be opened (the car automatically locks all doors while in motion except the driver door), the tailgate cannot be opened and, of course, the engine will not start.

- Lakewood, CO, USA

problem #166

Jul 022022

Outback

  • miles
Touch screen began to get bubbles underneath factory glass and is causing spontaneous touch-activation and inability to use touch screen. This also affects navigation and other issues. Might cause an accident.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #165

Jun 272022

Outback

  • miles
Two dead batteries in 5 days. Dealer is looking at it this week.

- Pittsfield, VT, USA

problem #164

Jul 012022

Outback

  • miles
Battery keeps dying. Replaced the battery and it-??s already dead again.

- Lubbock, TX, USA

problem #163

Jul 042022

Outback

  • miles
Battery suddenly died. Would not start after being driven a short trip.

- Rio Rico, AZ, USA

problem #162

Jul 022022

Outback

  • miles
Touch screen began to get bubbles underneath factory glass and is causing spontaneous touch-activation and inability to use touch screen.

- Lexington, SC, USA

problem #161

Jun 082022

Outback

  • miles
Starlink Infotainment System has malfunctioned. I took the car to Bert Smith Subaru in St. Petersburg, FL and the assessment notes the screen has started to delaminate rendering the touchscreen and system inoperable. The dealer estimate to replace the unit was $2862.79. My 2019 Outback 2.5 Limited is equipped with the Harman Gen. 3.0 Audio and Navigation head unit. This is the same unit that was part of a class action involving 2018 models which resulted in Subaru issuing an extended warranty that covered replacement of the unit. I submitted a complaint to Subaru of America asking for the same coverage of an extended warranty or replacement of the head unit. (Case #220617-169688)Subaru offered to pay $2,000 toward the cost to replace the unit. I feel they should cover the entire amont since this is an obvious defect.

- Saint Petersburg, FL, USA

problem #160

Jun 302022

Outback

  • miles
The car battery was completely dead (no warning light or anything) after ~3 years and 45k miles. When we replaced it, the new battery died within 2 days and less than 150 miles. The mechanic who replaced our battery said that the new one was also completely dead.

- Cary, NC, USA

problem #159

Jun 122022

Outback

  • miles
First of all, I took my car in for an oil change 2 months ago, and they found nothing wrong with my car. However, yesterday, I attended a meeting away from my home. I was in the meeting in the morning for 2 hours. When I returned to my car, without any previous warning whatsoever, it would not start. My car is only 3 years old. I tried to open the hatch to get my jumper cables, but it requires electricity, I also wanted to roll down my windows because it was so hot, but they also only work with electricity. So I could do nothing but call for help. I was lucky that I wasn-??t stranded on some remote place where there was no phone signal. I would not feel comfortable going somewhere on my own in my car, until I know exactly what is causing this problem because I don-??t think it is safe -?" and I could be stranded. I had to have my car jump started again this morning. So tomorrow morning, I am taking the car in to have the battery checked. On December 10, 2019 I took my car in to a Subaru Dealership because I had, had another problem with my Subaru Outback, where I opened my back hatch on two separate occasions, but I could not get it to close (in the rain). I believe I called StarLink for help. However, somehow, by random actions just turning the car off and on, and pushing the -??close-?? button on the back door, it finally worked, but I still don-??t understand how or why. I ended up stranded at a grocery store and an airport when this happened. When I took it in to get checked at a Subaru dealership, I was told they could find nothing wrong with it.

- Sandy, UT, USA

problem #158

Apr 272022

Outback

  • miles
Battery drained. Will not hold a charge. From what I-??ve been reading it seems there is a problem in the electrical system that is draining the batteries of these cars.

- Westbury, NY, USA

problem #157

Dec 222020

Outback

  • 13,563 miles
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary, he was unable to start the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated he jumped started the vehicle and started up as needed. The contact stated he continued to experience the failure. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the battery replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure and the battery was replaced for a second time. The contact stated he continues to experience the failure. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,563.

- Jackson, MI, USA

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