AT JUST UNDER 4,000 ORIGINAL MILES, THIS CAR'S SECOND OWNER WAS SELLING THIS CAR AT BELOW THE KBB LOWEST VALUE (TRADE-IN). THE REASON WAS BECAUSE THE 8 MONTH OLD CAR WOULD NOT START DUE TO A BAD BATTERY, EVEN WHEN FULLY CHARGED. I FEARLESSLY BECAME THE THIRD OWNER AND IT'S VERY FIRST OIL CHANGE. AFTER JUMPING IT, I DROVE HOME AND TURNED IT OFF, THEN TRIED TO RESTART BUT THE BATTERY HAD ALREADY DIED.

I PULLED THE BATTERY OUT AND CHARGE IT A FULL CHARGE, THEN WATCHED IT DROP TO 8 VOLTS IN 5 MINUTES. NEXT I REPLACED IT WITH THE BEST DIEHARD BATTERY AND IT RAN FINE UNTIL NOV 2022 (20 MONTHS LATER) IT IS HAVING TROUBLE CHARGING THE BATTERY. IT ONLY CHARGES WHILE DECELERATING OR BRAKING. IT DOESN'T CHARGE WHILE IDLING, ACCELERATING, NOR CRUISING. I HAVE A BLUETOOTH BATTERY MONITOR THAT IS RECORDING IT 24/7/365.

THE DEALERSHIPS SHOVE BLAME ANSWERS TO WHAT IS GOING ON IS BS. THEY CLAIM IT'S THE OWNERS THAT ARE LEAVING PARASITE DRAINAGE ON (I.E. INTERIOR LIGHTS STAYING ON) AND THAT IS A FLAT OUT LIE. I HAVE PROOF THAT IT'S THE CAR THAT IS NOT CHARGING THE BATTERY PROPERLY. SUBARU SCREWED UP WHEN THEY DESIGNED THIS CAR AND BECAUSE THEY JUSTIFY THEIR POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP UPON THE OWNERS, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IGNORE DIAGNOSING THE ACTUAL CAUSE.

Went on a camping trip and left the back hatch open for a couple hours while unloading. Only one interior light was on during this time. By the morning the back hatch wouldn't open and when I went to start the car it was dead. I was able to jump it with another vehicle and all the indicators and chimes started coming on and wouldn't turn off. I had to plug in the passenger side seatbelt to make one chime go off. The SRS airbag indicator stayed on as well. I was lucky enough to be close to an Autozone where they checked the battery and said the battery charge was at 64%, but the battery was healthy. They fast charged it to 80%, then I was on my way (10 min drive back to campsite).

The next morning the battery was dead again even though nothing had been left on, so I had to jump it again. Once I got home that afternoon I trickle charged the battery overnight until the battery was 12.8V. The following day I checked the battery and it said it was 12.3V. I drove it around a little, left it overnight in the garage and when I woke up the voltage was 3.5V! I tried trickle charging it again, but this time after 12 hours it didn't do anything. In fact, the voltage was now 1.6V. I jumped it again and brought it to the Subaru dealership who said there was a class action lawsuit regarding batteries/electrical systems and they replaced the battery under warranty. I'm not confident this will be the last time this happens though. I may be back to complain some more when it goes dead again.

The car won't start in the morning. Battery goes dead overnight every night. Also the car unlocks itself and the airbag system light goes on. I have to jump start it every morning, and again if I don't drive long enough to charge the battery before I stop. Any battery voltage below 12.0V won't start the car. On repeated visits to get it fixed, the dealer plays with it for about two hours, charges the battery, and covers the work under warranty, but says "No problem found." I bought a new car and an expensive warranty. I don't think it's too much to expect a new car to start. I don't want to have to join one of the class action suits on this problem. What does it take to make Subaru acknowledge the problem and fix it. Is this a failure of the "Controller Area Network (CAN)?

Update from Aug 24, 2022: Update: The dealer tried a third time to look for parasitic loads, but after letting the car sit for several days, finally decided that the batter was bad. again. This one was only one year old. Dealer replaced the battery again, all on warranty, Car now starts after sitting for several days. So, for one year, a new battery seems capable of handling the normal computer parasitic load, at least when the battery is new. Obvious design defect: battery should be larger, or parasitic loads should be smaller. The car should have an external battery charger as standard equipment.It looks like a permanent pain in thee a$$.

Living in Brooklyn, NY, I park my car in a public underground garage. I generally only use my car on weekends. Hence, it sits in the garage 5 or more days between uses. Beginning in February 2022, EVERY TIME I get my car, the BATTERY IS DEAD and requires a jump start. I have purchased a jump start battery that has worked every time thus far. BUT this is ridiculous to have to jump start a 18 month old car with 12,000 miles on it.

In over 50 years of car ownership, including my 2021 Ford Fusion, I could leave the car in the garage for weeks without the battery gong dead! My wife says we should sell this car and get a reliable vehicle. We have a second home on Cape Cod, and there we have to drive at least once a day. We have never experienced the problem there.

This is the second time this year (2021) that the battery in my 2020 Subaru died. No warning. Tried to start the car and nothing. The car was parked in my garage the second time, also, so I ran the battery charger overnight. Next day no charge, still dead. Did some internet searching and found this (carcomplaints.com) web page. I learned that the car's computer draws power from the battery even when it is not being driven. If you don't drive the car enough the battery goes dead.

My Subaru dealership service department recommended that if I'm going to leave the car parked for extended periods I should purchase a battery tender.

Why aren't prospective buyers informed that the car's computer system continuously draws energy from the battery and the car will need to be driven a certain number of miles per week to keep the battery charged? Why doesn't the car have a battery icon indicating charge level, like my laptop and cell phone, so I can tell when the battery is getting low? Why after paying $35,000+ for a car it has such an obvious flaw? The most important thing a consumer needs in a car is that it start reliably. I think Subaru should give me a battery tender for free and begin being honest to future buyers!

I have two 2020 Outback Touring model basically identical and purchased within 3 months of each other. One car has had the battery replaced once and the other twice. The one with a single replacement presently has about 5000 miles and the other about 10000. Each have required calling AAA to get a jump start and then taking to the dealer where I was told that the battery was dead. I knew so because it wouldn't charge on a charger.

This last time when I took the car in I said something was definitely wrong electrically. I was asked how much i drove the cars and was given the distinct impression that i was being told that I didn't drive it enough. Was told that there is a "70 Milliamp" drain per day on the battery for the computer etc that run in the background. If the car isn't driven well in excess of 10 miles per day then the drain out draws the charging generated by my short drives. I specifically asked if they would recommend that I put both cars on "trickle chargers" to try to avoid this and was told that would be a good idea.

So now I have a traditionally powered car that i need to plug in every night or risk finding that my battery is dead in the morning.

I bought a Subaru Outback 2020. I have had it less than 8 months and the battery died today while I was parked, motor off, listening to the radio. Had to call for roadside assistance from Subaru. Then found out that this is a known problem and Subaru FAILED to mention it when I purchased the car. I'm contacting the Washington State Attorney General to find out how to join or start another lawsuit. You should be able to listen to your radio for hours with the car turned off. In both my Ford (2016) and Dodge (1998) and Toyota (1982), I was able to listen at high volume for hours at a time.

The battery was so dead from a half hour radio that the roadside person had to use 2 of the jumper packs to get it started Totally wrong

Why is Subaru continuing to use crappy batteries? Doesn't make sense to build a good car and then use crappy parts.

Just about one year into driving my new top of the line 2020 Outback, the battery dies. It has become a daily issue and it's very unreliable. I’d say it has happened about 20 times in two months, and I needed to buy a jump starter to use the car. It was particularly tedious when my kayaks were on top and stabilizing robes were secured to the front bumper, constantly loosening and unhooking them to pop the hood.

The only time the battery works is if I’ve driven over thirty minutes and restart the car within around 4 to 6 hours. I’ve resorted to keeping all lights off manually but nothing has changed. Interesting problems with the touchscreen and sensors for the rear power gat and passenger seat crept up. When the car won’t start, it was impossible to turn off the touchscreen or electrical, so there was no way to stop the car from discharging further.

My car has 800 miles on it, mostly from driving it from Cape Cod to the Dealer in Hanover, MA. SomethIng is draining the battery, but no one knows what. They still think I’m doing something to cause it to drain, but I just don’t buy it. 4 times it’s gone dead, one time it locked me out; and off and on the hatch decides it doesn’t want to work.

I’ve had 4 loaners, spent $$ for a tow, paid for gas for 2 vehicles, missed a dentist appointment, which I was charged for and have been stranded and frustrated numerous times. This is a brand new 2020 Outback and I am at wits end. Though I like the car, it is making me hate it. 2 months old with constant headaches.