Electrical System Problems of Subaru Outback - part 2

For our 2020 Subaru Outback, we are on our 3rd battery at only 49k miles. The car died again today. Thankfully aaa was able to jump it after a friend tried unsuccessfully. We suspect all of this battery drain, failure and replacement has been due to the known data communications module (dcm) issue on recent Subaru’s. I have an appt w the dealer in santa monica tomorrow morning to have it diagnosed.

See all problems of the 2020 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Yesterday, my car would not start due to a dead battery. This happened last week, as well. Both times, my husband used a battery charger to enable me to start my car. I have had this issue multiple times in the past, as well, and previously replaced the battery in 2022. I am also aware of a previous class action lawsuit, and several customer complaints about parasitic drain and poor battery performance in the 2015 Subaru Outbacks. Continuing to replace the battery is not only costly and bad for the environment, it doesn't solve the problem. There is some flaw in the electrical design of this car and Subaru needs to address the root cause. I am very concerned that I am going to be stranded somewhere in unsafe conditions, or not have my car available to me when I need to get to a critical appointment or respond to an emergency. This is unacceptable.

See all problems of the 2015 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Parasitic battery draw - when left completely unattended for about 10 days, the battery is drained, leaving driver stranded and in need of a car jump. Has occurred twice on a new battery installed in late Nov.

See all problems of the 2019 Subaru Outback 🔎.

2nd time car won't start. First time was 6m ago, pulled battery, tested, bad, replaced battery. Getting ready to charge battery, if bad, will tow to Subaru dealership. Last time, Subaru tested, said nothing wrong. If your car won't start, how do you function. Went on line and you can't believe how many people suffer with this. Seems like the same drain on the system, from starlink, lights, not shutting down like there supposed too.

See all problems of the 2022 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Screen is delaminating. Becoming unresponsive at times. Making ghost touches, phone calls, opening apps, messing with gps. Seems unsafe when it could be going haywire and especially using gps trying to navigate traffic.

The steering warning light came on and my steering wheel stiffened. Luckily I was able to make it home, but when I went back to crank it. The light was still on and it would only move forward of backwards; because I wasn't able at all to turn the steering wheel.

See all problems of the 2016 Subaru Outback 🔎.

I purchased this vehicle in may 2024 within 2 months of purchase the eyesight function malfunctioned. I took it back to the dealership where I purchased it and they attempted to diagnose it at cost of parts and I ended up paying a few hundred dollars for that repair. That didn’t work and they offered to attempt something else but this was just guessing. Then a few months down the line I receive a post card in the mail for a ‘warranty extension’ on the exact issue I am having. I take it to the Subaru dealership once and they had me return a second time saying they couldn’t diagnose it at that time because the lights that appear on and off weren’t appearing for them. Returning a second time they said they were able to diagnose the issue but the warranty only covers 75%. The remaining 25% that’s left to me comes to $1098. 34. The issue I have with this is being it is a safety concern. The features eyesight provides are to be additional safety features. The biggest one being the cruise control that has gone out on me while using it. Going high velocity down the freeway using it and it shuts off completely, luckily I it hasn’t caused an accident and there hasn’t been anyone behind me when it happens and no one to close in front of me but this has happened on multiple occasions to myself, my boyfriend and most recently a friend when we went out of town when I didnt think to inform her of it. We no longer use the cruise control being it is scary and a risk to our safety. I have escalated to Subaru of America who says that it is a warranty extension to care for their customers but the representative I spoke with denied it being a known issue. He says the warranty expired in 2016 for my vehicle but Subaru extended it as to care for the customers. With that in mind I do not think I’m the only one with this issue and concern or else why would they put this extension out if they’re no just trying to be compensated and avoid a recall for the issue.

See all problems of the 2014 Subaru Outback 🔎.

The radio has what looks like water spots under the screen, this causes the infotainment system to go crazy, no hands free and I’m afraid it won’t show the backup screen while it is like this.

First battery --original to the car lasted about 3. 5 yrs. Replacement lasted less than 2 yrs and was particularly weak in cold weather conditions. Third battery purchased in June 2024 and it was totally dead by oct 2024 and was replaced. The oct 2024 battery began to start slowly in Jan 2025 and today, Jan 12, 2025 failed to start. It was totally dead but was restarted with an emergency starter. I don't drive long distances often and most trips are short --3-5 miles almost every day. This seems to fit in with the electrical problems described for 2016-2020 Outbacks.

Battery fails repeatedly even after several battery replacements and dealer fixing the software at a hefty cost, presumable to make sure the battery is charging. My insurance company (state farm) dropped my roadside assistance coverage after repeated requests to get help to start the car. I continuously dread and fear that the car will not start after a drive to the grocery store. I dear not think about using the car to take a trip away from home. I bought jump starters and now take one with me every time I consider driving this car. God forbid it drains outs before I get back to the house to recharge it, which has happened and ended up bigging a stranger to jump start my car. It is a shame that this reputable company can sell a car that has this problem, that could be easily fixed which seems to be not a problem for other manufacturers.

I drive 2. 5miles to work, Tuesday [xxx], I was turning into the parking lot and my car just cut off. I couldn't use flashers, restart it, put it in park or anything else. I called my husband to come help. I thought maybe the battery cable might have come loose. It was dead. I couldn't get out, if I let my foot off the brake it would roll backwards, going into the road and I didn't want it to hurt anyone. It started smoking from the drivers front side of engine. I called my husband back and said please hurry. It took approximately 7 minutes for him to arrive. I was on the phone about the smoke when he drove up behind me. He told me to get out of the car it's on fire. He tapped my bumper to keep my car from rolling backwards. I jumped out, called 911. He had sandbags in the back of his truck. He put them under the back tires so it couldn't roll into the traffic. A lady stopped that had a fire extinguisher and [xxx] attempted to put the fire out. It was getting quite large. We couldn't open the hood, he could only spray it in the wheel area up front. He had to get back the fire was getting big. The car then exploded. It was so loud, fire and smoke. I went into work and asked to be let off for that day. I smelled like smoke and my lungs hurt. I inhaled so much smoke. My daughter got me a breathing treatment setup to help with breathing. The fire department came and put the fire out. They were so kind. No police showed up, so we only have a fire department report. The tow truck showed up and took my car away. When we got home we notified our insurance agent. :engine failed, if I had been on a busy street I would have been hit. The car just stopped where it was. Yes our insurance adjuster said it could be looked at by anyone. :yes my safety and the ones around me were put at risk. My lungs are still suffering. :no it's not been reproduced by anyone I know of. :no, there was no indications that pointed at something being wrong. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of informati.

See all problems of the 2017 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Battery not charging. Battery from 09/2024. Unable to turn vehicle over. After charging battery, it has happened again.

The head unit on the vehicle has an issue where it bubbles and it’s causing the touch screen to spaz out, change sources, etc creating a terribly distracting driving experience and you are unable to turn it of. The screen flashes, the radio changes stations, it messes with the navigation rendering it useless, etc. It’s a known issue and Subaru settled a class an action lawsuit related to it for 2018 models but has not issued recalls to for any year models. They should fix the issue on all models. It has been going on for months.

The battery drained within a year. Battery functioning issues.

My battery continues to die leaving me stranded every winter for the past several years. It is a known issue I believe with the wiring/ fuse for the trunk hatch door. Subaru only offers a new battery - so every year I replace the battery and then end up stranded somewhere again.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The computer control system showed low tire pressures. While the passenger’s seat was occupied, there was an abnormal dinging sound detected. The message that the seat not activated message was displayed. The contact stated that the battery drained, and the vehicle failed to start. The starting system had drained battery. The contact had triple aaa check the vehicle, and the dcm made an abnormal popping sound. The abs, radio, and cd warning lights were flashing. The transmission, gps, and undercarriage message were illuminated. The computer screen had burned out and was inoperable. The contact stated while driving 60-65 mph, the vehicle abruptly stopped without driver input. The steering wheel became inoperable and was uncontrollable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the dcm needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000. The VIN was not available.

The car has been to the dealership five times for electrical/computer issues. First the main dash ui computer screen would occassionally lock up and freeze shutting all safety systems off. (cruise control, lane holding, blind spot warning, etc. ) then the battery failure issues started - basically four times the car when parked and sitting overnight for approximately one week - will not start and the battery is completely dead. This is a know Subaru issue with earlier models and even involved a class action lawsuit. Subaru has not fixed the issue in newer model cars and continues to deny it is an issue. This is gross negligence by continuing to make unsafe cars with the same flaw and nof fixing the issue.

The upper portion of the information touch screen appears to have delaminated resulting in the information system to randomly change settings on its own. For example, if an iphone has been connected to the system, it will randomly initiate a call from the phone’s contact list. If a hands free call has been initiated, if will randomly disconnect and switch the call back to the iphone. It will change radio stations, increase / decrease the volume. The issues present a distraction to the driver as the information system failure mode is erratic resulting in the driver to take intervention to correct the issue. Researching online Subaru forums, customers have reported similar failure modes. In some cases, it appears Subaru has covered the repair costs via an extended warranty. In many cases, it appears the owner bore the full cost of replacing the entire information system. I have reached out to Subaru’s customer support about the issue on January 12th, 2025. As of today, have not received a response. The attached photo shows the delamination. The bubbles in the upper third are between the overlay and the touchscreen.

See all problems of the 2018 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Battery drainage, I’ve had to replace my battery 3 times within 1 year time frame (10/13/23, 10/15/14 & 11/24/24). This is making my vehicle inoperable and unable to drive.

Parasitic battery drain. I just bought this used Subaru Outback in July 2024. Since then, (within 8 months) the car has had a dead battery twice, in 11/24 and 2/25. I had to have the car jumped started by aaa services. This is more than an inconvenience now. It has become a safety issue if my car won't start in an emergency situation. I have taken this to the dealer where I bought it and they diagnosed a 6 day battery drain time. See uploaded invoice. This is a known fault regarding the data communications module (dcm) previous settlement agreements only reimbursed for costs of battery replacements, diagnosis up until 2023. The underlying problem is not fixed.

Infotainment unit failed. Battery died and was replaced with a larger capacity battery. Shortly after, the infotainment head unit became inoperable with ghosting of buttons. Then, the car would not hold a charge again and a bypass box for the digital communication center is being installed today under a recall. The ghosting/inoperable infotainment center remains non-functional and is apparently a separate issue? it randomly beeps and selects buttons, which is distracting. Unit has to be shut off to avoid this.

Subaru accessory qi wireless phone charger (h671san202) consistently overheats phone causing it to shut down. Dealer acknowledged the part can be specific in the way it operates. I followed guidance to remove case and try reorienting which still produced the same results.

See all problems of the 2024 Subaru Outback 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the control panel failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the control panel independently blinked on and off. Additionally, the contact stated that there were bubbles on the outer surface around the control panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. In addition, the contact stated that in March 2024, the control panel was replaced due to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,500.

Battery goes dead after not using car for 4 days. Subaru said the battery that came with the car was not strong enough. There was a lawsuit, but I missed the date to buy a new battery. I bought a strong battery, but problem happed again. Based on many forum messages, there is a parasitic battery drain while car is off. Problem is tied to starlink fuse. Also saw a new lawsuit on the fact that starlink is trying to connect to 3g network, which no longer exists. Subaru is not fixing this problem. Google Subaru 2019 starlink battery, it is all over the place.

The clock spring that controls the steering wheel, horn and other electrical accessories doesn’t work. This put my life and family’s lives at risk. This is a known issue for Subarus 2015-2019. There’s multiple videos online, I have spoken to multiple owners personally that have encountered the same issue. I spoke to the Subaru dealer and they said due to no recall has been issued for the VIN number of my vehicle they can’t replace it and it cost about $1,000 dls. We need the NHTSA to step in and ask Subaru to issue a recall to start replacing the defective units at no cost to the owner.

1. Unable to remove key from ignition switch while vehicle is in park. 2. Infotainment system turns itself on when car is started; playback skips on pandora app. 3. Circular windshield crack appeared spontaneously.

Dcm battery drain and bad head unit display. The class action law suit does not cover the fix for the battery drain problem. Just a new battery. My is the battery continues to drain. I cannot afford to replace the problem dcm. I had to pull that fuse as a fix. I now do not have fro t speakers or bluetooth. My carplay maps no longer tell me where I need to turn. Causing me to looks at the display more frequently. This is not good in busy areas. The other issue is with the head unit. When it gets warm and humid, the display doesn’t work. It clicks all over causing issues with carplay, bluetooth and the radio. This is due to moisture getting in the display. Again causing problems and distractions. This will cause accidents if it hasn’t already. There are a lot of complaints out there for this as well as the dcm battery drain.

Was at a stop in the middle lane going to turn left, got hit straight head on by a driver driving in the middle lane. His air bags deployed, none of mine deployed. The front end and drivers side of the Subaru was impacted.

We are on our 3rd battery in < 4 years. Subaru is well aware of this issue in their engineering in the parasitic drain from the starlink module. Aaa won’t even replace these batteries anymore because the problem is so prevalent. Meanwhile, I’m about to have to buy a 4th battery less than 4 years after purchasing the car.

Battery drain kept on happening. The nth time after buying 2 batteries and getting battery recharge 2x, Subaru sent me a letter of notice of possible problems with car keeps on finding radio or gps signal thus drains the battery. Brought car to Subaru then they changed the signal unit and gave me a new battery as well.

Battery dies multiple times per week. I have already had the battery replaced under the Subaru battery settlement, but it is still dying regularly. This is absolutely a safety issue.

Battery failures and being stranded due to parasitic loads from dcm.

Automatic auto off-on began to fail and car didn't start well. I began to disable the automatic auto on off while driving because it began to sound like it would stall out while stopped at a traffic light . Then I forgot to disable the automatic auto off on and car stalled out while stopped at a traffic light. I took it to dealer, rafferty Subaru, they couldn't find anything wrong with it. Then a few days later check engine light and other icons started flashing on dashboard. I took it to dealer, they said the gas cap was off. For the next week the automatic auto off on sounded like it would fail so I disabled it, the car didn't start normally every morning, and it began to feel like it didn't shift correctly as I accelerated or slowed down. About one day later it suddenly lurched to almost a stop while driving, check engine light was flashing, other icons on dashboard were flashing, the park brake icon started flashing. The engine continued to run but I couldn't go more than 2 mph. I put it in park and it started to smell like something was burning so I turned it off. I had to have it towed to the dealer, rafferty Subaru.

The head unit on my 2018 Subaru Outback is pressing random buttons all over the screen by itself. It would constantly make the button noise as I drive leading me to lose track of the directions that was being provided from my apple maps. It would also disconnect me from carplay leaving me with no sense of direction as to where I should be going. I have gotten this fixed before at a Subaru dealership and they ended up replacing the head unit for me, however this is the second time it’s happening and there is obviously a serious problem with the all the units.

Cannot remove the car key when engine is off and transmission is in park. Safety concern because I cannot leave the car with the key in the ignition.