Equipment Problems of Subaru Outback - part 1

The map application in my car has very inaccurate speed limit information. In one case the map app showed the speed limit to be 55 mph for a residential street. That street is [xxx] . I have reported that and several others to tomtom. Since the app data is loaded not live nothing will change until the next update. This is definitely a safety hazard. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2024 Subaru Outback 🔎.

The wireless carplay continuously disconnects and reconnects on its own. It is possible to inspect it upon request. This issue has been persistent since I purchased the car however it’s random in the times it disconnects, and sometimes it doesn’t reconnect at all. The dealership has informed me that this is an issue with Subaru cars with wireless carplay. It has been recalled and supposedly the issue was resolved when I had it repaired at the dealership, however it has continued to have the same issue. It is a safety concern to me because I no longer am able to connect and see my map on the screen while driving, which in turn will force me to have to use the maps on my phone. I have to hold my phone and continuously look down to follow the navigation information which is dangerous to myself and other cars driving around me.

Failures of the radio failures of the main head unit nagivation errors and failures display screens that go black, frozen.

See all problems of the 2019 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Driving on the freeway at 65 mph, my sunroof spontaneously exploded. The car is less than one month old and no debris whatsoever hit the car prior to the sunroof exploding. It was a sunny day, about 85 degrees and the freeway traffic was light. There were no cars or trucks directly in front of me at the time. There was a loud boom and then glass rained down on the roof of the car. Glass also flew off the top of the car and into the road behind me, endangering other drivers. I had to hold the fabric sunroof cover closed with one hand while driving with the other hand. As I was driving on the freeway, I had to drive a few miles to get to a safe spot, while trying to keep the sunroof cover closed so that the rest of the glass did not hit my child and I. When we pulled over, the remaining glass appeared to be pushed upward as if the force came from inside the car. I am absolutely certain that nothing hit the car at any point prior to the glass exploding. This seems to have happend out of the blue and there were no warning sounds or signals at all. I have never opened the sunroof, as this is a brand new car. I called Subaru America and they told me this would be covered under warranty and the local dealership has ordered a new sunroof. Thank you.

Arriving at my childhood home, I followed the driveway to the left to park in front of the garage door. With my foot on the brake and slowly rolling to a stop, the car suddenly accelerated and jolted forward making contact with the garage door and the frame of the garage. This caused damage to the house, garage door and the front of the car. Thankfully there was no other car in the way or a pedestrian! only the house and car were damaged. This was sudden and there was no warning or prior occurrence to make me aware of the problem. We spoke to the dealer service manager and at first he said he never heard of anything like that. After further conversation he admitted that another car had a similar issue. They kept the car for two weeks and couldn't repeat the issue. We then went on line and found there are several class action lawsuits against Subaru for the same thing - unexpected and sudden forward acceleration! but when contacting Subaru corporate for assistance in resolving this, they claimed they never heard of any class action lawsuits or problems such as this. We need help dealing with Subaru. They are playing with us.

See all problems of the 2018 Subaru Outback 🔎.

My name is [xxx] [xxx] phone number: [xxx] my complaint is with Subaru of America, 1 Subaru drive, camden, NJ 08103 phone number: 800-782-2783 I would like the pennsylvania state attorney general’s office to become involved with the two lemons/pieces of junk my wife and I have been sold. My Subaru is a 2019 Outback and my wife’s Subaru is a 2020 forester. My ongoing problems with my 2019 Subaru Outback are as follows and in my opinion, I am driving a very unsafe car putting our lives at risk: 3 batteries prior to 80,000 miles resulting from a class action lawsuit filed against Subaru. Replacement of the ecm or engine control module. Burns a quart of oil at the price of $11. 00 per quart every 3,000 miles, that’s an engine problem. Right front axle broke and had to be replaced. After replacement of the right front axle, the right front axle seal, which is the axle replaced started to leak and I was charged to replace the axle seal due to a mechanics incompetence. I received a card from Subaru stating a windshield issue. Received another card regarding a fuel pump issue. A letter received this past week from an apparent cvt or continuously variable transmission issue. Now my radio stations jump around arbitrarily changing stations, tracks on my cd, and my hatch doesn’t open, but gets stuck shortly upon opening. This car is a lemon, a piece of junk and very unsafe. How many more problems are unknown to us and when will any of them occur while we are driving putting our lives in danger. If Subaru had any ethics character integrity or business morality they would have replaced this piece of junk. They are a horrible company to work with information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The windshield of my 2019 Subaru Outback touring edition has begun to split and crack, starting at the frame. The crack split and spread in a matter of days. My car was sitting unused in the driveway when this occurred. The damage started where the windshield meets the frame and has spread. I am not able to drive the car safely other than to get the windshield repaired. I contacted Subaru, and they told me they will not honor their extended warranty to my car because their warranty is on for 2020 and newer Outbacks. I have researched and spoken to many other owners who complain that the 2019 Outback's windshield is just as dangerous as the 2020 model and that once it starts cracking, it is only a matter of time until it will fall apart. Subaru has installed a very expensive (about $1000 to replace and calibrate) yet faulty windshield in their cars without a willingness to correct their mistake.

We have a Subaru 2017 and have had to replace the windshield twice. In each instance a small rock flew up and cracked the windshield. I have owned different models of cars for years and have never had to replace a windshield twice? is there a manufacturing defect in these windhshields? both times we have taken it to a Subaru dealer to have the windshield replaced and we ordered Subaru windshields not an after market product. I will upload the documents from the two dealers when I can but I just wanted to see if this is a common issue? looking online it seems to be.

See all problems of the 2017 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Subaru was not willing to cover the cost to replace their faulty gear shifter. My key gets stuck in the ignition. This problem has been confirmed by a dealership. No warnings happen, it gets stuck. This is a safety issue because I have to leave my keys in my car (unlocked) and come back for them when the car decides to recognize that it is in park. This is a know issue and Subaru wiped its hands of me and said deal with it by yourself.

My windshield (which has had multiple class action lawsuits) cracked spontaneously sitting in my driveway. I contacted Subaru of America and they denied any responsibility and claimed there is no assistance they can provide. This crack has gone from about half of my windshield to nearly the entire windshield horizontally. This is clearly a defective product as numerous complaints have been made by owners of multiple Subaru models including the Outback. This is indeed a huge safety concern along with a very unfortunate lack of accountability by Subaru of America.

Car was being driven on the highway in cruise control, when the cruise control turned off and the car began to decelerate. When the gas pedal was pressed, the rpms shot up but there was no acceleration. The car was pulled over, turned off, and we were not able to turn it on again. The car was towed to a shop, where they were able to identify the engine wasn’t working but not the root cause, and also mentioned the possibility of there being a transmission problem. We then brought it to a Subaru dealer, and they said a similar thing without being able to diagnose anything more specific. This car is 8 years old and has had routine, consistent maintenance the entire time. The surprise of an engine failure with no warning is very alarming and dangerous.

[xxx] and I were driving to sean’s for dinner on Friday night [xxx] when the sunroof glass exploded at approximately [xxx]. [xxx] was driving on the [xxx] . We heard a loud bang and thought we were in an accident. We noticed sounds from the sunroof so I slide the cover open slightly and saw a massive hole so immediately closed it again. We pulled off and used the emergency ramp to examine the damage and take pictures. We think the glass exploded for no reason as we did not see any debris in front of us and were not under an underpass. We did not find any debris or scratches on the car indicating an external object as the culprit. I dropped my car off with Subaru carlsbad on June 17, 2025 and am waiting for an update. My service advisor was shocked by the occurrence as she had not seen something like this. I pointed out that the glass exploded outwards and asked her to check the cabin pressure vents as we found discussion pointing to those as a potential issue when researching online. We also heard complaints that Subaru has specifically excluded this piece of glass from the warranty so I let my advisor know that I hope / expect this to be covered under warranty. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2020 Subaru Outback 🔎.

I have recently experienced an issue touchscreen delamination, which I understand has affected other Subaru owners as well. While my vehicle is no longer under the standard warranty, I believe this issue stems from a known defect and not normal wear and tear. More importantly, it has created a significant safety concern. Calling people on accident and in my case call 911 by mistake. The touchscreen issue is interfering with my ability to safely use backup camera and vehicle settings.

Vehicles eye sight and rear camera is not aligned correctly with car. It is off in direction )right to left) by about 6+ inches which could easily result in a collision if driver is using lane departure and/or automated driving assistance.

The radio has cracks or striations on the screen that are causing the panel to make calls, dial a phone, change the radio station. . . Etc. Complete random beeping and it is distracting when driving, the touch screen has become defunct and the comp[uter does all random things, it does what it wants, when it wantys! I am afraid it is a danger! and please lookl into this, there are many Subaru owners complaining of the same thing. They are saying that the screen is :dellaminating" that is what they are calling it. That I why I am making a formal complaint. Thank you! ps. . . By the way, I was not calling mom, it did it on its own!!.

No warning, or dash lights. A/c stopped working. It’s 98 degrees outside, to me that is dangerous! wagner Subaru said it is the actuator doors ($900 in diagnosing) they said it would cost $3600. It’s a 2020. There is no reason there should be a cost that high for that new of a car.

The infotainment system in the car has suffered from screen delamination, which is apparently common with these models. This has left the touchscreen both non-responsive to touch as well as randomly selecting items on the screen, rendering it unusable. This is a safety issue because the only way to deactivate reverse automatic braking and the rear parking sensors is through the touchscreen. Being able to do this is essential when connecting a trailer or attempting to reverse with one attached. Subaru is aware of the problem and was subject to class action litigation related to it, ultimately being required to extend the warranty on the units as a result. However, the warranty extension was inadequate and left several thousand units in the field which would eventually require replacement. Note that a similar issue on the 2019 models resulted in an 8-year / 150,000-mile warranty extension on the units, yet prior models were only required to have a 4-year / 80,000-mile extension.

I was driving 75mph in heavy, morning traffic. I was behind a large tractor trailer, switching lanes. My car’s ‘obstacle ahead’ warning was attempting to slow me down or stop me. The air pressure inside my car changed suddenly and I could feel the pressure difference. Then there was a huge explosion. It sounded like my back windshield broke. Instead, it was my sunroof. It had exploded outwards from the inside. It just shattered and blew up spontaneously.

The driver door opened during the highway, it was raining and my speed wa about 70mph. This never happened before and I’m very scared.

Vehicle accelerated without touching gas pedal, rpm’s kept increasing even while trying to brake.

While at a stop, exiting a parking lot, driver’s side rear door window spontaneously blew out, inward. Police responded. No indication of foul play. No environmental issues. No temp change. Purely random.

The rear driver side window shattered while I was driving. There was no outside influence, and I was driving around 35-40 miles/hour. I am reporting this because Subaru had the same incident happen multiple times on another model of their vehicles. If there was anyone sitting in the back, they would have most likely been injured.

See all problems of the 2021 Subaru Outback 🔎.

I am on my third windshield in les than a year. The tiniest pebble will crack the windshield, or sudden changes to weather has now caused a stress crack. Seems to be poor weight distribution on the design. There is extensive customer complaints on line with the same issue. Insurance will only cover two a year. There were no warnings of this issue when the car was purchased. This is an expensive hazard to keep having issues with. They need to do a recall on a fix.

Front windshield spontaneously cracked without incident right where the rearview mirror is attached.

See all problems of the 2022 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Subaru did not notify consumers or aftermarket retailers that the Subaru battery in my vehicle was underamped. As a result, I unknowingly bought an underamped battery from autozone to replace my dying battery in 2024, b/c their records indicated it was the right battery. I found out in 3/25 from Subaru service about the underamped battery issue when my car was dying. Autozone can’t replace it because their system (info they get from Subaru) says this is the right battery, because Subaru didn’t notify anyone. Subaru will not replace the battery for free because it’s not a Subaru battery. I have an internal service memo from 2023 that states what the right battery should be. However, Subaru didn’t notify the public or companies and so several people are probably driving around with underamped aftermarket batteries. I should not have to pay for a new battery, I should have received notice in 2023 about this issue and then I would have replaced it with the right Subaru battery. The battery I replaced in 2024 was the original Subaru underamped battery.

Star system is malfunctioning. I cannot access the control panel because of delamination. This causes difficulty viewing backup camera and driver distraction.

There’s an open recall on an exhaust leak for similar models and years and my car needs the same work done but it’s not covered under the recall.

See all problems of the 2016 Subaru Outback 🔎.

My sunroof on my Subaru Outback 2018 exploded while going north on the 5 from sea world drive to balboa exit. Thankfully my cover was on and debris didnt fall on my while driving. Saw online many Subaru Outback owners have had similar issues. I want to file a claim and have the manufacturer pay for the damages.

Purchased used with just over 60k miles & have had less than a year. Vehicle still under 80k miles. Told transmission needs replaced but found service records from previous owner which shows fuel pump replaced twice at about 20k mile intervals & I am just under 20k miles past previous pump replacement. Vehicle does not run at the moment & warranty company refusing to help.

Sunroof shattered while driving 45mph on a city street. It was not hit by anything we could see, nor was there any debris flying in the air. We pulled over and took a photo. I called the dealership who said to call Subaru USA to start a case, but of course their offices are closed for the weekend.

2020 Subaru Outback rear auto liftgate randomly automatically closes after opening. It has hit me, the owner, in the head as I was attempting to place items in the rear. It has hit various store personnel as they were attempting to load products in the rear. I have reported this to my local Subaru dealer many times over the last five years, even leaving my vehicle for several days for inspection. Their responses have been - if we don't see it, we can't help or no problem is detected. I have reported to Subaru consumer advocate twice with no resolution.

My infotainment system randomly places phone calls, changes or cancels maps, and otherwise takes random actions that create distractions that makes for unsafe driving. It appears that the screen may be delaminating in multiple spots which would cause the above problems.

We bought the car in January . When going through our regular car wash, we heard a boom on the roof. We looked and saw no damage. Went through again last week and heard it again. We expressed our concern to the manager who sat in the back as we went through again. She held her hand on the roof as it went through the drying cycle and felt it cave in and pop out. She said this has happened before with certain chevy models and a recall was put in. (gm has a fix for colorado and canyon roofs dented by car washes). We contacted the Subaru customer service ( as told by our dealership). They said it is under warranty, if something happens. Even after I said it could be a safety concern if the car flipped or something fell on the roof, they said there is nothing they could do. The dealership said we could contact NHTSA. I am hoping that you could determine if this is a safety concern , thank you, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I was pulling into a parking spot, without any warning the car accelerated through a fence and hit a tree. There were no injuries and the airbags did not deploy. A man was waving me to stop and I could not. Fortunately the small tree stopped the car. At first I thought maybe the gas pedal stuck or in human error I hit the gas to hard. But that was not the case. I could not control the car and my thought "what is happening"!.

See all problems of the 2013 Subaru Outback 🔎.

The center console screen begins developing subsurface oil spots at 100,000 miles. These cause glare, inhibiting visibility, and phantom touches, inhibiting use of the system. This loss of ability to control the primary information system in the vehicle produces safety issues in distractions to the driver and inability to access vehicle information such as the map. I recently had a low fuel warning come on while traveling, which takes over the whole screen; because the screen was causing phantom touches, I could not dismiss it and continue using the map to navigate to a gas station. I risked being lost in winter in deep rural wisconsin, as my phone didn’t have signal and my car was my only local map this is a well known issue on Subaru owner fora, and the company refuses to recall or even warrantee the problem since it happens just after the 5y/100k mile turnover. Mine began a month ago, at mile 101,086.