Equipment Problems of Subaru Outback - part 2

Severe tramilining effect from tires. Risk of personal injury tramilining effect confirmed by courtesy Subaru, rapid city and heuberger Subaru colorado springs, CO. Inspected prior to accident right rear camber out of specification. No warning lights or messages from vehicle.

See all problems of the 2024 Subaru Outback 🔎.

The infotainment center not working. It makes ghost options. Examples: calls people arbitrarily. Changes radio stations out of the blue. Maps goes nuts when try to use navigation. Screen has bubbles. Soa has only offered to front 1/2 the cost of the fix when even the dealership advised this is a defect/ known issue. I probably haven’t even listed all the issues but it makes the radio/navigation/ starlink service unusable at this point unless I pay out to fix with no real assurance this will not occur again.

See all problems of the 2019 Subaru Outback 🔎.

My front windshield has cracked twice in the span of 2 years. August 2023 and recently Feb 2025. Bought the car from a legitimate dealer in 2022. Both times there was no hard impact, no obvious damage (initially), the cracks also spread very quickly once the damage is obvious. The repairs each time is not covered, not covered by insurance, $1400+ each time.

See all problems of the 2022 Subaru Outback 🔎.

In November 2023, I CO-signed an auto loan to assist someone in securing a vehicle. However, I later discovered that my name was never placed on the title, leaving me financially liable for the loan while having no ownership or possession of the car. The individual has since failed to make any loan payments, and the bank applied lender-placed insurance (cpi) due to their failure to maintain coverage. Despite this, they continue to drive the vehicle. The new york dmv confirmed that their driver’s license and vehicle registration have been suspended due to lack of insurance, yet they have not surrendered their plates as required by law. Additionally, the vehicle was originally registered in connecticut but later transferred to new york while using my connecticut auto insurance policy without my consent. I was later contacted by my former insurance provider about an accident in which an unknown individual was operating the vehicle. After my insurance policy lapsed, the individual was involved in another accident while uninsured and attempted to file a claim despite having no coverage. This situation has raised serious concerns about the vehicle’s registration, insurance violations, and potential title issues that may require investigation. Given that the vehicle is still being driven despite no valid insurance, a suspended license, and an outstanding auto loan, I am seeking guidance on the appropriate steps to take.

See all problems of the 2011 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Winsdshield cracking and breaking easily. Windshield was replaced in 2023 due to a crack that spread over the whole windshield after being hit with road debris again this weekend the windshield was hit with road debris and has a size able crack which requires a full windshield replacement. 2 windshields in 3 years of owning the vehicle feels like a defect in the quality and safety of the glass replacement windshield in 2023 was from the Subaru manufacturer and installed by the dealership.

Exhaust manifold bellows crack exhaust coming into car when idling.

See all problems of the 2015 Subaru Outback 🔎.

My sunroof glass just shattered spontaneously while I was driving. Thankfully the door was closed or me and my daughter would have been showered by glass while in the road. Nothing hit the car , I just heard a loud bang over my heard and when I stopped to see what happened my sunroof was in pieces!.

This is a recurring issue that has started significantly impacting my infotainment system. The screen malfunctions by pressing random buttons, hanging up calls, changing the radio station, and repeatedly attempting to connect and disconnect bluetooth. When this happens, there's nothing I can do to stop it because the screen is entirely unresponsive to my touch. It's not only frustrating but also dangerous and very distracting while driving.

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 🔎.

The thermo control valve on the vehicle failed. This has been such a consistent problem, that Subaru has extended the warranty for this item to 150k miles. I realize that alone is not a safety problem, but the issue is that when there is a check engine light error, the system shuts down the cruise control, lane departure, collision avoidance (eyesight), and xmode (all wheel drive). The safety issue is shutting down these unconnected safety features because of a check engine light. I will say that the dealer promptly fixed the problem at no charge under the extended warranty. My concern was the loss of the 4 wheel drive right as major snow was hitting the mid atlantic area.

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.

Horn stopped working. When I lock the car the horn makes noise notifying it is locked. I took it into the dealership they think it’s is the clock spring. Then I looked online and found this information. “the 2017 Subaru Outback was subject to a recall related to the steering column, specifically the clockspring. This recall (NHTSA campaign #10v-283 / wvr-28) addressed potential issues with the electrical wiring in the steering column that could lead to steering wheel component malfunctions. ” why is my vehicle not included in the recall?.

The infotainment system has been glitching repeatedly with each drive I take; I am unable to operate any functions. This interferes with carplay. I reported this to the dealership and they informed me I would get a notice of recall in the mail. That was almost 2 months ago.

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.

I own a 2019 Subaru Outback. I have had to replace the windshield four times, every time it was replaced with Subaru glass, as recommended by Subaru. The windshield cracks at not centered, they appear from either the top or bottom of the windshield with not impact site. I have asked for them to review the framing and have been continually told it is fine. The windshields have all cracked within a two year period. The last one which occurred a couple days ago appeared after the car going through a pot hole on the street.

The infotainment system or head unit has gone haywire! the car calls random people from my phone book and hangs up, plays the radio changing channels every 5 seconds switching to the map and then to settings and changing dash from mph to kph and so on and so forth. This is dangerously distracting and there is no way to turn it off. I have to disable my phone to drive the car. None of my buttons on the screen work. Unfortunately no warranty and the cost is almost $2,000 to replace the unit…but will it just happen again in 4 years? completely unsafe for my teenage son to drive and I thought I was buying the safest car on the road at the time. This is unsafe and unnecessary…. We would be happy if we had a way to just turn it all off!.

A transmission that was replaced in July of 2023 went bad un December of 2024 and dealership won't give reasons why transmission went bad or what caused a almost brand new transmission with less than 50,000 miles on it went bad. They are demanding we pay $5000. 00 dollars on a transmission that was replaced under the extended warranty on cvt transmission from Subaru. Which also extends to the brand new transmission. They are demanding their loaner car back and refusing to honor extended warranty on new transmission which the gave us which is bad. They will not give us anything other than it is bad. No information what so ever is being given to my husband or I as to why, how or what happened. My car will not move unless it is pushed by someone. They are refusing to honor their recall warranty or provide a loaner while dealing with their corporate offices on this issue. This is after in the past 1 and a half years my car has been in their shop for well over 8 months and I am still making payments on this vehicle. They will not even provide paperwork on the issues with my vehicle.

This vehicle, and many others as I've read in forums, experiences uncontrollable radio station and apps changes automatically and will not stop. Why it's not safe: the radio screen flashes between several screens on it's own. It changes stations, it changes to different apps, then the screen locks and you cannot reset it. It also beeps with every change, over 100 beeps per minute, like a morse code message. Imagine that on a 9-hour road trip. It is a major annoyance and distraction as the driver is constantly focused on trying to get this radio/equipment to work properly. It forces your attention off the road. And it will not stop! it changes radio stations, if powered off, it turns itself on. And Subaru refuses to acknowledge the issue, or offer a replacement. They pretend they never heard of the issue, yet its easily found in forums. For $1000 I can get a different oem radio, from the same manufacturer, and who knows how long it will be before it happens again? we (Subaru owners) need help with this and a recall. I can't tell you how many times I've drifted out of my lane trying to make the beep beep beep stop after hour after hour! navigation and apps are useless, as the radio will change them to different input sources without notice, and all day long. Yes, this is a safety issue. You cannot just turn it off. It turns itself back on. Even if you turn down the sound from the radio, the beep beep beep of the apps changing cannot be silenced. It only occurs when the vehicle is on. All the time. Everytime. Every day. Every trip. Please help.

Defective windshields. The vehicle has been in my possession for 4 years. During these 4 years I've had 5 windshield replacements. 2 of which have been from rocks. 3 of which I have no idea what caused the damage, it seemingly happened out of nowhere while driving. This is well known (but not well dealt with) issue with Subaru vehicles with eyesight. People on multiple forums have the same issue, as do many people I know personally. Its a shame nothing has been done about this despite countless reports and complaints. This is a safety hazard.

See all problems of the 2020 Subaru Outback 🔎.

I purchased a 2024 Subaru Outback in July 2024 brand new. With less than 1,500 miles, I noticed an unexplained crack in the windshield one morning. The crack originated from the bottom with no visible impact and quickly spread. I wasn't event driving it and had not been driving it. Within a week, another crack appeared in an entirely different location, again with no sign of impact. When I initially brought this to Subaru’s attention, I was told it was due to a small chip from impact. However, I strongly disagree, as there was no such impact. Since that visit, four additional windshield cracks have formed, all originating from the bottom of the windshield, and none show any signs of external impact. I will be taking it back to Subaru for a fair resolution. There have been over 3,000 comments on just this issue with the NHTSA for Subaru Outback years 2022 through 2024.

Problem component: exterior mirror on driver side it was raining, I was driving, I heard what sounded like a loud explosion by my driver side window. After the initial shock, I thought a tire had blown out, but car drove ok and no tire warning light came on. It was a rural road with no shoulder, only deep stormwater ditch along the roadside, so there was no place to safely pull over in traffic to assess what may have happened. I drove about 2-3 miles before I could pull over at a safe spot. There I saw that the back side of my driver side mirror had completely disappeared. Wires were exposed. It appeared to have exploded off for no apparent reason. The body of the car was completely fine, the white exterior paint of the car was perfect, the actual housing of the mirror showed no marks, there are no dings or cracks in windows. No sign of any debris hitting the car. I reported it to Subaru general headquarters, and gave them all the info. I have an appt with local Subaru dealer this week. The mirror and housing are still on the car, minus the back, which is gone. My husband returned to the scene a few minutes later and searched for the piece that had propelled off the mirror or for any debris that could have caused the mirror to explode. There was nothing on the road, so wherever the back of the mirror went, it must have propelled far off the road. Safety issue: because an explosion like that nearly caused me to lose control of the car. And the piece that propelled off the mirror could have hit another car. Additional info. At the time of mirror exploding: my windshield wipers were on, it was a warm day so my air-conditioning was on, good chance my front dehumidifier was on. Car is equipped with heated mirrors, but heat was off.

While driving on main road sunroof spontaneously exploded! speed 55 mph, temp mid 60s. This occurred 11-2-24 about 6pm. Clear weather, open road. I purchased the car new in 2017 and have never even opened the sunroof as I don't like them and car is always garaged when not in use. It has only 27,773 miles on it. No one was hurt but very scary. Will take it to dealership tomorrow, 11-4-24, as the entire center of sunroof is gone with only edges of glass remaining around the perimeter. I will have mechanic report tomorrow (today is Sunday.

Summary of problem: the infotainment screen on my 2018 Subaru Outback has delaminated and is malfunctioning, causing multiple safety issues. This is a known manufacturer defect previously addressed in a class-action lawsuit (starlink infotainment system litigation, settled 2021). However, my vehicle’s screen failed shortly after the extended warranty expired. Detailed description of safety hazards: the malfunctioning screen creates the following safety risks: 1. Backup camera obstruction – the screen dims erratically, sometimes going completely dark, rendering the rearview camera unusable. This poses a serious safety hazard and appears to violate fmvss 111 requirements for rear visibility systems. 2. Unintended screen inputs – the screen exhibits “ghost touches” that result in random phone calls, volume changes, and navigation menu disruptions, all without user input. This creates an unsafe level of driver distraction. 3. Driver distraction and interference – the system's erratic behavior pulls my attention away from the road, as I must manage or override its malfunctions, increasing the risk of an accident. Manufacturer response: I contacted Subaru of America, who acknowledged the issue but only offered to cover half of the $1,200 repair cost. They declined full assistance, citing the expiration of the class-action extended warranty (5 years/100,000 miles), despite this being a latent defect with safety implications. Known precedent: many other Outback owners have received full coverage from Subaru for this exact issue, even outside of the warranty, suggesting inconsistent application of goodwill support. This is clearly a systemic defect. Requested action: I am reporting this because the defect affects safety-critical features. I am requesting NHTSA to investigate whether this issue warrants a broader recall or compliance action. The unpredictable failure of the rearview camera and screen functionality poses a clear risk to driver and public safety.

See all problems of the 2018 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Infotainment head unit is delaminating. This issue causes "ghost touches" where the system randomly selects options or changes settings without user input. The delamination appears as bubbles or dots behind the screen that cannot be wiped off. This is a safety issue as these "ghost touches" make selections, changes, and phone calls on the infotainment system while driving.

Horn quit working.

See all problems of the 2016 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Radio intermittently switches channels, touch screen does not comply with commands. Radio has not responded to reset commands.

The contact owns a 2024 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after the purchase of the vehicle, the dealer informed the contact to schedule an appointment to install the trailer hitch harness. The contact was informed by the dealer that the vehicle could tow a capacity of 3,500 lbs. The contact wanted to attach a camper to the trailer hitch. The contact was then informed by the dealer when the dealer attempted to install the hitch harness that the vehicle did not have any trailer brakes to which the tow harness could not be installed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the dealer would not install the trailer brakes and referred the contact to an independent mechanic for further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 3,395.

Magsafe charger cause my iphone to overheat every time I try to use it. My iphone typically shuts down. This seems to be a disaster waiting to happen.

This morning, while stopped at a red light, my foot on the brake, my car suddenly revved and jolted forward. Luckily, no one was in front of me, and I quickly put the car in neutral and pressed harder on the brake pedal. The car was then ok. I see that there is a class action suit filed by the law firm of berger montague, since many other owners of Subaru have had this complaint. You need to have Subaru recall these vehicles ASAP.

On [xxx] clay Subaru in norwood, MA told me that my 2011 Subaru Outback has front subframe rot. Supposedly they do a 100 point inspection every oil change, which is performed every 6 or so months, yet this problem was first report last October! the car had only 81,616 miles on it. (now it has 82,000ish) the dealer claims it will cost $5368. 96 to fix the car and that the subframe needs fixing within 12 months. No warning lights have appeared. I've owned the car since 2017. It had 39,371 miles on it when bought & had been serviced and sold by this same dealer with only one owner it was in pristine condition, according to an independent mechanic that inspected it before I bought it. All my oil changes are done at the same dealer, yet the problem was not identified before. This is a vehicle made for off road travel (which I have not done) and for winter weather. Why is the subframe rotting? reedit reports that there are at least 200 others that have reported the same problem to you for cars of this same year! please advise!! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6.

The surface of the interior touch screen display on my 2019 Subaru Outback touring that controls the radio, navigation, phone, vehicle settings and information, and rear backup camera assistance developed bubbles and presses buttons on its own. It toggles between apps, calls people, changes radio stations, adjusts volume, discontinues map routes, removes backup camera footage, and beeps at random and while driving. As a driver or passenger I am unable to control these functions because the touch screen is not functional. The safety of myself and others has absolutely been put at risk: a once reliable backup camera is no longer consistently functional; the route I set in the driveway disappears, reappears, and changes destination locations while I'm driving; at times the screen toggles and beeps quickly, will not stay turned off, and creates an unavoidable visual and audible distraction. Phil long Subaru inspected my vehicle, confirmed that this is a known issue with united radio part #al58a, and quoted the repair at over $1600. Subaru of America has not issued a recall despite two class action lawsuits for this issue and an existing recall for the same issue on earlier models. Soa offered a one time credit of $1200, which leaves me on the hook for $500 for their defective manufacturing, and no guarantee that the replacement part has been modified to address the issue or extended warranty on the part in case this happens again. There were no warnings, messages, or symptoms of the problem prior to failure. The bubbles appeared around October 2024 and the ability to consistently control the display was lost immediately.

The horn stopped working on my vehicle. This puts my safety and other driver's safety at risk since I can not alert them if they are coming into my lane. I contacted Subaru customer advocacy but they are not willing to fix this problem. I checked the online forums and this seems to be a common problem.

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.

I came out this morning and I have a crack in my windshield that goes from the bottom of the glass up and over to towards the driver side. There does not appear to be any visible signs of impact that caused this crack.