Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
March 16, 2020
TBD
Condition
Run & Drive
Damage
Collision
Title
Salvage
| Rearview Video Systems | Standard |
|---|
| Dynamic Head Restraints | Not Available |
|---|---|
| Head Restraint | Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat |
| Advanced Belt Feature | Standard |
| Adjustable Upper Belt Anchorage | Driver, Front Passenger |
| Seat Belt Reminder System | Driver, Front Passenger |
| Frontal Air Bag | Driver, Front Passenger |
|---|---|
| Curtain | Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat |
| torso/pelvis | Driver, Front Passenger |
| Knee | Not Available |
| Additional Air Bags | Seat Cushion Airbags |
| Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements | YES |
| LATCH Locations | Rear Seat |
|---|---|
| Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) | Not Available |
| Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) locations | Not Available |
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11386253 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | FAIRFAX STATION, VA |
| VIN: | 4S4BSADC8G3**** |
VEHICLE BATTERY HAS UNEXPECTEDLY GONE DEAD THREE TIMES SINCE MARCH 2020. THIS IS AFTER A NEW SUBARU BATTERY WAS INSTALLED IN 2019. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH SUBARU OUTBACKS (2016-2020). MY DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT REQUIRES SOFTWARE UPDATES WHICH DON'T SEEM TO WORKING. MY VEHICLE HAS 16000 MILES ON IT.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11252942 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | MIDDLEBURY, CT |
| VIN: | 4S4BSADC8G3**** |
KEY INTERMITTENTLY DOES NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION WHEN PARKED. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY SUBARU. THIS CAN BE A SAFETY ISSUE. WHY HAS A RECALL NOT BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS?
| NHTSA ID Number: | 10853168 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | MONTOURSVILLE, PA |
| VIN: | 4S4BSADC8G3**** |
I PURCHASED A NEW 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK ON OCTOBER 6, 2015. THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM ACTIVATED ON JANUARY 25, 2016, EVEN THOUGH ALL TIRES HAD 35 PSI IN THEM AS RECOMMENDED. SINCE THAT DAY, THE SYSTEM HAS ACTIVATED 17 TIMES, AGAIN EVERY TIME THE TIRES HAD THE CORRECT PRESSURE IN THEM. THE SUBARU DEALER HAS HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FIVE TIMES FOR A TOTAL OF 14 DAYS. EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A SINCERE EFFORT AT FIRST TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM, I AM NOW BEING TOLD THAT THIS IS A NORMAL CONDITION FOR MY VEHICLE AND THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THAT CAN BE DONE TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE SAFETY WARNING SYSTEM--THAT I MUST ACCEPT IT AS IT IS. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING TO ME SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 2,200 MILES ON IT. THE SYSTEM MAKES A BEEPING NOISE, THEN A SCREEN COMES ON THE DASH WITH AN EXCLAMATION SIGN AND A TPMS SYMBOL, THEN ANOTHER SCREEN COMES ON THAT SAYS CHECK OWNER'S MANUAL. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS IN THE MORNING AS I AM BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE AND MY VEHICLE IS ENTERING THE STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL, IF THERE REALLY WAS A LOW TIRE PRESSURE, THE LIGHT WOULD STAY ON UNTIL THE TIRE WAS BROUGHT UP TO PROPER PRESSURE. MY MESSAGE FINALLY GOES AWAY AND DOES NOT ACT LIKE THE MANUAL SAYS A LOW TIRE WOULD INDICATE.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11438249 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | HAVRE, MT |
| VIN: | 4S4BSANC7G3**** |
Battery dies after car is parked for more than 3 days. Car is available for inspection. I have been stranded/inconvenienced at least 5 times. Problem was solved through AAA, family jumpstart help, etc. Verbally reported to dealer, service writer comment made it sound like it must have been my fault or just the needs of the computer components. No warnings or symptoms.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11437501 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | SEATTLE, WA |
| VIN: | 4S4BSENC8G3**** |
Windshield cracks easily. On my 5th windshield, just replaced 2 weeks ago and it’s cracked again. The windshield cracks easily even with minor rock chips. This is the 5th windshield on this car.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11437290 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | CHICO, CA |
| VIN: | 4S4BSBDC5G3**** |
I have just had to put my fifth battery in my 2016 Subaru outback. I have experienced a dead battery twice. The first time this happened I was at a remote campsite and had the stock battery in the car. That battery lasted 25k miles. I brought my car to the dealer and they did a software update. Since then I have had two new batteries.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11436841 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | BENTONVILLE, AR |
| VIN: | 4s4bsbnc8g3**** |
For months, there have been incidents of battery drain where the vehicle is unable to be started without a jump charge. I have replaced the battery several times; electrical testing by the dealership does not diagnose any problem.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11436058 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | CARY, NC |
| VIN: | 4S4BSBFC2G3**** |
Windshield cracked without any cause
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11433516 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | MASSAPEQUA, NY |
| VIN: | 4s4bsalcxg3**** |
i am about to replace battery in my 2016 subaru outback for the fourth time. obviously an ongoing problem with this vehicle . my wife had to wait 4 hours for subaru roadside assistance to respond with tow. All replacement batteries done by dealerships. No warning signs. .
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11433247 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | VALLEY, NE |
| VIN: | 4S4BSENC2G3**** |
We have experienced slight acceleration issues when at standstill. For example parking in our garage, nosing to the front and the car will lurch forward. We always been able to control it but we do have to watch out. Decided to report after reading issues by other owners.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11433072 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | BOUNTIFUL, UT |
| VIN: | 4s4bsahc0g3**** |
The windshield cracked without receiving any kind of impact to it. No rock chip, sudden jolt, extreme temperatures or other weather event precipitated the cracking.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11432873 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | LAMPASAS, TX |
| VIN: | 4S4BSBNC4G3**** |
I drove my car several miles to a ferry without any problems. I turned off the ignition and the car sat on the ferry for less than five minutes. When I tried to start the car, the battery was completely dead. The ferry driver had to return to the island side with just my car, which they pushed off the ferry. My husband came and jump started the battery. The car was driving very jerkily after that for about ten minutes. We immediately took the car to an independent service center technician, who tested the battery and said the battery was fine. We stopped to fill it up, thinking maybe there was air in the fuel tank or something. When we restarted it, the problem was gone. I researched online and discovered that electrical/battery problems are common with Subaru Outbacks. This was/is a safety problem because apparently I could be stranded anywhere. This car has died in the driveway many times in the five years we have owned it. This was the first time it died on a trip. There was no warning message or symptom of any kind - car was driving fine, then completely dead after five minutes of being off.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11432171 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | JUPITER, FL |
| VIN: | 4S4BSEJC4G3**** |
2016 3.6 Subaru Outback has required battery replacement 4 times. If the battery dies while operating the car a dangerous shutdown of various electrical systems. This has happened twice, one instance no power steering, the next time the braking systems engaged. In both instances I was fortunately at a stop. If this happens while the car is moving especially at a high rate of speed, the results would be catastrophic.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11431963 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | RATHDRUM, ID |
| VIN: | 4S4BSACC2G3**** |
Two different batteries have been completely drained in the last two weeks. The first time I thought it was that the the current 27 month old battery had failed. There were no warning lights or symptoms of electrical issues either time. We just came out to a completely drained battery. After installing a new battery two weeks ago, the battery was drained down to 1.2 amps yesterday morning after 16 hours of non use. A mechanic diagnosed it as a parasitic draw and we were able to recharge the battery overnight. Now the brand new battery has been weakened by the complete draining. We also no longer have confidence in leaving the car idle for any length of time. Isn't there a software update to fix this issue?
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11431966 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | BATON ROUGE, LA |
| VIN: | 4s4bsbnc5g3**** |
The contact's wife owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that since owning the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start up after multiple attempts without warning. Since owning the vehicle, the battery was replaced four times. The contact initially had the vehicle jump-started and taken to the dealer. The battery was replaced once by the dealer and replaced out of pocket three times. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11431840 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | TRUCKEE, CA |
| VIN: | 4S4BSEJC1G3**** |
Shift mechanism is not releasing the vehicle key while in Park
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11430755 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | COHOCTON, NY |
| VIN: | 4S4BSENC3G3**** |
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently started shuddering and jerking. The contact also stated that the vehicle was making abnormal sounds. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that she was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission had failed. Then, the vehicle was taken to the dealer who tests drove the vehicle and diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they would replace the transmission, but she would be responsible for the cost of the labor. The vehicle was repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 107,000.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11430311 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | DARTMOUTH, MA |
| VIN: | 4S4BSACC3G3**** |
Car has 66,000 miles on it. vin#[XXX]--- HORN DOES NOT WORK IN ANY POSITION. Is available for inspection at any time. Nearest dealer is State Line Subaru - Somerset, MA Have contacted dealer and have received no response. Almost caused an accident by failure of the horn. No warning lights or messages. No indication of problems prior to failure. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11430039 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO |
| VIN: | 4S4BSENC1G3**** |
Incident occurred on Interstate 25 Northbound at approximately mm 190. My speed was approximately 70 mph. Weather was dry and about 70 degrees. I was in the next to left lane in 4 lanes of traffic. The moonroof on my 2016 Subaru Outback exploded violently sending glass outward into traffic. I had never heard of this phenomena so when I saw black material from the top of my car going into traffic I thought it was pieces of my roof rack. I pulled over to the shoulder to examine my car and saw a massive hole in the moonroof. Knowing that if I continued shards of glass would continue to be expelled onto the interstate I pulled the remaining pieces of glass into the interior of the car. Not that it mattered, that's where they fell anyway when I opened the moonroof. The pieces of the moonroof fell into the slots for the seatbelts, rendering the drivers side inoperable. It was a miracle that no other car was seriously impacted and that I was able to get home safely. Subaru and any other car manufacturer that is involved with this problem needs to be held accountable for the damages and remedial repairs. This problem should be addressed by the NHTSA immediately.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11428947 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | BARABOO, WI |
| VIN: | 4S4BSBFC2G3**** |
Unable to turn key to off position when in neutral and unable to remove key from the ignition. In order to get the key out of the ignition, the car needs to be restarted and turned back off or the gear shift needs to be pushed as hard as possible into the neutral position multiple times. With the inability to turn the car totally off and remove the key, there are multiple safety issues that can arise. Was informed that the entire select lever assembly needs to be replaced due to a known issue by Subaru. The issue was reproduced by an independent service center. No warning lamps are illuminated.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11428223 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | BRIDGEWATER, NJ |
| VIN: | 4s4bsalc3g3**** |
model Year 2016 Outback vehicle purchased new in Dec.2015. The OEM 2015 battery was replaced gratis by dealer ( Flemington Subaru) in Feb 2020 at 26,016 mileage. The Feb. 2020 replacement battery was changed Jan.27,2021 by Flemington Subaru due to ‘dead check’ found during a recall service for telematics updating. The Jan.27, 2021 replacement has failed on multiple occasions since installed ~7 months ago. The dealer performed a Battery/Electrical System analysis on 4August,2021which alleged the battery to be “GOOD” with measured 12.63 volts and CCA 571 vs. its CCA 550 rating. Despite adequate miles driven and only several days since the 4 August test the battery is again dead on Aug.8,2021. I possess all pertinent service record invoices relating to battery changes and testing.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11428273 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | PHOENIX, AZ |
| VIN: | 4S4BSAHC0G3**** |
Ignition does not release key in a reasonable manner. Must wiggle key, start/stop car multiple times, and wait for 15-20 minutes before the key releases from the ignition. Started as an occasional issue, but has become more and more constant.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11428189 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | OMAHA, NE |
| VIN: | 4s4bsbcc1g3**** |
Parking shifter sensor is failing intermittently. This prevents removing the key from the ignition. Seems to react better when you throw the shifter into park forcefully.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11427895 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | OGDEN, UT |
| VIN: | 4S4BSBJC7G3**** |
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback The contact stated that after placing the vehicle into PARK, the key could not be removed from the ignition switch. After turning off and restarting the vehicle several times, the key was removed from the ignition switch. The vehicle was diagnosed but was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,104.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11427715 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | AFTON, VA |
| VIN: | 4S4BSBNC7G3**** |
Battery drains - just goes dead. In the past six months it has happened @4 times. Checked twice at my garage and no problem found. Electrical system and battery checked out. After it is jumped it runs rough and not drivable until computer resets and windows have to be reset by hand. No warning lights of low battery.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11427632 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | VIENNA, VA |
| VIN: | 4S4BSEJC0G3**** |
Multiple jump starts due to battery dying, even after replacement battery. Car is not reliable, not able to start after not driving it for 2 days.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11426561 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | AVON, CT |
| VIN: | 4s4bsanc1g3**** |
We purchased this vehicle as a private sale in Nov 2018. In May 2020, the battery failed and was replaced, thinking it had reached end of life.. One month later, in June 2020, this new battery was dead, and was replaced under warranty under the premise that it was a bad battery. In addition, at the time of this 2nd battery replacement, the vehicle was inspected by our dealership to assess why the battery died, and though no direct cause was found, the battery cables were replaced. This July 11th, 2021, the battery was dead once again, and replaced under warranty, again thinking it was a defective battery. Yesterday, July 25th, two weeks after this 3rd new battery replacement, the battery was dead again. No user error was ever noted (no internal light left on, vehicle had been driven regularly every day of the week, etc.). Upon research online, there appears to be a class action lawsuit against Subaru regarding electrical problems that rapidly drain batteries in several Subaru models 2016-2020, which includes our 2016 Outback. We can never know when our battery could fail, and clearly cannot trust this vehicle to start on any given day, which is a serious safety concern. We have been unsuccessful in our attempts to communicate with Subaru customer support. Please investigate this complaint as appropriate. Thank you.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11426058 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | LONDON, KY |
| VIN: | 4S4BSBHC4G3**** |
My Outback lost AC/Heat and even after repair at an Outback dealership, it still goes out intermittently. My car battery seems to drain for no reason at all, without any consistency to the drainage of power either. I have it looked at, and the dealership said there isn’t a cause and there isn’t anything that can be done. Back rear door doesn’t lock and unlock with the key fob designation; sets off the alarm when we don’t pay attention to it. Hatch door only lifts about 14 inches upon designation. Has to be manually lifted the rest of the way. Has been fixed once at a dealership, but since returned to the aforementioned diagnosis.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11425532 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | RIDGEFIELD, CT |
| VIN: | 4S4BSENC2G3**** |
Battery has failed repeatedly, at least 4 or 5 times over the last year. Took to dealer who checked it out and said they found no issues. Please note no lights or doors were left open that would have resulted in a batter drain. Concerned as I have been stranded due to this issue.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11425585 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | MIDDLETOWN, NY |
| VIN: | 4S4BSAFC9G3**** |
The adjustment of the passenger side side view mirror has malfunctioned. The mirror can not be adjusted properly for visibility of cars to the side of the vehicle. Only the driver-side window is operable. All other windows fail to open from the driver side control. The passenger window will no longer operate from the passenger side either. These windows would have to be broken in order to escape the vehicle in some situations (flooding). My mechanic says that this is a common problem in 2016 Subaru Outbacks. No warning lights were activated. A mirror not able to be adjusted for optimum sighting of other vehicles is surely a safety issue.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11425088 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | MEDFORD, MA |
| VIN: | 4S4BSAACXG3**** |
The car does not recognize that it is in park, and the key gets stuck in the ignition frequently. The only fix is to repeatedly shift in and out of the park position until the key releases (which can take anywhere from 1 minute to 10 minutes -- it seems to get worse over time). It's a safety concern for various reasons: you can't exit your car quickly in case of emergency -- you can't just leave your vehicle with the keys in the ignition (dangerous/negligent/someone could steal your car). It's also concerning that the car doesn't recognize what gear it is in. This is a widespread issue across Subaru vehicles that is documented in many online forums. The issue was confirmed by the dealership that I went to on my vehicle specifically, but they also knew the source of the problem, before they even looked at the vehicle.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11425211 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | BERKELEY, CA |
| VIN: | 4S4BSAFC3G3**** |
The car drains the battery to the point of not being able to turn the engine on after >10 minutes of playing the radio while the engine isn't turned on. Happened three separate times where I had to request a jump. I replaced the battery with a new one but the problem persists.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11424714 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | OAKLAND, CA |
| VIN: | 4s4bsanc5g3**** |
The original battery drained when a door is left open for an extended period of time. We replaced the battery in 2019 and also bought a battery booster because of this issue. We thought replacing the battery would fix the, however, the draining issue still occurs from time to time. We didn't think to file a complaint, but saw an article in the news describing the same issue we're experiencing and that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Subaru for this issue, so we decided to file a complaint.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11424753 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | PONCE INLET, FL |
| VIN: | 4S4BSAHC7G3**** |
Have had to replace battery twice. A short time leaving a light on drains the battery very quickly.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11424822 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | Unknown |
| VIN: | 4S4BSBNC8G3**** |
Several times the battery has been completely drained from something little like the back end opened or door open for a longer period
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11424546 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | OMAHA, NE |
| VIN: | 4S4BSBCCXG3**** |
Battery drains when car is off and parked with no lights on, causing multiple jump starts to the car, and a need to buy a new battery.
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11424552 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | SOUTH LYON, MI |
| VIN: | 4S4BSANC7G3**** |
original battery dead in less than 2 years, needing replacement in January 2018. Subaru dealer advised replacement, local repair store confirmed it was dead. Purchased replacement local as dealer quote was over $300. The battery was dead, and replaced again in 12/2019, and again in 10/2020. These issues have left us stranded, often in cold/freezing weather. No sign of wearing or issues occurs until the vehicle just does not start. All of our other vehicles have never gone through batteries this frequently. Additionally, with the many batteries (4 total so far, in 6 years, and 80k miles) from multiple sources, I do not believe that defective batteries are the case
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11424553 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | SOUTH LYON, MI |
| VIN: | 4S4BSANC7G3**** |
Passenger side front seatbelt locked up and became non-functional, unable to be used. This left our passenger without a safe or legal way to ride in the vehicle with all other seats being used. The part was replaced by the dealer under warranty
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11424554 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | SOUTH LYON, MI |
| VIN: | 4S4BSANC7G3**** |
A small rock chip at bottom of the windshield, near the heated wiper park area, caused multiple cracks across the entire windshield. Replacement was required as visibility was impaired
| NHTSA ID Number: | 11424563 |
|---|---|
| Consumer Location: | MIDLAND, MI |
| VIN: | 4S4BSBHC9G3**** |
The battery keeps draining and needing to be replaced. I need a new battery every 18 months or so. Also, please note that there is not one incident. There is a pattern of the battery needing to be replaced.
