This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The windshield is extremely fragile and cracks easily. I feel it is a lighter windshield, perhaps to help with gas mileage. One little rock cracked it easily. Previously, owned vehicles of older vintage and models never seemed to crack as readily. On highway traveling 60 small stone hit windshield.
Subaru Outback 2017 while in motion on highway, heard a cracking sound and with no apparent impact on glass, windshield has now an about four inch crack near the bottom corner edge of the driver side. After a few days time has developed into a length approximately one third of the whole windshield.
Within 6 months of purchase the windshield cracked spontaneously. Car was parked in the employee parking lot. Windshield was fine when I left the car. When I came out after work there was a large crack across my windshield. Started in the top corner edge of the drivers side and extended across to middle of the windshield by the eyesight camera. No impact point.
My windshield spontaneously cracked. Car was parked. I went in a restaurant for lunch, with car in view. Came out windshield had cracked from very top, through eyesight camera, down through middle of windshield in a wide J. temp was in mid 80S. Took it to dealership they said it was due to impact. There is no impact mark at all. Brand new car. Had it less than a year. Had 2 chips prior to this, not connected to large crack. Been in outside sales 9 years with 2 other cars. Never had windshield problems like this.
- Spokane Valley, WA, USA
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First large crack appeared just 4 months after purchasing the car in August 31, 2016 at a fairly slow speed (under 40 mph). Second crack appeared May 2018. The third and largest crack happened June 30, 2018, again at a fairly slow speed.
The windshield spontaneously cracked while sitting stationary outside my office yesterday. The vehicle was half in sun and half in shade. The crack started near the top driver's side and spread downward and outward. The vehicle has less than 7,000 miles on it.
> the auto in this complaint is equipped with Subaru's "eyesight" driver assist technology. > June 18, 2018 - driving on divided interstate highway, there was a very loud "bang, " - the new replacement windshield cracked and instantly the crack extended 2/3 of the way across the full width of the windshield. After pulling over to the side of the highway and taking a look at the windshield to determine what caused the crack, I sadly discovered that one section of the outside glass had separated from plastic behind it to the degree, that when ranning my hand against the outside glass surface, it cut my hand. The separation was enough that I questioned whether it was safe to continue to drive the car. I did drive the car home. The next day I took the car to my dealership's service dept. - they pointed to a minute nick on the very bottom of the windshield, so small that I did not see it until it was pointed out to me, as the "outside source" causing the crack. I don't buy what they are saying. I believe the the glass is so fragile that it simply cracks from stress from normal driving movement of the auto. And that the fragile glass begins to separate from the plastic securely holding it in place. > my complaint is this: 1) this particular Subaru model has a record of "cracked windshield" complaints. Based on my last experience with a cracked windshield, the glass is not strong enough to withstand normal car impossed stress while driving.... and, the subsequent separation between the glass and the plastic behind the glass holding it in place is large enough that it constitutes a driver safety hazard. Worthy of your investigation. Note - a photo cannot adequately show the separation.
Came out of work and found a 12 inch crack going across the windshield without a reason. Took it to my Subaru dealer and they claimed it was a rock chip and not covered by the warranty. This is the 2nd windshield that has cracked in less than a year. The 1st was 4 months after we bought the car. Salesman did not tell us when we bought the car that the windshield is thinner than nornal windshields. Subaru has a faulty windshield and they won't admit it. I could see if the windshield had been hit with a 1 inch rock but there is no evidence that it was a rock chip other than the service guys grab a pen and run it along the crack until they find a place that the pen jumps and then states rock chip did it. The windshield seems to have shifted causing a stress fracture break and it is a safety hazard. Thought Subaru stood for quality but they don't stand behind their vehicles. It's like take your money and run. Seems that their engineers could figure out how to make a windshield with thicker glass to work instead of the inferior glass in them. Tempted to purchase another brand of vehicle that would be safer. I think Subaru ought to stand behind their vehicles instead of hiding from the issues.
The quality of the windshield leaves a lot to be desired. This is the second time in less than a year I have had to replace my windshield. In both occasions, the windshield cracked while the vehicle was in motion. I thought the first crack was caused by a small object/projectile I could not see. Then the second crack occurred a few months later (about 5 months apart) around the same spot (driver side) as the first one. In about 30 minutes, the crack radiated quickly from the driver side all the way to the middle of the windshield. In both cases, even if the crack was caused by a small object, the impact was too small to explain such major damage. The first time the windshield cracked, it was replaced by a Subaru recommended part and not by an aftermarket windshield. I will use a Subaru recommended part again. However, based on the evidence, I do not have any confidence that the problem will not resurface. I think the windshield is fundamentally defective.
Purchased our 2017 Subaru Outback 2.5 I limited in August 2016. As of April 30, 2018 we have had to have the windshield replaced 4 times! each time we were on highways. The most recent incident we were traveling at only 45 mph. Each time, as soon as we heard the impact, a huge crack appeared. There is obviously a problem with either the quality of glass being used or the design. We have contacted Subaru of America and reported the incidents. And yet, Subaru will say there is no problem and no complaints have been filed. We are frustrated and now anxious each time we are traveling that we will have to deal with getting the windshield replaced. Today, we again contacted Subaru of America and said we want Subaru to admit there is a problem and deal with it. We also met with the service director of our local Subaru dealer and filed a complaint. He has agreed to forward the complaint to the regional director.
Exploding sun roof: On 11/23/2017 our family was driving from hillsboro, or to coosbay, or for a family thanksgiving dinner. While we were on interstate I-5 South just near cottage grove, or we heard a loud shatter which scared all of us, we immediately pulled to the shoulder safely and noticed that the sunroof was shattered. We were going at 65-70mph with drizzle Oregon rain and temps at 50's F
We purchased the Outback 2017 a couple of weeks ago and have discovered that visibility is severely limited when raining and wipers are on, especially when lights are reflected on the windshield. We have researched and have found on the internet that others have the same problem....for years before and for the 2017 models. We were driving on interstate highways and local roads. A heavy haze appears on the exterior windshield with every swipe of the wipers. So, the windshield is extremely glary when light hits it, thus visibility is tremendously impaired. We noticed that beading occurred on the windshield as rain fell and changed to haze after each swipe of the wipers. Defrost did not help; cleaning windshield did not help.
I very small rock chip hit my windshield initially causing an 8 inch crack and is now over two feet long. The chip did not even leave an impact mark; if you tried right now to see where the crack started you would not be able to. I reviewed forums online and have seen numerous complaints about Outback windshields. Weak or cheap is how they were often described. This was a very small rock chip that hit my windshield. This amount of damage should not have happened. I agree with the forums; weak and cheap. I see there is even a class action lawsuit against Subaru.
Purchased a 2015 Outback and experienced 4 cracked windshields in an 18 month period. Traded the car in for a 2017 Outback hoping they fixed the design flaw. Now 6 months after 2017 Outback purchase an outrageous crack formed on this new vehicle. All 5 cracks began not further than 2 to 3 inches from the frame. So 5 cracked windshields in a 2 year period from Subaru Outback. Automobiles. The dealership and manufacturer never would acknowledge that there are so many other people experiencing this problem. Sometimes the crack would appear spontaneously, sometimes it actually sounded like crackling sounds happening in frame and maybe (?) one time there might have been a small pebble hit the windshield. Twice I wasn't even driving the vehicle. Impedes vision. Distracts driver.
On a bright sunny day it is really difficult to drive as glare from the center infotainment display directly reflects on the eyes, making it hard to see the road. This is a safety issue, the screen should be anti glare. Subaru representative replied they could not help it and asked to find after market anti glare screen protectors.
Window cracked but was not hit with anything. Crack appeared on the drivers side, halfway down the windshield, and obstructs view of the driver. Car has less than 1600 miles on it. Dealer stated it was not covered as a defect and we are on own own to replace it. There are numerous complaints of Subaru Outback windshields cracking because they are to thin. Dangerous to drive due to visibility issues.
Our windshield began slowly cracking starting at the base of the driver side front window. It began at the bottom edge (heat strip) and moved half up the windshield before we replaced. Cost $569 for oem windshield. Subaru dealer denied the warranty claim, while admitting a problem with earlier versions that year's Outback.
Star crack in windshield discovered stationary (in carport) the day after purchasing the vehicle (odometer reading 200 miles). Location of crack slightly above wiper blade on passenger side. Impact strike the size of a pinhead. The damage is characteristic of prior model years 2015 and 2016 in which the manufacturer initiated recalls. It is apparent this problem continues and has yet to be resolved.
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Outback. While driving various speeds, there was a glare from outside the vehicle that reflected off the face plate of the navigation system without warning. The failure distracted the contact from driving and hindered her visibility. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the glare failure was confirmed. A buy back for the vehicle was offered; however, the contact declined. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000. Updated 04/06/17 lj the consumer stated the buy back offer involved a $5,500 loss. The consumer stated the light was so extreme that it was painful, causing nausea and migraines. Updated 09/20/20017
- Golden, CO, USA
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- Kansas City, MO, USA