Had the windshield replaced 3 times due to small rocks kicked up on the highway.
After reading online forums about the repeat problem for many , I took the recommendation to replace the windshield with an aftermarket windshield , which was replaced under insurance.
A 4 month year old car 2019 Outback windshield cracked at 3,146.00 miles in my driveway? The crack is about 15 to 24 inches long on the driver side. This a manufacturer safety defect, due to the fact that there are safety features integrated into the glass that require recalibration of the safety features upon replacement of the glass. The glass is sub-par as it cracked with very little stress if any or damage put on to the windshield. I am being told that the glass replacement, recalibration and labor is approximately $960.00. I'm not going to pay that. I will contact the dealer tomorrow and request they or Subaru pay for the replacement as it is a safety issue or I will be forced to request an unwind of the deal - or I may possibly seek legal council.
We purchased a new 2019 Subaru Outback for its safety record and reliability. After about 7500 miles, I was in the church parking lot and the windshield spontaneously cracked. I took it to the dealer and they told me there was a chip on the windshield right at the extreme right that apparently caused the windshield to crack. The chip is so insignificant that he had to take a balled point pen and run it along the edge in order to identify where the chip was.
My contention is that the chip is so insignificant to have caused this crack, the windshield glass is either interior material or the installation was bad. This windshield is over $1000.00 to replace. I feel cheated and dismissed as a consumer. I feel that Subaru has had several complaints on this same issue - and that they need to assist with a replacement window.
I have had to have a number of chips repaired (at least 4 chips) over 2 years, which was very unusual and not consistent with my other vehicles. It seems the slightest pebble would result in a chip. About a week after the final repair, the windshield cracked over the drivers side of the windshield. I called the dealer and was told that they were "prone to cracking" but that Subaru has not instructed them to do anything. He suggested I personally call the customer service line at 1-800 Subaru3. These can be very expensive to replace due the the dual recalibration that needs to take place.
- Ken H.,
Ballwin, MO, US
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The crack occurred for no apparent reason. It started near where the wipers come up on the passenger side and then snaked all the way up and now covers my whole windshield.
I purchased a 2019 Subaru Outback early in 2019. Within 6 months, a small road chip cracked the windshield shortly after it hit. About a year later we decided to replace it. After putting in a new Subaru windshield, within 30 days, the new windshield was hit by a rock chip. It turned into a 3 foot crack within 3 minutes of impact. I called the dealership about the problem. They recommended that I call another windshield replacement company. I cannot afford to replace our windshield every one to six months.
How do we get Subaru to stand behind their windshields? I have owned 4 Subarus since our first 1981 wagon and have loved all of them... Will this one be our last?
This is the third windshield we have had since owning the car for two years. Previous cars may get a chip, but that can be repaired. The Outback goes straight into a long crack, necessitating replacement.
Between my husband and I, we have driven many cars and miles, and never experienced anything like this. Subaru should pay to replace windshields if they are going to use defective glass.
Car was parked in the garage when I noticed a 22 inch crack in the windshield. Took into Subaru, they said there was a small chip that caused the crack and that Subaru would not cover it. Had to replace entire windshield and get it recalibrated. My insurance deductible was $500 which my cost. The recalibration was another $275.
I believe this was a stress crack of some kind. I have never seen a windshield produce a line crack that that size before.
There was a small crack from a pebble hitting it on the freeway, it cracked 12 in long, happened again and left a star. Had to do a full replacement. Ive been driving for 30 years for work never had these problems with any other vehicles, including the 3 Subarus Ive owned in the past.
Same back from the beach and there was a spontaneous crack that stated on the passenger side, very bottom of the windshield. The crack looks like it starts under the black windshield mold and cracks upward to mid height before curving left toward driver side. I want to stress I was at the beach for hours, the car was in a covered private drive. Nothing hit the windshield previous to this day. Oh and also found the odometer glass inside the car has a horizontal crack as well
In Feb 2019 we purchased the Subaru because of its safety and reliability reports. After about 7000 miles my windshield cracked. I never heard anything hit my windshield while I was driving so it came as a surprise that I I noticed my windshield cracked after leaving the store. I have owned many cars in my life and only once in my 40 plus years of driving had I needed a windshield replaced which cost me about $250.00. I started calling around to see what the cost would be to replaced and was told between $880-$890 supposedly because the camera will need to be recalculated. (HUH) I called Subaru dealer and they told me that no other glass repair company can purchase the exclusive Subaru windshield which is required to effectively replace and repair the car to its original state. After reading some of the complaints on your website I feel that we are paying top dollar for inferior merchandise. I don't know why or how my windshield cracked but its almost an identical description painted by one of your other complainants. How do we get justice under these circumstances ? We just have to pay the exorbitant price to replace something that most likely was inferior and should have never been used to begin with. I wish Subaru would acknowledge this issue before someone gets really hurt or worse. Any suggestions or comments please let me know.
Six days after I bought a 2019 Subaru Outback, I noticed a crack developing from the top on the driver's side, close to the middle of the car. I thought it was a small streak of water at first. But as it didn't dry, I realized the windshield had cracked. I didn't see or hear anything hit it. No trucks around, and the road was smooth, free of debris. The crack grew down and curved toward the passenger side and then up again. After reading complaints in this site and in other sites about the Subaru Outback of various years, it seems to me that this was a spontaneous crack. I will post an update.
2019 Subaru Outback purchased February 2019 with 7500 miles. Windshield crack developed on the passenger side edge, 1/2 up and grew toward the center. The vehicle has eyesight and that will need to be re-calibrated after the replacement. One estimate is up to $1500 including calibration. Subaru doesn't want to know anything. Funny how our 2005 Sienna has 263,000 miles and the original windshield.
On Jan 20th 2019, purchased a brand new 2019 Subaru Outback 3.6R. The car is garaged inside everyday on 4/10/2019 I noticed a huge crack on front of my driver side windshield as I was getting into my car after work. I researched and on the Youtube I also see a video with exact crack that starts from the bottom of the windshield the person who posted the video had 2018 Outback. I've had Volvo, Honda and Acura MDX and never had I a window crack like this before even with little chip that would occur from driving highways or going off road on a ski trip.
I am writing to express my concern regarding the quality of the Subaru Outback windshield. On December 21, 2018 I purchased my first Subaru. On January 11,2019 my windshield spontaneously cracked below the wipers and spread very quickly. Because it was obstructing my view I had to have the entire windshield replaced.
On February 15,2019, four days after the windshield was replaced, I received a rock chip that immediately cracked to a size larger than a dollar bill, beyond repair. I had expected better from the Subaru brand. I decided to purchase a Subaru Outback for the quality and reliability however after experiencing the poor windshield quality, I may not purchase another Subaru.
For a little background, I have had the same commute for over ten years. With other vehicles I have experienced rock chips, which I have been able to get repaired and never had to replace the windshield. I have driven lesser quality and less reliable vehicles and have never had to incur the out of pocket cost that I have with the Subaru Outback with 3 months of ownership.
To put this in perspective, the cost of one windshield replacement equals the cost of one month of daycare for a toddler, one year of auto and homeowner’s insurance or two Epi Pens. This expense goes far beyond the annual routine maintenance I expect to pay on any vehicle.
Experienced a "spontaneous" crack that originated from below the wiper on the passenger side of the vehicle that I have owned for less than one month. Subaru does not repair their own windshields so they sent me to their repair agent who installed the windshield (OEM glass) incorrectly causing a wind tunnel noise and leak. The authorized repair agent also did something to the windshield wiper fluid control system as this did not work after they installed the new windshield and my navigation would not work.
Brought the car to the Subaru dealership and they repaired the windshield fluid control system, checked calibration and identified the gap and subsequent leak in the windshield. Advised me to go back to their agent, took another day off from work (can only be completed in the shop) and they tore out the windshield and repositioned it. The windshield fluid unit now only delivers fluid 1/3 of the force and distance it used to, my navigation does not work before the sun rises or after it sets from what I can gather! The wind tunnel noise is now on both sides of the car and today there were puddles of water on the floor mats when I returned to my car after my day's work. Bringing the car back to the dealer again, called the regional Subaru headquarters and have not heard back. This is a brand new car and I am not sure where to go from here.
Update from Jan 30, 2019: Have now been back to the dealer and they found an air and water leak in the newest windshield. Now have to remove the windshield again and try to repair. The Navigation is still not working and the dealership responded as though I was being unreasonable. Feeling like the dealer thinks it is my fault that these things are happening to my brand new, one month old car and that I am supposed to be happy about buying a new car, and content with paying for the next five years to have an unsafe, leaking car that has navigation that doesn't quite work for those folks who need to have ready available directions.
Update from Feb 4, 2019: Just came back from the auto glass dealer the Subaru dealership sent me to for the third time. Subaru found a water and air leak in the new vehicle. The auto glass dealer looked and tested the car and said the leaks were not from the windshield. Also, the Subaru dealership did something to the windshield washer system so that it squirts water on the front of the hood making it look like two tear streaks running down. The navigation system is still not working and the Subaru dealership claims that they "updated" it and it is fine. The pictures I took of all the issues and malfunctions and sent on to the national Subaru customer service to file a Lemon Law claim will need to speak for themselves.
This is a nightmare! Just sent in my second car payment for this car and it is not right that I should have been without my new car for this amount of time and still have these issues. Wonder if any other Subaru Outback owners are having similar issues?
Update from Jun 10, 2019: OK - Just experienced the second spontaneous crack that originated from wiper area of the right passenger side and travels to the middle of the windshield. When I washed the car at around 9:00 a.m. on Saturday - before the heat of the day, there was no crack or nick. The car did not move all weekend and when i used the auto start and pulled out of the driveway, I notices a reflection that spanned about 18-24 inches.
Called Subaru and explained the windshield cracked again with no impact at all. They told me to take it to the Subaru Dealership for inspection and I did. They found a very, very tiny chip under the wiper on the right side of the car and said that this was the reason that the windshield cracked. I explained this was the second time in less than six months that the windshield cracked like this and he said that this happens sometimes and it is just bad luck.
However, I do believe his analysis of this situation - it is bad luck that I got stuck with a very expensive (+$36,000.00) automobile that was made with incredibly cheap, defective materials, has such a poor engineering design that the technology is dependent on the use of a windshield that is so thin that it is unable to stand up to daily use. These windshields - and there are many out there for this model - do not represent the iconic reputation of durability and safety folks pay for when they buy a Subaru for their families. When i contacted Subaru Corporate Office, they stated that they were unaware of this issue with their Outbacks. Needless to say, my husband asked them if they ever read the National Highway Safety Reports/Compliants or the complaints that have accumulated on CarComplaints websites. They responded 'no." hmmmm - maybe this is why the 2020 Subaru Outbacks have an enhanced windshield that cuts down on noise when driving??? Really - that is the reason why they redesigned the Subaru Outback windshield area - to lesson noise? Doubtful - it's my opinion that Subaru redesigned the Outback windshield area to resolve the complaints of the 2018 and 2019 windshields that are constantly in need of replacement. Two every six months is what folks should expect if you got stuck with one of the Outbacks. Also have been reading that windshields are backordered!!!!!!
Returning from Rochester and a crack appears in the corner of the windshield by the passenger about 4-5 inches long. The next morning it's like 18 inches. There is no ding, no star, no full moon or half moon. I will update after I take it to a dealer.
Update from Apr 20, 2019: Dealer never fixed the problem, had to go through the insurance co. The car has 5000 miles now, no other problems so far. Insurance co covered the cost.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Had the windshield replaced 3 times due to small rocks kicked up on the highway.
After reading online forums about the repeat problem for many , I took the recommendation to replace the windshield with an aftermarket windshield , which was replaced under insurance.
- machanix, Wantagh, NY, US