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 vehicle's front windshield has cracked twice in nearly the exact same manner, location, and type of damage. In both cases, a presumably very small piece of debris that I couldn't see and could barely hear hit the windshield and instantly cracked the windshield. The windshield cracked in the same manner (one large lateral crack about 8" towards the center and 6" all the way through the right side edge of the windshield). Both instances left a very small pock mark where the crack originated. The first instance occurred in May 2022 (I had owned the car for one week); the second instance occurred December 2023. The incidents were not inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. I have photos of both windshields. I still have the second cracked windshield installed, but plan to replace it soon since it is unsafe to drive with.
Windshield crack originating from under wiper area after a cold day. No known rock impact. Found a super small spot around the size of a period under the wiper blade. Second broken windshield in 18 months. These windshields do not seem very durable
Large crack in windshield extending to lower edge of passenger side without any inciting event with a rock chip or otherwise. Temp was 64 degrees and occurred while parked in the driveway. This is second occurrence. This same event also occurred in May of this year and Subaru covered under warranty as there was no damage. Safelight now is advertising to fix these Subaru windshields with eyesight as it is so common to crack without damage. Need a recall and thicker windshield.
- Norman, OK, USA
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Purchased the 2022 outback in April and very shortly after, had a cracked windshield right in the middle of the driver's line of sight. There was no noticeable sign of impact on the windshield. Replaced with a "deal" from the dealer at $1000. Not even 4k miles later, another Crack that's spread on the passenger side, in the middle of the windshield. Dealer says $1500 to replace (insurance is a $1000 deductible). Again. No noticeable sign of impact causing the Crack. Looking to now replace this new vehicle as our household cannot afford to replace these windshields every few thousand miles.
While driving small pebble fell on windshield causing approx. 1mm chipp. Within minutes that chipp turned into 9-10" crack from bottom center into passenger side. Never had a windshield so sensitive. I have 2014 Forester with few similar windshield chipps but they stay the same, do not cause cracks. It looks to me that Outback windshield does not hold up against normal use.
The windshield on my 2022 Subaru Outback has cracked twice with a year's time without impact! The first crack in February 2023 was detected after the car was parked overnight. The crack extended from the edge of the windshield on the drivers side and into the field of vision by approx. 24". The dealer said it was an impact however no impact of any kind occurred. I reported it to Corproate Subaru offices (Case#230120-1800472), who agreed to replace the windshield and the associated eyesight camera equipment, most likely because there are many incidences of this happening with their vehicles. The most recent re-occurrence of the windshield cracking without impact happened in early Dec. 2023. Again, no impact occurred and the crack was found after the vehicle was parked for about an hour after I attended a gallery opening. This time the dealer once again performed the same test performed in February (by using a pen that notes an indentation the size of a pinhead). Once again the crack starts from the edge of the windshield and extends through the line of vision by about 24" which creates a severe safety issue, especially when driving at night. Although the Subaru Corporate office replaced the first incident of this, they are now saying with the new case I opened (Case 231204-1901299) that they won't replace the most recent incident, even when it is exactly the same as the first! It seems as though Subaru won't own up to the fact that their windshields are faulty and have a propensity for stress fractures which is a serious safety issue.
stayed in Bangor Maine cold night frost on windshield, turned on defrost within several minute my wife noticed two small cracks at the bottom of the windshield, within several minutes the progress up wards for about 5bin and joined together and continued to about 10 on and started across to the drivers side, the crack is about b14 in long at this time, wet to a subaru dealer they tried to convince it was a rock, I pointed out the crack was at the bottom of the window and, said he could nothing.Went to a nation repair window business they confirmed it was not a rock, their opinion there is a flaw in the glass.There was no prior symptom to this taking place
This car has only 6030 miles on it and is less than 2 years old. I came out of the grocery store and the windshield was cracked. There was no ding or something that hit it. The crack just was suddenly there and started underneath the rubber lining around the windshield at the bottom. The crack has grown to 1/3rd the entire size of the windsheid...all by itself. This is a $1200 windshield to replace. I understand this is a big problem with Subaru windshield on 2022 model Outbacks and CrossTrek
Less than 3 months ago I reported 11543521. Now, the very first rock to hit this new OEM replacement windshield caused a 7-8 inch crack to form in the middle and start to propagate. There are still less than 8000 miles on the car.
In the past 10 months, the windshield on my vehicle spontaneously cracked twice while I was driving (December 2022 and October 2023). In both instances there was no perceptible impact; a crack suddenly appeared on the left (driver's side) edge of the windshield, about 1/3 of the way from the bottom, and spread across my field of vision. This is a safety issue because it affect the driver's ability to see the roadway. It might also affect the strength and integrity of the windshield itself should it actually be hit by road debris or other objects. The vehicle was inspected by the Subaru service center both times when it was repaired. Again, if there was impact in either of the incidents, it was imperceptible, and certainly should not have caused any damage to windshield, let alone the extensive cracking that occurred.
A month ago I was sitting in my car in a parking lot when the windshield on the passenger side cracked about 1 foot in an "S" shape. There were no other cars, rocks, etc. around and you cannot see or feel an impact point on the crack or anywhere on the windshield. The crack has spread over the last week and formed a "T" split in line with the rearview mirror.
Windshield spontaneously cracked while we were starting the car in a parking lot. No movement and no impact points along the crack. Initiated at the bottom of windshield exactly at the center point and worked up toward the middle. Dealers (West Houston Subaru, followed by Gillman Subaru) could not point out an impact point along the crack but indicated this was not a dealer problem.
While parked for about two hours, the vehicle windshield cracked from the drivers side edge across the middle of the drivers field of view approximately 15-18 inches. There are no signs of any impact to the windshield to cause such a crack.
2022 Outback with 24,000 miles, was parked in the garage all weekend and found an 18 inch crack in the drivers side windshield starting on the left edge. This windshield was replaced 5 months ago due for the same reason. Nothing hit the windshield while driving. Both cracks appeared while the car was parked in a ramp or garage.
When in a parking lot the windshield started cracking from bottom up and formed a T. Crack is about 12 inches long in front windshield. There are no signs of a rock or anything else that hit the windshield.
The very first rock to ever hit the windshield landed around 9pm (6000 miles total on the car). The next day driving around 10am in the rain a 30" crack formed, that eventually spread from one side of the windshield to the middle.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Las Vegas, NV, USA