2016 Subaru Outback Complaint Log

My 2016 Subaru Outback has some kind of an electrical malfunction such that the battery drains rapidly. I have had to replace the battery in my car four times since purchase in 2016. I am now on my fifth battery in six years of ownership. Most recently, my battery died today 7/5/22, and required replacement.

Dead battery. Replaced battery twice since owning vehicle. Will not start even with trying to jump.

Windshield cracked

I’m on my third battery. Since date of purchase the car has a battery drain issue that cannot be resolved. Minimal electoral use while the car is not running causes the car to not turn over. It is a safety issue because this car could leave me stranded.

Battery drains quickly. Car will not start when it has been unused for as little as a day.

Windshield is very susceptible to cracking. I had a small stone hit our windshield in spring 2020 that made a huge crack in the windshield and required replacement and re-calibration of eyesight which was quite an expense. Yesterday, I was driving and a very small stone hit the windshield and again the windshield is cracked and will need replacing. I was not behind a truck or any construction vehicle and the stone was very tiny. I have never had a replace a windshield before and now this is twice in less than two years.

The cam tower sealant failed, allowing a leak at less than 70,000 miles driven.

2016 Subaru Outback, original owner, the battery constantly drains in this car. I have come out to a dead battery many times, and have had to jump and service my battery several times a year. I have had my battery replaced at least once as well. This seems to be a constant issue, and after reading up on other owners of same and similar models, it looks like it is a software and electrical system issue. I am looking into the class action lawsuit, but think that this should be a recall and repair of these systems, as I must jump and service my battery several times a year. Thank you.

I bought this used 2016 Subaru Outback about a year and a half ago from McCords Vancouver Dealership. I've had the battery dying problem ever since I got it. I have had to call AAA for jump starts. I took the car into my mechanic because the "change warning light" had been on when I turned off the ignition the night before, and it was still blinking the next morning when I came out to start the car. He suggested that I go to Costco to get the battery replaced because it was down to only 22% efficient. They declined for several reasons. It wasn't the battery fault, it was the car! I am 92 years old and disabled. I can't get stuck on a freeway with a dead battery. I am still looking for someone to fix it. I bought this car because I assumed that a newer car would be more dependable. Boy was I wrong! I have already spent a lot of money trying to fix it. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

I’ve had my Outback for almost 6 years. I’m on my third battery. Recently in the past 3 months the battery I’ve had since 2/21 keeps going dead. It will not hold a charge and goes dead at inconvenient times. I live 30 miles from Reno and driving there for a meeting after which I try to start my car and it’s dead. I can start it with jumper cables and then I drive home. With normal driving the battery has gone dead three more times recently. I’ve taken it to Les Schwab and they’ve checked their battery and its good and so is my charging system. This last time I took it to the Subaru dealer and they said there is nothing wrong with the car. So why is my battery failing me and leaving me stranded? I make sure that no lights are on, doors open and everything is off, but I still have a dead car that I have to use a jump to start. I’m afraid to go someplace with a car I can’t rely on to start. I have about 75,000 miles on my car. The battery draining issues are very difficult to fix when Subaru says there is nothing wrong with my car. I get no warning when the battery will just go dead and I can be stranded.

Complete electrical failure after battery completely drained during normal driving conditions. Car has required 4 battery replacements since ownership when car was brand new. Subaru has denied warranty claims for this. Battery continues to drain causing car to become inoperable until battery is replaced.

I was turning around a bend, going approximately 35mpg, when the wheels no longer were turning as if not responding to the direction of the wheel, almost like it was operating independently of the steering column. The automobile slammed into the curb on the left of the road, damaging the alignment.

The transmission, without warning, stopped functioning.

This is the 4th battery in my 2016 Outback limited. Three battery replacements in 6 years. See mechanic's report that the charging system tested good but the battery was bad. He found that there is a constant draw on the battery of .726 amps after 20-30 minutes after shut down of the car. There should not be more than .05 amp draw. He said he'd have to test every line of electrical draw on the battery in order to see what is drawing power and not shutting off. That would cost 2 hours of additional labor. I did not want to spend $250 in labor to find out why Subaru malfunctions. I bought a subaru for safety and reliability, not to be isolated with a dead battery. I have needed to jump the dead batteries many times when the car would not start.

When trying to put the vehicle in park, the key will not release from the engine. After 10-15 minutes of trying, finally it will release, but in reading forums, thousands of customers have had similar issues. It seems to be a very known problem.

My vehicle battery died and I replaced it. The next day the new battery was found to be dead. I check the car battery terminals and found a parasitic drain of the battery. I have tried charging the battery several times and within 30 minutes the battery is dead. This issue can cause the driver of the vehicle to be stranded and put them in a dangerous situation.

Passenger window will not go up like it should. Gets to the top of the window and rolls back down. Will not go up unless we do short tiny bursts on the up button slowly to make it stay shut.

Car will repeatedly will not start. This has happened many times. New battery and with in weeks would not start again. Had battery checked and alternator both work fine. This is a safety issue if you need your vehicle for and emergency and it will not start.

Experienced intermittent starting problems, with other odd warning light behaviors, including unable to turn them off to try again. I know another 2016 Outback owner that was given a new battery at no charge. I paid $203.60 for new battery on 03/02/2022

2016 Subaru Outback (purchased new) with severe electrical problems in the form of (frequent) battery discharge/non-start. This has been a reoccurring issue since early 2017 and is still a problem, even after replacement of the previous battery. I've had the replacement battery tested on several occasions after recharging and the result has always been that the battery is in good operating order. Subsequent alternator tests show the alternator is charging within manufacturer specifications. I've performed multiple tests after fully recharging the batter on several occasions, making sure all electrical accessories have remained (off) for extended periods of time, and the battery continues to discharge. The electrical system has been tested with a professional scan tool, on multiple occasions, and has yielded no adverse results. There has never been any vehicle warning indicators activate to indicate a problem. Today (2/25/2022) I had to have my Outback jump started 3 times in route to my home 65 miles away. The car died on the road shortly after the first jump, and again after turning the car off to refuel. I looked online to see if anyone else has had similar issues and found the battery discharge/non-start issue to be widespread....and Subaru seems to have been aware of the issue as early as 2017 according to a TSB Subaru sent to all dealers alerting of a potential electrical problem, but providing no solution. This is a SAFETY ISSUE. If access to an operable car were ever needed in an emergency situation (or) a vehicle lost power while in operation causing an accident resulting in injury or death due to a documented issue Subaru was aware of, but neglected to address, would be tragic. Not only for owners of the affected automobiles, but also any other parties involved. This issue should be immediately investigated & addressed by the NHTSA. thank you.

The child lock in the back passenger door is stuck .

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that upon defrosting the windshield and clearing it from the heavy ice that had collected on the windshield during an ice storm, he noticed that there was a 30-inch long crack at the bottom of the windshield. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair of the windshield was not covered because the VIN was not included in Technical Service Bulletin Number: 12-192-15R; however, the manufacturer provided the contact with a coupon for the repair of the windshield. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

WENT OUT TO MY CAR THIS MORNING AND NOTICED A LINEAR 6 INCH CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD-IT EXPANDED FROM NEAR THE WIPER ON THE DRIVER SIDE UPWARD AND WITHIN 2 HOURS ANOTHER CRACK BEGAN ABOUT 5 INCHES LATERAL TO THE EVER EXPANDING FIRST CRACK WHICH IS NOW GREATER THAN 12 INCHES LONG. I CALLED DEVOE SUBARU IN NAPLES FLORIDA AND ASKED ABOUT WINDSHIELD CRACK AND REPAIR-I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR THERE 3 YEARS AGO. I WAS INFORMED THEY DO NOT REPAIR WINDSHIELDS, NEVER DID THEY MENTION THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE OUTBACK. I CONTACTED SATELLITE WINDSHIELD REPAIR AND GAVE THEM MY INSURANCE INFO AND HOPEFULLY MY PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE WILL COVER THE WINDSHIELD AND THE EYESIGHT CALIBRATION.I THEN GOOGLED THE ISSUE AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A REAL AND FREQUENT ISSUE WITH THE SUBARU.

NUMBER: WUJ-95 - Exhaust Pipe Front (EPF) Bellows Cracking recall that affects cars produced as below Model Year Carline Affected Production Dates 2015-2016 Legacy 12/16/2013 - 9/30/2015 2015-2016 Outback 12/09/2013 – 9/30/2015 Affects cars outside this date. My 2016 Subaru Outback was built in March of 2016 and the exact same part broken at the exhaust bellows, requiring a $2600 repair. Instead of a issuing a recall Subaru is offering allowances to the repair. The service advisor stated that he has performed many of the same repair outside the production dates listed on recall WUJ-95 - Exhaust Pipe Front (EPF) Bellows Cracking, The production dates need to be extend to include all cars that have defective exhaust bellows and catalytic convertors. I have images and video of the inspection.

Two windshields cracked in 6 years - this is a safety issue that should not happen.

We are original owners. Starting a month ago, after car sat for a couple of days, battery was 100% discharged. Jump started and drove for 30 minutes, then parked. Two days later, battery 100% discharged. Since original battery, had tested and shown to be weak. Bought and installed new battery. Three days of not being driven later, new battery 100% discharged. Unsafe in that, we could be left stranded if were to occur if car left at airport while on short trip, when camping, etc. This is a widely reported problem that Subaru is being sued for. There appears to be an unknown parasitic charge.

My car spontaneously burst into flames after I parked it. I had left the car parked and locked in a parking lot next to a rental house and went in to prepare dinner. 20 minutes later my friends arrived at the scene and alerted us to the fact that my car was engulfed in flames. It seems that the fire originated in the engine somehow, but exactly what started it is unclear. There was no accident or collision, and no foul play. Security cameras in the area couldn't see much, but indicate that the vehicle burst into flames pretty much just after I had left it parked and locked.

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while his wife was parking the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle accelerated forward going down a hill. The vines from the woods prevented the vehicle from going into a lake. The contact’s wife later received medical attention for an injury to her left leg. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it remained. The vehicle was not deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and sent an investigator to remove the black box from the vehicle. The manufacturer later informed the contact that, through their investigation findings, the floor mat below the accelerator pedal and the EZ pass mounted on the front windshield caused the failure. The manufacturer provided the contact with a printout of the vehicle manual. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000. The VIN was unavailable.

We have replaced about 5 windshields in this vehicle since we have owned it. The cracks form from the bottom of the windshield in the black area where a rock couldn't possibly chip the windshield. Subaru refuses to recognize this vin number as part of their class action law suit that was just settled and has refused to extend the warranty on this particular vehicle although they are covering replacement windshields for other 2016 Subaru Outbacks. They clearly recognize that there is a problem but are refusing to admit fault. You do not need to look far to find numerous complaints in forums on the internet with people describing this exact problem.

Multiple instances of the battery dying after being parked for a few days. New battery did not resolve the problem and diagnostics indicate that the battery is not the problem. Unable to use vehicle when it cannot be started. Most recent incident was 1/18/2022. First occurred shortly after I purchased the vehicle.

In January 2020 my Outback failed to start. Battery was totally discharged and had to be jumpstarted. Took the car to dealer where technician tested battery and said it was good.I had him recharge the battery and test it again. It failed and they installed a new exact same battery under warranty. I was very pleased. However, the battery failed several more times over the year and had to be jumpstarted every time.I am returning to the service dept on 01/18/22, when I am demanding a new stronger battery or fix the parasitic draw which I discovered is causing the problem. I will return here later to inform you of outcome. Thank you for providing a place to report this.

I OWN A 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40:MPH ON A LOCAL MAIN ROAD (CT RTE 10) THE EYESIGHT PRE-COLLISION BRAKE ASSIST SUDDENLY ACTIVATED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY STOP. THE BRAKES THEN RELEASED AND I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT WITH IN A MONTH THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000 THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNING LIGHTS OR ENGINE LIGHTS ON. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. THIS SUDDEN STOPPING CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

The battery dies and needs a jump start very often. Got the battery tested and there is no issue with the battery. My observation is when the vehicle is parked and the parking brake is ON then the battery discharges.

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while approaching the vehicle in the morning, she noticed a L-shaped crack in the windshield which originated on the passenger’s side of the windshield. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that an issue with the windshield wiper had caused the fracture. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 46,000.

on 2/8/22 I brought my car in for service to an independent repair shop. The service was for the 120k standard service. I had been noticing exhaust smells. They checked the exhaust and found "exhaust leak from center exhaust flange, and exhaust leave from exhaust manifold". They recommended a complete replacement of the exhaust manifold "under Subaru recall". They printed the recall for me. It is WUJ-95. Which recalls 2015-2016 outbacks for this issue. When I contacted the dealer they indicated my vehicle was not under this recall. Subaru Customer care indicated the same as did your website. Subaru said that the recall was initiated by NHTSA and that until NHTSA indicated my vehicle was included in the recall they would not repair it. My vehicle has exactly the same issue as what was found for the recall. The only thing I can assume is that my actual 2016 Subaru outback was manufactured after 9/30/15. I cannot find the exact date of manufacture so cannot tell if that is the issue. However, that actual manufacture date should not be controlling as my 2016 outback has exactly the same issue as the recall. If 2016 outbacks manufactured after 9/30/15 have this same issue they should be included in this recall. I am asking you to review this issue and include my vehicle in the recall.

Battery dies when parked for a few days or not driven enough. Needs to be jumped several times per week.

Replacement battery in under 35,000 mile Subaru discharged while sitting in garage for several weeks. There have been zero earlier problems with electrical system other than the original battery dying after about three years. When jump started the charging system seemed to work and the car started after sitting overnight. We are in a very cold northern environment and if the vehicle will not start it could strand us in an unsafe setting. Coming back to a parked car that may have been left at an airport parking lot to find it would not start would be very inconvenient and expensive to remedy.

Issue with the vehicle's exhaust being loud - upon dealership's multi-point inspection, cracked bellows was identified. Issue that was identified and fixed is described in NHTSA ID Number: 10199936, Exhaust Pipe Front (EPF) Bellows Cracking, however the VIN of my vehicle was not included (although it is the same make and model year). Request that this issue be investigated to determine if additional VINs should be included.

This is the 6th time this week the car starts fine in the morning, I stop at a gas station or store come out and its dead! Concerning safety this is a major deal for me as I take care of my mother whom is on oxygen at 2L if this happens with her in the car or by herself,, it could very easily turn into a life or death situation! This issue seems to be a recurring issue as I have replaced the battery already and used AAA more than a few times in the past year. Car was purchased new off the lot in 2016. There is currently less than 35000 miles on the odometer. This is beyond upsetting and a very dangerous situation living in Colorado. Hypothetically if it was below zero peoples lives are 100% at risk due to a issue that I feel is being covered up by subaru. What options do I have? Is this a potentially very serious issue that I should start thinking about getting lawyers involved?

The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the horn was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for a routine recall repair, and it was diagnosed and determined that the steering roll connector/clock spring had short-circuited. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

New battery, less than 10K miles completely drained when vehicle was not used for 3 days. Similar problem with previous battery, died with 10minutes or radio use.

Battery is dead every morning

On November 15, 2021 my car was in the garage as normal. I started my car and I heard a "pop" I was headed out my driveway is when I notice a crack at the bottom of the windshield that is about 3" high and then curves for about 4".

oil leak from power train

Battery corrosion on terminal post and drained for no reason, failed battery test and had to be replaced. Windshield has imperfections throughout and cracks easily. Shift mechanism will not release the vehicle key while in park. Squeaking sound emanating from passenger seat belt buckle. Excessive exhaust noise and odor from exhaust pipe. Rear hatch will not close completely unless slammed very forcefully. Belts under the hood squeak very loudly when started and subside when warmed up.

In my 2016 Outback, the OEM battery died after 3 years. AAA put in a replacement and gave me a 3 year full replacement warranty. That battery died after 2 years while in a gas station – had to get pushed away from the pump and luckily the guy behind me had jumper cables. That go me home and I got a brand spanking new AAA battery free of charge. One incident – stuff happens. Two? No way. I was at Subaru this morning for an unrelated item and the service guy said that everything electrically was okay. The problem is that if the car sits idle for more than 3 days the computer starts draining the battery and that can cause irreparable harm which can eventually lead to premature failure. SOLUTION: Make sure to run the car at least every three days. REALLY????

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.

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.

Key sticks in ignition and won’t release. Takes from a few attempts to several minutes of restarting the car, putting car in drive and then park, turning the wheel etc.

The battery in my car has been replaced 3 times (twice by the dealer and once by me) and the alternator once due to deep discharge, in addition I have had to "jump" the car one or more times. Subaru has paid the cost of all repairs for this issue despite the fact they don't admit there is an issue. In addition to the battery replacement there was an ECM update done this last time to reduce battery drain. There is no warning or indication that a failure is about to occur. This last time I moved the car from my garage to my driveway and 4 hours later, the car would not start and the battery measured 4.25 volts--no lights were left on, doors open, seat heaters on etc. The concern is that it is impossible to tell if the car has drained the battery and it can leave us stranded anywhere we have turned it off. I contacted Subaru of America this last time and they said not even to "jump" it as it would possible loose valuable error codes. I have their roadside assistance and even though I received a call confirming that a flatbed would arrive within 60 mins. it never showed. This car has the potential to leave us stranded anywhere at any time and if locked the key fob does not work and even if I can get in, the car can't be moved due to no power to release the parking break.