There are 7 owner-reported visibility & wipers complaints for the 2014 Subaru Outbackin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. DURING A RAINSTORM, WATER ENTERED THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE SUN ROOF AND DRENCHED THE CABIN. THE FAILURE CAUSED $1,769 WORTH OF DAMAGE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED BECAUSE A DRAIN TUBE ON THE SUN ROOF BECAME CLOGGED AND CAUSED THE WATER TO BACK UP AND ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CHATHAM PARKWAY SUBARU (7 PARK OF COMMERCE WAY, SAVANNAH, GA 31405, (888) 430-0231) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE DRAINS WERE CLOGGED. THE DEALER CLEANED THE DRAINS, REPLACED THE CARPET, AND REPLACED THE AMPLIFIER AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS MISSED DURING AN EARLIER SERVICE VISIT WITH THE DEALER THAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,904.
SPONTANEOUS CRACK IN WINDSHIELD, BEGINNING AT THE BOTTOM CENTER, WHILE CAR WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT.
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN AN ARC PATTERN STARTING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE TO PASSENGER SIDE RESULTING IN A PERFECT SYMMETRICAL PATTERN. IT WAS AROUND 10 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND THE VEHICLES DEFROST AND HEAT WERE ON HIGH. NO OBJECT HIT WINDSHIELD BEFORE CRACK FORMED. VERY LOUD CRACKING NOISE AND SLOW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT FORMATION. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT WHAT CAUSED CRACK AND THEY SAID "MUST HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A ROCK". AT THAT TIME THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A CHIP IN WINDSHIELD, JUST THE CRACK. LATER IN THE YEAR I AGAIN WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN ABOUT CRACKS HAPPENING IN THIS LOCATION ON THE WINDSHIELD AND WHILE USING DEFROSTER. THEIR RESPONSE WAS NOT OCCURRING WITH 2014 OUTBACKS. IN JUNE I WENT TO LOU FUSZ DEALERSHIP TO DISCUSS THIS PROBLEM. BY NOW MORE THAN 6 MONTHS SINCE OCCURRENCE, THERE ARE ROCK CHIPS IN WINDSHIELD THEREFORE THEY SAID CAUSED BY ROCK. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED DUE TO THE DEFROST MECHANISM LOCATION AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE WINDSHIELD GLASS.
I BOUGHT OUTBACK FROM DEALER ON 9/26/2018, AND WHEN WEATHER TURNED COOL, WINDSHIELD CRACKED. I HAD SAFELITE/LIBERTY REPLACE ON 10/22/2018, AND DIDN'T DRIVE UNTIL WEDNESDAY, 10/24/2018 WHEN I DROVE ON I81. TRUCK THREW STONE AND I CALLED TO REPAIR, BUT THEY COULDN'T FIX IN AFTERNOON. THURSDAY AT 8 A.M. THE WINDSHIELD WAS ALREADY CRACKED BEYOND REPAIR. HAD TO CALL INSURANCE COMPANY AND REPLACE AGAIN ON 10/25/2018. SEEMS WINDSHIELDS ARE DEFECTIVE ONLY ON HIGHWAY TWICE, CRACKED TWICE! I HAD MY PREVIOUS CAR 17 YEARS AND NEVER CHANGED WINDSHIELD. I HAVE ONLY PUT APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES ON CAR AND HAVE TO CHANGE TWICE. AFRAID TO GO ON HIGHWAY. THANK YOU
2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SUNROOF DRAINS BEING CLOGGED WHICH CAUSED WATER TO LEAK INTO VEHICLE WHEN RAINING. *LD *JS
BACKUP CAMERA ALLOWS WATER TO SEEP IN AND FRY THE CAMERA WHICH PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN BACKING UP (SMALL CHILDREN, PETS, ETC YOU COULDN'T SEE OTHERWISE IF DIRECTLY BEHIND -IN THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE). SUBARU IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT BUT HAS NOT CORRECTED IT, SO IF YOU HAVE THEM INSTALL A NEW CAMERA FOR APPROXIMATELY $350.00) YOU'RE GETTING ANOTHER LEAKY CAMERA THAT IS DOOMED TO FAIL. THE DEALER SAID REPLACEMENT CAMERA IS THE SAME ONE AS ORIGINAL.
THE WINDSHIELD POPPED AND CRACKED ACROSS THE BOTTOM FROM THE HEAT OF THE DEFROST FUNCTION. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026