2017 Subaru Outback Complaint Log

FRONT DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER DOORS DO NOT LOCK AUTOMATICALLY AND REMAIN UNLOCK WHEN SHIFT IN DRIVE WHEN CAR IS STATIONARY AND ALSO WHEN CARE IN MOTION. NO VOICE, LIGHT OR ANY ALERTS THAT ALERT THE DRIVER TO LOCK THE DOORS MANUALLY EVERY TIME YOU DRIVE THE CAR. THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IF YOU FORGET TO LOCK THE DOORS MANUALLY AND BY ANY CHANCE SNAPS ON THE DOOR HANDLE, CAR DOOR WILL OPEN AND FATALITIES CAN OCCUR. SPOKE WITH SERVICE ADVISOR AT MY SUBARU DEALER AND HE STATED THAT THIS ISSUE IS REAL AND THERE IS NO WAY TO PROGRAM THE VEHICLE TO LOCK THE FRONT DOORS AUTOMATICALLY WHEN IT IS IN DRIVE OR AT CERTAIN SPEED. I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER CARS THAT HAVE SAME ISSUE, EVEN OLDER CARS 10 PLUS YEARS OLD CARS HAS THIS SAFETY FEATURE AS STANDARD. THIS ISSUE IS NOT MENTIONED ANYWHERE IN THE VEHICLE MANUAL AND SALES PERSONS DO NOT TALK ABOUT. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A KEY FACTOR WHEN CHOOSING TO BUY SUBARU OUTBACK.

MILEAGE: 248. CAR CONTINUE TO MOVE BACKWARD AFTER SHIFTING FROM REVERSE INTO DRIVE. SHIFTING BACK TO REVERSE AND AGAIN TO FORWARD ( 3 TIMES) DID NOT HELP. IT HAPPENED ON A LEVEL PARKING LOT (SLOW SPEED MOVING). AFTER SHIFTING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FROM PARKING TO REVERSE VEHICLE STARTS MOVING BACKWARD. AFTER COMPLETE STOP, SHIFT LEVER WAS MOVED FROM REVERSE INTO DRIVE. CAR CONTINUE TO DRIVE BACKWARDS AFTER APPLYING GAS PEDAL. SHIFT LEVER WAS MOVED BACK TO REVERSE AND AGAIN INTO DRIVE. CAR STILL WAS MOVING BACKWARDS. THERE WAS 2 MORE ATTEMPTS TO SHIFT BACK INTO REVERSE AND INTO DRIVE. NO HELP. ONLY 4-TH ATTEMPT WAS SUCCESSFUL AND CAR STARTS MOVING FORWARD. ONLY BECAUSE DRIVER WAS VERY CAREFUL AND MOWING AT SLOW SPEED, COLLISION WITH OTHERS CARS ON A PARKING LOT WAS AVOIDED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW IN WHAT DIRECTION CAR WILL MOVE AFTER SHIFTING FROM REVERSE INTO DRIVE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,360.

TL* 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*JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHEN ROTATING OR REPLACING TIRES, THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. FLASHED AT THE SUBARU DEALER SINCE 2015. IF NOT, THEY WOULD NOT BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH NEW YORK AND WOULD FAIL INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. UPDATED 01/25/2017*CT

FAULTY OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM. TURNS OFF AIRBAG WITH PASSENGER. TURNS ON AIRBAG AND SEATBELT CHIME WITH NO PASSENGER/WEIGHT. INTERMITTENT. BRAND NEW CAR WITH 700 MILES AND BROUGHT IN 3 TIMES TO SUBARU SANTA MONICA. SERVICE CENTER UNABLE TO REPLICATE PROBLEM, BUT I SENT THEM VIDEOS.

NHTSA ID NUMBER: 11003485 I AGREE WITH THIS COMPLAINT AS WAS COMPLETELY SURPRISED WHEN I RETURNED TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE DOORS RE-PROGRAMED TO "AUTO-LOCK" AFTER ACCEPTING THIS AUTOMOBILE FRONT DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER DOORS DO NOT LOCK AUTOMATICALLY AND REMAIN UNLOCK WHEN SHIFT IN DRIVE WHEN CAR IS STATIONARY AND ALSO WHEN CARE IN MOTION. NO VOICE, LIGHT OR ANY ALERTS THAT ALERT THE DRIVER TO LOCK THE DOORS MANUALLY EVERY TIME YOU DRIVE THE CAR. THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IF YOU FORGET TO LOCK THE DOORS MANUALLY AND BY ANY CHANCE SNAPS ON THE DOOR HANDLE, CAR DOOR WILL OPEN AND FATALITIES CAN OCCUR. SPOKE WITH SERVICE ADVISOR AT MY SUBARU DEALER AND HE STATED THAT THIS ISSUE IS REAL AND THERE IS NO WAY TO PROGRAM THE VEHICLE TO LOCK THE FRONT DOORS AUTOMATICALLY WHEN IT IS IN DRIVE OR AT CERTAIN SPEED. I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER CARS THAT HAVE SAME ISSUE, EVEN OLDER CARS 10 PLUS YEARS OLD CARS HAS THIS SAFETY FEATURE AS STANDARD. THIS ISSUE IS NOT MENTIONED ANYWHERE IN THE VEHICLE MANUAL AND SALES PERSONS DO NOT TALK ABOUT. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A KEY FACTOR WHEN CHOOSING TO BUY SUBARU OUTBACK.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THERE WAS AN LOUD ABNORMAL SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THE ALL THE WINDOWS FAILED TO FUNCTION EXCEPT FOR THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000. UPDATED 01/11/2017*CT UPDATED 06/07/17*LJ CONSUMER DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF WINDOW FAILURE AND IT WAS FIXED. (STILL MAKING SAME LOUD NOISE (12-3-16). UPDATED 7/9/18*JB *TR

SUBARU MARKETS THEIR HIGH BEAM ASSIST (HBA) FEATURE AS WORKING 'IN CONJUNCTION WITH EYESIGHT TO AUTOMATICALLY SWITCH THE HEADLIGHTS BETWEEN THE HIGH AND LOW SETTINGS WHEN AN ONCOMING VEHICLE IS DETECTED.' THAT'S NOT ENTIRELY TRUE AND THAT'S WHERE THE SAFETY ISSUE COMES INTO PLAY. THE HBA FEATURE TURNS OFF HIGH BEAMS AT LOWER SPEEDS NO MATTER IF AN ONCOMING CAR IS PRESENT AND ABSOLUTELY TURNS THEM OFF AT A STOP SIGN. THIS MAKES FOR TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS IN RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES DANGEROUS. IN OUR COMMUNITY, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S VERY HILLY AND CURVY WITH A LOT OF WILDLIFE AND PEOPLE WHO WALK/JOG SO SPEEDS ARE OFTEN BELOW 20 MPH, THE SPEED AT WHICH SUBARU'S MANUAL SAYS THIS FEATURE WORKS. IF ANYTHING, WHEN THERE IS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC IN A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES HIGH BEAMS SHOULD ALWAYS BE ON AT NIGHT. THIS ALLOWS FOR THE EARLIER DETECTION OF PEOPLE AND ANIMALS. IN TALKING TO SUBARU THEY REALLY DIDN'T CARE AT ALL THAT THIS CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND OFFERED TO TELL THEIR ENGINEERS. OF COURSE, THIS CAN BE TURNED OFF, BUT ONLY BY VISITING A DEALER AND PAYING THEM TO FIX SUBARU'S DESIGN FLAW. NHTSA SHOULD REQUIRE SUBARU TO 1) FIX THIS FEATURE SO THAT IT ONLY DIMS HIGH BEAMS WHEN THERE IS ONCOMING TRAFFIC; AND 2) REQUIRE SUBARU OFFER TO DISABLE THE FEATURE FREE OF CHARGE AT ANY AUTHORIZED DEALER UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS FIXED.

SAFETY DEFECT OPERATOR DATA: BLIND SPOT INDICATOR IS ONLY PRESENTED ON EXTERNAL REVIEW MIRROR. DATA SHOULD BE PROVIDED IN CENTER INSTRUMENT CLUSTER RATHER THAN HAVING TO DEFLECT FOCUS FROM DIRECTION OF TRAVEL.

VEHICLE DESIGN SAFETY DEFECT: AFTER LOCKING DOORS WHILE SEATED IN VEHICLE MUST SELECT UNLOCK TO EXIT VEHICLE. IN AN EMERGENCY SAFETY DICTATES THAT PULLING DOOR OPEN LEVER WOULD OPEN DOOR IN ONE ACTION.

The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the battery drained without warning. Additionally, the liftgate would inadvertently open. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that a battery replacement was needed. An electronic update was completed. The battery had been replaced three times. The manufacturer was contacted but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 35,000.

The battery doesn’t last as long as I think it should. The car is 5 years old and I’m on my 3rd battery.that doesn’t seem normal.