2020 Subaru Legacy Visibility Problems

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that during inclement weather, the front driver and front passenger’s side power windows failed to automatically roll up as intended. The contact was forced to hold the power window button to slowly roll the windows up. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where the contact was informed that there was debris in the slides inside the windows, causing the windows to fail to retract. The contact stated that the driver’s side window retractor was replaced; however, the failure returned soon after the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 29,000.

NHTSA ID

11697739

Incident

Jul 1, 2024

Mileage

29,000 mi

I have had two spontaneous window cracks within 6 to 9 months apart. I had a full windshield replacement and the windshield has just cracked again. The second incident, the vehicle was parked overnight so it wasn't caused by a rock or from following a car.

NHTSA ID

11588664

Incident

May 14, 2024

This past Sunday evening, I drove to the convenience store 4 blocks away. As I returned, I noticed a crack in the windshield starting in the middle from the left edge and was about 12 inches long. No gravel marks were found, it had cracked for no apparent reason. Sitting the next night in the garage, the crack increased about 6 more inches by the next morning. Filed claim with my insurance and was subsequently replaced by Safelite here in Knoxville Tn. This cost me $100 out of pocket and no telling how much my insurance had paid. I just found the class action today.

NHTSA ID

11548905

Incident

Oct 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that there was a crack on the front windshield that was not caused by an impact. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the front windshield was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the contact would receive a callback. The failure mileage was 8,000.

NHTSA ID

11540581

Incident

Nov 24, 2022

Mileage

8,000 mi

Windshield spontaneously cracked at top. I came outside in the morning after a temperature fluctuation and there was a crack at the top with one piece of the glass sitting lower… it has since grown. I have been forced to drive with the crack as Subaru will do anything to not honor a warranty, ever. The eyesight I am learning is necessary for the vehicle to avoid front end collisions and to properly deploy the airbag. The crack started in November, it’s almost August, and I cannot get it replaced under the warranty I paid. I see many people have the same problem. You can even see where the windshield cracked where an iPass was mounted from a temperature change. The wipers also cannot keep up with moderate rain, causing rain blindness in moderate precipitation and the lightest rain will turn off the eyesight causing a malfunction that will not assist in avoiding a collision. In addition, I will be complaining with the CFTC for the warranty issues. I cannot even get records of my warranty or service. Example: window regulator was a problem off the log, and salesman used it as an example, service won’t repair. I regret buying a Subaru, they claim to be safe and reliable with great service, I am only having problems that affect the safe operation of the vehicle and I paid all this extra for full bumper to bumper and they tell me that it doesn’t exist. In addition, that vehicle claims to get close to 30mpg, I am being completely honest when I say I had about the same mileage in a 1995 Cadillac Deville, and the mileage I got in a 2009 BMW twin-turbo far exceeded the mpg. I tried to get it repaired today under warranty. I was yelled at that it was an impact, and I wish I knew… would have said, “is it more likely that I’m lying or the company that’s been successfully sued 4 times for this exact problem is at fault?” Perhaps there was a light impact in the months AFTER it broke parked in a unheated garage.

NHTSA ID

11535129

Incident

Nov 1, 2022

2020 Subaru Legacy Touring XT - Windshield cracked for no apparent reason. No stone or rock chips visible. Had same issue on previously owned 2015 Subaru Legacy. The crack starts at the base of the passenger side where heat strips are located to keep the wiper blades from freezing. The cracked windshield may cause the Subaru EyeSight safety system to malfunction, putting all passengers at risk for a potential accident. I had it inspected at a Subaru dealership. The service technician confirmed that this was a know problem. He suggested I call Subaru of America for assistance. I'm still within the 3 year warranty period but windshields are not covered. He said Subaru dealerships do not repair windshields. They will engage a 3rd party repair shop if needed. My vehicle is included in a pending class action lawsuit against Subaru for this issue. Safelite Autoglass estimated my windshield replacement at $1,035.00 (without insurance).

NHTSA ID

11510789

Incident

Feb 2, 2023

Windshield cracked for no apparent reason. May cause the Subaru EyeSight safety system to malfunction. Crack started at the bottom of passenger side windshield where the heat strips are located for wiper blades not to freeze.

NHTSA ID

11504932

Incident

Jan 26, 2023

A crack appeared in the windshield overnight while parked in the driveway with no sign of impact or other causes. This seems to be an ongoing problem with Subaru since they changed to acoustic glass for their windshields.

NHTSA ID

11496556

Incident

Dec 7, 2022

Front Windshield has broken last year without any sign of impact. This year front windshield has broken after very light impact. Front windshield is very weak and is not reliable even after replacement.

NHTSA ID

11481091

Incident

Jul 8, 2022

The windshield developed a crack that started at the right A Pillar center of glass and is about 18" long. There are no visible "impact" points from anything hitting the glass. There is no "star" either. I did not hear anything hit the glass. The fissure just appeared one day.

NHTSA ID

11462968

Incident

Apr 25, 2022

For the second time in 2 months my windshield spontaneously cracked while the car was parked.

NHTSA ID

11462139

Incident

Apr 25, 2022

Front windshield cracked and there was no apparent ding from rock. Crack came from side and spread quickly. I had it replaced by Subaru and 4 months later it happened again. The crack again came from the side with no reason. Two replacements out of my own pocket. My 2020 Legacy windshield must be defective

NHTSA ID

11457460

Incident

Sep 6, 2021

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated while driving approximately 25-30 MPH on a smooth residential road, the windshield started cracking. The contact stated that there was no external cause for the failure. The contact stated that the horizontal crack was located at the base of the windshield and was 7-inches long starting on the driver’s side. The contact stated that the crack was extending. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that he would be responsible for the cost of the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 9,000.

NHTSA ID

11457329

Incident

Feb 22, 2022

Mileage

9,000 mi

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, the contact noticed a fracture at the bottom center of the windshield that was approximately 12-inches long. The contact stated that this would be the fourth fractured windshield in approximately a year and a half due to sudden fractures without impact. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who confirmed the fracture was not caused by an impact. The windshield was replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 12,000.

NHTSA ID

11454025

Incident

Jul 1, 2020

Mileage

12,000 mi

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle, he discovered a vertical crack had formed on the lower center section of the windshield without incident. The contact stated that the crack then spread horizontally and was obstructed his vision while driving. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where the windshield was inspected and pictures were taken; the contact was informed that the pictures would be sent to the manufacturer for final approval for repair. The contact had not yet received a response from the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified by the contact about the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.

NHTSA ID

11451317

Incident

Jan 2, 2022

Mileage

27,000 mi

A very small chip in the windshield has now turned into a large crack. The chip is 1-2mm in depth. I have never seen such a small chip turn into a crack like this.

NHTSA ID

11446323

Incident

Dec 29, 2021

This is in regard to the thin and fragile windshield subaru has decided to put into their vehicles of which there are already several civilian class action lawsuits which should have already warranted an investigation into the glass. In my particular case, the windshield is so soft whenever the slightest rock hits it, big chips come out of it. The vehicle has 5,100 miles on it and has a windshield that is worse than my 2007 subaru with 95,000 miles. Yesterday a small pebble struck the lower right corner of my windshield initially putting a chip that then cracked sitting in the garage overnight. In all my years I have had other strikes happen such as a huge rock falling off of a gravel truck (I have this on dash cam video) striking my windshield with minimal damage. Anything that touches this new 2020 subaru windshield results in a chip and or a crack compromising the rigidity of the structure, impairing visibility, and thus jeopardizing the safety of the driver. I do not feel safe driving this vehicle as I feel if a large enough rock would ever strike the windshield that it would result in catastrophic failure.

NHTSA ID

11441840

Incident

Nov 27, 2021

I purchased a 2020 Subaru Legacy Sport in March of 2020. On August 25th 2020, while on the freeway a small rock chipped the upper passenger side of the windshield. By the next morning it turned into a crack which spanned almost half of the windshield directly in front of the Eyesight cameras. Once the glass was replaced with an OEM windshield, I noticed the new glass appeared to have defects. During peak glare times, the windshield appeared "pitted" as if it had been sand-blasted and was nearly impossible to see out of. I had a professional technician inspect the windshield and a new one was ordered and installed. This took months to be resolved. Next was on July 15th 2021, a small rock caused a bullseye chip in my windshield too large to be fixed. Another OEM windshield was installed. On October 21st 2021 another small rock hit the windshield on the freeway and caused a chip immediately. Within a minute the glass made a loud cracking sound and a crack over a foot long instantly appeared. In 1 year 8 months, I've had the windshield replaced 4 times. The glass is brittle and/or defective. It's dangerous and costly and needs to be addressed.

NHTSA ID

11438983

Incident

Oct 22, 2021

Had a small rock hit my window near the driver's side on the bottom. The window cracked instantly. It was a large crack!

NHTSA ID

11438752

Incident

Sep 11, 2021

The windshield just made a popping noise and cracked while driving.

NHTSA ID

11428585

Incident

Aug 10, 2021

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that the front windshield had cracked without impact. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,950.

NHTSA ID

11425820

Incident

Jun 30, 2021

Mileage

24,950 mi

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph, the front windshield cracked without warning or impact. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be inspected. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a rock chip. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 27,482.

NHTSA ID

11425439

Incident

Jun 29, 2021

Mileage

27,482 mi

I have needed to replace the windshield twice in the last month. A tiny chip starts running quickly. The glass company said that the windshield felt soft and should not have run a his touch.

NHTSA ID

11425438

Incident

Jul 9, 2021

This is the 2nd time my windshield cracked for no apparent reason

NHTSA ID

11424355

Incident

Jul 3, 2021

April 29, 2021 I went to drive my car and found my windshield cracked. I didn't hear anything hit the windshield the night before, but there was a 4 inch crack in the windshield when I went to drive to work. It continued to crack until I could get it replaced which ended up being about 10-12 inches a week later when I could finally get it replaced.

NHTSA ID

11423748

Incident

Apr 29, 2021