Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Subaru Outback submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
The Rear Gate Harness wires that are in the grommet wear and break from the rear gate going up and down. This issue has many issues. Rear lighting and break light, rear wiper, also rear locking mechanism and other unknown issues.
MY 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK IS ON ITS SECOND AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL UNIT/CD PLAYER (IT IS AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM). A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE SECOND FACTORY REPLACEMENT UNIT STARTED FLASHING AGAIN WHILE DRIVING (SEE ATTACHED IMAGES). WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE CLIMATE CONTROL BUTTONS (INCLUDING THE FRONT AND REAR DEFROSTER BUTTONS) ARE COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. THE UNIT FLASHES WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN STATIONARY. I DO HAVE A SHORT VIDEO SHOWING THE PROBLEM, BUT AM UNABLE TO ATTACH IT TO THIS WEB FORM. HAPPY TO SHARE IF THERE IS A WAY TO DO SO.
STICKY, MELTING DASHBOARD, SHINY AND REFLECTIVE IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT CREATING VISIBILITY PROBLEMS, UNSURE HOW IT WILL REACT IF PASSENGER AIRBAG MUST BE DEPLOYED THRU DETERIORATING DASHBOARD, AFFECTING RESALE VALUE. DASHBOARD LITERALLY COMES OFF ON HANDS OR WIPING RAGS, POSSIBLE RELEASE OF CHEMICALS INTO INTERIOR? SUBARU WILL ONLY ADDRESS 1/3 OF THE DEFECT REPAIR COST. TOTAL AVERAGE COST FOR REPLACEMENT IS APPROX $1500-1600.00, ACTUAL DASHBOARD ITSELF RETAILS FOR $502.50 FROM DEALERS AND IS APARENTLY AVAILABLE WITHIN A FEW DAYS WHEN ORDERED. SUBARU GAVE CREDIT FOR $500.00, ALMOST COVERING THE COST OF THE DASHBOARD / COVER ONLY*** APPROX. $1000 .00 IN LABOR MUST BE PAID BY CUSTOMER. CAR IS IN OTHERWISE IMMACULENT CONDITION. THIS IS A DEFECT AFFECTING SAFETY, AND IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SUBARU EFFECTING ALL OF THIS MODEL AND SIMILAR MODELS WITH HIGH SUN EXPOSURE. IT IS ALSO CROSS MANUFACTURER AFFECTED, IE; TOYOTA, NISSAN, ETC. THEY HAVE TAKEN THE ROLE OF RECALL AND REPLACE. SUBARU HAS NOT TO DATE. SUBARU IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM YET REFUSES TO ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR.
AIR BAG: THE "OVHD CONSOLE PASS ON OFF INDICATOR" HAD TO BE REPLACED. SEAT BELTS: THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT RELIABLY. IT HAS BROKEN THE LEFT FRONT DOOR SWITCH TWICE. WINDSHIELD WIPERS: THE WIPER BLADE TRANSMISSION UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED.
HVAC FAILS TO OPERATE. DEFROSTER WILL NOT OPERATE. SYMPTOMS ACCOMPANIED BY FLASHING CONTROL PANEL FOR HVAC AND RADIO. WIDESPREAD REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM SHARED ON CAR OWNER INTERNET FORUMS.
DASHBOARD HAS SUDDENLY BECOME VERY STICKY/TACKY, AND EXTREMELY SHINY. ATTEMPTS TO CLEAN OR REMOVE APPARENT RESIDUE HAVE HAD NO EFFECT ON STICKINESS, AND LINT FROM RAGS OR PAPER TOWELS TENDS TO STICK TO DASH. IN SUNLIGHT, MOONLIGHT OR STREETLIGHT, DASHBOARD SURFACE REFLECTS ONTO WINDSHIELD AND POSES A SAFETY HAZARD. DASHBOARD PLASTIC APPEARS TO BE CHEMICALLY BREAKING DOWN OR MELTING. A SIMILAR ISSUE AFFECTED SEVERAL MILLION TOYOTA VEHICLES FROM THE SAME MANUFACTURE DATE (2007-8), PARTICULARLY IN SUNNIER STATES WITH MORE UV EXPOSURE (FL, AZ, CA) AND TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL. SUSPECT THE SAME/A SIMILAR SUBCONTRACTOR PROVIDED SIMILAR/IDENTICAL PLASTIC TO BOTH MANUFACTURERS. OUR CAR HAS BEEN KEPT MOSTLY OUTDOORS IN MD, CA AND HI. SUBARU HAS YET TO FOLLOW TOYOTA IN ISSUING A RECALL. SEVERE VISIBILITY HAZARD. *TR
MELTED DASHBOARD ON 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5I. CAUSING GLARE IN WINDSHIELD REDUCING VISIBILITY. *TR
HVAC / RADIO (CD 6 DISC CHANGER MODEL) FAST FLASHING, ALL FUNCTIONS STAY ENABLED BUT CAN NOT BE CONTROLLED FROM THE PANEL. CAN NOT TURN ON DEFROST UNIT OR ADJUST TEMPERATURE OR RADIO CONTROLS WHILE FLASHING OCCURS. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY FOR A YEAR AND HAS GOTTEN SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE WHERE CONTROLS ARE UNAVAILABLE FOR 20 MINUTES OR MORE AT A TIME. DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WINTER WHEN YOU CAN NOT USE THE DEFROST BUTTONS TO DEICE WINDOWS OR CONTROL WINDOW FOGGING. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .