2015 Subaru Outback Body & structure Problems

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while the vehicle was at the dealer for an oil change and snow tire replacement, the contact was informed that the sub frame and the brake lines were severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, 802 Toyota (30 Berlin Mall Rd, Berlin, VT 05602) for a Trade-In, and it was confirmed that the sub frame was corroded during the appraisal inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the failure was caused by salt damage; however, the contact stated that the vehicle was used for leisure rather than commute since the contact was retired. The failure mileage was 86,801.

NHTSA ID

11700816

Incident

Nov 3, 2025

Mileage

86,801 mi

The front subframe on my 2015 subaru 3.6r has rapidly rusted in a few years to the point of a safety concern. The vehicle is lightly driven, with 91,000 miles on it after almost 10 years. We live in the Northeast. I take this car in for regular inspections and service every six months and the service center I work with has not alerted me of any issues until this past march when they found the subframe almost completely rotted in the middle. Subaru has had similar issues subject to recalls for the rear subframe. Notably, my rear subframe does not have this issue. Evidence is available that this is exact issue is happening to many cars in this generation, found upon scanning forums such as reddit [XXX] and the subaruoutback.org owners forum [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11652007

Incident

Mar 31, 2025

Driver door interior, de-bonding of the horizontal crash protection from the outer door panel. Online research indicates this is a common issue.

NHTSA ID

11638205

Incident

Jul 1, 2024

My sunroof glass just shattered spontaneously while I was driving. Thankfully the door was closed or me and my daughter would have been showered by glass while in the road. Nothing hit the car , I just heard a loud bang over my heard and when I stopped to see what happened my sunroof was in pieces!

NHTSA ID

11637190

Incident

Jan 20, 2025

2015 Subaru Outback Premium. Took in to a very helpful local Subaru Dealer and they discovered that the front subframe has rusted out seemingly prematurely. The vehicle just turned 10 years old with and upon doing research it seems to be a widely known commonly occurring problem. Would be handy if Subaru of America could do a recall on the front subframe as it is a very high cost repair to have it done correctly with the safest outcome.

NHTSA ID

11634024

Incident

Jan 3, 2025

The dealer found significant rusting on the front subframe and some on the rear subframe. The front was enough there's a hole in it. I was told it was not safe to drive as it would not hold in an accident.

NHTSA ID

11619608

Incident

Oct 8, 2024

See attached document for complaint

NHTSA ID

11585796

Incident

Apr 11, 2023

While driving on 55mph road, sunroof suddenly shattered for no apparent reason (no sudden impact from rock or other debris), producing a loud bang, startling driver. Driver momentarily swerved due to being startled by noise from next to head before correcting. No other cars were around on the road at the time and driver is sure no rocks or other objects fell onto sunroof (covered by rooftop cargo box, no trees near street to drop debris). Pieces of glass went upwards and ended up on roof of vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11490479

Incident

Oct 23, 2022

TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR. THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED BACKWARD. I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND HIT THE BRAKES. NOTHING HAPPENED.I DIDNT WANT TO HIT THERE GARAGE OR MY SON IN LAWS CAR SO I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. I HIT THE BRAKES AND AGAIN NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR HIT THE NEIGHBOR BUSH AND EVENTUALLY CAME TO REST WHEN IT HIT THE NEIGHBORS HONDA RIGHT DOOR. I THEN PUT IT DRIVE AND PULLED BACK ONTO MY DAUGHTERS DRIVEWAYS AND HAD A DIFFICULT TIME STOPPING THE VEHICLE. IT DID APPROX. $2200 DAMAGE TO MY SUBARU OUTBACK SENDING IT TO THE COLLISION SHOP FOR TWO WEEKS.

NHTSA ID

11387902

Incident

Dec 19, 2020

THE REAR DOORS FOR OUR 2015 OUTBACK ARE STUCK IN THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK POSITION. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. WE PAID OVER $300+ TO HAVE THE MECHANIC ACCIDENTALLY BREAK THE SWITCH AND THEN REPAIR IT. THE SWITCH ON THE OTHER DOOR IS ALSO STUCK WITH THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK ENGAGED.

NHTSA ID

11352372

Incident

May 15, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

2015 OUTBACK WITH 43,300 MILES. TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITH THE TRANSMISSION BEFORE IT REACHED THE RAILROAD TRACKS. DEALER SAID THIS WAS DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION OF THE UNDERBODY OF THE CAR. BRAKE LINES CORRODED AND RUPTURED. DEALER SAID THIS WAS NORMAL AMOUNT OF CORROSION. (THEY DID NOT WANT TO PUT THIS IN WRITING) CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA. (CASE # 1-58312860198) THEY SAID THAT SINCE DEALER SAID IT WAS NO BIG DEAL THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. CASE CLOSED. I AM CONCERNED THAT SINCE THE CORROSION IS SO SEVERE THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. (THIS CAR HAS A LONG HISTORY OF OTHER THINGS NOT WORKING)

NHTSA ID

11349358

Incident

Jul 7, 2020

Mileage

43,300 mi

MY CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. NO IMPACT MARK OR ANYTHING. CRACKED IN THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD LIKE ALL 2015 AND NEWER SUBARU OUTBACKS APPARENTLY DO. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE WITH PEOPLE DETAILING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE YET NO RECALL YET.

NHTSA ID

11337063

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

Mileage

44,000 mi

2015 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DAMAGE TO HOSES IN VEHICLE DUE TO RODENTS. *LD *JS

NHTSA ID

11301996

Incident

May 1, 2019

PASSENGER SIDE "CHILD LOCK" WILL NOT DISENGAGE. DOOR IS PERMANENTLY LOCKED FROM THE INSIDE BECAUSE OF A FAULTY CHILD LOCK. WE SET THE CHILD LOCK OUR CHILD WAS A TODDLER BUT NOW IT'S STUCK IN THE ON POSITION.

NHTSA ID

11278197

Incident

Nov 5, 2019

FUEL DOOR DOES NOT OPEN TO ALLOW ACCESS TO GAS CAP. I WAS LOW ON GAS AND COULD NOT FILL THE TANK BECAUSE I COULD NOT ACCESS THE GAS CAP.

NHTSA ID

11166198

Incident

Dec 27, 2018

Mileage

27,000 mi

WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK AT ABOUT 55MPH ON US20, THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE MID 30'S, IN EAST OREGON WHEN OUR SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND AND THERE WAS NO IMPACT FROM FOREIGN OBJECTS. THERE WAS A LOUD, DISTRACTING, BANG FOLLOWED BY A CLOUD OF SHATTERED GLASS COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR. THE SUNROOF COVER WAS CLOSED AND THE TEMPERED GLASS FRAGMENTS COLLECTED IN THE WELL AND RATTLED AROUND FOR THE REMAINING 3 1/2 HOURS OF OUR JOURNEY.

NHTSA ID

11164079

Incident

Dec 29, 2018

Mileage

65,000 mi

REAR HATCH DOES NOT RELIABLY OPEN - CANNOT CLOSE AFTER MANUAL OVERRIDE. VEHICLE HAS HAD ISSUE FOR OVER 15000 MILES AND 5 TIMES AT THE DEALER BUT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. REAR HATCH DOES NOT OPEN RELIABLY AND WHEN A MANUAL OVERRIDE IS NECESSARY TO REMOVE CARGO OR PETS, THE HATCH DOES NOT CLOSE EASILY AND DOOR LIGHT REMAINS ON EVEN WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAUSES AND OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BOTH FOR CARGO ESCAPING THE VEHICLE AND ALSO FOR EXHAUST ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THIS OCCURS WITH ALL DOORS UNLOCKED, VEHICLE IS STOPPED, KEY FOB IS ATTEMPTED AS WELL AS DOOR TRIGGER TO OPEN THE HATCH. NO MEMORY SET WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN. NO USER ERROR.

NHTSA ID

11149577

Incident

Oct 7, 2018

Mileage

25,000 mi

LETTER FROM SENATOR BROWN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK STRUCTURAL FAILURE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE WAS A LEAK AT THE DRIVER'S SIDE ROOF. *JS

NHTSA ID

11071488

Incident

Jan 1, 2018

REAR ELECTRIC LIFTGATE SPORADICALLY FAILS TO OPEN. THIS CONDITION PERSISTS WHETHER I PRESS THE BUTTON ON THE LIFTGATE, THE DASHBOARD LIFTGATE BUTTON, OR THE KEY FOB BUTTON. I CAN HEAR THE LIFTGATE UNLATCH, HOWEVER IT FAILS TO OPEN MORE THAN A COUPLE INCHES. LITHIA SUBARU (OREGON CITY) HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR. WE PURCHASED OUR VEHICLE NEW FROM THE DEALER. IT HAS EXHIBITED THIS PROBLEM FROM THE FIRST DAY WE OWNED IT. SUBARU SHOULD RECALL AND FIX ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL STRONGLY THIS IS AN DESIGN DEFECT OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS SPORADIC CONDITION PRESENTS ITSELF WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, BOTH WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING AND WHEN IT IS NOT. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY SET OF CONDITIONS UPON WHICH I CAN CAUSE OR PREDICT THE FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

11020454

Incident

Feb 21, 2017

Mileage

19,059 mi

THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR HAS DELAMINATED. THIS IS CONFIRMED BY A THE DOOR SOUNDING LIKE A DRUM WHEN CLOSED, THE LOWER PORTION OF THE DOOR VIBRATING WHEN CLOSED AND A MECHANIC AT THE DARYL WALTRIP DEALERSHIP WHO INSPECTED THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR. THE DEALER ONLY WANTS TO PUT A BAND AID ON THE PROBLEM BY PLACING PADS INSIDE THE DOOR TO DEADEN THE SOUND. THE CONCERN IS FOR THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER WHO COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION BECAUSE OF THE REDUCED STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE DOOR.

NHTSA ID

10929725

Incident

Oct 7, 2016

Mileage

38,629 mi

THE SUBARU OUTBACK 2015 WAS PARKED IN A LOT AFTER A 12 MINUTE DRIVE AND BURST INTO FLAMES. IT WAS PURCHASED IN FEBRUARY 2015 AND WAS NOT YET DUE FOR SERVICING WHEN THE EVENT HAPPENED. THE SUBARU OUTBACK MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 3RD-27TH 2015 HAS BEEN RECALLED DUE TO "POSSIBILITY OF FIRE DUE TO A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK". I BELIEVE THE SAME THING OCCURRED WITH MY CAR AND I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THE MODEL IS NOT RECALLED SOMEONE WILL GET BADLY INJURED OR KILLED DUE TO FIRE.

NHTSA ID

10780961

Incident

Sep 9, 2015

Mileage

4,000 mi

WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN PARKING LOT. VERY LONG BREAK STARTING AT BASE AND CONTINUED HALFWAY UP THROUGH THE CENTER.

NHTSA ID

10748058

Incident

Jul 27, 2015

Mileage

10,950 mi

FOR THE SECOND TIME, AFTER BEING PINGED BY A SMALL STONE, THE WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK CIRCA 3000 MILES SIMILAR EXPERIENCE W/ 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK ALSO W/ LOW MILEAGE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE WINDSHIELD IN SOME 56 YEARS OF DRIVING THREE TIMES IN 7 MONTHS SEEMS TO INDICATE SOME SORT OF SYSTEMIC OR WINDSHIELD CONFIGURATION PROBLEM?

NHTSA ID

10743475

Incident

Jul 22, 2015

Mileage

3,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OVERNIGHT. IN THE MORNING A 12" S SHAPED CRACK HAD APPEARED IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NO DETECTABLE PRIOR DAMAGE AND NO KNOWN IMPACT TO CAUSE THE CRACK. THE CRACK HAS CONTINUED TO GROW AND BRANCH. DEALER STATES THE WINDSHIELD FAILS THE "PEN TEST," I.E. THERE IS A TINY NICK AT ONE POINT OF THE CRACK WHICH, THEY SAY, PROVES THE CRACK IS DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE. I BELIEVE THE CHIP APPEARED AFTER THE CRACK FORMED, BUT CANNOT PROVE THIS (NOR CAN THE DEALER PROVE THE OPPOSITE). ONLINE RESEARCH SUGGESTS THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK WINDSHIELDS, WHICH FAIL AT REMARKABLE RATE.

NHTSA ID

10725338

Incident

Jun 7, 2015

Mileage

17,600 mi

THIS IS A BRAND NEW SUBARU OUTLANDER WITH 850 MILES. THE WINDSHIELD GOT A SMALL CHIP, ABOUT 1MM IN SIZE NEAR THE VERY TOP. AS I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE WINDSHIELD STARTED TO CRACK FROM THE SMALL DING DOWN, APPROXIMATELY 1 FOOT IN LENGTH. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN WITH NEW WINDSHIELD GLASS IN A NEW CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10714157

Incident

May 1, 2015

Mileage

850 mi