2017 Subaru Outback Body & structure Problems

On 08/17/17 I purchased a new Outback off a Subaru dealers' lot. The fall of 2023 I noticed rust starting on the column portion of the driver's side door. It is on the CAR INTERIOR, ABOVE THE WINDOW. This is a highly unusual area for rust to start. Typically rust starts on the bottom of a car, not 2/3 of the way up from the bottom. I was told by the dealership that it was not covered under warranty, and I was on my own. On 10/22/24 I went to an autobody shop to have the rust repaired. I was told that based off of the bubbling that was occurring on the rust, the rust is not surface rust but occurring on the interior of the door. He said that this was a flaw in production as this should not be occurring. This is evident by the fact that there is no rust on any of the other doors or anywhere else on the car. I called the Subaru dealership and had them look at it. They did not have an autobody shop but the appointment clerk submitted a request for a review to Subaru of Americ. The outcome of the review was a rejection due to being beyond the warranty of the car. This was a production error. I drove out of the lot with a defective door. This resulted in the door being completely rusted on the interior as is evident by the rust through on the INTERIOR of the door. Also, the rust is now presenting itself on the bottom seam. To have this patched is a waste of money as the whole door interior is rusted. I am concerned about the integrity of the door. If I was T-boned or in a roll-over accident, would this door provide the safety I am expecting from a fairly new car? I believe it will crumble in a pile of rust. Subaru is aware of this issue as there are a couple of forums about this reoccurring problem. I hope enough people file a complaint so some action can be taken to keep us safe. I am now forced to pay out $3,368.53 in order to replace the door so I and my passengers have the safest auto construction this car should offer. Car is available.

NHTSA ID

11634430

Incident

Nov 22, 2024

When I drove on the highway 90 on Oct 5th, 2024, my windshield suddenly cracked.

NHTSA ID

11618277

Incident

Oct 5, 2024

Noticed rust bubble in the inner and outer paint of the driver front door pillar December 2021. Noticed it was getting substantially worse and reported it to Subaru July 2022. They said there was no pinhole in the rust and would not be covered. Showed it to Subaru again in 2023, and said it is not covered under their 5 year rust plan. It is now January 2024, and the paint as well as base metal is peeling from the door. It is clear there is damage to the base metal, and represents a weakened location in the door/frame/pillar structure should there be a rollover accident. Bought this car for its safety reputation. Online forums have noted that Subaru has replaced doors for this same premature failure of the door in the same location on multiple vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11563430

Incident

Dec 28, 2021

Retractable sun roof exploded/disintegrated while vehicle was under power on an open road . Photo of damage exceeds the maximum size for uploading. Can be transmitted by email if desired

NHTSA ID

11502645

Incident

Jan 14, 2023

The power rear lift gate mechanism frequently does not work. Even when car is unlocked the rear lift gate refuses to open just giving a 3 beep warning. The back can be manually opened but not by me as it is extremely hard to lift. Sometimes the gate only opens partially, or only closes partially. After my husband manually moves the gate it does not close fully and does not lock so we have no guarantee objects from inside the vehicle will not fall out while moving. Additionally, if my dog is in the car and the gate is inoperable I cannot get him out. Today it only opened part way and I accidentally walked straight into the edge of the gate almost knocking me out! This is a problem that comes and goes - it worked today in Walmart parking lot but not when I arrived home. The dealer said to bring it in when it doesn't work, but then it works when you get to the dealer and he says there is no problem!!

NHTSA ID

11476875

Incident

Aug 1, 2022

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.

NHTSA ID

11456280

Incident

Aug 1, 2016

Mileage

35,000 mi

Car back door won't open, despite 3 new batteries. Remained locked so that couldn't remove equipment from back--Dangerous. Have been through 3 batteries in 26,000 miles....all that the car has been driven since it's purchase, new, in 2017.

NHTSA ID

11447712

Incident

Jan 14, 2022

I have a 2017 Subaru Outback. It rained hard Monday night into Tuesday. When I got in my car Tuesday am to take my kids to school, there a small crack, maybe 3 inches, there was no crack previously. As I drove my kids to school we watched the crack grow larger and larger. There was no debris or anything near the windshield when we got it. It seems to me that a windshield should be able to withstand a hard rain. I googled it and it seems that Subaru's have problem with their windshields and it doesn't seem right. Thank you

NHTSA ID

11443906

Incident

Dec 14, 2021

While driving on 9/14/21 at about 40 mph, we heard a loud crash and the sound of broken glass. I pulled off the road shortly after to inspect my vehicle and found that the sun/moon roof had literally exploded. The shade was closed and no broken glass entered the passenger compartment. Upon closer inspection, the remaining hole in the sun roof (measuring approx. 14 in. wide by 8 inches deep) indicated that the force breaking the glass had come from the inside rather than the outside as the rim around the hole was convex rather than concave. Also there was very little glass resting on the outside surface of the closed shade inside the cavity, with the majority of it on the roof toward the rear of the vehicle. I am now in discussion with both my insurance company and the dealer that I bought the vehicle from. I did take 3 pictures but am unsure how to send them with this report.

NHTSA ID

11433093

Incident

Sep 14, 2021

I HAD BACKED MY CAR UP TO THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE. I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AS I TRIED TO PUT MY CAR IN PARK, MY VEHICLE CATAPULTED INTO THE GARAGE WHICH WAS DIRECTLY BEHIND IT. I BELIEVE MY CAR EXPERIENCED "SUDDEN UNINTERRUPTED ACCELERATION". MY CINDER BLOCK GARAGE PARTIALLY COLLAPSED AND NEED TO BE COMPLETELY RAZED.

NHTSA ID

11396815

Incident

Feb 1, 2021

Mileage

44,000 mi

THE WINDSHIELD IS CRACKING AND IT SEEMS TO BE WITHOUT ANY REASON. THERE IS A VERY TINY DINK THAT CAN BE SEEN, BUT THE CRACK IS SIGNIFICANT COMPARED TO THE SLIGHT DINK. THERE WAS NO INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED PRIOR TO MY NOTICING THE CRACK.

NHTSA ID

11395418

Incident

Feb 8, 2021

Mileage

50,000 mi

THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR IS RUSTING FROM INSIDE. ISSUE WAS INFORMED TO SUBARU IN 2018 AND IN JAN 2021 THE ISSUE HAS GOTTEN WORSE.

NHTSA ID

11390129

Incident

Jan 27, 2021

WINDSHIELD IS CRACKING WITHOUT ANY CAUSE. IT CRACKED NEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN A PARKING GARAGE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED TODAY, WEATHER WAS PERFECT (SUNNY, 65 DEGREES F), AND IT CRACKED AGAIN, WHILE PARKED, ONLY HOURS AFTER THE REPLACEMENT IN ALMOST THE SAME SPOT..

NHTSA ID

11386725

Incident

Jan 5, 2021

Mileage

65,000 mi

WE WERE TRAVELING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 15 AND ABOUT 45 MINUTES INTO MY TRIP TO TAKE MY COUSINS BACK TO THE AIRPORT IN SALT LAKE CITY FROM IDAHO FALLS THE HOOD OF THE CAR JUST FLEW UP AND SMASHED INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE CARE WAS UN-DRIVABLE AND HAD TO BE TOWED. ULTIMATELY THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOTALED THE VEHICLE. THE WEEKEND AFTER I WAS BACK IN COLORADO MY BROTHER AND I SAW ANOTHER SUBARU BUT DIFFERENT MODEL THAT IT LOOKED LIKE THE SAME THING HAPPENED. HAVE PICTURES OF THAT AS WELL.

NHTSA ID

11374680

Incident

Aug 5, 2020

Mileage

73,000 mi

2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL IT TRAVELS ALL THE WAY DOWN, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO INADVERTENTLY MAKE CONTACT WITH THE GAS PEDAL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. *JS

NHTSA ID

11349435

Incident

Aug 18, 2020

PARKED MY LEASED 2017 OUTBACK IN MY DRIVEWAY LAST NIGHT WITH NOTHING OVERHEAD, NO TREES, ETC. THIS MORNING THERE WAS A LARGE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD WHICH BEGAN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND CONTINUED ON FOR OVER 15 INCHES. TOTAL MYSTERY. *TR

NHTSA ID

11325333

Incident

May 20, 2020

Mileage

25,000 mi

I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK, IN NOV 2019, WINDSHIELD CRACK BY ITSELF WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL INFLUENCE DURING NORMAL DRIVING @ 9200 MILES, GOT NEW ONE REPLACED ON 12/5/19, THEN AFTER 3 MONTHS DRIVING LESS 500 MILES, IT CRACKED AGAIN. MADE REPORT TO SUBARU OF AMERICA, THEY DENY THE DEFECTIVE OF THEIR WINDSHIELD AND REFUSE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT COST..

NHTSA ID

11318009

Incident

Feb 8, 2020

Mileage

9,700 mi

MY WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM CENTER, RIGHT WHERE THE WINDHIELD HEATING ELEMENT IS. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION BUT NOTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD, I JUST HEARD A POP AND SAW THE CRACK APPEAR AND IN A MATTER OF MINUTES IT WAS HALF WAY UP. ENDED UP REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD WITH AN AFTERMARKET ONE AFTER SUBARU OF AMERICA SAID THEY WON'T COVER IT.

NHTSA ID

11317892

Incident

Mar 8, 2020

Mileage

40,000 mi

MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE SITTING IN A PARKING GARAGE DURING A WORKDAY. THE CRACK STARTED OFF ABOUT 12", AND ABOUT A MONTH LATER SPREAD ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ID

11307212

Incident

Jan 13, 2020

WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CHIP WHICH TURNED INTO A 12 INCH CRACK WITHOUT IMPACT FROM ROCKS OR LARGE ROAD DEBRIS. THE CHIP APPEARED WILL DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE SOUND OF SAND OR BUGS WAS HEAR TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD BUT WAS NOT ANYTHING THAT WOULD RESULT IN A CHIP THAT WOULD LEAD TO A 12 INCH CRACK. THE WINDSHIELD HAD TO BE REPLACED. COST TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD OUT OF POCKET WAS $675.73 PLUS TAX

NHTSA ID

11278373

Incident

Sep 30, 2019

Mileage

22,300 mi

SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NOT ATTRIBUTED TO IMPACT FROM FOREIGN OBJECT DEBRIS. CONDITIONS INDICATE THAT THERMAL SHOCK HAS LIKELY EXPOSED DEFECTS IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS AND OTHER VEHICLES MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SIMILAR INCIDENTS. VEHICLE WAS LEFT IN A PARKING LOT FOR 1.75 HOURS. OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS RECORDED AT 92 DEGREES (F). UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS ENGAGED AND THE INTERNAL AIR TEMPERATURE WAS SET AT 68 DEGREES (F). APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AN EXPLOSIVE SOUND WAS HEARD. THE SUNROOF COVER WAS CLOSED. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED HOWEVER LARGELY INTACT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, IT IS CLEARLY DISCERNIBLE THAT THE GLASS IS NOW PROTRUDING OUTWARD BEYOND THE ROOFLINE AS A RESULT OF THE EXPLOSIVE ACTION.

NHTSA ID

11111377

Incident

Jul 13, 2018

Mileage

12,000 mi

SUNROOF EXPLOSION. DRIVING STRAIGHT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WE HEARD A LOUD POP AS OUR SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED INTO SMALL GLASS FRAGMENTS OUT OF THE TOP OF THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11082341

Incident

Mar 30, 2018

Mileage

27,927 mi

HELLO, SEE ATTACHED PICS OF OUR OUTBACK SUNROOF THAT EXPLODED WHILE TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND ON I-95 IN GA CROSSING SOUTH NEWPORT RIVER IN TOWNSEND, GA 31331 AROUND 10:55 A.M ON 11/19/17. ALL OCCUPANTS HEARD A LOUD POP AND SOUND OF GLASSING EXITING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO PULLING OVER. I CLEARED TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE, DOCUMENTED THE SUNROOF DAMAGE AND THEN DROVE 40 MPH TO NEXT EXIT WHERE I LOCATED A VACUUM TO CLEAN UP THE MESS SO THAT WE COULD DRIVE 35 MILES BACK HOME. THERE WAS A COLD FRONT PASSING THROUGH THE AREA, SO THERE WERE SOME GUSTY WINDS, BUT TEMPS WERE ONLY AROUND 60 DEGREES. WE HAD JUST REFUELED AND WERE ACCELERATING TO 60 MPH TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC. WE WERE USING A SEAR'S X-CARGO CARRIER ON TOP FOR PERSONNEL STORAGE. I HAVE AN APPT WITH THE DEALER TOMORROW TO ASSESS WARRANTY, ETC. THE VEHICLE IS SIX MONTHS OLD. *TR

NHTSA ID

11047389

Incident

Nov 19, 2017

Mileage

12,200 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11013725

Incident

Sep 22, 2016

Mileage

250 mi

I WAS DRIVING 75 MILES PER HOUR ON A BUSY HIGHWAY IN HOLIDAY SKI TRAFFIC AND THE PANEL JUST ABOVE THE BRAKE AND GAS PETAL FELL DOWN AND BLOCKED MY ACCESS TO THE BREAK PETAL AND LIMITED MY ABILITY TO MOVE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PETAL. I WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR, WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED IN THE LEFT LANE BY YANKING THE PANEL OFF MY FEET AND SLOWING DOWN TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. I STOPPED THE CAR, PUT THE PANEL BACK IN IT'S PLACE AND SECURED IT WITH DUCK TAPE. I PURCHASED THIS BAND NEW CAR ON 12/30/16 AND THIS HAPPENED ON 2/17/17.

NHTSA ID

10955639

Incident

Feb 17, 2017

Mileage

900 mi