2019 Subaru Outback Body & structure Problems

We were driving down an interstate highway going 70 mph on a foggy Christmas Eve 2025 approximately 7 a.m. No cars were close around us. We had been on the road for 30 minutes or so, and it was in the 50-60 degree temperature range. Suddenly we heard what sounded like a gunshot right above our heads. We opened the sunshade under the sunroof, and saw that our sunroof had exploded and left a hole. Before this, we heard nothing strike the sunroof or the car. It seemed like a spontaneous explosion. The explosion noise is recorded on our dash cam video. I was unable to upload the video because it must not be in the correct format.

NHTSA ID

11708662

Incident

Dec 24, 2025

Parasitic battery drain when vehicle is turned off. The DCM module in these vehicles will not shut off properly and continue to drain the battery. Subaru has firmware on the vehicle that will not fully charge the battery when driving to save fuel. The vehicle has had 6 or more instances over the past two weeks where the car was undriveable unless jumped from another vehicle or a boost device is used.

NHTSA ID

11643837

Incident

Feb 20, 2025

continues issue with windshield cracks, cracks will spread over night across the windshield. car windshield will be replaced for a fourth time on [XXX]. I initially replaced it with in a year of purchase in North Carolina and will replace for a third time here in San Diego at the dealer Kearny Mesa Subaru address 4797 Convoy St. San Diego, CA 92111 phone number 858-278-7100. Kearny Mesa has replaced my windshield for the last two times, first time was in spring of 2022, second time was in February 2024 and now again for a third time tomorrow [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11616391

Incident

Sep 23, 2024

Windshield just cracked on its own. My vehicle was just sitting in my backyard nothing around my vehicle. A day latter i went outside i noticed the windshield was cracked nothing touched the windshield it just cracked on its own.

NHTSA ID

11593806

Incident

Jun 10, 2024

The hood popped open at 35 mph causing loss of sight. I was in traffic and luckily was able to pull the car off the road. I am taking it to the dealer as soon as I can get an appointment. There were no warning lights or messages prior. I will secure the hood with something before I drive it to the dealer. If I had been driving on the Interstate I am sure the hood would have smashed into windshield. I consider this a very dangerous problem.

NHTSA ID

11556840

Incident

Nov 25, 2023

Pressed the button on the electronic liftgate to have it raise. Half way through raising, it beeped 3 times and started closing. Had 3 dogs in the back of the vehicle and the lift gate started to close on one of them. I put my left arm underneath to stop it from closing where the lift gate put a lot of pressure on my forearm. The lift gate stopped and I was able to push it back up. Injury seems to be minor but will have it checked. Feels like it impacted the nerves going to the thumb and pointing finger. This is not the first time we had lift gate issues and have multiple videos demonstrating the problems at hand. This is the first time it actually caused injury.

NHTSA ID

11532428

Incident

Jul 15, 2023

The automatic liftgate fails to latch and requires extra steps that most car owner would not know to temporarily resolve the issue. My situation has been difficult to replicate. The liftgate will open but not close. It will also close but not open. It will also latch but not securely. This evening, the hatch opened but failed to close. It also latched but found out at 55mph that it was not properly secured when my dog leaned against it. It did not open but the light turned on like a door was opened. This has been a known issue with many other Subaru owners as well. The answer always seems to hold the button for 10 seconds to reset but this does not work every time.

NHTSA ID

11477271

Incident

Aug 2, 2022

Rear tailgate fails to open consistently making it impossible to enter or exit the vehicle from the rear, through the rear tail gate door (the 5th door). Nine times we have brought vehicle back to authorized Subaru dealerships over the last two years of ownership in Hanover Ma-Planet Subaru; San Francisco -Serramonte Subaru and lastly in San Diego- Kearny Mesa. The rear tail gate does not open consistently while pressing the open button on either of the key fobs or from trying the driver's side interior release button or while attempting to use the hatch release button at the exterior rear of the vehicle. Many times we have tried all three standard methods to open the rear tail gate but with no success making this rear tail gate feature on this mid size SUV useless. This problem has been verified at Planet Subaru, Hanover, Ma and at Serramonte Subaru S.F. Could not duplicate it at our last appointment in Kearny Mesa San Diego in 2022 but it still continues to be a real problem. On multiple occasions, the car battery had been inadvertently drained because the rear tail gate did not close completely and the dash warning light confirmed this to be the case. Subaru adjusted the closing mechanism/replaced it and this seems to have solved the closure issue but not the opening function of the tailgate. The problem surfaced soon after our initial purchase of vehicle in July of 2020. Car is available for inspection.

NHTSA ID

11462225

Incident

Jul 20, 2020

Windshield cracked spontaneously without impact. Upon further investigation, this is a common issue observed with Subaru on multiple models from previous and current years. There has been a couple of class action lawsuits against Subaru in other states for the same issue, and both cases were ruled in favor of the plaintiff and the court deemed these windshield defective. My concern and question is, why is Subaru still using parts/models that aren’t safe and getting away with this?

NHTSA ID

11454907

Incident

Feb 17, 2022

I purchased this car in July 2019. Three times the windshield has cracked without any explanation or cause. Three weeks ago, I replaced the second cracked windshield at my own expense. Three weeks later -- just yesterday, Feb. 17, 2022 -- the brand new windshield simply cracked. All three times the crack has appeared in roughly the same place. There was no road debris or anything else that came into contact with the windshield.

NHTSA ID

11452711

Incident

Feb 17, 2022

We bought the car from the Ford dealership. after nearly owning it. the windshield crack in a place where no rock or vandalism could have happened. It started underneath the windshield wiper and has scaled across the whole windshield within a week. I contacted my bumper to bumper warranty and they don’t cover replacements. I looked up and their is a current lawsuit on suburu for this exact reason.

NHTSA ID

11441142

Incident

Aug 15, 2021

Three windshields have now cracked beyond repair and needed to be replaced with barely 33,000 miles on the vehicle. The first replacement was done in July 2019 when the car was barely six months old. The second replacement was done in April 2021, barely two months ago. That third windshield cracked the second week of June 2021. It is currently scheduled for replacement.

NHTSA ID

11420635

Incident

Jun 7, 2021

Windshield seemingly cracked without any provocation/collision. Crack occurred while vehicle was parked away from traffic, and requires windshield replacement.

NHTSA ID

11419741

Incident

May 26, 2021

CAR BATTERY OFTEN DIES - ESPECIALLY IF I OPEN THE DOOR EVEN FOR 5 MINUTES. IT OFTEN WON'T START AND THE REAR GATE OFTEN DOES NOT OPEN OR CLOSE. IT HAS EVEN OPENED ON ITS OWN. THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC SAYS THE FACTORY BATTERY IS NOT ADEQUATE TO POWER THE CAR WITH ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THEY REPLACED ORIGINAL BATTERY BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING. THE BATTERY TESTED WELL BELOW WHAT THE SUBARU MANUAL SAYS IT SHOULD. I AM THE FIRST OWNER (CAR WAS A DEALERSHIP LOANER) AND THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I GOT IT IN 2020.

NHTSA ID

11408566

Incident

Oct 8, 2020

MANY OF THE SPOT WELDS ARE FAULTY . I HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH BRANDON TOMES SUBARU, THE DEALER THAT WE LEASED THE CAR FROM. I HAVE ALSO REQUESTED HELP FOR SUBARU. NEITHER HAVE RESPONDED .

NHTSA ID

11403559

Incident

Nov 26, 2018

Mileage

3 mi

THE SPOT WELDS UNDER THE DASH DO NOT APPEAR TO BE CORRECT AND SAFE.*DT

NHTSA ID

11398219

Incident

Nov 26, 2018

Mileage

3 mi

TAILGATE HAS OPENED, ON ITS OWN, ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. IN 2 INSTANCES IT HAD REMAINED OPEN AND UNNOTICED LONG ENOUGH TO KILL THE BATTERY AND REQUIRED TOW SERVICE TO CHARGE IT. I FIRST REPORTED THIS TO MY SUBARU DEALER IN SPRING 2020. IN ALL 4 CASES THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE WHEN IT HAPPENED, MOST RECENTLY ON CHRISTMAS EVE TO CHRISTMAS MORNING, AND AGAIN JUST 5 DAYS LATER.

NHTSA ID

11386583

Incident

Dec 25, 2020

THE FIRST WINDSHIELD FROM MANUFACTURER WAS REPLACED BECAUSE OF A CHIP WHICH DEVELOPED INTO A FOOT OF CRACK OVERNIGHT. WITHIN A WEEK, THE CRACKS WENT IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. EVEN THE CAR WAS STATIONED FOR DAYS (QUARANTINE), THE CRACKS WERE STILL DEVELOPING. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED AND INSTALLED A NEW ONE BY SUBARU ON JULY 16TH. IT WAS CHIPPED A WEEK LATER DRIVING UNDER 45 MPH. AGAIN, THE CHIP BECAME A 5-INCH CURVY CRACK OVERNIGHT. THE NEXT DAY, THE NEW CRACK DEVELOPED AND DIFFERENT CRACKS APPEARED WITHIN 3 DAYS. THE SLIGHTEST IMPACT WITH ANY OBJECT CAUSES THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK EASILY AND IMMEDIATELY. IT HAS BECOME A SEVERE SAFETY CONCERN.

NHTSA ID

11343385

Incident

Jul 24, 2020

Mileage

10,253 mi

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND WAS HIT FROM THE REAR, TOTALING MY 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. BOTH MY DAUGHTER AND GRANDDAUGHTER REPORTED HITTING THE DASHBOARD OR THE WINDSHIELD. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND THE DRIVER'S HEADREST ENDED UP ON THE DRIVER'S LAP. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE FRONT AUTO WAS ABOUT TO START FORWARD OR HAD STARTED FORWARD WHEN THE SIGNAL LIGHT HAD JUST TURNED GREEN.. THE POLICE REPORT IS ATTACHED, WITH A LETTER FROM THE MERIDIAN, IDAHO POLICE DEPARTMENT. MY CONCERNS ARE 1) SHOULD THE AIRBAGS HAVE DEPLOYED AND 2) SHOULD THE DRIVER'S HEADREST HAVE DETACHED FROM THE SEAT? IF THE DRIVER'S CONTACT INFO IS NEEDED, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

NHTSA ID

11343356

Incident

Jul 29, 2020

Mileage

5,700 mi

HAD MY FIRST OIL CHANGE AT 5,000 MILES AND AT 9,600 MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON. WENT HOME AND PUT 1 QUART OF OIL IN VEHICLE AND WAS STILL DOWN LOW. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY CHANGED OIL AND NOTED I HAD STILL BEEN LOW 1/2 QUART. FILED CASE WITH SUBURU OF AMERICA. NOWIN PROCESS OF OIL CONSUMPTION TEST, BUT, SAW THAT DEALERSHIP OVERFILLED MY OIL SO I HAD THEM DRAIN IT DOWN TO PROPER LEVEL AND HAVE TO START CALCULATION MILEAGE AGAIN FOR TEST. NEXT PROBLEM. PASSENGER FRONT DOOR, FROZE IN WINTER. WATER INSIDE CAR ON FLOOR. WATER TEST DONE AT DEALERSHIP AFTER MAJOR STORM, AND CAR FLOODED INSIDE. DEALER REPLACED GASKET AROUND THE DOOR. OIL ISSUE WAS WHILE DRIVING. WATER ISSUE WAS WHILE STATIONARY. *TR

NHTSA ID

11328283

Incident

May 14, 2020

Mileage

9,958 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD STARTED TO CRACK. THE CRACK STARTED AT THE BOTTOM SECTION OF THE WINDSHIELD UNDER THE WINDSHIELD WIPER AND EXTENDED APPROXIMATELY 30 INCHES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT GLASS REPAIR SHOP AND WAS REPAIRED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER REEDMAN TOLL SUBARU LOCATED AT (1700 EAST LINCOLN HWY, LANGHORNE PA) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

NHTSA ID

11316504

Incident

Feb 25, 2020

Mileage

22,000 mi

I GOT INTO MY CAR THAT WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED A LARGE CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. IT WAS NOT THERE THE NIGHT BEFORE AND THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO MY WINDSHIELD. SINCE THEN THE CRACK HAS SPREAD ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. AGAIN, SPONTANEOUSLY WITH NO IMPACT.

NHTSA ID

11306184

Incident

Jan 24, 2020

Mileage

6,600 mi

WINDSHIELD IN MY VEHICLE CRACKED TWICE WITHIN 11 MONTHS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE DUE TO LITTLE OR NO CAUSE. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE WINDSHIELD OUT OF MY POCKET.

NHTSA ID

11278063

Incident

Nov 1, 2018

Mileage

2,000 mi

I PURCHASED A NEW 2019 OUTBACK AT THE END OF MARCH IN 2019. IN MAY 2019, MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED, DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN JULY TO NOTE THE CRACK AND REQUEST THEY REPLACE IT SINCE IT SEEMED TO HAPPEN WITHOUT ANY IMPACT. THE CRACK BEGAN FROM THE TOP EDGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM SUBARU OR THE DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ID

11276956

Incident

May 23, 2019

Mileage

3,500 mi

CRACK APPEARED IN WINDSHIELD WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE AND QUICKLY EXPANDED, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. FIRST NOTICED CRACK WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREET. NO VISIBLE NICK, NOTHING APPEARED TO HAVE HIT WINDSHIELD PRIOR TO APPEARANCE OF CRACK.

NHTSA ID

11271451

Incident

Oct 9, 2019