2025 Subaru Solterra Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2025 Subaru Solterra, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical125.0%
- Powertrain (other)125.0%
- Suspension125.0%
- Visibility125.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Summary of Incident On February 21, 2026, a Level 2 charging event resulted in a catastrophic electrical failure involving my vehicle and the associated EV charging equipment. The incident caused: Severe damage to the EV charging connector (pigtail and receptacle) Destruction of my home inverter system Sustained electrical arcing between L1 and L2 conductors Loss of primary electrical service to my home The vehicle was actively charging at the time of the incident. Safety Concern The failure presents a significant safety risk, including: Potential for fire due to sustained electrical arcing Possible high-voltage backfeed from the vehicle’s onboard charger (OBC) onto the AC input lines Failure of protective devices (surge suppression components destroyed) Risk of similar incidents occurring in other vehicles The damage pattern suggests a high-energy electrical fault localized between L1 and L2 without ground involvement. Current Status Vehicle has been out of service since February 21, 2026 Subaru has had possession of the vehicle since February 24, 2026 No determination or repair has been provided after several weeks Requested Action I request that NHTSA: Investigate potential onboard charger (OBC) failure modes Evaluate risk of electrical backfeed or uncontrolled fault conditions during charging Determine whether this represents a broader safety defect affecting other vehicles
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
Summary of Incident On February 21, 2026, a Level 2 charging event resulted in a catastrophic electrical failure involving my vehicle and the associated EV charging equipment. The incident caused: Severe damage to the EV charging connector (pigtail and receptacle) Destruction of my home inverter system Sustained electrical arcing between L1 and L2 conductors Loss of primary electrical service to my home The vehicle was actively charging at the time of the incident. Safety Concern The failure presents a significant safety risk, including: Potential for fire due to sustained electrical arcing Possible high-voltage backfeed from the vehicle’s onboard charger (OBC) onto the AC input lines Failure of protective devices (surge suppression components destroyed) Risk of similar incidents occurring in other vehicles The damage pattern suggests a high-energy electrical fault localized between L1 and L2 without ground involvement. Current Status Vehicle has been out of service since February 21, 2026 Subaru has had possession of the vehicle since February 24, 2026 No determination or repair has been provided after several weeks Requested Action I request that NHTSA: Investigate potential onboard charger (OBC) failure modes Evaluate risk of electrical backfeed or uncontrolled fault conditions during charging Determine whether this represents a broader safety defect affecting other vehicles
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
When going over Speed bumps, or experiencing a change in approach angle, primarily at speeds between 15 and 25 MPH, the Solterra's Left Front Suspension makes a click. it's not a knock or a thunk, it's a click. I went to the dealer, let them know the situation. They were unable to recreate the noise. Paperwork included.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
The windshield has distortion and can make the driver and front seat passenger feel carsick when looking through the windshield. Not feeling 100% can affect a driver's ability to safely operate the vehicle and that can affect other drivers nearby. I showed a customer Rep at Fremont Subaru and he confirmed the distortion and all of the other Subaru Solteras he looked at had the same problem. The customer rep has not responded to my numerous followup correspondence. I wrote several times to Subaru of America with no responses. This defect is from day one with no action from Subaru.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .