2015 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

I have had to have my battery replaced almost every year since I bought this car and there is always a large amount or corrosion no matter how often I clean it. I just read that this has been a known issue of Subaru. I literally just had the dealership in late November tell me at an oil change that I needed to replace my battery. When I informed them that I had just replaced it in February of of this year when I stopped for gas in the middle of the Texas winter storm and my car would not start back up (That battery was only about a year and a half old), they blamed the cold weather and suddenly backpedaled saying it just seemed low so I should keep an eye on it. Yesterday, my car took two tries to start so I am going to have the battery tested again but this means I haven't even gotten a full years worth out of it.

Engine consistently burns oil. Adding pints between factory recommended oil change interval when low oil light comes on. On average, one pint is burned every 1500 miles.

Repeated dead batteries. Replaced OEM battery in year 2, new battery also comes up dead regularly. There is clearly a parasitic battery drain happening. Burning oil, this car burns more oil than any car I have ever owned. Subaru claims it is within specification, but their specification is 1 quart between changes, this is a ridiculous claim in 2021. Heat shield and exhaust noise. Always a new noise or exhaust leak. Lights are not adequate for country driving, it is dangerous.

Our car has electrical / battery problems. It frequently will not start on its own. We have to jump start the battery about once a month, sometimes more frequently. The primary driver commutes 120 miles at least once a week (60 miles each way), thus we should not have issues with battery drain, but we do. We replaced the battery 1 year ago and the problem still remains. The battery also drains quite quickly, for example, last week we had the back lift gate open for 15 - 20 minutes while we were in and out of the house packing up the car with all the things I needed for a work event. When we were ready to go, the car wouldn't start. This has happened to us multiple times camping in the past. Because we have had so many problems with our car starting, we keep a small battery generator charged and in the car so we can jumpstart our car if needed. Without this device, we would have been stranded in the back country tens of miles away from civilization with no cell service and no ability to get home. We've started keeping all the lights off inside the car to see if that helps, It hasn't, even with no lights on inside the car the battery has drained while packing up our car for a trip. The dealership replaced the battery in 2020 and said that was the problem, they have not looked for "parasitic drain" despite our complaints. There is no warning when this will happen, no lights appear or messages. This has been an ongoing problem that started in 2019 that continues to this day. Our safety has been put at risk multiple times with this problem by potentially leaving us completely stranded in the woods, at night in urban environments, and has prevented us from getting to work on time. I've read on numerous forums that this has been a problem with the CANs systems in this model. Please investigate.

local mechanic doing standard maintenence at 62,861 miles, checking high rpms at startup, noticed that the crankshaft pully was moving up and down , slight variance , when it should be straight. apparently a recall issue on 2016 outbacks.

My 2015 Subaru Outback has continually experienced random battery drain. I have replaced the battery 3 times since purchasing the car from a dealership in 2017. In all cases, there was no advanced warning indicating that the battery was low, the car had been driven regularly with an average amount of mileage and no lights were left on nor was there extreme weather. Most recently (11/7/2021) the tailgate was up with the car off for 30-45 minutes. It was jump started, we made it home and the next morning it had zero power. That last battery was purchased in April of 2021. The car is regularly maintained by the dealer and/or a certified mechanic.

I previously wrote to you back in mid-Sept. 2021. It was a problem with battery drainage on my Outback and the fact that many other Subaru owners were having the same problem. #[XXX] was the case # that I was assigned. I have never heard from anyone at the NHTSA I don't want to repeat everything that I previously stated. I would appreciate a response as enough time has elapsed. Thank you. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

On multiple occasions the battery completely dies over night for no apparent reason and with no warning. Nothing that draws power was left on. This is a hazard as we can be stuck someplace with no way to start our car. The battery and alternator always check out as normal (by local mechanic), yet it keeps dying to the point that there are no dash lights, horn, emergency blinker or anything else functioning. Most recently I can't even jump start the Outback. Some design defect, (electronic/ computer) is causing the vehicles' battery to drain quickly which renders the car inoperable.

Vehicle had recent periodic service performed prior to event at Gwinette Subaru, Gwinette, GA. Vehicle currently has 54K miles. The Vehicle was purcashed this year as a Dealer Certified pe-owned vehicle. While leaving the Walmart parkinglot and entering a busy intesection I lost control of the vehicle steering and I her severe knocking sounds against body of vehicle I barley was able to drive vehicle out of traffic. When I tried to exit Vehicle the driver's door would not open. I exited from the passenger door and walked around vehicle and found that my driver side tire was up aginst fender and had pust fender up agains driver door. the tire was at wired angle . When the tow truc arrived the technician removed the tire in order to move vehicle. Once tire was removed it was obvious that there was a catostrophic steering Ball Joint failure. the vehicle was taken to Gwinette Subaru where they denied it being a component failure and treated me as if it was my fault. The car did not collide with anything not have I hit any potholes to cause this failure. Gwinette Subuaru failed to take proper steps to report this component failure, But I am and will be contacting The State of Georgia Public Safety. I was actually on my way to Interstate 85 a very congested Interstate that moves at about 75-80 mph. I could of been Killed at that speed and worse there would of been multiple cars involved in a collision. Please Help Me! Damage was estimated at $4016.75

This car has repeatedly drained the battery when completely off. I have replaced the battery thinking it was a faulty battery, only to have this occur repeatedly with a new battery. I am certain the doors are shut, lights are off, car is off and locked and nothing I have left on is in anyway draining the battery. I have even experienced this when driving the car for an hour, parking it for 30 minutes and coming back to a dead battery. The battery drops to 5v and car won’t start. The battery does charge and holds 13.5v. This is not an error with the battery as I have replaced the battery.