Subaru Outback

"Screen started to give me trouble about a year ago. It kept getting worse until it didnt work anymore. The radio wouldnt work and finally it got stuck on blue tooth and changed to Spanish then froze"

"Multimedia system could not be fixed and had to be replaced."

"The Multimedia system could not be fixed and had to be replaced."

"Began as intermittent finally rendering the system unusable. Unable to interact with the system using the touch screen. The entire unit had to be replaced by the dealer and was an extended delay order form Subaru. Would have been an extremely expensive repair had we not opted for an expensive, comprehensive additional warrantee."

"Screen freezes or (more often) goes wild - spontaneously spinning and changing through nav, radio, radio stations, settings, anything controlled by the touchscreen. I have had the screen turned off for the last 6 months."

"Started year ago. The display moves frm app to app to radio, etc., nonstop so cant listen to radio, etc."

"Constant freeze ups. Replaced system after about a 3 month wait"

"Display screen freezes up when connecting for use with Apple play requires entrance shut off and door open to reset"

"Entertainment system has completely failed. It seems the screen has delaminated."

"The screen freezing is only a small part of the problem and CR did not have the actual problem in the list of options. While it does occasionally freeze, the bigger problem is that the screen goes haywire and behaves as if an invisible toddler is constantly pushing buttons. When using the radio the unit will scan non-stop. When using the maps from my connected Android the unit will without prompting zoom in and if I re-center it almost immediately does the same zooming in. Sometimes it pulls up random addresses and starts giving me directions there. And just as it will often behave as if buttons are being pushed, it will often not respond when buttons *are* being pushed. I did some net-searching and discovered this is a not-uncommon issue with a couple year-models of Subarus, and that there apparently is no real fix other than replacing it but there's no guarantee it wouldn't happen again."

"Starting about 4 months ago, the screen will become unresponsive. When this happens, it will select things on its own, making it impossible to use the radio, navigation, phone, and anything else controlled by the screen."

"Screen bubbles caused screen unusable. Had to replace the system. This was very costly. One dealer quoted $4K. Another quoted little less than $2K. spoke to Subaru USA and had them cover the cost. They covered the second one. However the whole experience was very bad. Also this was a safety threat, since radio will play at very high volume while driving."

"The display screen for the entertainment system and GPS froze up and when not frozen was glitchy. It was resolved by being replaced under warranty."

"Seems like the touch screen is going out."

"Display screen freezes up, it will call people as I'm driving with no input from me. It changes modes, it changes radio stations all on its own and changes input such as FM, AM, and Sirius. The Dealer says they haven't heard of the issue but according to YouTube the 2018 and 2019 have had thousands of Display Screen issues."

"Same problem with both 2019 Subaru Outback Limited. Multimedia system could not be fix and had to be replaced."

"Screen for infotainment system completely unusable. Phantom on/off, switching functions, etc."

"For some time it has been intermittent, then it stopped working entirely."

"We had the car in a couple of times. They thought they had fixed the telephone playing through the car speakers, but it didnt work. We brought it in and left it. They found it when they got it to pair the battery drained and identified it as an issue with a motherboard or something like that. They contacted, the factory that makes Subarus I guess or the system Im got a new one and installed it for us and then it worked. However, the music on our telephones now doesnt play through it but thats not a major problem. We really like the car."

"module feeding power to bluetooth and infotainment sys was bad and killed the battery dead. fixed under warranty but took for ever to get part. bluetooth had never worked right from purchase new."

"The entertainment screen started acting up and not responding in August 2021. Issues would include not responding to touch, randomly selecting buttons, not connecting to phone, and there is no way to turn it off. After a few instances we brought it in to the dealership, they diagnosed that our unit had failed and would need to be replaced. Due to the widespread occurrence of this failure it took them 11 months to get the part and repair our vehicle. The cost here was around $2,500"

"Starlink module failed. $900 repair/replacement. vehicle safety features were disabled as a result."

"The screen needs to be replaced, but Subaru has no replacements and does not appear to be trying to resole the problem in any way. After market suppliers are reluctant to address the problem becuase of bad experiences they have had with a similar problem in older models that are under recall."

"Head unit screen somehow became de-laminated, causing the screen to randomly select, call, text, etc. Over $2000 repair, and made using the radio almost impossible"

"the head unit needed to be replaced, which was on back order for 3 months"

"Infotainment screen failed! Replaced with Aftermarket from Best Buy. Battery is starting to act up"

"I had to replace the factory entertainment screen with an after market Sony system"

"This started in May 2023. The issue is delamination of the head unit, causing it to do "ghost" movements, and/or causing the touch screen to completely freeze. It will scan through radio stations, disconnect & reconnect phone bluetooth, including during phone calls. The problem seems especially bad when the car is hot, or sun is shining on the head unit. Keeping the AC on has helped. I'm currently waiting for a new head unit to arrive at my local dealership, they are on backorder because this is a huge problem with this specific head unit. Once I receive the head unit, Subaru of America is paying $1000 for the replacement, and I'll end up paying $193, since it's past it's warranty."

"Entertainment system delaminated"

"So many problems. I believe they call the problem ghosting. The screen of my navigation system has these marks that resemble fingerprints, but theyre growing like a like a petri dish. What does it causes my system my mapping my radio ability to attach my Bluetooth is dangerous when driving because the screen turns the radio up on itself flashes back-and-forth between the map the radios back to the map. I turned the volume down. It turns the volume back up on its own, this is a known problem that Subaru wont fix unless the car is under warranty, but the problem starts after the warranty expires. Theyre on their second Class action lawsuit over this situation it started with older Subarus and now its 2019 and up and well I know for sure its outbacks. Subaru isnt fixing this and if you replace the unit because you cant just replace the glass you have to replace the entire unit it cost you to $2000 and up and then the worst part is if you do replace it its gonna happen again anyways because theyre not fixing the units, theyre not rebuilding them to a standard that will prevent this issue. Also, I have replaced all my tires and I go in every month and get a new valve stem because they keep saying that I dont have air in the tires and they keep saying the valve stem is the issue and the light for the air in the tires never goes off even when I got the new tires. Leslie, I have replaced the battery in my car twice. Ive only on the car for less than five years and you know what they told me they told me I kept the keys too close to the car and that that caused it to drain the battery. this is not my Subaru, but this is the first time Ive ever heard nonsense like that, Im really unhappy and more than likely wont buy another Subaru because they wont fix the issue. They just keep charging you. Imagine Spending $2000 to repair your infotainment system only had to have to spend another $2000 later when the system breaks down again"

"The screen detached and had bubbles and would randomly change channels and needed to be replaced using the warranty."

"I love everything about the is Subaru but the infotainment system and related applications. It was unsafe and undrivable while waiting for a replacement head and ancillary parts to support it."

"The infotainment screen delaminated, with consequent loss of all screen functions"

"The Outback would fail to start every few months due to a dead battery. The first occasion was within a week after we bought the car with 28,000 miles from a Subaru dealer. We called AAA, and AAA installed a battery. The dealer reimbursed us for the battery, and we thought the issue was solved. The charging system checked out ok. After the third time we had to jump start the car, and charge the battery, I began to look into the situation on owners forums. The problem is usually phantom current drainage caused by a problem with the Communication Data Module attached to the head unit. The owners forums indicate that this is not an infrequent issue. Subaru is aware of the issue, and responded to a class action lawsuit by offering to replace the battery once and pay for jump starts. They do not replace the module unless it is covered by an extended warranty. I paid nearly the cost of the warranty to replace the module. This is disappointing, and I will think twice before buying another Subaru. This is my second Outback. I sold my first Outback to my daughter, and it is running well with 186,000 mile. I expected the same performance from this one. My faith in Subaru is shaken by the pitiful response to a known issue. They should have replaced the module without charge. I went from being sure I would likely purchase another Subaru to likely choosing not to. The car is comfortable and quiet, and otherwise everything I expected. I'll look at Toyota first for my next purchase."

"The DCM was causing a parasitic battery drain causing the battery to consistently die. I have continued to have issues even after having the DCM replaced"

"The screen bubbled so bad it as difficult to view. On many occasions the scree would freeze, or flash distracting the driver. Eventually I replaced the radio with an aftermarket unit that I'm very happy with."

"The infotainment screen de-laminated causing ghost inputs and rendering it unusable."

"HVAC control head had TSB for fault with buttons not working due to infiltration of dirt (etc). subaru redesigned HVAC control head to mitigate issue"

"Screen of head unit delaminated from inside. None of the on-screen controls (radio, phone, navigation system, etc.) worked. Had to wait 4+ months for a replacement. I live in Wyoming where towns are at least 100 miles apart. Have you ever had to drive hundreds of miles without a radio? Ultimately, a rebuilt unit was installed that has control knob issues (turn the knob - - nothing happens, then volume or station jumps 10 or more 'clicks.' Very leery of buying a car with head units that host all or most dashboard controls, especially climate controls. We have gone too far with electronic automation."

"Head unit screen has bubbling that randomly presses screen buttons, rendering the unit useless and interfering with its visibility (backup camera image). Subaru is aware that it is a manufacturing defect but has tried to blame it on customers cleaning the face of the unit. After considerable stonewalling by Subaru corporate, they are finally replacing my unit unit with my extended warranty, but the wait time is as much a 6 months."

"The screen has been replaced twice. It seems to occur with hot weather"

"Paid almost $2000 to have whole head unit replaced. It was possessed, because fingerprints were behind the glass so it would dial phone numbers, set its own navigation change radio stations etc."

"I had to replace the screen because it started to randomly change things and go blank"

"the touch membrane is not properly attached causing the display to be useless. It jumps consistently betweeen functions, even while driving which is distracting safety. Cnnot use navigation, radio, car function steetings. carplay,,etc. Causes connected phone to randomly dial contacts. Screen turms on automatically even when manually shutting it off repeatedly. Dealer has not helped in paite of repots by me."

"possible DCM failure that will drain car battery. Will return to dealer for DCM check per Subaru instructions."

"Navigation system did not disengage when can was turned off and it drained the battery completely."

"Starlink not able to establish connection to cell service and would drain battery. I just recently received a letter from Subaru offering a bypass solution, I have already bypassed the circuit."

"The Outback would not start due to a completely drained battery ten times beginning less than two weeks from my purchase 12/31/2018 until 12/23/2023. After the sixth drain and investment in a home recharger, I replaced the battery at my own expense 6/9/2023. After three more drains and learning of a class action lawsuit regarding the battery, on 10/09/2023 I drove the Outback to a Subaru dealer, as instructed, the closest being 35 miles from my home. After three hours of recharging my 4-months-old battery the dealer's mechanic diagnosed a faulty DCM that constantly searched for a Starlink signal. (I had complimentary Starlink service for 3 months after my purchase, but I rarely used it during the trial and did not subscribe.) The dealer provided a loaner car overnight, but I paid the gasoline and drove the 70 miles round trip. The dealer replaced the DCM 10/10/2024 at my expense. The battery drained once more 12/23/2023. (Why I don't know. It was two days after a 60-mile drive on rural roads - is it still hunting for nonexistent signals?) On 11-10-2023, after my request for complete reimbursement, I received a "good will" reimbursement check from Subaru that was barely more than half the dealer's charge for diagnosis and replacement of the DCM and for cleaning the corroded battery terminals. Subaru refused responsibility, hinted that their dealer overcharged me. But finally! I received a letter 5-11-2024 that Subaru mailed to all owners of cars like mine that they had extended the DCM warranty and that reimbursement was possible with proof of replacement and payment. Subaru emailed me 5/30/2024 that my claim was approved and that I would receive reimbursement in 30-45 days. More than 60 days later, I am still waiting; I have received nothing. But meanwhile, I have had no problems with the Outback for more than seven months."

"When volume control moved sound would go way up or silent. Inconsistent"

"DCM module failure caused constant search for signal that drained the battery"

"The radio display screen has started to separate causing the screen to look fuzzy"

"Appears the starlink/pairing system keeps drawing my car battery until it is not even rechargeable , on 3 car battery"

"The display system features have been spotty since purchase. Its been replaced once but continues to be the most annoying aspect of the car. Its been so annoying that I might consider not buying a Subaru. Otherwise I like the Subaru. This is my third one"

"Display goes out of control indiscrimatley pressing buttons. It's totally inoperable and there is concern it could engage something distracting the driver. This seems to be a known and expensive problem thatsubaru will not provide a free fix on not co"

"Starlink repeatedly drained the battery and left me stranded. Replaced battery 3 times before recall was issued."

"The Data Control Module (DCM) would be searching for a cellular connection (presumably 3G) when the car was not operating. It discharged the battery in one or two days and caused the replacement of 2 batteries before the DCM was replaced."

"There is a known defect in the Starlink system that causes a parasitic battery drain such that the car will not start after not being used for several days."

"replaced car battery twice after being stranded with a dead car. The DCM module was engineered to communicate with AT&T 3G towers 24/7, since they are no longer used the car goes dead trying. Subaru said the replacement DCM was $1200 plus labor, an amount I was unwilling to pay for a problem they engineered into the vehicle. I paid $12 for the parts needed to rewire the DCM to only come on when the ignition is on. NO MORE DEAD CAR BATTERIES! Because Subaru has not offered to fix this engineering issue for free I can't imagine buying another Subaru!"

"This is the second Subaru Outback I have owned with navagation system. I have never been able to update the over-the-air software, probable because I do not have access to Wi-Fi with fast enough internet speed."

"I haven't been able to update the software, although a wifi connection was made. I will have the dealer take care of it."

"This was part of a failure of the electronic system. Subaru replaced the system at no charge."

"Had to remove a fuse from car engine compartment that controlled starlink to stop battery drainage, the give also controls Bluetooth and voice system"

"Same as radio"

"phone pairing causes on-board system to start auto-dialing phone numbers"

"intermittent connect"

"My car's battery kept dying. It turned out the entertainment system had a serious defect and never shut off, draining the battery. I took it to the dealership and they had no solution other than to replace a component costing $650. This was later identified as a common problem. They have only offered a software update for free, but it will not update over WIFI. None of the these are satisfactory solutions for a defect in the car's system."

"Recall now ok. I was disappointed that at first they didn't wamt to allow it."

"radio would change stations randomly. infotainment screen became distorted with bubbling"

"Radio interrupts phone . Known issue issue under recall, waiting for new radio"

"radio stations not stable. surface was bubbly and finger on it made the stations intermitant."

"The radio switches channels every few seconds as the GPS does also. Nothing stable about the radio."

"Radio constantly scans and not able to use other features like navigation right now waiting for dealer to order a replacement"

"I had to have the whole radio and screen replaced . I wasnt happy. Otherwise the Car has been good. I also had the horn fixed"

"Occasionally, right away from startup the sound, whether it be the radio or connected phone device, would be very muffled and only coming out of the front passenger speaker. Could not hear anything. Nothing fixed it but it seems to resolve itself after shutting the car down and restarting a short while later."

"Randomly (1-3/month) there is no audio output. Need to shut car off, open and close door and start again to get audio back. Has been happening over a year but I havent addressed with dealer."

"Starlink had a parasitic drain on the battery and cost me almost $500 to fix."

"Battery ran down quickly"

"See above, and Subaru wouldnt own problem-have purchased more than 8 new Subarusnever again!"

"The battery completely drained. Two new batteries were installed by road service over the next few months that also completely drained. It took the dealer 7 months to resolve this issue."

"The day after I took delivery, the battery was dead. The dealership made good with a new battery."

"Replaced battery twice due to electrical leak"

"The battery died 4 times in a year. Finally I had the battery replaced and at the time my technician said it was under a recall . Another technician told me the battery continued to fail the test after the replacement because another part was causing a parasitic drain so at a cost of about $1400 they would replace it. After doing my research I called Subaru directly and they agreed to replace the part at no charge. It was only after researching the battery issue on certain Subaru models that I learned of the additional problem. There is a NTSB bulletin as well as a class action suit against Subaru."

"The battery repeatedly died if the car wasn't driven for more than a few days unless connected to a trickle charger. Apparently there is a problem with a defective DCM unit that wore down the battery."

"Battery discharged completely when the car was left for 3 days or more. This has occurred at least three times in the last 12 months with a NEW battery. Subaru provided a new battery 15 months ago because this issue happened 4 or more times prior to the last 12 months. Have been left stranded twice and have had to purchase a battery charger/starter to keep for when it happens at home. Subaru has not admitted that this is a problem although it is well known with this model and year. Problem has not yet been resolved"

"It is a known issue and was replaced under the extended warranty."

"Parasitic battery drain. I parked the car for 7 days while on a trip and when I returned it would not start. Went through 3 batteries in 5 months before the dealer found the cause and corrected it. Turned out to be the DCM, and the dealer installed KARR Security System were the cause, the dealer removed the security system. I have not had a problem with this issue in the past 6 months. Although, it has not been parked for an extended time period."

"Faulty relay caused battery to drain. Relay was replaced at no charge."

"This generation Subarau Outback has a parasitic draw issue coupled with a below average standard battery. We chose to upgrade the standard battery when the vehicle was one year old. While much improved, we still end up with a dead battery several times a year, particularly when camping. We carry a Noco emergency starter as do most Outback owners we know. My brotherb has a 2021 Oiutback and is on his third battery."

"There was a constant electrical drain on the battery that resulted in replacing the battery 3 times with in 2 years. The cause (according to the dealer) was the system was looking for a 3 or 4G phone signal, not a 5G signal. This was happening after the car was turned off, thus draining the battery. The dealership serviced the car as under warranty, even though the warranty period has expired."

"Experienced two different times where battery was completely drained after leaving car for vacations a week at a time. Took into dealer claimed they didn't know and never could find problem."

"About 3 years ago the Battery would die when the car set unused for any length of time. At least 3 times when we traveled we had a dead battery when we went to pick it up from long term parking and a few times at home. During that time we replaced the battery twice. Finally the dealer replace the computer which kept draining the battery supposedly because it kept searching for 3g."

"needed to be replaced"

"Software ran continuously ( as I understand it) even when car was off, draining the battery. I had it to the dealer many times but Subaru was failing to acknowledge this issue with its Outback and the Dealer failed to address the issue. I submitted the situation to a Subaru complaint office and Subaru then authorized the dealer to update the software. Problem solved."

"The car electrical draw on the battery causes the battery to die if left more than 7 days in the winter."

"Started over a year ago. Battery drain due to faulty special fuse ($700) that dealership claimed was not faulty; however, after taking to another dealership, they resolved problem by replacing special fuse and acknowledging they (Subaru) knew of issue and was accepting claims but too many hoops to jump thru. Plus, after sent in, rejected claim on all 4 points as well as too late for filing. Was not a recall, but agreed to pay up after class action suit and not acknowledging a problem. So if it's not a problem, why agree to pay up?? Had to replace battery on both 2019 and 2018 Outbacks. Too, initial (1st) dealership maintenance tech said problem was not locking the car at all times ... inside garage and outside - what an insulting explanation. 1st dealership sent a Survey which I filled out. They sent it again (guess they didn't like the results from my first review). They sent a 3rd Survey, again same survey and same review. Have not heard back from them or Subaru. Either the dealership did not send survey to Subaru, or Subaru just doesn't care."

"Parasitic draw on the battery that has caused it to drain unexpectedly. Reported over a year and an half ago and NOT fixed by Subaru. My fault, somehow. Finally got a recall message acknowledging problem with the data control module (DCM) that caused the drain. Replaced with a bypass unit but actual DCM replacement wont come until Sept 2025."

"The dealership gave a new battery and a modular charger at no cost."

"All of the car batteries continue to stop working in about 12 months. Spent 1600 to replace systems and still batteries die."

"Constant battery drainage for over a year. The Subaru dealership was very dismissive about the issue and would claim that we left the keys in the vehicle, or left a light on. We had to use AAA for numerous battery jumps and finally bought a battery jump pack. When the lawsuit for drained batteries was initiated we took our vehicle in for a software update, this helped a little bit but did not solve the issue. Finally the delearshop discovered a parasitic drain coming fro. The Starkink DCM unit. The solution was to replace the unit which ran around $1,200. The biggest issue was that this was affecting numerous Subaru vehicles and it took about 9 months for the part to become available. Subaru of America and our dealership offered no assistance during this time. We were denied financial help, loaner car, and battery replacements. After knowing how Subaru of America handled this issue we will never be purchasing from them again as this was an engineering fault from the drawing and build and the were unwilling to support us through the process"

"There was an electronic device that caused a continuous discharge of the battery when the car was just sitting. This required a battery replacement and a 'hidden' recall fix."

"The DCM module did not operate properly causing the 12 volt battery to completely discharge. This DCM issue was initially unknown so I ended the replacing 3 batteries. Subaru has initially a recall"

"There was a failure of the Data Control Module (DCM) used by the On-Site system which caused a constant drain on the 12V battery. After replacing the 12V battery three time (2 under warranty) by AAA, Subaru Service confirmed the DCM failure and replaced the unit at zero-cost (goodwill). They also provided me with a loaner (2024 Forester) for the 2 1/2 weeks it took for the repair."

"Module wasnt upgraded to 4g. Caused continual battery failure for 3 years. Dealer upgraded module at no charge."

"Driver side headlight stopped working had to replace it with an after market unit"

"At one time I could not get into the car via the door. Had to call dealership to walk me through a process of tricking the system to open the door."

"Many times the keyless entry will not work unless I take it out of my purse and have very close to the car door"

"The key fob drained my car battery no matter how far away it was from the vehicle and even when I used a trick found online to lock the key fob. My husband kept looking for a way to fix it. He finally found several instances where owners had to take it to the dealership to have the dcm reprogrammed. I took it in June and have had no problems since. I replaced several CR2032 batteries in the key fob. Several times my car wouldn't crank because the fob had run down the battery overnight. Thankfully I had a different vehicle in the yard I could drive. Otherwise, I would have been unable to get to work. It also happened to me at work a couple of times and my husband had to come to me once and the other time it finally cranked. During this stressful time, I was not feeling safe with my Subaru Outback."

"driver unable to control passenger side window but passenger side control worked"

"the passenger window has never operated properly."

"automatic window would not close, then after that was fixed, all but driver's window didnt work at all."

"on three occassions the battery was discharged in the morning and would not start. has high off key loads"

"Something wrong with system so battery contralto goes dead probably relates to overall high load, and if only local driving, engine stopping and starting, not full charging."

"Started 9 months ago when battery kept draining & was replaced twice . The telemetrics data communication module was recalled. It was replaced by the dealer."

"From brand new It had problems with the front electrical windows. Every time I visited the dealer, they had to reset the controls. Now both front windows stopped working."

"Starlink telematics DCM module drained battery when 3g network went off the air. https://drive.google.com/file/d/121Rd84Ohl52jy-a4N -6nng2a4mSwqWAz/view?usp=drivesdk Dealer replaced it on special unadvertised program. Here is the TSB: https://drive.google.com/file/d/121Rd84Ohl52jy-a4N -6nng2a4mSwqWAz/view?usp=drivesdk I bought a datalogger here to show the issue, measured dark current, and hacked the fuse box to power the DCM off ignition instead of battery. This worked until dealer could replace DCM. https://photos.app.goo.gl/5AUZH74mjcXSoL588"

"lift gate sensors"

"I have had to replace the battery twice since owning the car . Subaru paid for the replacement batteries due to a class action settlement. They will no longer cover batteries due to the age of the car. If the car sits for more than 4 days the battery is dead. In the winter I have to use a trickle charger."

"Car had issues starting with electronic start. Have changed battery repeatedly; issue persists. Replacing car battery did not alleviate issue. Dealer recommended pushing brake pedal firmly to the floor. Issue has required using physical remote key to start vehicle, but that hasn't always worked."

"Battery would be dead when car was parked for more than a few days"

"Timing & terms of class action settlement & subsequent Starlink computer module replacement offer did nothing to compensate me for loss of use of vehicle for a day while on the road for work"

"Subaru STARLINK system was draining the car battery searching for 3G towers that no longer exist. There were multiple times when it would drain the battery so much the car could not start."

"Ongoing issue. Started in last year. Seems to be something draining the battery. Not resolved"

"See previous commentso"

"I am not an OnStar subscriber but it was activated and draining my battery. Because the dealer here is incompetent it took 7 months to solve this problem. Subaru lost a battery replacement lawsuit and the ruling in that suit was not honored by either of the 2 dealers available to me near Stuart Fl even though I had the extended battery warranty issued to me by Subaru headquarters."

"Battery goes completely dead in a very short period of time. Fully charged new battery installed is dead in 5 to 7 days if vehicle is not used. This has been an issue with the car since March of 2020, 9 months after purchasing the vehicle. Initial problem was caused by leaving rear hatch open over night. 3 New batteries at different times have been put into vehicle since then."

"Battery kept going dead. I found an article about parasitic power drain from the Onstar system, pulled the fuse for that and it fixed the problem."

"The DCM drains the battery, causing it to go dead after only a few days of not being driven. We have been left with a dead battery at least three times. Subaru has just put out a notice about this problem and is in the process of fixing it."

"The Starlink system, even though it is not activated, somehow would drain the battery of the vehicle. Replaced two batteries within 12 months before finding the root cause of the problem. Costly repair if it weren't for "extended Warranty" purchased through subaru"

"A faulty data communications module (DCM) drained the battery over 5 times, whenever the car was parked for more than a few days."

"In short, the Electronic ignition module was replaced. Dealership had my vehicle for about 1 week to trace out the problem and correct the issue. Since the vehicle was CPO, SOA and Dealership covered part of the repair cost each. My out of pocket expense was about $300 of what would have been over $1000. I'm not happy with this dealership and their certification process. Had it been done properly, several issue I experienced should have caught prior to them putting this car on the market."

"At times I can't get my rear door to open. I have brought it back 2x's to have it repaired and they can't find the cause. It is intermittent but it has happened quite a few times. Also, I have had a problem with my passenger window not operating. The switch just doesn't work. This has happened twice now"

"Electrical leak kept killing the battery"

"The electronic parking break stopped operating and therefore the cars tires were locked"

"The DCU failed leading to battery drain on multiple occasions. This failure led to issues with window controls, navigation, and radio."

"DCM issue would cause the battery to drain, especially in cold weather"

"The tire monitor falsely comes on periodically even though there is no issue. It's only because I bought tires outside of the dealership."

"Something to do with a bad cell that would not charge the battery, it was resolved at my cost within a few days"

"Battery drain to dead battery. Replaced battery after 19,000 miles using Diehard from local Advance auto parts because it was dead in my garage and original battery would not hold a charge. Continued to have dead battery issues so went to dealer who didn't know what to do. Bought a portable battery jump starter and charged battery after each use. Went to another dealer who said that the battery I purchased was too small despite what was listed as compatible. Paid twice as much for it and it was working fine for about 6 months, but I have recently had another dead battery incident. I don't trust going back to the dealer because they didn't try to diagnose the problem last time. I did some research online and it seems to be a common problem that no one has had a consistent answer to the actual cause. It is said that it's the DCM display control module and there's a hack to disconnect the fuse for it, but it disables features. I was told by my local mechanic to contact Subaru directly but I have not researched how to do that. It is very frustrating. I do like the car in general, but I don't like the mechanical uncertainty in regards to reliability."

"Required a battery replacement that should have been covered by Subaru"

"Battery stopped holding a charge. Tracked this to possible drain from Starlink system. Other Outback owners posted on web to remove fuse for Starlink as this would stop drain. Did this and battery is fine after 1 year. Owners who took car to Subaru were told to "buy a new battery". At the time I had problem, we put another fully charged battery in car and it, too, drained (before removing fuse). That has been the only problem with the car."

"The battery has died many times. It was replaced in January 2023 and we just replaced it again in May 2024"

"DCM not available for 4 months. Dealer provided loaner car for no charge."

"Battery died a couple times leaving us stranded at the airport. The 3G system is at fault - unable to find a signal and kept trying to do so. The only fix was $800 or pull the fuse. We pulled the fuse but oddly enough that also disconnected a couple of our speakers. POOR DESIGN!!"

"battery drain from electronics"

"Battery failure - replaced as part of class action lawsuit - and DCM module replacement - whick likely resulted in battery failure"

"Dead or weak battery because car was constantly searching for 5G towers"

"Chronic battery drain, keep charger n the car. Not resolved."

"Recall on 3G Starlink DCM"

"dead battery for the third time. dealer finally found a parasitic draw"

"Starling system drained battery trying to link with 3g tower."

"Battery drain. Car would renter inoperable after day or two. Battery totally dead"

"Battery drain issue caused by flaw in electronic system - left college age driver stranded at least 3 times. Covered by a recall and extended warranty - now repaired, hopefully."

"The car horn honks sporadically without being pushed. It tends to happen when the car is starting, ir when turning corners."

"Sunroof doesnt always open. $250 just to diagnose. Will wait."

"This car Eats Batteries!"

"In colder months, its hesitant on starting, with a new battery. Fine in warmer months. The vehicle is shaky once it starts up until it warms up. It uses up too much juice & when I turn radio off b4 shutting vehicle off, it stays on or turns on next time starting engine up. Not very happy with Outback. But will look at Cross Trek or Legacy-Subarus."

"Have had to replace the battery twice since we bought it in April of 2023"

"Replacement battery issue. Had to go to Subaru dealer for replacement as AAA didnt have one. Apparent litigation by some owners I was told."

"battery use and life"

"An electronic module malfunctioned. causing the battery to drain down. I initially paid for it but as Subaru had more and more issues with this. I was later reimbursed."

"Battery kept dying. Had to replace electrical control box"

"Bad battery"

"Battery was draining too quickly. Subaru first told me to replace the battery and use a charger to keep it charged. At the next servicing, they said there was a battery issue under extended warranty and they replaced it along with whatever was draining it. No issues since then but pretty shady of them not to do a recall."

"Starlink 3G modem kept draining battery"

"The car had a slow start and the battery failed in Jan 2025. Took it to Subaru - they charged $175 to diagnose a DCM failure. The battery for the DcM failed and started to pull power from the main car battery. They estimated a $900 cost to repair. They suggested I call Subaru corp and ask for help with the cost. In April 2025, Subaru paid for the repair. On In April 22, Subaru sent an extended warranty offer for all owners for the same issue. Now I have requested refund of my diagnostic fee"

"The front window cracked and became unreliable. This is the third window. Choosing noise reducing laminate glass was a mistake on behalf of Subaru. Stone chips are fatal for this wind screen."

"Battery goes dead in three days (and once overnight) if I don't remove the fuse for the DCM module."

"Electric window would not go up, and front headlight bulb to be replaced"

"Leather driver seat seam tore. Dealership repaired it for nominal charge"