Complaint volume
447 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
447 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2022 Subaru Outback, grouped by component category.
Buyer interpretation
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
447 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
The most common categories are visibility/wiper, unknown or other, electrical system. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Enriched records include 10 crash reports, 4 fire reports, 4 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage is available on 37 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 18,243 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
447 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I walked out to my car on Monday morning June 27th and the windshield on my 2022 Outback Wilderness was cracked on passenger side. No prior Rock Impact and only 2,807 miles . Submitted a claim with the dealer. Have not heard back yet. Manager said to call him back on Friday. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | We purchased this 2022 Subaru Outback on 7/19/22. My wife was driving in the rain to church. She parked the car and attended the church service. After the about 2 hours she went got in the car and noticed 3 cracks in the front windshield. There were no known impacts to the windshield. There are 3 cracks originating from a center point. 2 of the cracks are about 12 inches longs with the 3rd being about 4 inches long. This cracking started on 7/31/22. We haven't even made the 1st payment yet. Very distressing to say the least. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Battery dies or runs so low the vehicle won’t start, if a door/hatchback is left open just a short time with the engine turned off. Or if the key fob is in the cab more than a few minutes with the engine off, or the accessory function is used more than a few minutes with the engine off. I bought the car on July 21st 2022. On July 26st 2022 I was driving it on a Jeep road and pulled over and stopped for 10-15 minutes, car/engine turned off. When I returned the car wouldn’t start. I tried to start it repeatedly. It appeared to be a low battery. I may have left the door ajar but don’t believe so. I did sit in the car a few minutes with the engine off. My phone was plugged in to the car and I used it for a few minutes. I possibly could have left the key fob in the car but don’t think so. About 15 minutes later, after exiting the vehicle, I got back in and it started. I researched online and found this has been a problem with Subaru Outbacks. Lawsuits have been filed. I called the dealership and talked to the salesman and he said he had no idea why my car hadn’t started. Which I find hard to believe. If this had happened a few miles further out in the desert and I was gone from the car longer and the battery completely failed it would have been a life threatening situation. It was a 100 degree day and phone reception was spotty. I’m 67 and had water but a 6 mile walk back to civilization wouldn’t have been easy. I’ve read that many Outback owners carry a jump-start device-battery. I’ll get one, they’re cheap. But still the dealerships and Subaru should inform/warn customers of this issue BEFORE they buy or leave the premises. I wouldn’t have bought the car if I knew. Subaru’s are marketed as outdoor friendly and this model, the Wilderness, supposedly designed just fit that. How many people are being stranded in dangerous situations? Leaving the hatchback open while camping as they unload the car engine off-dead battery. I’ve heardrumors online of a software fix | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I have only had this vehicle for 11 months and I’m about to have the windshield replaced for the second time. This poses a serious safety risk on any road and especially highways. If the crack spreads to the vehicle Eye Sight area then the function will shut off, causing further problems on the highway in regards to cruise control and emergency braking. The Outback vehicles are known for having weak windshields and the manufacturer has recalled some model years. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Spontaneous windshield crack. Crack went from drivers side edge of glass horizontally across approximately 2/3 of the windshield. After approximately 2 days, the crack began to seperate, it was nearly a 1/4" wide by the time it was replaced. There was no obvious sign of an impact, I assumed there had been an impact, but am concerned of an actual defect as I am hearing reports of this spontaneous cracking becoming more common. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Windshield crack. With just under 3000 miles on our 2022 Subaru Outback while driving home, my wife noticed a small crack on the windshield near the "Eye sight" cameras which I could not see from the driver side. By the time I could finally pull over and look at this it had grown to over a foot long or longer. Prior to owning this Subaru, we helped our Daughter with the purchase of her first Subaru, a 2020 Subaru Crosstek Hybrid. She has already had to have her windshield replaced due to a small chip which grew into a long unrepairable crack. Prior to owning a Subaru, I owned a 2007 Chevrolet Impala for over 14 years. Just before selling it this past year I had to replace the windshield on this car. Not sure what the cause of the crack was but I suspect it was vandalism. I'm reporting this as I've heard others having this problem as well and was concerned that maybe there was a problem with Subaru windshields. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Multiple windshield cracks from small rocks on the highway. Crack has spread across the windshield. We have only owned the car 3 months. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | There is a defect in the windshield. I’ve replaced the windshield twice. The first time a rock hit it and it caused the entire windshield to crack. I got the windshield replaced and a week later it cracked again. I replaced it again and 30 minutes later it happened again. My father in law has an Outback as well with the same issue. I also have a colleague with the same exact model vehicle with the same issue. I researched online and there are many owners that have complained about the same thing. When I talked to the dealership where the car was purchased the salesman seemed to have heard about the issue before. The windshield repair shop also said that there are a lot of Subarus that come through the shop with the same issue. I’ve had rocks hit my windshields in past vehicles and I have never seen them crack and spiderweb in this way. It is obvious to me that there is a flaw in the design or manufacturing of these particular windshields. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | We left the outback wilderness out Overnight under no trees or anything that may cause damage like that. Come outside in the morning, and bam, a 13 inch crack in a semi S shape with no visible chip from a rock. There is absolutely no reason there should be a crack, even if there was a small chip in the glass. That's the cause of poor craftsmanship and this deserves a lawsuit alone. Has Subaru of America learned nothing from what happened with the 2015 to 2016 outback and legacy models? What about their most recent lawsuit in 2019 that ranged for the 2017 to 2019 Foresters that also awarded the victim of poor windshields? Do we need to have another lawsuit? If that's the case so be it but I seriously hope the NHTSA kicks off a recall so there is no need for a lawsuit. I love Subaru, I seriously do but they haven't been doing so well with their windshields, their Infotainment systems, and engines. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | SafeLite is Unable to calibrate vehicle EyeSight after non-OEM windshield replacement. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. There have been two attempts to calibrate the vehicle EyeSight by SafeLite. The dealer says the EyeSight with a non-OEM windshield can not be properly calibrated. According to Subaru, the 2022 model requires that OEM glass be used for windshield replacements on models that are equipped with the EyeSight Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). Lane detection works randomly, periodically there a warning beep showing a vehicle icon between two bars and the word "Off" . In addition to the alarms, the Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) keeps nudging the steering wheel causing the vehicle to swerve. None of the front safe driving features of the vehicle can be trusted. The steering nudging problem doesn't happen when the VDC is turned off. The VDC defaults to on. To safely drive the vehicle the VDC needs to be manually turned off each time the car is started. No the problem has not been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. I assume the vehicle logs have a record of the warnings. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Very tiny rock hit the windshield without much force but still caused a ding in the windshield. Glass appears to be excessively fragile. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I have 2022 Subaru Outback Limited XT. The windshield cracked 7 days after purchase. Only have 200 miles on it. Drove at 60mph and suddenly saw a crack on the passenger side of the windshield. Didn't hear any pop sound. The crack was about 17 inch long spreading from the bottom edge passenger side to the center of the windshield. Took the car to the dealership and was told the windshield is not under warranty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | The gas pedal and brake pedal are not adjustable due to them being digitally programmed. The position of the brake is higher than the gas pedal, which causes stress on my knee, ankle, and hip joints and has caused me significant pain so I can't drive. The gas pedal needs to be pressed hard to get the car going, which has been causing me knee pain. I asked the Premier Subaru of Fremont, where I leased my Subaru Outback in May 2022, if they could tighten the brake pedal and adjust the gas pedal, but they said it was impossible. This is injuring my knee and causing me to have sciatica. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I have the 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness, which is supposed to have "Gorilla Glass" for the windshield (which looks like two windshields sandwiched together), but only the outer glass was cracked. The windshield developed a cracked starting from the mid-height passenger side edge, and continued towards the driver side, stopping just prior to the middle of the windshield and then looping under. The vehicle was parked, and when I got in the vehicle the following morning I noticed the crack. I looked closely for an impact point, and there were none. I took pictures and video of the windshield. I contacted Subaru (Pembroke Pines, FL) and they said they had not heard of any issues and told me to reach out to my insurance company, which I did and they directed me to safelite AutoGlass in Miami (2757 SW 8 Street, Miami, FL. 33135) to have the windshield and safety "eyesight" recalibrated. The technician was not able to see any impact point as well. The windshield was replaced with a factory windshield "Gorilla Glass" type and the safety feathers were calibrated. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Windshield cracked completely without impact | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Driving and thought I heard slight cracking noises, couldn't figure out what it was. About 2 minutes later a huge crack about 18" spontaneously appeared from the passenger side of the windshield to nearly the middle of the windshield. No rocks or impact, just out of nowhere. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1. Front Windshield cracks easily instead of chipping. Appears to be under pressure in a strange way and it cracks then starts to delaminate. I had 2 windshields replaced within 30 days. Water also starts to enter the crack and it impacts the wiper blades when in use. 2. Center Info-Tainment system in underpowered to the degree that touch response is laggy to the degree to be dangerous. With all the climate controls, radio, gps, and other controls now on the touch screen this slowness is dangerous to the point that should warrant a recall. I've had a system update done and this did not fix the slow touch response. It appears to be underpowered hardware. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The glass sheet on the vehicle’s sunroof spontaneously exploded while I was driving on the freeway. Some broken shards fell onto myself and into the cabin as the interior pull cover was in the open position at the time of the explosion. Luckily no additional passengers were in the vehicle at the time of the incident. I was in shock as I heard and felt the explosion. As broken shards were falling onto me and into the cabin, I thought I was a victim of an intentional freeway shooting or an unlucky recipient of a stray bullet. After realizing I was unharmed, I immediately drove my car to a trusted Subaru dealership for further investigation of the damage. At the time, the dealership did not have the appropriate personal on site for an investigation, however a service associate took photos of the damage. The service associate also observed and noted the position of some glass remains still in tact on the sunroof frame - some broken edges were positioned at an outward angle in relation to the vehicle. This is an indication of an outward explosion rather than an impact from outside of the vehicle. I am currently waiting for the dealership’s response to have the car brought back in to complete the investigation w/ the appropriate personal. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Windshield cracked for no reason at all. This vehicle had been parked on my driveway and had not been driven in about 3 days. There are no trees or anything near the driveway that could have fallen on the car. While the car was parked on my driveway, the car was facing away from the street. The next morning the crack had already expanded and covered most of the middle part of the windshield. Contacting a local dealer was a nightmare. The dealer person said they're not responsible for a replacement. They looked the other way saying "we just sell the cars", and suggested to take it to Subaru of America. I'm currently waiting for a response from Subaru of America. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | We had a rock fly up and hit the windshield 7" below top center of windshield, on impact the crack was over 12" in length, now the Crack is now over 24" in length. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Drive to visit family, no rock chips, no accidents; pulled in about 7pm. Next morning Woke up at 0600 to a severe crack in the windshield. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | On 7/7/2022 I was traveling the Blue Ridge parkway and heard a pop sound and saw about 5 inch windshield crack from edge of my Driver A-post frame traveling horizontally toward the center of the vehicle. I did not see anything hit the windshield. By the time I got to a rest stop the crack continued to travel across toward the center of the vehicle. I saw no evidence of impact at the edge of windshield or along crack. I had to lower my seat so as to see below the crack because the sun on the windshield was causing a bright glare spot from light refraction. When I got to Lynchburg I called the closest Subaru dealership. They stated they that something must have hit it and if they had to order a replacement it would be several days and suggested I call my insurance company and a. Auto glass repair company. I then called Subaru customer service which provided me a claim number and stated they would get back to me in 24 to 48 hours. I stayed overnight in Lynchburg but they haven’t got back to me. I am waiting for someone to come inspect it or tell me where to take for inspection. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I have videos. I have been having major issues with a lot of aspects of the car. However, the most concerning is the obstacle detection going off randomly when there is NOTHING in front of the car, and the other major issue is that the lane assist feature keeps pulling the car out of the lane I am in. Randomly throughout a cruise control drive, the car will pull towards an inner lane. I fight with the car to keep it in the correct lane. If I relax my grip even slightly, the car pulls me into the other lanes of traffic. I am finding that it is most determined to pull me out of my lane when there are cars in the lane next to the one I’m driving. In other words, it never tries to pull me off the road. It always tries to pull me into other lanes of traffic. I’ve been driving the car for 6 months. It’s been doing this since the first month. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | While driving, the radio volume suddenly increases to extremely loud. Not only is this dangerous and extremely distracting for the driver, but it is potentially harmful to everyone in the vehicle. My immediate reaction when this occurs ( it happens frequently) is to focus on the radio and off of the road, regardless of whether I am driving low speed or high speed on an interstate, or even when I’m turning at an intersection. Very dangerous! There are no warnings prior to the “full blast” of volume. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Purchased a 2022 Subaru Outback in late August 2021. We been driving regularly and on Friday July the 1st, we were leaving home going to dinner, got in the car to a crack in the windshield extending from the top center edge of the windshield to the center of the windshield. No impact chip is visible, or by touch. No known rock or debris impact while I was driving. We have been very careful with my nice new car and this is extremely disappointing. Due to the holiday, we were unable to contact the dealer until Tuesday July the 5th. As of the day we contact the dealer the crack is now two thirds down the windshield on a vertical plane and beginning to spider horizontally from the center to the left and the right. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |