Home · 2015 Subaru Outback Wilderness · Complaints

What 505 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Subaru Outback Wilderness

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (505)Crash / fire / injury (29)Visibility & wipers (143)Electrical system (125)Engine (47)Transmission & drivetrain (37)Body & structure (33)Brakes (28)Speed control (26)Fuel system (18)Airbags (14)Steering (13)

143 of 505 complaints match · Visibility & wipers · clear filters · page 2 of 6

Feb 25, 2020Visibility & wipers

MY FRONT WINDSHIELD KEEPS CRACKING ON THE DRIVER SIDE, FROM THE EDGE TOWARDS THE CENTER. I HAVE REPLACED IT MULTIPLE TIMES WITH IT CRACKING FROM THE EDGE. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN THE CAR WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND ALSO DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. I THINK THE BODY OF THE CAR BENDS AND PUTS TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON THE GLASS WHERE IT KEEPS CRACKING. I'VE INQUIRED WITH MULTIPLE LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIPS AFTER GETTING A NOTICE FROM SUBARU AND NONE OF THEM WILL FIX OR HONOR THE LETTER. DUE TO COSTS, I'VE STOPPED REPLACING IT AND AM SETTLING WITH CRACKS IMPAIRING MY VIEW.

NHTSA ODI 11311370

Feb 25, 2020Visibility & wipers

THIS MORNING I DROVE MY VEHICLE AND NOTHING WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY. I CAME HOME AND THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR 1.5 HOURS AND WHEN I WENT BACK OUT I NOTICED ABOUT AN 8 INCH CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD WITH NO SIGN OF ANY OTHER DAMAGE. IT IS A NICE, CLEAR DAY, AND THE CAR WAS NOT PARKED UNDER A TREE.

NHTSA ODI 11311410

Feb 22, 2020Visibility & wipers

SECOND WINDSHIELD TO SPONTANEOUSLY CRACK SINCE BUYING THE CAR NEW.

NHTSA ODI 11310786

Feb 11, 2020Visibility & wipers

LARGE CRACK IN WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER SIDE EXTENDING OVER 15 INCHES ACROSS. SUBARU DEALER SAYS IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THEY SAY IT WAS CAUSED BY A MICROSCOPIC SIZE CHIP. REPORTING BECAUSE I SEE ONLINE THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS MAKE AND YEAR. JUST CAME DOWN ONE MORNING AND THE HUGE CRACK WAS THERE. CAR WAS STATIONARY IN LOT. NO SIGNS OF VANDALISM. NO EVIDENT CHIPS BEFORE CRACK APPEARED.

NHTSA ODI 11308537

Jan 22, 2020Visibility & wipers

UNDER NORMAL STRESS - A CRACK APPEARED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD STARTING AT THE BASE AND BEGAN TO SPREAD UPWARD AND OUTWARD FROM THERE.

NHTSA ODI 11301095

Sep 16, 2019Visibility & wipers

A CRACK APPEARED AT THE BASE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD. GREW TO ABOUT A FOOT AND A HALF. IT SEEMS THERES BEEN A LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST SUBARU IN REGARDS TO WINDSHIELD, BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE. VERY SAD TO HEAR THAT ABOUT SUBARU. BECAUSE I'VE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH MY SUBARU UNTIL NOW

NHTSA ODI 11255843

Sep 5, 2019Visibility & wipers

WINDSHIELD GLASS RANDOMLY AND SIGNIFICANTLY CRACKED WITHOUT IMPACT OF ANY KIND.

NHTSA ODI 11253390

Aug 6, 2019Visibility & wipers

WINDSHIELD STARTED TO SPLIT IN LOWER WIPER RESTING AREA AFTER NO APPARENT IMPACT. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT MODERATE SPEED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. SPLIT CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN SIZE OVER THE FOLLOWING 3 DAYS. CORRECT LENGTH APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES.

NHTSA ODI 11241948

Aug 4, 2019Visibility & wipers

DRIVING 45MP, TEMPERATURE, 75, NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME OR ON THE SIDES OR ONCOMING, THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW POPPED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IN THE BLACK WIPER/ DEFROSTER AREA. A CRACK DEVELOPED RUNNING UP AND TO THE DRIVERS SIDE, ABOUT A FOOT LONG AT THE TIME OF WRITING THIS COMPLAINT

NHTSA ODI 11241623

Jul 22, 2019Visibility & wipers

WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11233844

Jun 19, 2019Visibility & wipers

WINDSHEILD CRACKED FOR NO APPEARANT REASON. THERE ARE MANY ACCOUNTS OF THIS PROBLEM ONLINE.VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN DRIVEWAY NOT MOVING WHEN CRACK OCCURRED. .IN SHORT TIME CRACK RAN OUT 1 1/2 FEET. HAD WINDSHEILD REPLACED ON 06/18/19

NHTSA ODI 11221318

Jun 11, 2019Electrical systemVisibility & wipers

HELLO, MY WINDSHIELD BROKE ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. I DON'T KNOW HOW OR WHY. IT WAS JUST BROKEN ONE MORNING WHEN I WENT OUT TO MY CAR. I FIGURED A ROCK OR SOMETHING HIT IT. THERE WAS NO RECALL AT THE TIME AND SO I HAD IT REPLACED WITH A OEM WINDSHIELD. MY SECOND WINDSHIELD JUST BROKE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHILE CHANGING MY WIPERS YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE CERAMIC WIPER HEATER DELAMINATED INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT TURNED BRIGHT RED. I HAVE OWNED ALOT OF CARS AND NEVER SEEN A WINDSHIELD THAT IS SO FRAGILE. I HAVE CHANGED MANY, MANY WIPER BLADES AND I KNOW WHAT A QUALITY WINDSHIELD IS. I SET THE WIPER BLADE HOLDER DOWN ON THE WINDSHIELD GENTLY AND IT CRACKED, THE CRACK GREW ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD IN A DAY OR SO. RIDICULOUS. THESE WINDSHIELDS RUN ABOUT 500 BUCKS AND SHOULD BE BETTER QUALITY. I ALSO HAVE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHERE MY CAR CLOCK WILL NOT SET... CURRENTLY. IT TOOK THEM 3 YEARS TO FIGURE OUT THE STEERING RETAINING PIN WAS BROKEN EVEN THOUGH I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT IT SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THE REAR GATE STOPPED OPENING AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE STRUTS ON A 3 YEAR OLD CAR. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE FRONT END BUT MY DEALER SAID "WAIT UNTIL IT GETS WORSE" CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? THANKS,

NHTSA ODI 11219361

Feb 18, 2019Visibility & wipers

WHILE PARKED OUTSIDE IN THE DRIVEWAY DURING WINTER, A CRACK APPEARED AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. NOTHING KNOWINGLY HIT THE WINDSHIELD, AND I SEE AND FEEL NO KIND OF IMPACT POINT. THE CRACK EXTENDED UPWARD AND THEN SPREAD TOWARD THE DRIVER'S SIDE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. I HAVE CONTACTED A SUBARU DEALER ASKING THEM WHAT SUBARU'S POLICY IS REGARDING WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENTS ON 2015 OUTBACKS. I AM WAITING FOR THEIR REPLY.

NHTSA ODI 11180874

Feb 15, 2019Visibility & wipers

WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM BASE OF WINDSHIELD RUNS THROUGH HEATING ELEMENT AND WIPER AREA. DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE CAUSED BY PEBBLE IMPACT OR POSSIBLY EXTREMELY MINOR ONE AND SPREAD IMMEDIATELY

NHTSA ODI 11180329

Dec 19, 2018Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHEN THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RELIABLE SUBARU (438 INGRAM MILL RD, SPRINGFIELD, MO 65802, 855-983-7578) WHO STATED THAT A PHOTO WOULD BE PROVIDED TO THE MANUFACTURER TO MAKE A DETERMINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: TL1-38506103544. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA ODI 11162562

Aug 22, 2018Visibility & wipers

WE CAME OUT TO FIND A 6-8 INCH CRACK LINE EMANATING FROM THE TOP RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE ONE MORNING. WE DROVE IT 5 MILES AFTER THAT AND WHEN WE CAME OUT IT HAD TRAVELLED AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELDS DRIVER SIDE. BY THE TIME WE GOT HOME IT HAD MOVED HALFWAY THROUGH THE GLASS AND ENDED IN A "J" AT THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS WILL BE MY THIRD WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT! THE FIRST WAS A RECALL. THE SECOND REPLACEMENT WAS FROM THE TEENIEST PING FROM A CAR ON THE FREEWAY AND NOW THIS IS THE THIRD REPLACEMENT! THIS IS MY FIRST SUBARU. WE HAVE ALWAYS BOUGHT TOYOTA IN THE PAST. I REMEMBER ONE INCIDENT ON THE FREEWAY FROM A TRUCK HITTING THE RAV 4 AND IT WAS AN ISOLATED HOLE THAT WE COULD HAVE FILLED, NOT REPLACED! DO I REALLY HAVE TO HAVE A NEW WINDSHIELD EVERY YEAR?! THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I E-MAILED SUBARU THREE DAYS AGO AND HAVE HAD NO RESPONSE.

NHTSA ODI 11121568

Jul 23, 2018Visibility & wipers

CAR WAS STATIONARY AND CRACKED FROM BOTTOM TO FORM 8 IN L SHAPE SAME AS THE LAST TIME THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED 3 YEARS PRIOR

NHTSA ODI 11113190

Jul 10, 2018Visibility & wipers

IN JUNE OF 2018 OUR FRONT WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK ACROSS THE TOP DRIVER SIDE, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY SORT OF IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD AND THE CRACK SPREAD ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD OVER A NUMBER OF DAY. SUBARU REJECTED OUR WARANTEE CLAIM BECAUSE THE CRACK WAS IN THE WRONG LOCATION.

NHTSA ODI 11110450

Mar 17, 2018Visibility & wipers

WINDSHIELD CRACKED BY THE REAR VIEW MIRROR'IT STARTED IN THE BLACK SECTION ALONGSIDE THE MIRROR AND CAME DOWN AND MADE A J AND REVERSE J PATTEN ONTO DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE AT EYE LEVEL. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THERE WAS NO IMPACT POINT BUT REFUSED TO COVER IT UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE IT DID NOT CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER AREA. WINDSHIELD WAS NEVER HIT BY ROCK OR OTHER DEBRIS AND THERE IS NO APPARENT REASON FOR IT TO CRACK LIKE IT DID. THE CRACK APPEARED WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE. APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE SUBARU CARLEX WINDSHIELDS. I FOUND FOUND SEVERAL COMMENTS ONLINE DESCRIBING THIS SAME CRACKING PATTERN.

NHTSA ODI 11079963

Jan 7, 2018Visibility & wipers

2 YEARS, 35000 MILES INTO OWNING NEW 2015 OUTBACK, MY WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED AN 8 INCH LONG CRACK ORIGINATING FROM THE BOTTOM DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS APPEARED WHILE PARKED OUTSIDE MY WORKPLACE, WITH NO KNOWN WINDSHIELD IMPACTS DRIVING. CONSEQUENTLY, I REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD USING SAFELITE, MATCHING THE WINDSHIELD TYPE VIA VIN. ONLY 2 MONTHS AFTER REPLACEMENT, ANOTHER CRACK DEVELOPED ORIGINATING FROM THE BOTTOM PASSENGER SIDE EDGE, AND QUICKLY SPREAD 3/4 OF THE WAY ACROSS THE BOTTOM. AGAIN, NO IMPACTS WERE WITNESSED TO THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD AGAIN, AS IT LIKELY WILL CRACK IN THE SAME MANNER SOONER OR LATER.

NHTSA ODI 11061061

Nov 20, 2017Visibility & wipers

LARGE CRACK IN WINDSHIELD WITHOUT ANY IMPACT. STARTS AT THE BOTTOM MIDDLE OF THE CAR AND BRANCHES OUT IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.

NHTSA ODI 11047421

Oct 16, 2017Visibility & wipers

THERE IS A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD THAT SHOWED UP ABOUT 5 MONTHS AND HAS INCREASED IN SIZE. BEFORE BRINING IT TO THE DEALER (NAPOLEON SUBARU IN SCHAUMBURG, IL), I HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THE CRACK WAS DUE TO THE FAULTY WINDSHIELD AND NOT BECAUSE OF ANY IMPACT. THERE HAS BEEN NO IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD TO MY KNOWLEDGE AND YET THE CRACK APPEARED AND HAS SPREAD. SUBARU DEALER SAID THAT THE CRACK MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY AN IMPACT BUT AGAIN I DON'T RECOLLECT ANY IMPACT THAT COULD CAUSE THIS. THE SUBARU DEALER SAID HE DID HIS PEN POINT CHECK AND THE CRACK WAS NOT CAUSED BY SUBARU'S FAULT. WHAT THE SUBARU DEALER TOLD ME ABOUT THE PEN POINT CHECK MAKES NO SENSE TO ME ESPECIALLY AS THERE HAS BEEN NO IMPACT TO MY WINDSHIELD. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT SUBARU AND THE DEALER ARE LYING ABOUT THE FAULTY WINDSHIELD AND ARE REFUSING TO REPLACE IT (WHICH I AM ASSUMING IS ALSO A FAULTY OEM PART). I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL CARS BEFORE AND I'VE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE BEFORE. I REPEAT, NEVER BEFORE ON ANY CAR, ESPECIALLY A NEW CAR. I CHECKED WITH A LOCAL MECHANIC AND AGAIN, WAS TOLD THIS WAS LIKELY CAUSED BY FAULTY WINDSHIELD. EITHER TO AVOID ADMITTING FAULT OR TO AVOID PAYING FOR A RECALL FOR THIS ITEM OR FOR AVOIDING LIABILITY IN A LAWSUIT, I DON'T KNOW BUT I FEEL LIKE SUBARU IS DELIBERATELY LYING OR MISREPRESENTING THE FACTS ABOUT IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I SHOULD EXPECT FROM WRITING THIS COMPLAINT BUT I AM WRITING BECAUSE I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS. WE WERE CONSIDERING A SUBARU FORRESTER FOR NEXT YEAR BUT I AM NOT GOING TO DO THAT NOW GIVEN HOW BADLY SUBARU IS TREATING ME ON THIS FAULT OF THEIRS. I SUSPECT SUBARU WILL NOT DO THE RIGHT THING DESPITE IT BEING SUBARU'S FAULT AT PUTTING IN A BAD WINDSHIELD AND INSTEAD PUSH THE COST TO THE CAR BUYERS. I CAN BE REACHED ON THE CELL AT [XXX]. THANKS. [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11033892

Jun 22, 2017Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SCREEN ON THE RADIO CREATED A BLINDING GLARE FROM THE SUNLIGHT. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT STATED THEY WERE ALMOST INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH A PEDESTRIAN DUE TO THE GLARE. THE WAS TAKEN TO RAMSEY SUBARU WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THERE WAS NO ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 08/24/17*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO BE REACHED. UPDATED 9/22/2017*JS

NHTSA ODI 11000580

Jun 16, 2017Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THEIR WIFE WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S GLASS FOR THE SUNROOF SUDDENLY SHATTERED. THE CONTACT STATED THEY HAD TO ORDER A NEW SUNROOF FROM TEXAS AUTO TOPS THEN SET AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE SUNROOF REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

NHTSA ODI 10995473

Mar 9, 2017Visibility & wipers

DEFECTIVE/DELICATE WINDSHIELD. DRIVING AT 65MPH ON SMOOTH HIGHWAY IN RAIN. PUT DEFROSTERS ON. WINDSHIELD CRACK ON DRIVERS SIDE ABOUT 12" FROM BOTTOM. RUNS TO ABOUT 2' BEFORE STOPPING. CLOSEUP INSPECTION REVEALS NO MISSING MATERIAL OR CHIP INDICATIVE OF IMPACT.

NHTSA ODI 10959895

← NewerOlder →

Working with the data? Download all 505 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2015 Subaru Outback Wilderness verdict →