What 505 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Subaru Outback Wilderness

CONTINUOUS VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (CVT). THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN SUDDENLY MOTIONLESS, ENGINE REVVED UP AT 3500 RPM BUT THE CVT REMAINED UNRESPONSIVE. PACED SHIFT GEAR TO PARK POSITION THEN TO DRIVE GEAR THEN THE VEHICLE MOVED-UP VERY SLOW THEN IT PULLED FORWARD TO A NORMAL DRIVEABLE CONDITION. THIS ISSUE HAPPENED IN 2017, 2018, 2019. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP 2X TESTED THE VEHICLE BUT, NO PROBLEM FOUND AND NO MANUFACTURER'S ISSUE WAS RELEASE. SEVERAL SUBARU OWNERS COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME ISSUE, ON 2013 - 2015 OUTBACK MODELS.THE BATTERY ON 2015 OUTBACK MODEL LIKE MINE, HAD REPLACED IN 2017 WHILE UNDER WARRANTY UP TO 3 - YEARS. LATELY, THE BATTERY DIED SEVERAL TIMES, TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER FOR TEST AND REPLACEMENT BUT, THE 3 - YEARS WARRANTY WAS OVER FROM ITS ORIGINAL PURCHASED. THE WARRANTY SHOULD BE APPLIED ON THE SECOND BATTERY REPLACEMENT THAT RUNS FOR THE NEXT 36 - MONTHS. ANOTHER ISSUE IS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER THE VEHICLE HAS, TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER LAST JULY 2020, A SRVICE ADVISOR ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THE VEHICLE DROVE FOR TESTING THEN CAME BACK WITH NOTHING WRONG ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER PER MECHANIC ASSESSMENT. THE FRONT EXHAUST PIPE WAS CRACKED AND IT WAS REPAIRED AS PART OF MANUFACTURER RECALLS. THERE ARE ISSUES ON THIS MODEL REFERRING TO THE CVT, BATTERY, INFOTAINMENT GOT FREEZED, NO DATA ON SCREEN, ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION TO FAST. THE MAIN ISSUE FOR ME IS THE "SAFETY ISSUE." WHICH IS THE TRANSMISSION. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS IN 2017, 2018, 2019.

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WHEN I CHANGE GEARS FROM P( PARKING) IN TO D(DRIVE) IT TAKE AROUND 2 SECONDS TO START THE CAR DRIVING I THINK THAT IS BAD FOR TRANSMISSION, ANOTHER PROBLEM IS WITH TACHING SCREEN IT DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY MANY TIMES ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M DRIVING IN R(REARVERSE) AND THE GEAR LIGHTS IN DASHBOARD DO NOT TURN ON . THANKS

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THE REAR DOORS FOR OUR 2015 OUTBACK ARE STUCK IN THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK POSITION. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. WE PAID OVER $300+ TO HAVE THE MECHANIC ACCIDENTALLY BREAK THE SWITCH AND THEN REPAIR IT. THE SWITCH ON THE OTHER DOOR IS ALSO STUCK WITH THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK ENGAGED.

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BATTERY SUDDENLY WENT DEAD SHORTLY AFTER DRIVING WHEN IT SHOULD BE CHARGED. AFTER INVESTIGATING, I FOUND THAT THE ECU CYCLES THE ALTERNATOR OFF AND ON TO TRY TO INCREASE FUEL MILEAGE. THIS HAS TWICE RESULTED IN BATTERY FAILURE, NOT STARTING AND LEAVING ME STRANDED. I'VE HAD TO BUY NEW BATTERIES TWICE IN FIVE YEARS.

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CONSISTENT BATTERY ISSUES ON START UP; UPON A MECHANIC LOOKING AT BATTERY, THE BATTERY IS FULLY CHARGED/OK - BUT THERE APPEARS TO BE POSSIBLE CONNECTION ISSUE? IT APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE. IS THERE A FIX FOR THIS?

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VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH SUBARU'S "EYE SIGHT" SYSTEM, WHICH PROVIDES PRE-COLLISION BRAKING AND IS INVOLVED WITH LANE DEPARTURE WARNING. THE EYE SIGHT SYSTEM IN MY CAR IS INTERMITTENTLY INOPERATIVE WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. SOMETIMES, THE SYSTEM BEGINS WORKING AGAIN, THEN TURNS OFF, TURNS ON, ETC. IF EYE SIGHT IS INOPERATIVE AS THE CAR COMES TO A FULL STOP, THE INOPERATIVE WARNING MESSAGE USUALLY DISAPPEARS, BUT THE MESSAGE RETURNS SHORTLY AFTER THE CAR BEGINS MOVING AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVERY TIME THE CAR IS IN MOTION FOR THREE WEEKS.

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2015 OUTBACK WITH 43,300 MILES. TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITH THE TRANSMISSION BEFORE IT REACHED THE RAILROAD TRACKS. DEALER SAID THIS WAS DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION OF THE UNDERBODY OF THE CAR. BRAKE LINES CORRODED AND RUPTURED. DEALER SAID THIS WAS NORMAL AMOUNT OF CORROSION. (THEY DID NOT WANT TO PUT THIS IN WRITING) CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA. (CASE # 1-58312860198) THEY SAID THAT SINCE DEALER SAID IT WAS NO BIG DEAL THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. CASE CLOSED. I AM CONCERNED THAT SINCE THE CORROSION IS SO SEVERE THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. (THIS CAR HAS A LONG HISTORY OF OTHER THINGS NOT WORKING)

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RECEIVED SUBARU RECALL (WUJ-95) ON AUG,3.2020 PERTAINING TO EXHAUST PIPE BELLOW FAILURE. THE RECALL INCLUDES REPLACEMENT OF THE EXHAUST Y-PIPE THAT IS INSTALLED FROM ENGINE TO TALE PIPE. THIS EXHAUST PIPE IN MY UNDERSTANDING WAS INSTALLED UNDER A STRESS MANUFACTURING PROCESS WHERE THE PIPE AND FASTENER SYSTEM HAS TO BE FORCED IN TO INSTALL. THIS PUTS EXCESS STRESS ON THE BELLOWS AND CAUSED FAILURE. MY QUESTION IS WHY DID SUBARU WAIT FIVE YEARS TO NOTIFY THE CONSUMER AND ISSUE A RECALL. PLEASE RETURN MY REQUEST FOR A FULL EXPLANATION OF WHAT HAPPENED. 2ND. I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CVT TRANSMISSION ISSUE. SUBARU EXTENDED THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE TIME LINE TO 10YR-100,000 MILE. I AM HAVING MANY ISSUES WITH MY CVT TRANSMISSION AND SUBARU WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL. WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS WITH THE GEN-5 CVT TRANSMISSION WOULD PLEASE TAKE A 2ND LOOK AT THIS ISSUE.

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I WAS GOING 55 MPH ON A STRAIGHT FLAT SURFACE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE RPM'S SHOT UP TO AROUND 4000 BUT THE CAR WAS NOT ACCELERATING. IT WAS LIKE IT WENT INTO NEUTRAL. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR PROCEEDED TO DIE. FORTUNATELY, IT STARTED RIGHT UP AND I DROVE HOME. I HAD A ALMOST A FULL TANK OF GAS. I HAD ONLY DRIVEN IT FOR 5 MINUTES AS I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK. I JUST HAD THE OIL/FILTER CHANGED NOT EVEN 2 MONTHS AGO. I HAVE 54,000 DEALER SERVICED MILES ON THE CAR. IT WAS 86 DEGREES OUT. 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK PREMIUM 2.5

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FAILURE TO START. DEAD BATTERY FROM STATIONARY. ABOUT 5-6 TIMES.

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NOTED OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL WEEKS, AN INCREASE IN EXHAUST NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THE CABIN WOULD FILL WITH EXHAUST FUMES WHEN STOPPED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TWICE TO HAVE THE ISSUE DIAGNOSED AND BOTH TIMES THEY INDICATED THAT NO ISSUE WAS FOUND. ON THE THIRD TRIP, THEY CONFIRMED A HOLE IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND INITIALLY REFUSED TO REPLACE IT UNDER WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS COVERED UNDER THE PZEV EMISSIONS WARRANTY AND EXTENDED VEHICLE COVERAGE. AFTER POINTING OUT THE PZEV COVERAGE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE MANIFOLD.

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2015 SUBARU OUTBACK BATTERY FAILS TO HOLD A CHARGE. I WAS ADVISED IN JANUARY 2020 BY THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE BATTERY, WHICH I DID. THE PROBLEM IS NOW RECURRING AND THE CAR BATTERY WILL NOT HOLD A CHARGE OVER NIGHT. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS IT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS. THE CAR HAS BECOME COMPLETELY UNRELIABLE.

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2015 SUBARU OUTBACK 3.6L MILEAGE-58969. ALL LIGHTS FLASHING ON DASHBOARD, THEN SOME STOP BUT MANY STAY FLASHING.

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I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY STOCK SUBARU BATTERY FROM THE DEALER NOW FOUR TIMES. I DRIVE IT FOR WORK EVERYDAY AND EVERY SO OFTEN IT WILL NOT START UP ONE MORNING. I DO NOT LEAVE MY LIGHTS ON, DOME LIGHTS, OR ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. IT WAS STATIONARY AND WOULD ALWAYS HAPPEN THE NEXT MORNING, THE BATTERY WOULD BE DRAINED AND THE DEALERSHIP WOULD REPLACE JUST THE BATTERY AS THEIR FIX. MONTHS LATER, IT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN AGAIN ON A BRAND NEW BATTERY FROM THE DEALER.

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WHILE DRIVING MY 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, I NOTICED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY HAD A CRACK THAT STARTED AT THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE AND RAN DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD ABOUT 12", NO EVIDENCE OF BEING HIT BY STONE, ETC.

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MY CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. NO IMPACT MARK OR ANYTHING. CRACKED IN THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD LIKE ALL 2015 AND NEWER SUBARU OUTBACKS APPARENTLY DO. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE WITH PEOPLE DETAILING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE YET NO RECALL YET.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUSTIN SUBARU (8100 BURNET ROAD, AUSTIN, TX 78757 PHONE (512)220-0930) TO BE REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V502000 (POWER TRAIN), THE MECHANIC FOUND AN INTERNAL OIL LEAK AND NEEDED TO REMOVE THE ENGINE TO BE ABLE TO CORRECT THE ENGINE OIL LEAK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER REPLACED ENGINE RINGS, CYLINDER HEADS, AND INSTALLED A LONGER LASTING SILICONE SEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER REPAIRED THE ENGINE OIL LEAK FAILURE AS A GOOD WILL OFFER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,600.

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BATTERY DISCHARGES WHEN NOT DRIVEN FREQUENTLY. SUBARU TECH SUGGESTED PURCHASING LARGER BATTERY AS OEM IS NOT ADEQUATE. DATE OF EVENT IS EST. *TR

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WINDSHIELD CRACKED, STARTING AT HEATING ELEMENT AND GREW TO ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. MFR ADMITTED FAULT (I HAVE DOCUMENTATION) BUT WOULD NOT COVER FULL COST OF REPAIR. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN CRACK APPEARED AND HAD BEEN STATIONARY FOR SOME TIME DUE TO COVID-19 STAY AT HOME GUIDELINES. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

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CHILD LOCK ON BACK PASSENGER DOOR IS LOCKED DOWN SO YOU CAN'T GET OUT UNLESS SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE OPENS. I NEVER USED THE CHILD LOCK AND HAVE NO IDEA HOW IT GOT DOWN. TOOK IT TO SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD $350 TO FIX IT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT. SEEN MANY POSTS OF OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.

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SUDDEN OVERNIGHT CRACK ALONG THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD, ABOUT 2" DOWN FROM THE TOP, FULL WIDTH OF DRIVER'S SIDE. CAR WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE ON A QUIET RESIDENTIAL STREET, NO IMPACT OR UNUSUAL WEATHER EVENTS.

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I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND AS I WAS GRADUALLY HITTING THE BRAKES, THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN AT HIGH SPEED HITTING THE FENCE IN FRONT. I AM SURE THAT I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS. I HIT THE BRAKES AND IT WAS OF NO USE. AFTER HITTING THE FENCE THE CAR STOPPED AS I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE.

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LIFT GATE MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, MAKING KNOCKING SOUND.

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ON FEBRUARY 25 I WAS DRIVING MY SUBARU ON A CITY STREET AND TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH. I NOTICED THAT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AHEAD OF ME WOULD BE TURNING RED SO I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN. THE POWER BRAKES DID NOT WORK AT ALL. NOT ONLY DID THE POWER BRAKES GO OUT BUT THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN. I LOOKED AROUND FOR OPTIONS AND DECIDED I COULD TURN OFF INTO A PARKING LOT. THE BRAKES (NOT THE POWER BRAKES BUT THE BACK UP SYSTEM BRAKES) GRABBED JUST ENOUGH TO SLOW ME DOWN SO THAT I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF SAFELY INTO THE PARKING LOT. I DROVE THROUGH THE PARKING LOT TO A PLACE WITH NO CARS AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO STOP. AS I PUT THE CAR IN PARK THE ENGINE RPMS REVVED UP TO 4000 SO THE CAR ENGINE WAS OBVIOUSLY STILL TRYING TO PROPEL THE CAR. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND CALLED MY HUSBAND. WHEN HE CAME, HE GOT INTO THE CAR AND CHECKED THINGS LIKE THE CAR MAT POSITION WHICH WAS IN THE CORRECT PLACE. HE STARTED THE CAR AND IT WAS AS IF THE CAR HAD GOT IT'S BRAIN BACK. HE DROVE IT IMMEDIATELY TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG BUT DID UPDATE OUR COMPUTER SYSTEM. WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS SINCE THEN.

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