Home · 2017 Subaru Outback Wilderness · Complaints

What 917 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 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 (917)Crash / fire / injury (37)Electrical system (391)Visibility & wipers (233)Transmission & drivetrain (47)Engine (43)Speed control (28)Body & structure (26)Brakes (24)Driver assistance (23)Steering (23)Airbags (16)

233 of 917 complaints match · Visibility & wipers · clear filters · page 5 of 10

Nov 27, 2020Visibility & wipers

WINDSHIELD CRACKED. IT'S UNKNOWN WHETHER IT WAS DUE TO ROAD TRAFFIC AS WE DIDN'T NOTICE IT RIGTHT AWAY. THE ORIGINAL CRACK STARTED BELOW THE DASHBOARD EYESITE.

NHTSA ODI 11376663

Nov 27, 2020Visibility & wipers

IN LATE 2019 I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH MY WINDSHIELD. I WASH MY CAR 2X A WEEK AND PARK INSIDE A GARAGE EVERY NIGHT. I STARTED SEEING LIGHT CRACKS FORMING ON THE WINDSHIELD OUT OF THE BLUE. FAST FORWORD TO 2020 I NOW HAVE MULTIPLE FEINT CRACKS AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE WITH THE FEAR IT WILL CRACK MORE.

NHTSA ODI 11376689

Nov 22, 2020Visibility & wipersDriver assistance

WINDSHIELD CRACKED

NHTSA ODI 11375788

Oct 29, 2020Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE GARAGE, WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. THE CONTACT CALLED A WINDSHIELD REPAIR SHOP AND HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED REMOTELY AT HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,800.

NHTSA ODI 11367019

Oct 22, 2020Visibility & wipers

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW. I AM ON THE 4TH WINDSHIELD NOW. CRACKS SHOW UP BELOW THE WIPER AND SPREAD STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN THEN ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. ANY LITLE DING CAUSES A COMPLETE LOSS OF THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A CAR THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM...

NHTSA ODI 11365718

Oct 16, 2020Visibility & wipers

2017 SUBARU OUTBACK LIMITED WITH EYESITE SAFETY CAMERAS/DRIVER ASSIST. WINDSHIELD CRACKED OVERNIGHT JUST SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY NOSED UP TO THE GARAGE. NO CRACK WHEN I LEFT WORK TO HEAD HOME. NOTHING HIT WINDSHIELD ON THE WAY HOME. IF YOU'VE HAD A ROCK OR PEBBLE HIT YOU'RE WINDSHIELD, BELIEVE ME, YOU KNOW IT! SCARES THE CRAP OUT YOU. NOTHING LIKE THAT AT ALL HAPPENED. NEXT MORNING I GET IN CAR TO HEAD TO WORK AND THERE'S A LONG CRACK COMING UP FROM THE VERY BOTTOM TO ABOUT EYE HEIGHT AND THEN TURNS INWARD TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE GLASS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AROUND OR ON THE CAR. THERE ARE NO KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EITHER. MY GARAGE IS ABOUT 200' FROM THE STREET WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED. SMALL TOWN RESIDENTIAL ROAD TO A DEAD END, VERY, VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC. I HAVE A 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH 103K MILES, AND THAT HAS HAD NO ISSUES WITH CRACKS IN THE WINDSHIELD. STILL HAS ITS ORIGINAL GLASS.

NHTSA ODI 11364689

Oct 13, 2020Visibility & wipers

CRACK IN WINDSHIELD

NHTSA ODI 11364214

Oct 6, 2020Visibility & wipers

VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ON 10/05/2020 AND PARKED WITH NO CRACKS IN WINDSHIELD, UPON RETURNING TO VEHICLE THERE WAS A LARGE CRACK CROSSING WINDSHIELD. NO ROCKS OR DEBRIS HAVE STRUCK VEHICLES WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ODI 11363031

Sep 28, 2020Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, WHEN A CRACK APPEARED ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRACK WAS CAUSED WITHOUT IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 46,500.

NHTSA ODI 11361516

Sep 27, 2020Visibility & wipersCrash

THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER A COLLISION TO A DEAR. THE CRACK HAS BEEN PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE

NHTSA ODI 11361422

Sep 18, 2020Visibility & wipers

WHILE DRIVING MY NORMAL WORK COMMUTE DOWN A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF ROAD AT 47MPH'NO ROCKS SEEN OR OTHER CARS PRESENT'MY WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED 12 INCHES, FOR NO APPARENT REASON. LAST WEEK'IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SPOT'THE WINDSHIELD GOT A LARGE CHIP IN IT FROM A TINY PEBBLE FLUNG UP BY A TRUCK. I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM SUBARU DEALERSHIP 1 MONTH AGO. IT SEEMS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT I WILL HE INJURED FROM THE FAULTY WINDSHIELD IN AN ACCIDENT, FROM A ROCK, OR FOR NO APPARENT REASON. SUBARU DENIED THERE WAS IN ISSUE DESPITE A CLASS ACTION SUIT IN NEW JERSEY, AND TONS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS. DESPITE RESEARCH, I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH MY MODEL OR I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED.

NHTSA ODI 11355708

Sep 16, 2020Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM HAD KICKED UP A ROCK THAT HIT HIS PASSENGER WINDSHIELD. DUE TO THE ROCK HITTING THE WINDSHIELD, A CRACK FORMED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD. WITHIN 3 DAYS, THE CRACK SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD GLASS WAS POORLY DESIGNED AND THAT THE SIZE OF THE ROCK THAT HIT HIS WINDSHIELD SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THAT SEVERE OF DAMAGE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CRACK THAT FORMED OVER THE WINDSHIELD HAD OBSTRUCTED HIS VISION WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO DIRECTED TO A WINDSHIELD SUPPLIER FOR ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT HAD TO WAIT ABOUT 4 MONTHS TO HAVE HIS WINDSHIELD REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 342.

NHTSA ODI 11355437

Sep 16, 2020Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT'S WIFE OWNS A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING 35 MPH THROUGH A CONSTRUCTION ZONE, AN OBJECT HIT THE LOWER LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WHICH LEFT TWO IMPRINTS ON THE WINDSHIELD. OVER TIME, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND SPREAD ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD GLASS WAS POORLY MANUFACTURED AND THAT THE SIZE OF THE OBJECT THAT HIT HIS WIFE'S WINDSHIELD SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THAT SEVERE OF DAMAGE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CRACK THAT FORMED OVER THE WINDSHIELD HAD OBSTRUCTED HIS WIFE'S VISION WHILE DRIVING. ROY ROBINSON SUBARU (6001 33RD AVE NE, MARYSVILLE, WA 98271) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THEY REFERRED THE CONTACT TO AN INDEPENDENT GLASS CENTER TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 66,000.

NHTSA ODI 11355440

Sep 16, 2020Visibility & wipers

WINDSHIELD CRACK ON 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK REQUIRING THOUSANDS IN REPAIR. THE REPAIR WINDSHIELD CONTAINS THE SAME DEFECT. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A ROCK OR ANYTHING HITTING THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ODI 11355474

Aug 30, 2020Visibility & wipers

8/28/20-WHILE PULLING OUT OF MY GARAGE, I NOTICED A REFLECTION OF A SMALL PINPOINT "CHIP" IN MY WINDSHIELD, ABOUT 4 INCHES FROM THE A PILLAR. OVERNIGHT THE "CHIP" GREW INTO A LARGE HORIZONTAL, VERTICAL AND THEN HORIZONTAL CRACK THAT INTERFERES WITH THE DRIVER'S LINE-OF-SIGHT. THE WINDSHIELD HAD CRACKED PREVIOUSLY ON 1/2/20 AND WAS REPLACED AT A SUBARU DEALERSHIP FOR OVER $1000. SEE NHTSA ID NUMBER 11297463 FILED ON 1/6/20.. THIS IS THE 2ND CRACKED WINDSHIELD IN LESS THAN 9 MONTHS!

NHTSA ODI 11352117

Aug 21, 2020Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON RETURNING TO HER PARKED VEHICLE, THE REAR WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED INTO SEVERAL PIECES. THE CONTACT DESCRIBED THE DAMAGE TO THE GLASS AS LOOKING LIKE A JIGSAW PUZZLE. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE RESIDENCE WITH THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT INITIALLY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HOWEVER, THE WRONG PARTS WERE ORDERED FOR THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FLATIRONS SUBARU (5995 ARAPAHOE AVE, BOULDER, CO 80303) WHERE SHE PAID FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE REAR WINDSHIELD. THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,790.

NHTSA ODI 11350687

Aug 12, 2020Visibility & wipers

THE WINDSHIELD JUST CRACKED BY ITSELF WHILE NOT MOVING. I GOT IN THE CAR TO START IT AND HEARD A CRACK. IT STARTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD BEHIND THE TRIM AND WENT UP THE WINDSHIELD ABOUT 10 INCHES. SENSE THEN IT HAS SPREAD.

NHTSA ODI 11348936

Jul 29, 2020Visibility & wipers

I PURCHASED MY 2017 OUTBACK BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP IN 2017 AND IN THE THREE YEARS OF OWNING IT, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD 3 TIMES. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR WHERE THE WINDSHIELD APPEARS TO CRACK FOR NO REASON OR BY THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH OF LOOSE GRAVEL. EACH TIME THE WINDSHIELD CRACKS I HAVE BEEN IN MOTION, ON A HIGHWAY GOING SPEEDS OF ABOUT 60MPH. THE CRACK WILL START SMALL AND THEN SPREAD VERY RAPIDLY WITHIN A MATTER OF MINUTES, THUS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE CRACK FILLED BEFORE IT SPREADS.

NHTSA ODI 11342090

Jul 16, 2020Visibility & wipers

I PURCHASED MY 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK IN MAY 2017. ON OR AROUND 13 APRIL 2018 MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED AS I WAS DRIVING. NOTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD INSIDE OR OUT. I DID HAVE THE WINDSHIELD DEFROST HEATER ON AND THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS WELL ABOVE FREEZING (SF BAY AREA COLD - WHICH REALLY ISN'T COLD AT ALL). I RESEARCHED AND FOUND OTHERS WITH THE SAME TYPICAL LOW CENTER CRACK WHICH PROGRESSED UP THE GLASS OVER SEVERAL DAYS. THE DEALERSHIP DECLINED MY CLAIM. I INITIATED A CLAIM THROUGH MY OWN INSURANCE. (STATE FARM). I CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA WHO SAID THEY WOULD COMPENSATE ME THE DIFFERENCE AFTER THE REPAIR. I GOT THE WORK DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP AFTER A LENGTHY FIGHT OVER THE PHONE WITH A GROUP SUB CONTRACTED TO HANDLE THE CLAIM FOR STATE FARM. THEY TRIED TO GIVE ME CHEAP (NON-OEM GLASS) I HAD TO FIGHT FOR OEM GLASS, STATING OVER AND OVER THAT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FOR THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM WHICH THE MANUFACTURER MANDATES OEM GLASS (WHAT A HEADACHE !!!) I GOT THE WORK DONE - FINALLY, WITH OEM GLASS. DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP (BY YET ANOTHER SUB-CONTRACTOR). THE DEALERSHIP THEN RE-CALIBRATED THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM. SOFA REIMBURSED ME THE DIFFERENCE. (SHOUT OUT TO [XXX]WHO LISTENED WITH EMPATHY THEN REIMBURSED MY DEDUCTIBLE - THANK YOU) THE WHOLE AFFAIR WAS A REAL HEADACHE - I WAS TREATED LIKE I WAS NEGLIGENT OR TRYING TO GET OVER. (I AM SUPER TENACIOUS - GOD HELP ANYONE WHO IS LESS SO, OR CANNOT BE PERSUASIVE -PUSHY). AND NOW I AM LEFT WITH A SOUR TASTE AND FINGERS CROSSED THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. I AM NOT CONFIDENT WITH MY VEHICLE ANYMORE. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11339648

Jul 16, 2020Visibility & wipers

TWO CHIPS IN THE WINDSHIELD APPEARED FOR NO APPARENT REASON ABOUT ~10 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. CHIP # 1 IS ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AND AROUND~ 5 MM SIZE. CHIP #2 IS IN FRONT OF PASSENGER SEAT WITH A CLEAR CRACK ON THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE OF VEHICLE ABOUT THE SIZE OF ~ 1 CM. THERE IS A CONCERN FOR THESE CHIPS TO CONTINUE CRACKING AND DESTROYING THE WINDSHIELD. NO ROCKFALL WITNESSED/NO STONES HITTING WINDSHIELD WITNESSED. SEE ATTACHED PICTURES. ALSO NOTICED A FEW OTHER LITTLE CHIPS THAT HAVE POTENTIAL FOR CRACKING. AWARE OF SUBARU WINDSHIELD LAWSUIT, SADLY WAS UNAWARE OF IT BEFORE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE INSPECTED WINDSHIELD PRIOR TO PURCHASE.

NHTSA ODI 11339846

Jun 25, 2020Visibility & wipers

WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I ARRIVED HOME AND PARKED MY CAR. THE NEXT DAY WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR I HAD A HUGE CRACK STARTING AT PASSENGER SIDE GOING TOWARD DRIVERS SIDE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11330786

Jun 23, 2020Visibility & wipers

THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED AT THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP. ABOUT 10 DAYS LATER AFTER THE REPAIR, THERE WAS ANOTHER CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD IN THE SAME EXACT PLACE AS THE PREVIOUS ONE. IT APPEARED RANDOMLY OVERNIGHT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11330328

Jun 23, 2020Visibility & wipers

THE WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON TWICE IN THE LAST YEAR. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN JUNE OF 2019. TODAY I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, AND I NOTICED A SMALL CRACK COMING FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE BOTTOM AND BEGAN INCREASING IN SIZE AND STARTED CURVING. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED IN JUNE OF 2019, I NOTICED A SMALL CRACK JUST BEHIND MY REAR VIEW MIRROR COMING DOWNWARD. OVER A FEW DAYS TIME, IT INCREASED IN SIZE, CURVED AND SPIDER WEBBED. I HAD THAT WINDOW REPLACED BY A COMPANY WHO REPLACES WINDOWS RECOMMENDED BY THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT MY CAR. THEY USED A SUBARU WINDSHIELD WHEN THEY REPLACED THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD IN JUNE OF 2019. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11330383

Jun 21, 2020Visibility & wipers

MY WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED NOW THREE TIMES UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE UNCLEAR. EACH CRACK HAS APPEARED IN THE LOWER CENTER ZONE OF THE CAR AND EACH HAS REACHED A DIAMETER GREATER THAN 6 INCHES.

NHTSA ODI 11329901

Jun 20, 2020Visibility & wipers

WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. WE WOKE UP TO FIND APPROXIMATELY A 12 INCH L SHAPED CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD STARTING BELOW THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11329824

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Working with the data? Download all 917 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 2017 Subaru Outback Wilderness verdict →