What 891 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Outback Wilderness

2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE REAR LIFTGATE. *LD THE CONSUMER INADVERTENTLY ACTIVATED THE REAR LIFTGATE BECOMING TRAPPED BETWEEN THE LIFTGATE AND GARAGE DOOR UNTIL IT REACHED IT'S MAXIMUM OPEN CAPABILITY. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED TWO CUTS BEHIND THE RIGHT EAR, SEVERE BRUISING AND SCRAPING ON THE ARM, NECK AND HEAD. *JS

NHTSA ODI 11349431

I EXPERIENCED TWO INCIDENTS WITH THE LIFT GATE ON MY 2020 OUTBACK LIMITED XT WHICH I BELIEVE TO BE SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS. THEY BOTH HAPPENED ON 11/23/2019. FIRST INCIDENT: THE CAR WAS IN AN INDOOR PARKING GARAGE, BACKED UP TO THE WALL WITH ABOUT 4 FT OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE CLOSED LIFT GATE AND THE WALL. I HAD JUST PUT MY 2-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON INTO HIS STROLLER, AND WE WERE BETWEEN THE REAR OF THE CAR AND THE WALL. AS I WAS WHEELING THE STROLLER AWAY FROM THE CAR, THE LIFT GATE AUTOMATICALLY OPENED AND PINNED THE STROLLER AGAINST THE WALL! I WAS NOT TOUCHING THE KEY FOB IN ANY WAY. THE GATE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY SENSE THE OBSTRUCTION, AND IT CONTINUED TO FORCE ITSELF AGAINST THE STROLLER. I HAD TO PUSH FORCEFULLY AGAINST THE LIFT GATE IN ORDER TO FREE MY GRANDSON AND ME. SECOND INCIDENT: AFTER RETURNING TO THE CAR WHICH WAS PARKED AS DESCRIBED IN THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE LIFT GATE FORCEFULLY HIT MY WIFE ON THE HEAD! I HAD RAISED THE GATE, AND AFTER THE GATE WAS ALL THE WAY UP, MY WIFE BENT DOWN TO PUT AN ITEM IN. THE LIFT GATE CAME DOWN ON HER HEAD. SHE WAS IN EXCRUCIATING PAIN! IT HAS BEEN ABOUT 24 HOURS SINCE THIS OCCURRED, AND SHE IS STILL EXPERIENCING HEADACHE, NAUSEA AND BLURRED VISION. WE ARE NOW SEEKING MEDICAL ATTENTION. LATER THAT AFTERNOON I EXPERIMENTED WITH THE GATE, AND IT MALFUNCTIONED THE SAME WAY (2ND INCIDENT) 2 MORE TIMES! AFTER IT WENT UP ALL THE WAY, THE GATE IMMEDIATELY CAME DOWN AUTOMATICALLY! (WITHOUT THE KEY FOB BEING PHYSICALLY CONTACTED IN ANY WAY)

NHTSA ODI 11282381

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT AN INTERSECTION, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE ELECTRONIC EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBARU OF BEND (2060 NE HWY 20, BEND, OR 97701, (541) 389-3031) WHERE IT WAS CURRENTLY BEING DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY BEGAN AN INVESTIGATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 520.*CW*JB

NHTSA ODI 11277145