What 891 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Subaru Outback Wilderness

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - Car fire, originating under the hood. Unknown if vehicle is available for inspection. Last reported by Insurance company to be at IAA; [XXX]; PH#: [XXX]. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - Car fire began while in the car after moving through an intersection with a stop light. Four of us in the car, ages raging from [XXX] old. Fire quickly spread; however, we were able to exit the car without injury. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - NO, car was totaled and Subaru, NA Consumer Advocacy agent assigned claims that the vehicle is no longer available for inspection. Both insurance company (Travelers Auto) and Subaru, N.A. consumer advocacy group made aware of our concern as to why the vehicle caught fire. One or both demonstrated nonchalance of this concern. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? - YES - Just prior to the start of the fire, the vehicle stalled and cut-off with CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. Also, we smelled an unusual exhaust at the time prior to, and at the time of the cut-off. This occurred at the intersection of where the car caught fire. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11749535

Vehicle stalled out, stopped and promptly caught fire.

NHTSA ODI 11747515

I was parking my car slowly until it suddenly accelerated. I hit a wall and car got totaled.

NHTSA ODI 11725434

No warning lamps or messages. A driver in a pickup truck behind me came up close and signaled me to pull over. He got out of his truck, ran up to my window and yelled to me "get out of your car, it is on fire". I was completely unaware of any problem. I got out and could see fire coming from under the front of the car. We moved away and he called 911.

NHTSA ODI 11718035

A fire started under the hood of my car while I was driving. There were no warning lights on in my car and the temperature gauge was in the middle where it usually is. Earlier in the day, I smelled gas, but I thought it was a different car as the smell of gas went away after a car that had a lot of exhaust coming out was no longer in sight.

NHTSA ODI 11697021

While in a Dairy Queen drive-up lane, I stepped on the brake pedal and it went right to the floor. The car did not stop, causing me to hit the car in front of me. When backing away from the car in front, the brakes again failed and I hit the car in back. I moved forward again , swiping the car in front again. The cars were merely feet apart and my car was thankfully moving very slowly. Had I been traveling at a higher rate of speed there could have been serious injuries. Car was taken to an Auto repair shop where the mechanic experienced the same problem with the brake pedal. He says the pedal went to the floor and the car wouldn’t stop. Car is currently at a collision shop where they report that inspection of the brakes is normal. They also report that the brakes worked when they pulled the car into the shop. The car has not yet been moved to the Subaru dealer service department for inspection of the brake pedal. There were no symptoms, warning lights or messages before the incident and there were none found by the shop after. My car was built in the same time frame as those involved with Recall #19V664000 which involves the brake pedal mechanism although my VIN was not included. The car is available for inspection. I initially received a ticket but it was dismissed after the repair shop owner reported the same failure.

NHTSA ODI 11666216

The Subaru front camera incorrectly detected a hazard. The automatic braking system engaged and locked the steering. I skidded off the pavement, causing damage to the car. At the time of the accident, the blind sight warning lights flashed on the dash signaling that they were disabled. I was going very slow in a driveway. No personal damage just property damage and damage to the car. I have let the insurance company know about the issue and the collision center. I have had periodic instances where the warning signals of blind sight disabled have come on the vehicle. I informed Subaru in August 2024 about the issue at my last maintenance appointment. There is also a software update required on the vehicle. I asked Subaru to update the software in August 2024, but I was told by a service technician that it was not possible to update . I had to make a separate appointment for the software update as it took a long time.

NHTSA ODI 11634070

On 12/6/2023, as I slowly turned right into a parking space, my car suddenly surged forward and accelerated without my input to the gas pedal. The brakes did not work, and there was no resistance from the brake pedal when I repeated to push it. The car continued to accelerate for about 80 ft as I focused on steering to avoid hitting other cars parked in the lot. The car ran over a curb, up a grassy area, and crashed into a row of trees. The airbag did not deploy. I sustained neck muscle strain/whiplash, and bruises to my chest and right knee. My safety was at risk, as well as anyone or anything that was in the car's path since I had no control over the acceleration or the brakes. The car is a 2020 Subaru Outback with about 44000 miles. It is in a body shop and they have not yet determined if it is safe to work on. So far, they have observed the engine race when the car was turned on. There were no warning signs prior to the acceleration. When I called the Subaru dealer service department, I was told that they never heard of this before and it had to have been my fault. They said I could bring it in after the body damage is repaired, and that I can pay for a diagnotic report. However, they expect that the report will not show anything.

NHTSA ODI 11560354

I was driving and car accelerated without warning. Hit partially open garage door, only stopped after hitting and damaging back wall of garage. Significant damage to car, items in the garage and garage wall. There was no warning whatsoever. As of yet the car has not been assessed as to the cause of the malfunction.

NHTSA ODI 11545058

The contact owned a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while coming to a complete stop at a red light, an abnormally loud noise was heard coming from the vehicle, and then black smoke came from underneath the driver's side hood. Additionally, a fuel odor was detected while driving. No warning light was illuminated. The contact parked and exited the vehicle with two minor passengers while flames erupted from the engine compartment. No injuries were sustained, and no medical attention was received. The fire department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. A fire department report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, where it was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 44,882.

NHTSA ODI 11532050

I had a fault/issue with the Electronic Parking Brake on my 2020 Subaru Outback that resulted in a vehicle fire. I had set the electronic parking brake, and received a warning light. I retracted the electronic parking brake and the warning light disappeared. I did this twice. The warning light stayed off. I drove the car and the passenger rear brakes caught on fire, damaging the brakes, the electronic parking brake motor, the brake caliper, the wheel bearing, the ABS sensor and all wiring to that wheel. I had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer had the vehicle for over 2 months. In that time, my insurance inspected the vehicle. The dealer inspected the vehicle. The dealer had a Subaru (Subaru of America) factory tech visit and inspect. Subaru factory sent out a second tech (from quality control) to inspect the vehicle. The dealer tech and both Subaru factory techs could not determine the root cause of the failure. Subaru replaced all components damaged in the fire (at my cost) and sent me on my way without a determination of what caused the issue. Issue was well documented here... https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/parking-brake-fault-caught-on-fire.551030/ I have attached a scan of the Subaru Dealer repair order.

NHTSA ODI 11530400

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after parked in the driveway, the vehicle suddenly accelerated into their home. No air bags had deployed. A police report was not filed. There were no injuries and no medical attention was needed. The home had been damaged. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who was not able to identify the cause of the failure at that time, however, they were going to run more diagnostic tests and inspections. The vehicle had not been repaired as of yet. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 54,400.

NHTSA ODI 11516325

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that their daughter was driving approximately 35 mph when the dashboard displayed that an electronic power steering failure had occurred. The driver then lost control of the vehicle and ended up going over a curb hitting some rocks on the landscaping. The air bags did not deploy due to only the undercarriage being the only part that hit the curb and rocks on the landscaping. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. A police report was filed. As a result, the transmission as well as other parts of the vehicle to be damaged. There were no injuries or medical attention needed. The dealer diagnosed that the steering gearbox needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 37,000.

NHTSA ODI 11508669

I pulled into my driveway, came to a stop and planned to back up a short distance to be nearer the front walkway. Before I could shift into reverse the car started to accelerate forward. I slammed my foot onto the brakes which had no effect on the acceleration. The car stopped when the lower bumper hit and ran up onto a large boulder on the edge of the driveway. The car was partially wedged on the top of the boulder but I was able to back it off the boulder, park and turn off the car. I have scheduled an appointment with the service department on February 1st, at the dealership where I purchased the vehicle in June 2020. Of note, I had a routine oil change and service check at this dealership on January 16 with no engine problems noted.

NHTSA ODI 11503961

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving in reverse the vehicle crashed into a metal dumpster causing severe damage to the rear end of the vehicle. During the incident, the audible backover prevention alert indicating that the vehicle was nearing an object did not activate causing the vehicle to be driven into the dumpster. During the incident, the front passenger sustained neck and back injuries that later required medical treatment. No police report was taken and the vehicle was driven from the scene. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,000.

NHTSA ODI 11497048

On April 13th 2022, me and my wife were returning home. We were at a complete stop on a left only turn intersection red light (Spring-Cypress Rd & Telge Rd in Cypress, TX. Coordinates: 29.985660988461188, -95.65465736615674). There was a vehicle ahead of us and also behind us at the light. It was raining lightly and the roads were wet. When the light turned green we started slowly accelerating making our left turn and as we were doing so, the vehicle skid causing uncontrolled acceleration, non-responsive braking and non responsive steering. I tried my very best to save us from running over the curb into the ditch ahead and succeeded to do so resulting in the vehicle hitting the curb at probably 15-20 mph. The steering and brakes were non-responsive and it took a lot of effort on my part to save us from running over the curb into the ditch ahead. This accident resulted in the right front passenger wheel, suspension, axle etc. to break. No other vehicle was involved in the accident. No warning or safety lights were displayed to the best of my knowledge. The vehicle was disabled and could not run, it was blocking the intersection and traffic. I called the police who then arrived to redirect traffic and also help with the tow. Currently, my car is being repaired through my insurance. My vehicle was purchased in Jan 2020 and has approx. 9500 miles on it. The reason i brought a Subaru was because of its capability to handle most weather conditions and also its great safety ratings. This unfortunately wasn't the case for me and wife and we were left stranded in the road because of some safety feature/software/mechanical malfunction of the vehicle. I request the NHTSA administration to look into this issue with Subaru and help me reach closure on the safety of this vehicle. Thank you.

NHTSA ODI 11462966

3 weeks ago the all of the warning lights came on. Had vehicle towed to dealership. Could not find out what was wrong. Saw there was a lot of carbon build up which was unusual since there is only 26,000 miles on vehicle. After a week a dealership a cleaning took it home. Went back the next day. They inspected and stated it was the spark plugs and needed new fuel injectors. Had replaced. Everything still covered. Picked vehicle up finally after 17 days of it being there. When picking it up the paper work stated the vehicle had cylinder 1 misfires 30-45 times in a 3 hour period. But was assured the vehicle was repaired and fully inspected and 100% safe. Within 24hrs of driving the vehicle. The next morning we drove to school and with after the second light we smelled smoothing rolled windows down and but was sure if it was us. Then had slowed down to turn at the next light to turn to pull over but didn’t get that opportunity before a boom and smoke and flame came and i rushed out of the car and took immediate action and got my 4 year old out of her car seat. Before the whole car was up in flames. I have heard that similar vehicles had similar issues but have had other repairs to deal with it.There was no lights that came on in the vehicle to warn us that something was wrong so thought the smell was from outside. Insurance and the auto maker are inspecting but i had to alert the automaker the dealership wasn’t going to. They stated that the insurance and automaker will just compare notes.

NHTSA ODI 11460311

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while the driver was driving at approximately 35 mph, the vehicle was maneuvering to the right lane however, the vehicle flipped over landing on the roof. The air bags did deploy. The contact mentioned that the wheel mechanism and driveshaft fell out onto the right side of the vehicle. A police report was not filed. The contact stated that the driver did not sustain any injuries that needed medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The vehicle was damaged. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 31,000.

NHTSA ODI 11440980

The contact owned a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 50 mph, a truck pulled into the roadway and struck the contact's vehicle however none of the airbags deploying. In addition, the lane keep assist system did not chime. No one was injured and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed as destroyed. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

NHTSA ODI 11426197

ON DECEMBER 18,2020 I WAS CROSSING AN INTERSECTION. I WAS TRAVELING MAYBE 5-10 MILES AN HOUR THROUGH A GREEN LIGHT. AN AUTOMOBILE STRUCK ME PERPENDICULAR AT 30-40 MPH. THE IMPACT WAS ALMOST ENTIRELY TAKEN BY THE DRIVERS DOOR. THE SPEED WAS ACCORDING TO THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE AND WITNESSES. THE CAR WAS STRUCK SO VIOLENTLY THAT THE TIRES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WERE SCUFFED ON THE SIDEWALL FROM THEM ROLLING UNDER THE CAR. I HIT MY HEAD ON THE DRIVERS WINDOW FROM THE IMPACT. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, NO SIDECURTAINS DEPLOYED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ON THE KIA THAT IMPACTED ME. SUBARU TIED MY CAR UP FOR 4 MONTHS AFTER I REQUESTED THEY COME LOOK AT THE CAR TO DETERMINE IF IT ACTED CORRECTLY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THEY DOWNLOADED DATA FROM MY CAR AND HAVE REFUSED TO SHARE IT WITH ME. THEY CLAIM THAT THE IMPACT WAS OBLIQUE. THAT THE AIRBAGS WERE DESIGNED NOT TO GO OFF IF IN FACT THIS HAPPENS. THEY ALSO SAY THAT THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT. I READ THE OWNERS MANUAL. IT SAYS THAT IF THE IMPACT IS PERPENDICULAR THE AIRBAGS/SIDE CURTAINS SHOULD DEPLOY. THE CAR WAS 3 MONTHS OLD TO THE DAY. INCLUDED ARE PICTURES OF MY CAR SHOWING THE DAMAGE. I ALSO SENT PICTURES OF HOW THE FRONT TIRE WAS BENT FROM THE IMPACT.. I HAVE ALSO INCLUDED THE PICTURES OF THE KIA THAT IMPACTED MY SUBARU.

NHTSA ODI 11415079

ON TUESDAY 9 FEBRUARY, 2021 I WAS RETURNING HOME FROM PICKING MY TWO CHILDREN UP FROM SCHOOL (AGE 4 AND 6). AS I APPROACHED THE DRIVE WAY THE BRAKES FUNCTIONED PROPERLY TO ALLOW ME TO TURN INTO THE DRIVEWAY, BUT SUDDENLY THE BRAKES STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND THE CAR ACCELERATED DRIVING STRAIGHT THROUGH MY CLOSED GARAGE DOOR. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL STEERING BUT REGARDLESS OF MY FOOT PRESSING FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THANKFULLY, INSTALLED IN THE CEMENT WAS A ROGUE R3 WEIGHT RACK THAT WAS BOLTED INTO THE CEMENT AT FOUR LOCATIONS. THE CAR PROCEEDED FORWARD UNTIL COLLIDING WITH THE WEIGHT RACK, A MERE 3 FEET FROM OUR HVAC SYSTEM AND THE HOME STRUCTURE. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. IF THE WEIGHT RACK DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE MYSELF AND MY TWO CHILDREN COULD HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY INJURED, NOT TO MENTION, IF MY HUSBAND OR TWO SMALL CHILDREN WERE IN THE GARAGE AT THE TIME, THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY RESULTED IN DEATH. MY AIR BOGS DID NOT DEPLOY, THE AUTO COLLISION SAFETY MECHANISM FAILED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WITH EXTENDED WARRANTY IN HOPES TO KEEP THIS AS A FAMILY VEHICLE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME, PRIMARY REASON FOR PURCHASE WAS SAFETY. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. MY VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY TOWED TO RPM PERFORMANCE IN BURLINGTON WASHINGTON FOR INSPECTION. LATER, BROUGHT TO DWAYNE LANES SUBARU (PURCHASE LOCATION) FOR INSPECTION. FINDINGS WERE THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS DESIGNED AND DRIVER IS AT FAULT. THIS VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE. DANGEROUSLY UNSAFE AND THIS MUST BE MADE HIGHEST PRIORITY TO PREVENT FUTURE ACCIDENTS AND POTENTIAL DEATHS.

NHTSA ODI 11396627

THE FIRST ISSUE I NOTICE WAS BACK IN MAY, MY SUBARU ALMOST CAME TO A FULL COMPLETE BEFORE IT LEAP FROGGED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, CAUSING ME TO REARED END THE CAR. THEN TODAY OCTOBER 11. I GOT INTO MY CAR, REMOVED MY WINDSHIELD SUNSHADE FROM MY CAR AT AROUND NOON. I HEARD A LOUD GLASS LIKE CRACK. I THEN SAW A HUGE CRACK FROM WHERE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS AND A LINE FROM TO TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD TO THE BOTTOM. JUST LIKE THAT. ITS 8 MONTHS OLD SUBARU WITH 5000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI 11363847

OWNER DROVE ON TO A PARKING LOT. VEHICLE LANE DEPARTURE PREVENTION FUNCTION SENSED A WHITE LINE ON THE PAVEMENT. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO TURN LEFT, ACCELERATION AN UNCONTROLLABLE FASHION. THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB PROCEEDING INTO HEAVY SHRUBS WHICH DAMAGED THE VEHICLE. THE SHRUBS STOPPED THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11355241

I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR ONLY THREE MONTHS, AND THE ENGINE HAS FAILED TO START >5 TIMES, WHILE STATIONARY. I HAVE HAD TO GET SEVERAL JUMP STARTS, AND THE BATTERY WILL RUN AGAIN FOR A FEW DAYS OR WEEKS BEFORE SEEMING TO DIE AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN AUTOSHOP AND THEY SAID THE BATTERY SEEMED FINE TO THEM, BUT THE CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE FAILURES WITH STARTING THE ENGINE. I HAVE HAD SAFETY FEATURES DYSFUNCTION WHILE I WAS DRIVING, AND ONE OF THEM LED TO AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED A FEW TIMES, AND LOST HOURS FROM MY JOB.

NHTSA ODI 11352997

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON APPROACHING HIS DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT HAD DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND COMPLETELY STOPPED HIS VEHICLE. THE STOP START FEATURE ACTIVATED AUTOMATICALLY AND THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE TO CHECK HIS MAILBOX. UPON RETRIEVING HIS MAIL, THE CONTACT TURNED AROUND TO ENTER HIS VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS GONE. UPON LOOKING FOR HIS VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD INDEPENDENTLY DRIVEN 280 FEET AND HAD COLLIDED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED BUT NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED DUE TO THE ACCIDENT HAPPENING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. DUE TO THE ACCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT REMAINED IN THEIR POSSESSION. THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER HAVE YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 294.

NHTSA ODI 11350893