What 10 owners told NHTSA about the 2026 Subaru Solterra Bev

There is a major design flaw with the car. The headlights are mounted on the bumper which is plastic. Because there is not enough rigidity in the plastic bumper and the sharp cutoff of the LEDs, the headlights appear to flicker and strobe when going over small bumps or imperfections in the roads. Drivers on the imposing lane will sometimes flash their high beams as they think I'm flashing them.

NHTSA ODI 11749038

Bluetooth drops calls. Route planning doesn’t work in navigation system.

NHTSA ODI 11745167

The low beams headlights, when you go over a bump they visibly shake, it is distracting. I checked forums and other owners are complaining of same problem with this model.

NHTSA ODI 11738743

There’s an issue with car play disconnecting phone my phone. The microphone cuts out and I cannot safely make phone calls or use phone commands. I’m basically forced to pull over so I can use my phone. Subaru has been aware of this issue for months now and should have disclosed it to me prior to sale. I already took car in once but there was nothing they could do.

NHTSA ODI 11736820

Phone calls constantly get dropped using hands free Android Auto, requiring me to use my phone manually on the call. This is a major safety issue requiring attention to be pulled away from the road. I see online in numerous forums and in other NHTSA complaints that this is an issue with Solterra models and the use of CarPlay and Android Auto. It is not my phone as the situation does not occur in our other vehicles, and I have tried every fix suggested.

NHTSA ODI 11736431

Phone will not stay connected, radio, Bluetooth is not working.

NHTSA ODI 11736125

Phone calls constantly get dropped using hands free CarPlay, requiring me to switch to using my phone manually on the call. Big safety issue. I see online in numerous forums that this is an issue with Subaru use of CarPlay. It is not the phone, and I have tried every fix suggested.

NHTSA ODI 11728844

Bluetooth consistently drops my calls, it is not my phone, because the call doesn't drop completely, am able yo pick up my phone and continue to talk. This takes away my hands free driving, which can be dangerous. Been an on going issue since I purchased the car almost 2 months ago.

NHTSA ODI 11725750

I am reporting a defect involving the Bluetooth and infotainment system in my 2026 Subaru Solterra. While driving, the vehicle’s Bluetooth connection consistently disconnects after approximately 5–10 minutes. The phone call itself does not drop; however, the connection to the vehicle’s hands-free system fails. In addition, infotainment functions such as audio streaming and app connectivity also disconnect or become unstable. This issue occurs repeatedly during normal operation and has been reproduced multiple times. This creates a safety concern because it interrupts hands-free communication and may require the driver to handle the phone or attempt to reconnect while driving, increasing the risk of distraction. The issue was inspected and confirmed by a dealership technician. The technician paired both my phone and his own device, and the same Bluetooth and infotainment disconnection occurred. This confirms the defect is not related to a specific phone or user error. The vehicle has been taken in for service, but no repair or resolution has been provided. I have been informed the issue may be software-related, with no available fix or timeline. This defect affects core vehicle functionality and safe operation of hands-free systems.

NHTSA ODI 11725703

Malfunction of the lane keeping assistance - I have had two incidents, where the second has resulted in damage to the vehicle. First incident, lane assist (passive) system jerked me off of an exit lane into the rumble strips before I could correct. (no damage done) This was approx. Mid-late January, and unknown conditions. I didn't think to report it until I was prompted by the Subaru Maintenance facility after incident #2. Second incident - active lane keeping assist was on (with adaptive cruise control) for my own testing on this new car. I was at low speeds, at ~6 am. The vehicle suddenly jerked hard to the right and collided with/drove over a curb at speed. It quickly displayed a warning on the driver cluster and short audible warning beeps but I did not see what it was because it was so fast. The car immediately corrected back into the lane before I could even react to the collision. Important context: This was on a concrete material road that was newly repaved (summer 2025) with road lines that were painted at the same time. It was also under winter conditions, not actively snowing, but there was lingering salt residue/coloration on the road surface as well as large snow banks along the grass strips due to plowing. The snow bank in the area was approx. 3 ft high at the location the car collided with the curb. There was also lingering salt and dried snow-sludge on the car that could have had an impact on the sensors. I did not, however, have any sensor obstruction warning. The vehicle was taken to the Subaru dealer for service, was determined to be out of alignment and fixed as a warranty request. The vehicle is available for inspection, however this was clearly a software failure and not a component failure, and the damage has been repaired. To my knowledge, the dealer service center did not attempt to reproduce the issue.

NHTSA ODI 11720865