2025 Subaru Outback Owner Complaints

Three primary issues of major concern on this vehicle: 1. Phantom emergency - braking at random, both low and high speeds. The most dangerous of the three. 2. Lane keep assist - unaware or unable to compensate for real driving conditions, construction areas, pedestrians walking a dog, heavy machinery on a semi-truck as examples. 3. Infotainment blinding - A large, HIGH GLOSS screen at a 45-degree angle, placing it in the direct reflective angle of three windows: Sunroof, passenger front, passenger rear. Absolutely blinding even with sunglasses on during the right time of day. The Sunroof can be pulled closed with a shade but the other two will still cause complete blinding. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? 1. Emergency braking at slow speeds is annoying for sure, but it has also occurred at 65MPH and almost caused an accident had the nice lady behind not forced herself off the road to compensate. It braked for no reason (Rain? Splash? Not sure) and nearly caused an entire row of cars to crash into me. 2. Lane keep is highly problematic because it simply doesn’t know really what it’s doing or aware of surroundings. Per the above, examples had I NOT intervened: it would have happily crashed me into concrete following the wrong lines in construction areas, run a woman’s dog over as we tried to cross the lines to give passing space. 3. The screen is set up so that it is directly in line to reflect the sun at different points in the day. When I say blinding, I mean REALLY blinding (It’s the SUN after all). You lose visibility on the road and become a danger to yourself and others. We carry a towel to toss over it during certain points in the day, it’s that bad. I have more detailed information, but the character limit is low on this form. Contact me if you want more.

11/14/2024

We bought the car in January . When going through our regular car wash, we heard a boom on the roof. We looked and saw no damage. Went through again last week and heard it again. We expressed our concern to the manager who sat in the back as we went through again. She held her hand on the roof as it went through the drying cycle and felt it cave in and pop out. She said this has happened before with certain Chevy models and a recall was put in. (GM Has A Fix For Colorado And Canyon Roofs Dented By Car Washes). We contacted the Subaru customer service ( as told by our dealership). They said it is under warranty, if something happens. Even after I said it could be a safety concern if the car flipped or something fell on the roof, they said there is nothing they could do. The dealership said we could contact NHTSA. I am hoping that you could determine if this is a safety concern , Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

3/10/2025

Three primary issues of major concern on this vehicle: 1. Phantom emergency - braking at random, both low and high speeds. The most dangerous of the three. 2. Lane keep assist - unaware or unable to compensate for real driving conditions, construction areas, pedestrians walking a dog, heavy machinery on a semi-truck as examples. 3. Infotainment blinding - A large, HIGH GLOSS screen at a 45-degree angle, placing it in the direct reflective angle of three windows: Sunroof, passenger front, passenger rear. Absolutely blinding even with sunglasses on during the right time of day. The Sunroof can be pulled closed with a shade but the other two will still cause complete blinding. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? 1. Emergency braking at slow speeds is annoying for sure, but it has also occurred at 65MPH and almost caused an accident had the nice lady behind not forced herself off the road to compensate. It braked for no reason (Rain? Splash? Not sure) and nearly caused an entire row of cars to crash into me. 2. Lane keep is highly problematic because it simply doesn’t know really what it’s doing or aware of surroundings. Per the above, examples had I NOT intervened: it would have happily crashed me into concrete following the wrong lines in construction areas, run a woman’s dog over as we tried to cross the lines to give passing space. 3. The screen is set up so that it is directly in line to reflect the sun at different points in the day. When I say blinding, I mean REALLY blinding (It’s the SUN after all). You lose visibility on the road and become a danger to yourself and others. We carry a towel to toss over it during certain points in the day, it’s that bad. I have more detailed information, but the character limit is low on this form. Contact me if you want more.

11/14/2024

There are a couple of issues. 1. The car keeps applying the brakes at lower and higher speeds even though there is literally nothing in front. This is both annoying and risky, especially at higher speeds happening at the interstates. When I asked at the dealership, they said the car is not equipped to do something like this. But that does not mean this is not happening. At lower speeds, it feels like massive pressure forced on the stomach. 2. The lane departure warning system is subpar at best. It cannot comprehend the real-world lane markers- if modified, and is constantly forcing to go through the work areas and seemingly trying to make a collision. If I were not aware and attentive, I would have crashed to the barriers on the highway. 3. The Rear Cross Traffic Warning system does not seem to capture the presence of cross traffic unless it is directly behind in most cases, specifically if the vehicle is coming from the right side of the vehicle. It is not helpful at all.

2/2/2025

Three primary issues of major concern on this vehicle: 1. Phantom emergency - braking at random, both low and high speeds. The most dangerous of the three. 2. Lane keep assist - unaware or unable to compensate for real driving conditions, construction areas, pedestrians walking a dog, heavy machinery on a semi-truck as examples. 3. Infotainment blinding - A large, HIGH GLOSS screen at a 45-degree angle, placing it in the direct reflective angle of three windows: Sunroof, passenger front, passenger rear. Absolutely blinding even with sunglasses on during the right time of day. The Sunroof can be pulled closed with a shade but the other two will still cause complete blinding. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? 1. Emergency braking at slow speeds is annoying for sure, but it has also occurred at 65MPH and almost caused an accident had the nice lady behind not forced herself off the road to compensate. It braked for no reason (Rain? Splash? Not sure) and nearly caused an entire row of cars to crash into me. 2. Lane keep is highly problematic because it simply doesn’t know really what it’s doing or aware of surroundings. Per the above, examples had I NOT intervened: it would have happily crashed me into concrete following the wrong lines in construction areas, run a woman’s dog over as we tried to cross the lines to give passing space. 3. The screen is set up so that it is directly in line to reflect the sun at different points in the day. When I say blinding, I mean REALLY blinding (It’s the SUN after all). You lose visibility on the road and become a danger to yourself and others. We carry a towel to toss over it during certain points in the day, it’s that bad. I have more detailed information, but the character limit is low on this form. Contact me if you want more.

11/14/2024

There are a couple of issues. 1. The car keeps applying the brakes at lower and higher speeds even though there is literally nothing in front. This is both annoying and risky, especially at higher speeds happening at the interstates. When I asked at the dealership, they said the car is not equipped to do something like this. But that does not mean this is not happening. At lower speeds, it feels like massive pressure forced on the stomach. 2. The lane departure warning system is subpar at best. It cannot comprehend the real-world lane markers- if modified, and is constantly forcing to go through the work areas and seemingly trying to make a collision. If I were not aware and attentive, I would have crashed to the barriers on the highway. 3. The Rear Cross Traffic Warning system does not seem to capture the presence of cross traffic unless it is directly behind in most cases, specifically if the vehicle is coming from the right side of the vehicle. It is not helpful at all.

2/2/2025

Shortly after purchasing my vehicle I noticed that the passenger airbag illuminated “off” indicator did not switch from “off” to “on” when an individual weighing under 100 pounds occupies the front passenger set in the vehicle. I could find nothing in the owner’s literature accompanying my car’s purchase addressing the threshold weight set by the manufacturer or dealer for passenger airbag activation/deactivation but was told informally by a dealer representative that the weight threshold for the vehicle is set at 100 pounds and cannot be adjusted to activate for front passenger seat occupants weighing any less—a potential safety issue for my wife who weighs less than 100 pounds and often occupies the front passenger seat position.

2/25/2025

The front seat passenger airbag has an amber colored lighted alert indicator on the dashboard that is supposed to change from “off” to “on” when an occupant of sufficient weight is seated in that position. The dealer who recently sold me my new 2025 Subaru Outback advised me that this indicator is calibrated to trigger when a passenger weighing over 85 pounds occupies that seat. However, while I have found that it works for example when an occupant sits in the front passenger seat at a weight of 190 pounds it does not switch from off to on when a passenger weighing 97 pounds has occupied this seating position. This problem occurs only with the front passenger seat airbag alert indicator and works properly when a passenger of either exampled weight class occupies the driver’s seat.

3/15/2025

2025 Subaru Outback has been to the dealership three times for software issues. Cruise control, back-up camera, rear collision system, eyesight system all operate some of the time and other times they do not work at all. Software recall in March 2025 and fix was not successful. In May of 2025, dealership reinstalled entire software system. Same safety functions are again not working all the time. Vehicle returning to dealership on July 15, 2025 to try and rectify safety issues associated with the software. No accidents. Safety functions just turn on an off over the past three months.

7/8/2025

Several incidents: 1) I was on a 3 lane road and gained some speed to get around a car, when I got into the other lane the car collision warning came on and slowed the car down significantly b/c it detected a car that was at least 300 feet in front of me. That is too far for a car accident. I was told by the dealership that the alogorithum between speed and object detection is what made the car react that way. Essentially it calculated that at the speed I was at I would have overtaken the car in front of me despite the fact that it was hundreds of feet away. This is dangerous and in no way would I have kept that speed and overran that car, besides I was getting back in the other lane to get on the interstate ramp in less than 100 feet. 2) I have small kids, in the morning I unlock the car and load them up into the car while I go back and forth to the house to get the rest of my things. I then started the car heading to my destination. While on the interstate my car kept trying to drag me back into a lane despite me wanting to change lanes. Turns out while I was loading my kids in the car they were searching for their "Kids Bop" radio station and hit all sorts of buttons, changing my button selection. I did not know how to change it back without reading the book. I had to pull over to the side of the interstate to google how to change the features. I was late to work and completely stressed out. The buttons shouldn't be that easy to change. And frankly shouldn't exist, they are dangerous. 3) Today I pull into my parking space at work and the bush in front of me is overgrown, the collision detection system detects the leggy limbs of the bush and slams on breaks flashing the collision notice. My head jerked forward and all of my belongings in the front seat of the car fly forward. This car has a mind of its own. I'm not driving the car, its driving me. These features are dangerous and I want them removed. This car is going to kill me!!!!!!!!!!!

7/24/2025

small chip / crack in windshield on driver side view

12/31/2024

On my second windshield repair, windshield is highly sensitive and prone to cracks and chips, unbelievable / unacceptable for a new car. I’ve drove a Acura MDX 2006 previous to driving a Subaru Outback 2025 and not once have I ever had a windshield be so prone to cracks / chips.

3/25/2025

There are a couple of issues. 1. The car keeps applying the brakes at lower and higher speeds even though there is literally nothing in front. This is both annoying and risky, especially at higher speeds happening at the interstates. When I asked at the dealership, they said the car is not equipped to do something like this. But that does not mean this is not happening. At lower speeds, it feels like massive pressure forced on the stomach. 2. The lane departure warning system is subpar at best. It cannot comprehend the real-world lane markers- if modified, and is constantly forcing to go through the work areas and seemingly trying to make a collision. If I were not aware and attentive, I would have crashed to the barriers on the highway. 3. The Rear Cross Traffic Warning system does not seem to capture the presence of cross traffic unless it is directly behind in most cases, specifically if the vehicle is coming from the right side of the vehicle. It is not helpful at all.

2/2/2025

The EyeSight Assist appears to be working intermittently since the car was purchased. It stops working without any apparent reason, regardless of whether it is a sunny day, cloudy, or rainy. The assist stops working without any proper reason. The lane departure warning also appears to be either not working or malfunctioning at times. Even if I am within the lane, it still makes warning sounds at times and shows yellow lines on the screen.

8/13/2025

Headlights produce a distracting shadow. It looks like something is crossing the road in front of you. In addition, as a driver, it focuses your attention on the shadow instead of the road. It's a common complaint online and definitely a real safety concern for motorists.

3/7/2025

The headlights ... and: and; yes it is available for inspection at any time, preferably at night!!! If you look at the photos attached you can see when headlights are on there is little or no visibility and what you see is what appears to be like a black line. We live in a very rural area and can not see at night with these headlights. So I would say we and the other vehicles on the road are at great risk. We did take vehicle right back to dealer the following day, they informed me that this has been a known problem on these cars and that I should just drive with my high beams. Not a solution!! I do not want to blind other cars coming at me. Not inspected by anyone except dealership. There were no warnings about this problem, and; I was very much shocked and disappointed that the dealership was aware of this issue. They appeared the first time I drove at night and needed head lights on!

10/27/2025

My 2025 Subaru Outback has two persistent defects after three repair attempts, posing safety risks and meeting Tennessee lemon law standards: 1.Fuel Economy Defect: Advertised 32 MPG highway (EPA estimate), but I average 22-27 MPG at every fill up, regardless of city or highway driving. This car has been in the shop and the dealership offered no fix. Dealer staff admitted MPG is below spec, yet claim it’s ‘normal.’ This suggests a potential engine or emissions fault, risking unexpected fuel loss on highways—a safety hazard for long drives. Not to mention false advertising to sell a car. 2.Infotainment Glitches: System updated twice since December 2024, still crashes/freezes (e.g., March 26, 2025, screen blacked out for over 5 minutes and restarted 3 times, this glitch effected my back up camera when trying to back into my driveway. intermittent failure obscures visibility . Drops phone connection while trying to map to a destination. This directly effects safety as you have to try and get the phone reconnected to resume mapping. Three repair attempts failed. This impairs safe operation, risking collisions in traffic or parking. These unresolved issues—three failed fixes per Tennessee lemon law—substantially impair safety and use. NHTSA intervention needed for potential recall.”

3/26/2025

Vehicles eye sight and rear camera is not aligned correctly with car. it is off in direction )right to left) by about 6+ inches which could easily result in a collision if driver is using lane departure and/or automated driving assistance.

6/18/2025

I purchased my car on [XXX]. Since then I have now had two incidents where I was driving on the expressway and the computer completely shuts down. Engine is still active but the dashboard goes black, air conditioning turns off, turn signals don’t work etc. I brought it back to Gerald Subaru of Naperville and they told me the first time that they had not done the factory reset when they first got the vehicle. They explained to me they fixed the issue and it would never happen to me again. It happened again to me yesterday on the expressway. I was put in a very scary, very unsafe situation that I never thought I would be in because I bought a Subaru, the “safest” car on the market. Come to find out my service paper work states that Gerald Subaru did not do a “factory reset” when I brought it in the first time. They claimed I said the engine light turned on and then the dashboard turned off, which is not accurate and I have an email and photo to prove that. I would like answers as to why my brand new 2025 Subaru Outback is failing. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

9/23/2025

unprompted intermittently while operating the vehicle pop up advertisements will appear on the infotainment system advertising sirius xm radio. this is very distracting as it requires focus to be taken off of the road to bypass the ad to return to normal radio screen functions

12/4/2025

The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle oversteered, almost causing the contact to crash several times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the alignment was out of spec, and an alignment was needed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 44.

6/24/2025

See attached document for complaint.

11/19/2025

2025 Subaru Outback has been to the dealership three times for software issues. Cruise control, back-up camera, rear collision system, eyesight system all operate some of the time and other times they do not work at all. Software recall in March 2025 and fix was not successful. In May of 2025, dealership reinstalled entire software system. Same safety functions are again not working all the time. Vehicle returning to dealership on July 15, 2025 to try and rectify safety issues associated with the software. No accidents. Safety functions just turn on an off over the past three months.

7/8/2025

The contact owned a 2025 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after coming from a stop sign, she depressed the accelerator pedal to make a right turn, and the vehicle inadvertently stopped and then experienced unintended acceleration with no warning light illuminated. The contact regained control of the vehicle; however, the failure recurred while her husband was driving. The contact stated that while her husband was driving under 5 MPH and exiting a parking space, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration and crashed into two other vehicles. The contact and her husband did not sustain any injuries, and no medical attention was received. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the crash site and deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 500.

10/21/2025

Several incidents: 1) I was on a 3 lane road and gained some speed to get around a car, when I got into the other lane the car collision warning came on and slowed the car down significantly b/c it detected a car that was at least 300 feet in front of me. That is too far for a car accident. I was told by the dealership that the alogorithum between speed and object detection is what made the car react that way. Essentially it calculated that at the speed I was at I would have overtaken the car in front of me despite the fact that it was hundreds of feet away. This is dangerous and in no way would I have kept that speed and overran that car, besides I was getting back in the other lane to get on the interstate ramp in less than 100 feet. 2) I have small kids, in the morning I unlock the car and load them up into the car while I go back and forth to the house to get the rest of my things. I then started the car heading to my destination. While on the interstate my car kept trying to drag me back into a lane despite me wanting to change lanes. Turns out while I was loading my kids in the car they were searching for their "Kids Bop" radio station and hit all sorts of buttons, changing my button selection. I did not know how to change it back without reading the book. I had to pull over to the side of the interstate to google how to change the features. I was late to work and completely stressed out. The buttons shouldn't be that easy to change. And frankly shouldn't exist, they are dangerous. 3) Today I pull into my parking space at work and the bush in front of me is overgrown, the collision detection system detects the leggy limbs of the bush and slams on breaks flashing the collision notice. My head jerked forward and all of my belongings in the front seat of the car fly forward. This car has a mind of its own. I'm not driving the car, its driving me. These features are dangerous and I want them removed. This car is going to kill me!!!!!!!!!!!

7/24/2025

Since October 2023, my 2019 Toyota Prius has developed severe and unpredictable driving behavior after a regular brake service, which may have triggered or coincided with a software or ECU update. The car, which had been driving smoothly since I bought it in 2021, suddenly began showing false braking, steering interference, and lane instability — as if the car were trying to “correct” problems that didn’t exist. These interventions often happen on highways or during turns, creating serious safety risks for both driver and passengers. I’ve spent months and thousands of dollars replacing parts, performing alignments, and recalibrating sensors, including at Toyota dealerships. The problem persists because it is software-based, not mechanical. I discovered that in mid–2023, the NHTSA announced upcoming rules requiring Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection by 2029. Around that same time, reports from multiple drivers (Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Ford, Subaru) began to appear describing the exact same issues. It seems manufacturers began silently updating vehicles to meet anticipated compliance standards. However, this introduced overly sensitive and malfunctioning driver-assist systems. The most alarming part is that the driver cannot fully disable these features — the “off” button only reduces their intervention. This means when the system malfunctions, the driver is forced to operate an unsafe vehicle. As a professional rideshare driver, this problem destroyed my ability to work. Passengers reported me for unsafe driving because of the car’s erratic behavior. I eventually lost my vehicle and income. I believe this is a systemic safety defect linked to premature or unregulated implementation of AEB software. Drivers deserve the right to fully disable malfunctioning systems that endanger lives. This is not just a car issue — it’s a public safety crisis that must be urgently investigated.

10/11/2025

The driver’s side door opened while on the highway going 60-65. All doors were properly closed upon departure, and the door randomly opened. The doors were locked, so it stayed partially latched but ajar with the open door light suddenly coming on. It was a safety issue because it terrified me and I had to quickly pull over to close it/ assess what just happened. I will take the car to the dealership ASAP to report and have the latches inspected.

4/21/2025

The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while attempting to refuel the vehicle, gasoline started to spill from the fuel filler neck. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to provide a diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 300.

5/13/2025

The Car will not stop if another vehicle is in front of it and I don't hit on the brakes. I have taken it in for this problem more than three times and they put it on the computer and it can not find anything wrong with it. And once they reset it works until I turn it off and start it back up the system goes back to the default setting I have reached out to the dealership to let them know that It is still not working properly and the thing that has happen is that they have call me once tell me that they will look in to but as now June 12, 2025 I have heard nothing. The car is new and when I received it the car had a big squirrel nest in it which I had to take it back the next day for that and yes the car is new. I purchased it from Classic Subaru Atlanta Corp.

6/12/2025

Unforced acceleration occurred in a parking lot. I had my foot off the gas pedal, and had the car easing to a stop, when the car sped up rapidly and scraped the side of a large van. The car eventually came to a stop as i was applying the brake as much as i could. The passenger side of subaru was damaged extensively. I reported this to our insurance agent and lithia.

8/15/2025

2025 Subaru Outback was parked in the garage. The high temperature for the day was in the upper 80's. The temperature on the thermometer in the garage was 85. The car had been parked in the garage after the drive home from work for over 3 hours. I heard a noise in the garage and the sunroof had exploded outward. I had not been hit by any debris and it was not damaged. The glass was still crackling as I walked up and took a video. It looked like a miniature volcano with the upward, circular ridge of glass. It was towed to the dealership and their initial response was they did not think the factory warranty or extended warranty will cover it. I have 35,000 miles on the vehicle. Began to investigate known issues with the Subaru and discovered this has been happening to other Subaru's and manufacturer's.

8/30/2025

The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the "Door and Window Open" message was displayed. The information screen indicated that the driver monitoring system and EyeSight were disabled. While driving, the low tire message was displayed. The contact attempted to inflate the tire. A good Samaritan attempted to assist with the tire. The contact was able to continue driving to the destination. The contact stated that the App failed to provide the notifications. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. There were no fault codes retrieved. The dealer disabled the system. The dealer then informed the contact that the tire needed to be replaced; however, it was determined that the tire was okay as-is. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 1,999.

10/16/2025

The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the "Door and Window Open" message was displayed. The information screen indicated that the driver monitoring system and EyeSight were disabled. While driving, the low tire message was displayed. The contact attempted to inflate the tire. A good Samaritan attempted to assist with the tire. The contact was able to continue driving to the destination. The contact stated that the App failed to provide the notifications. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. There were no fault codes retrieved. The dealer disabled the system. The dealer then informed the contact that the tire needed to be replaced; however, it was determined that the tire was okay as-is. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 1,999.

10/16/2025

The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the "Door and Window Open" message was displayed. The information screen indicated that the driver monitoring system and EyeSight were disabled. While driving, the low tire message was displayed. The contact attempted to inflate the tire. A good Samaritan attempted to assist with the tire. The contact was able to continue driving to the destination. The contact stated that the App failed to provide the notifications. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. There were no fault codes retrieved. The dealer disabled the system. The dealer then informed the contact that the tire needed to be replaced; however, it was determined that the tire was okay as-is. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 1,999.

10/16/2025

CRITICAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE - HIGHWAY SAFETY HAZARD 10/23/2025: While driving 2025 Outback (11K miles) at highway speed on I-485 Charlotte, complete electrical system failure occurred without warning. ALL dashboard lights illuminated, COMPLETE LOSS of power steering (steering extremely heavy/difficult to control), all safety systems failed (ABS, brake sensors, traction control). SAFETY DANGER: Sudden power steering loss at 65mph made vehicle nearly uncontrollable. Required extreme force to steer to shoulder. Could have caused fatal crash during emergency maneuver or in traffic. IMPROPER WARRANTY DENIAL: Dealer claimed "cut wire" was "outside influence" but provided NO evidence how wire became accessible on properly designed vehicle. No photos, forensics, or proof. Vehicle never modified/damaged, only normal highway use. PATTERN DEFECT - SUBARU OUTBACK ELECTRICAL FAILURES: - 2020 Outback: 873 NHTSA complaints, electrical failures, battery drain, module failures - 2017 Outback: 893 complaints, "Do Not Drive" warning, steering control loss - NHTSA 23V-551: 35,357 Subarus recalled for wiring harness "insufficient clearance" causing wire damage, short circuits, power loss - 2019-22 Ascent: 271,694 recalled for electrical overheating from improper wiring COMMON DEFECT: Improper wire routing, inadequate protection, vulnerable placement - DESIGN/MANUFACTURING DEFECTS not owner damage. CONCERN: If critical wire accessible to damage after only 11K miles normal driving, this is design deficiency. Properly engineered vehicles protect wiring from road debris, vibration, weather. REQUEST: Investigate 2025 Outback electrical/wiring design. Review for pattern failures. Determine if recall warranted. Complete power steering loss on highway is life-threatening defect. Vehicle: New 2025, maintained per schedule, no modifications/accidents. Subaru denying valid warranty claims by falsely claiming "outside influence" without proof.

10/30/2025

CRITICAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE - HIGHWAY SAFETY HAZARD 10/23/2025: While driving 2025 Outback (11K miles) at highway speed on I-485 Charlotte, complete electrical system failure occurred without warning. ALL dashboard lights illuminated, COMPLETE LOSS of power steering (steering extremely heavy/difficult to control), all safety systems failed (ABS, brake sensors, traction control). SAFETY DANGER: Sudden power steering loss at 65mph made vehicle nearly uncontrollable. Required extreme force to steer to shoulder. Could have caused fatal crash during emergency maneuver or in traffic. IMPROPER WARRANTY DENIAL: Dealer claimed "cut wire" was "outside influence" but provided NO evidence how wire became accessible on properly designed vehicle. No photos, forensics, or proof. Vehicle never modified/damaged, only normal highway use. PATTERN DEFECT - SUBARU OUTBACK ELECTRICAL FAILURES: - 2020 Outback: 873 NHTSA complaints, electrical failures, battery drain, module failures - 2017 Outback: 893 complaints, "Do Not Drive" warning, steering control loss - NHTSA 23V-551: 35,357 Subarus recalled for wiring harness "insufficient clearance" causing wire damage, short circuits, power loss - 2019-22 Ascent: 271,694 recalled for electrical overheating from improper wiring COMMON DEFECT: Improper wire routing, inadequate protection, vulnerable placement - DESIGN/MANUFACTURING DEFECTS not owner damage. CONCERN: If critical wire accessible to damage after only 11K miles normal driving, this is design deficiency. Properly engineered vehicles protect wiring from road debris, vibration, weather. REQUEST: Investigate 2025 Outback electrical/wiring design. Review for pattern failures. Determine if recall warranted. Complete power steering loss on highway is life-threatening defect. Vehicle: New 2025, maintained per schedule, no modifications/accidents. Subaru denying valid warranty claims by falsely claiming "outside influence" without proof.

10/30/2025

See attached document for complaint.

11/19/2025