2018 Subaru Outback

My 2018 Subaru Outback has a defective head unit that poses a serious safety hazard. Subaru has already acknowledged this defect in this exact make/model/year and issued an extended warranty, but my vehicle was denied full coverage because the warranty window expired. The defect causes the head unit to: -Power on/off by itself. -Force phone connections even when Bluetooth is disabled. -Place dozens of calls on its own while I am driving (call random number, hang up, call number, hang up, etc). -Randomly connect to nearby devices. -Emit loud, unexpected noises. During a recent 4-hour family trip with my [XXX] son, the head unit repeatedly dialed contacts and hung up on them uncontrollably, forcing me to pull over on the highway. This is a clear safety risk, as it distracts the driver and requires emergency stops. At Subaru Customer Advocacy’s request, I took the vehicle to a Subaru dealership twice and paid nearly $200 for a formal diagnosis, which confirmed the known delamination defect and the need for replacement. Despite this, Subaru refuses full coverage and is offering only partial cost assistance, while other owners with the same defect have received full coverage. This is not normal wear-and-tear. It is an acknowledged manufacturer defect that is creating dangerous driving conditions. I request NHTSA’s investigation into Subaru’s inconsistent response and the safety risks of this defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Summary of Problem: The infotainment screen on my 2018 Subaru Outback has delaminated and is malfunctioning, causing multiple safety issues. This is a known manufacturer defect previously addressed in a class-action lawsuit (Starlink Infotainment System Litigation, settled 2021). However, my vehicle’s screen failed shortly after the extended warranty expired. Detailed Description of Safety Hazards: The malfunctioning screen creates the following safety risks: 1. Backup Camera Obstruction – The screen dims erratically, sometimes going completely dark, rendering the rearview camera unusable. This poses a serious safety hazard and appears to violate FMVSS 111 requirements for rear visibility systems. 2. Unintended Screen Inputs – The screen exhibits “ghost touches” that result in random phone calls, volume changes, and navigation menu disruptions, all without user input. This creates an unsafe level of driver distraction. 3. Driver Distraction and Interference – The system's erratic behavior pulls my attention away from the road, as I must manage or override its malfunctions, increasing the risk of an accident. Manufacturer Response: I contacted Subaru of America, who acknowledged the issue but only offered to cover half of the $1,200 repair cost. They declined full assistance, citing the expiration of the class-action extended warranty (5 years/100,000 miles), despite this being a latent defect with safety implications. Known Precedent: Many other Outback owners have received full coverage from Subaru for this exact issue, even outside of the warranty, suggesting inconsistent application of goodwill support. This is clearly a systemic defect. Requested Action: I am reporting this because the defect affects safety-critical features. I am requesting NHTSA to investigate whether this issue warrants a broader recall or compliance action. The unpredictable failure of the rearview camera and screen functionality poses a clear risk to driver and public safety.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the rearview camera became inoperable. The contact stated that the rearview camera image was blank. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the radio system display had failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.

The infotainment system in the car has suffered from screen delamination, which is apparently common with these models. This has left the touchscreen both non-responsive to touch as well as randomly selecting items on the screen, rendering it unusable. This is a safety issue because the only way to deactivate Reverse Automatic Braking and the rear parking sensors is through the touchscreen. Being able to do this is essential when connecting a trailer or attempting to reverse with one attached. Subaru is aware of the problem and was subject to class action litigation related to it, ultimately being required to extend the warranty on the units as a result. However, the warranty extension was inadequate and left several thousand units in the field which would eventually require replacement. Note that a similar issue on the 2019 models resulted in an 8-year / 150,000-mile warranty extension on the units, yet prior models were only required to have a 4-year / 80,000-mile extension.

Arriving at my childhood home, I followed the driveway to the left to park in front of the garage door. With my foot on the brake and slowly rolling to a stop, the car suddenly accelerated and jolted forward making contact with the garage door and the frame of the garage. This caused damage to the house, garage door and the front of the car. Thankfully there was no other car in the way or a pedestrian! Only the house and car were damaged. This was sudden and there was no warning or prior occurrence to make me aware of the problem. We spoke to the dealer service manager and at first he said he never heard of anything like that. After further conversation he admitted that another car had a similar issue. They kept the car for two weeks and couldn't repeat the issue. We then went on line and found there are several class action lawsuits against Subaru for the same thing - unexpected and sudden forward acceleration! But when contacting Subaru corporate for assistance in resolving this, they claimed they never heard of any class action lawsuits or problems such as this. We need help dealing with Subaru. They are playing with us.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while reversing, the rearview camera failed to display a rearview image, comprising the back over prevention system. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the rear-view camera. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. 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 failure mileage was 39,000.

I have recently experienced an issue touchscreen delamination, which I understand has affected other Subaru owners as well. While my vehicle is no longer under the standard warranty, I believe this issue stems from a known defect and not normal wear and tear. More importantly, it has created a significant safety concern. Calling people on accident and in my case call 911 by mistake. The touchscreen issue is interfering with my ability to safely use backup camera and vehicle settings.