Subaru Outback electrical problems

In September 2026, after a jump start, my vehicle's battery emitted a strong sulfur/rotten-egg odor, indicating overheating and overcharging. I was advised to shut it off immediately. The vehicle is now undrivable and parked, and I am concerned it presents a fire risk. This is the latest failure of a chronic electrical defect documented in the dealer's own repair orders since early ownership: •⁠ ⁠March 16, 2023 (4,985 mi): vehicle needed a jump start. Dealer tested the battery, said it passed, and blamed my driving habits. •⁠ ⁠May 16, 2023 (5,503 mi): vehicle again needed a boost. Battery failed the dealer's test and was replaced under warranty; dealer cited Subaru bulletin 07-213-22R. •⁠ ⁠August 4-8, 2025 (15,188 mi): vehicle again needed a boost. Battery failed the dealer's DCA8000 test (low CCA) and was replaced a second time. A dark-current draw test found the Telematics Data Communication Module (DCM) causing a parasitic draw (code B2A0C); the DCM was replaced. When I arrived to collect the vehicle after being told it was repaired, it would not start in the dealer's own shop. Subaru paid for the DCM repair as one-time goodwill while stating it was not covered by warranty. These repair orders understate the frequency: throughout ownership the vehicle needed a jump start roughly 80-90% of the times I used it, even the day after being driven, and I used roadside assistance several times. I believe this matches the known parasitic battery drain defect on 2021-2022 Subaru vehicles (control modules, including the DCM, failing to enter low-power sleep mode), the subject of pending class action litigation (Taylor v. Subaru of America, No. 2:26-cv-4935) and Subaru technical service bulletins. My dealer replaced the implicated module, the problem recurred, and the vehicle has now had an overcharging event that left it undrivable.

New car with only 965 miles. At 580 miles the car when I started it said safety eyesight system not working. I shut off car and restarted it and system connected itself. Today I was on highway doing 62mph and the entire dashboard, information and safety features displays went completely black without any warning. I was able to control car and system rebooted itself after a minute or so. I Contact Subaru and have a case number #260909-1500526. Called dealer and was told not to drive car and have it towed to dealership. Since I need a rental car the dealership will notify me when a rental car is available. It scared the hell out of me when it happened. I went online and see now that this is an issue Subaru is having with 2026 Outbacks (many reported) even though Subaru of America and dealership said they had not heard of any complaints.

The Starlink infotainment touchscreen in my 2019 Subaru Outback Touring has progressively failed. Visible bubbles have formed under the glass, consistent with screen delamination. The screen registers phantom inputs on its own without being touched ("ghost touch"), changing settings, and interrupting functions while the vehicle is being driven. The touchscreen has now become completely unresponsive to actual touch input. Because the head unit controls and displays the backup camera, this failure interferes with the rear visibility display when reversing, creating a safety concern. The ghost inputs also present a driver distraction while the vehicle is in motion. I first documented this problem and presented the vehicle for service at a dealership in April 2025, maybe even prior, and I have dated video documentation showing the progression of the failure since then. The condition has worsened over time regardless of weather, though symptoms intensify with heat and sun exposure. The failure also disables hands-free operation, including Bluetooth phone connectivity, voice commands, and navigation control. Functions designed to be operated hands-free while driving now cannot be used at all, which encourages manual phone handling for navigation and calls - defeating the vehicle's built-in distraction-prevention systems. I am aware this failure pattern (delamination, ghost touch, and unresponsiveness in Starlink units) is widely reported by other owners of 2019–2023 Subaru vehicles. No warning preceded the failure, and the vehicle has not resolved with restarts. Current mileage approximately 134,XXX. Failure began at approximately 60,XXX miles ~ November 2024.

Vehicle's Auto Start-Stop system shut the engine off while stopped at a red light in [XXX], in rainy conditions in late XXX at approximately 29,000 miles. When the brake was released after the light turned green, the engine did not restart, leaving it stopped in the travel lane in live traffic. The driver had to use a portable jump starter to get it running again. This was not isolated — repeated failure-to-start incidents in prior weeks had already prompted carrying a portable jump starter in the vehicle. At the time we believed this was a failing 12V battery. The original battery was replaced XXX with a new aftermarket AGM battery. Despite that replacement, the vehicle has continued to have multiple complete battery drain if left parked for multiple days (but less than a week), indicating the restart failures were likely caused by an underlying parasitic electrical draw rather than a simple worn-out battery. Subaru's own Technical Service Bulletin 07-199-21R, "Measurement of Dark Current (Standby Current Draw)," describes this exact failure pattern (batteries/vehicles going dead over time due to standby current traced to the VDC module and/or Power Rear Gate control module) for this model and model-year range. A pending federal class-action lawsuit, [XXX] v. Subaru of America, Inc., Case No. XXX (D.N.J., filed XXX), alleges an electrical-system defect preventing one or more control modules from entering a proper low-power sleep state, causing parasitic battery drain, and specifically names 2021-2022 Outback vehicles. We are concerned this defect can cause the Auto Start-Stop system to fail to restart the engine at a stop in live traffic, creating a real risk of being rear-ended or blocking an intersection, as happened in the incident described above. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale, but the contact discovered the seller was associated with a car dealer. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 87,059. After obtaining a Carfax report, the contact became aware that the mileage was 207,000.

My 2022 Subaru Outback Premium has had repeated intermittent stall/no-start events. The exact failed component is UNKNOWN, but the issue appears related to the fuel system, engine control, electrical system, or heat-related sensor/relay failure. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The first event occurred while parked: the engine shut off/would not start, while the dashboard and screen remained powered. After about 30 minutes, it started again. A later event occurred while driving: the engine suddenly shut off, but the dashboard and infotainment screen stayed on. I could not restart the engine for about 10 minutes. When it restarted, the vehicle would not accelerate past about 30 mph, suggesting reduced-power/limp mode. This created a serious safety risk because the vehicle lost motive power while in traffic. The vehicle was taken to a Subaru dealership. The dealer diagnosed the high-pressure fuel pump as failing and replaced it under the powertrain warranty. About one month later, the same issue occurred again while parked: the vehicle shut off, all dashboard warning lights illuminated, and it took several minutes before it would restart. The dealer then stated the battery was weak and replaced the battery. The new battery tested good after replacement. One week later, the issue returned again. A consistent pattern is that the problem occurs when it is hot outside and the vehicle has been running for more than one hour. The vehicle has been inspected by a Subaru dealership multiple times. The problem has not been reliably reproduced by the dealer, but the dealer previously confirmed a failing high-pressure fuel pump and later a weak battery. Warning lamps appeared at the time of failure, including multiple dashboard lights/check engine-type warnings after the engine shut off. There were no consistent warning messages before the stall/no-start events.

I am reporting a serious and intermittent steering safety issue with my 2021 Subaru Outback. On two separate occasions, the vehicle suddenly lost what appeared to be power-steering assistance while the vehicle was in motion, causing the steering wheel to become extremely difficult to turn. The first incident occurred while I was driving on the highway and going down a ramp. The steering suddenly became extremely difficult to operate and a warning symbol illuminated on the dashboard. I was able to maintain enough control of the vehicle to safely pull over to the side of the road. I turned the vehicle off and restarted it, and the warning light disappeared and normal steering operation returned. The second incident occurred while I was making a turn into a neighbor. The same problem occurred: the steering suddenly became extremely difficult to turn and a warning light appeared on the dashboard. After turning the vehicle off and restarting it, the steering returned to normal. The intermittent nature of this problem is concerning because restarting the vehicle temporarily restores normal steering, but the failure has now occurred more than once without warning. One of the incidents occurred while traveling on the highway, creating a significant risk of loss of vehicle control and a collision. I am concerned that this may involve the vehicle’s electric power-steering system or related electrical components. I am reporting this to NHTSA because a sudden loss of steering assistance while a vehicle is moving presents a serious safety risk, particularly while turning or traveling at highway speeds. I am requesting that NHTSA document this complaint and evaluate whether similar steering failures have been reported by other owners of 2021 Subaru Outback vehicles.