Subaru Outback electrical problems

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, I'VE ARRIVED AT MY CAR AFTER A REASONABLY SHORT TIME AWAY - EACH TIME OVERNIGHT, PARKED IN MY GARAGE - TO FIND MY BATTERY FULLY DRAINED. I WONDERED IF I HAD LEFT MY LIGHTS ON, AND IF THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. I FOUND THAT THE CONTROLS FOR MY HEADLAMPS WERE IN THE OFF POSITION. NEXT, I WONDERED IF I HAD LEFT A DOOR AJAR, OR AN INTERIOR LIGHT CONTROL SWITCH IN THE ON POSITION. I NEVER FOUND A DOOR AJAR. I NEVER FOUND AN INTERIOR LIGHT SWITCH ON. I TAKE MY CAR INTO FARAWAY CORNERS OF THE WILDERNESS ON OCCASION. I CANNOT RISK BATTERY DRAIN WHEN I RETURN TO MY CAR AFTER A DAY OR TWO OF ADVENTURE. TO BE SAFE AFTER THESE INCIDENTS, I REMOVED THE LIGHTBULB FROM THE "WAY BACK" OF MY SUBARU OUTBACK. I DID THIS TO AVOID ACCIDENTALLY DRAINING THE BATTERY IF I LEFT THAT LIGHT ON (EASY TO GO UNNOTICED). FURTHER, I KEEP EACH OF THE OTHER INTERIOR LIGHT SWICH CONTROLS IN THE OFF POSITION. I CHANGED THIS FROM THE "ON WHEN A DOOR IS OPEN" POSITION THAT I USED TO KEEP THE SWITCHES IN, AGAIN TO ENSURE THAT I DON'T ACCIDENTALLY DRAIN THE BATTERY. DURING MY NEXT MAINTENANCE VISIT WITH MY SUBARU DEALER'S MAINTENANCE TEAM (AN OIL CHANGE, I BELIEVE), I DISCUSSED THE BATTERY FAILURE WITH THE TECHNICIAN. I ASKED THE PERSON IF THERE WAS SOME WAY SET A SOFTWARE CONTROL SO THAT NO LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED WITH THE ENGINE TURNED OFF FOR MORE THAN SOME SET PERIOD OF TIME (FOR INSTANCE, 10 MINUTES, OR A HALF HOUR). THE TECHNICIAN SAID THERE WAS NO WAY TO SET THAT FOR THE CAR. I REGULARLY CHECK TO ENSURE THAT I'M NOT LEAVING MY FRONT SEAT, OR MID-SEAT LIGHTS ON SINCE MY BATTERY HAD DRAINED ON THOSE OCCASIONS. I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED, HOWEVER, IF THE PROBLEM WAS SOME ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH MY CAR, RATHER THAN MY OWN POTENTIAL MISTAKE. MORE AND MORE, I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN AN ELECTRICAL BATTERY DRAIN ISSUE.

MY 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF PURCHASING MY NEW VEHICLE IN 2017 THE BATTERY DIED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR TWO DAYS. NOTHING WAS LEFT ON TO DRAIN THE BATTERY, SOMETHING WITHIN THE PRE-DESIGNED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED DRAINING MY BATTERY. THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN PERIODICALLY OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS UNTIL I DECIDED TO PURCHASE AN OPTIMA RED TOP BATTERY AT MY OWN EXPENSE SINCE SUBARU DID NOT PROVIDE AN ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED, WHEN BUYING A NEW VEHICLE I DO NOT EXPECT THE BATTERY TO DIE RIGHT AWAY.

PURCHASED NEW VEHICLE FROM TETON MOTORS IN JACKSON, WY. BATTERY WAS REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AND DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS A BAD BATTERY AS IT FAILED SO QUICKLY. STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH CAR STARTING DUE TO DRAINED BATTERY ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER AND WE THOUGHT THAT WE HAD LEFT LIGHTS ON IN THE CAR. WE TURNED OFF ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS TO TRY TO ENSURE THIS DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. DURING ROUTINE SERVICE WE WERE INFORMED THAT BATTERY WAS BAD AS IT WOULD NOT HOLD CHARGE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED US INSTALL A TRICKLE CHARGER AS MY WIFE DOES NOT DRIVE THE CAR VERY FAR FOR WORK. SO WE PAID TO REPLACE BATTERY AND INSTALL TRICKLE CHARGER IN EARLY 2021.

WILL NOT START WITH KEYLESS IGNITION. FIRST TIME 2018 WHEN BATTERY APPEARED DEAD AND COUKD NOT BE JUMP STARTED IN OUR GARAGE AND COUKD NOT UNLOCK DOORS OR EMERGENCY BRAKE AND COULD NOT BE JUMPED, CAR TOWED AND NEW BATTERY INSTALLED. ONE WEEK LATER SAME THING AGAIN DEAD BATTERY IN OUR GARAGE AND CAR TESTED BY SUBARU FOR MORE THAN A WEEK AND NO CAUSE DETERMINED. THIRD TIME APRIL 1, 2021 BATTERY DEAD AFTER THREE SHORT STOPS AND DRIVING LESS THAN 10 MILES AND RADIO COULD NOT BE SHUT OFF AT FIRST. TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID BATTERY AT ALMOST FULL CHARGE AND DUGGRSTED USE KEY FOB AND PRESS START AND IT WORKED.

THIS VEHICLE IS DRIVEN CIRCA 125MILES/MONTH. THE BATTERY IS USUALLY DRAINED BEFORE USE, AND MUST BE CHARGED. IT IS TYPICALLY OK UNTIL THE NEXT USE, WHEN RECHARGE MUST RECUR. THIS MEANS THAT THE COMPUTER IS ALWAYS RESETTING ITSELF. THE RESET CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO FAIL STATE INSPECTION. THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRENT PROBLEM SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN FEBRUARY 2017.

WHEN MY CAR SITS IN GARAGE FOR A WEEK, THE BATTERY DIES. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SUBARU DEALER AND THEY SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEM. BUT I CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE DOCUMENTATION ON THE 6 TIMES I HAVE HAD TO USE ROAD SERVIC FINALLY I BOUGHT A TRICKLE CHARGER TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM.E FOR A BATTERY JUMP START AND THE RECEIPTS GOING TO DEALER.

CAR BATTERY OFTEN DIES - ESPECIALLY IF I OPEN THE DOOR EVEN FOR 5 MINUTES. IT OFTEN WON'T START AND THE REAR GATE OFTEN DOES NOT OPEN OR CLOSE. IT HAS EVEN OPENED ON ITS OWN. THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC SAYS THE FACTORY BATTERY IS NOT ADEQUATE TO POWER THE CAR WITH ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THEY REPLACED ORIGINAL BATTERY BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING. THE BATTERY TESTED WELL BELOW WHAT THE SUBARU MANUAL SAYS IT SHOULD. I AM THE FIRST OWNER (CAR WAS A DEALERSHIP LOANER) AND THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I GOT IT IN 2020.

OUTBACK WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE OF 1919. IN MID JANUARY OF 2020 I HAD TO HAVE IT JUMP STARTED TWICE. TOOK IT TO DEALER. THE VEHILCE MILAGE WAS UNDER 2000. THEY DID A "PARASITE" CHECK TO LOOK FOR ELECTRICLE LEAKS. FOUND NONE SUGGESTED I ATTACH A BATTERY TENDER IN WINTER. SO I DID. AS LONG AS I KEEP THE TENDER ATTACHED IN THE WINTER, THE VEHICLE STARTS- SO FAR.

IN 2019THE BATTERY ON THE VEHICLE DRAINED WHILE ON A CAMPING TRIP TO THE DESERT, WHICH LEFT US STRANDED. WE GOT IT JUMPED AND DROVE HOME. SUBARU DEALER SAID THAT THEY WOULD INSTALL NEW COMPUTER SOFTWARE TO FIX. IN 2021, WE TOOK CAR TO SUBARU FOR 36K CHECKUP. THEY SAID THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT BEING STRANED AGAIN IF WE GO TO REMOTE DESTINATIONS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.