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Subaru battery drain lawsuit final settlement
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By Denis Flierl Jan 28 2023 - 6:51am

Subaru Battery Drain Lawsuit - How The Final Settlement Affects Owners Now

Subaru of America’s battery drain lawsuit gets final approval. Here are the settlement details if you are a Subaru Forester, Outback, Ascent, Legacy, or WRX owner.
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Subaru of America’s battery drain lawsuit has reached a final settlement. Subaru of America (SOA) has been battling an issue with drained batteries on the Outback midsize SUV, Forester compact SUV, Ascent SUV, Legacy sedan, and WRX sports car. The first lawsuit from 2020 and a second class action in 2021 against SOA alleged the Subaru vehicles had defective electrical systems causing premature battery failure. Now owners will be compensated.

A recent report from Bloomberg Law (by subscription) says the terms of the nationwide class settlement include payments for out-of-pocket repair costs up to 165 percent of the expenditure, warranty extensions, and a software update that improves the on-board computer’s “charging logic,” according to earlier filings in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

2015-2020 Subaru Outback

The deal is fair, reasonable, and adequate, Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez said Tuesday. He also approved $4.1 million in attorneys’ fees and expenses.

Which models are affected by the Settlement?

According to the Subaru battery settlement website, the Subaru vehicles in the lawsuit settlement include the 2015-2020 Subaru Outback, 2015-2020 Subaru Forester, 2015-2020 Subaru Legacy sedan, 2015-2020 Subaru WRX, and 2019-2020 Subaru Ascent 3-Row SUVs.

2015-2020 Subaru Forester

What does the Settlement provide?

1. Extended warranty service for qualifying battery failures experienced on or after the Date of the Notice. The Settlement also provides, where applicable, cash reimbursement for:

2. Battery replacements and related battery testing and diagnosis performed by an Authorized Subaru Retailer, or in some situations, an independent third party, for qualifying conditions on a Settlement Class Vehicle before the Date of Notice (“Pre-Notice”);

2019-2020 Subaru Ascent

3. Towing services in connection with a Pre-Notice Qualifying Battery Failure.

4. Reasonably Reimbursable Costs related to a Settlement Class Member being stranded due to a Pre-Notice Qualifying Battery Failure.

What should Outback, Forester, Legacy, WRX, and Ascent owners do now?

This is the only way to get a reimbursement. The deadline to submit Claim Forms and supporting documentation is 60 days after the Effective Date, which could be as early as May 5, 2023. Subaru owners do not need to do anything now to ensure coverage under an extended warranty.

The report says 2015-2020 Subaru Outback, 2015-2020 Subaru Forester, 2015-2020 Subaru Legacy, 2015-2020 Subaru WRX, and 2019-2020 Subaru Ascent owners should review the notice materials on the Important Document page here.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report, where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Comments

Scott Graves wrote on January 29, 2023 - 10:19am
I guess all that love that Subarus have must be hard on the batteries. Well, theres no such thing as a free lunch.
Sharon Catania wrote on January 29, 2023 - 5:59pm
A few weeks after I received a notice in the mail regarding the Civil suit against Subaru, my battery was dead. I managed to get a jump before I went to Subaru of Bend where they worked on it all day long, and by 5pm, I was told they wanted to keep it charging all night long, even though it was completely charged. So, I was given a car to drive until the following day. Then the first 3days of January, I had a dead battery again. I have roadside service, so I called a tire company in town to give me a boost. After the boost, I went grocery shopping. When I walked out the grocery store with my bags and try to get in my car, the battery was dead again. It took 2 hrs for a tow to reach me to give my battery a boost again. Since that time, I have charged my battery daily at home. I want to trade my car in, but I’m not sure if Subaru will cover the battery for new owners.
Laura Mathias wrote on January 30, 2023 - 4:50pm
Yes Subaru will replace your battery for free but you must go through the lawsuit to do it. Call your Subaru dealership and ask them what you need to do. I had my new battery installed and now have to send in the paperwork to be reimbursed. FYI you can also be reimbursed for towing or buying a charger. Check for the different things you can be reimbursed for.
Brad wrote on January 30, 2023 - 3:41am
Someone should start a lawsuit for the older models like my 2008 Impreza WRX. The brake and clutch pedal assembly is so dangerous. It's very common for the whole assembly to drop after some tiny spot welds break
Bree wrote on January 30, 2023 - 6:29pm
What about Australian owners? I’ve had my 2007 model WRX since new & im still having to continue charging my battery every 3 days or so. Multiple new batteries over the years
Russ Johnson wrote on January 31, 2023 - 4:40pm
To me that sounds really fishy to charge your battery just once a month...everybody knows that car manufacturers don't put in the best batteries that there will come a time that the battery will die...I swear some people are so f--ing stupid They think they deserve stuff for free
Matt wrote on February 10, 2023 - 4:12pm
Russ Johnson, I think we agree on just two points, but your sentences are vague. First, I don't know who you're replying to, because I don't see anyone saying they have to charge their battery "just once a month." Second, what's fishy? That it's *just* once a month?? Or that there's nothing unusual about having to do that?? What the hell are you talking about with "everybody knows that car manufacturers don't put in the best batteries..."? What an absurd generalization. Which manufacturers? What does "best" mean? What evidence do you have? Don't project your fantasy onto what "everybody knows." As for "...there will come a time that the battery will die" who is arguing that point?? We agree that some people seem to think they deserve stuff for free. Many others, though, including myself, do not feel so entitled. Over the decades I've eaten countless expenses and endured countless problems that seemed unfair. Unfortunately, that's life. But I can easily believe there's a design flaw with these Subarus and/or batteries because my battery was dead in my *new Forester* the day I bought it 8 years ago. The salesperson had to jump it on the lot. Then it left me stranded at least two more times. I complained and got resistance at first, which made me angry. They finally gave me a new battery, which they claim was removed from another car, leaving some other poor sap with my problem. Irresponsible! And then the replacement battery was equally weak, as determined by a Subaru mechanic. I never had such issues with any previous car. We agree on one other thing: some people *are* stupid, though I would be cautious of such judgment if I couldn't form sentences clearer than yours. Other people, like yourself, just come across as insulting and overly quick to jump to conclusions.
Patrick Walsh wrote on March 15, 2023 - 11:13am
Extremely poorly written story! Leaves mores questions than answers. No hotline, no way to contact anywho who can answer questions! My question is: After submitting my claim successfully and receiving a claim number for having to purchase a new battery, will I receive any dollars or what do I have to do now, again, to be reimbursed. I traded the forester ergo no longer own it. Simple question! If anyone can find that answer in this article, I will be amazed. Thank you, I have since moved on. Subaru and their "feel good" ads are just hype. The product was a nightmare. Thanks for reading and responding. Enjoy your day!
Gerry Herrington wrote on March 18, 2023 - 12:03pm
I have a 2012 Outback that has to be started every day or the battery dies. I'm not happy the settlement only goes back to 2015 but that doesn't concern me as much as there seems to be no fix for this. I've taken it to the local dealership, before the settlement, and they acted like they had never heard of this. They blamed the battery as being defective and sold us a new one. That battery didn't last and we had to get another. I've been left stranded at 3 times because of dead batteries. We bought a new Outback in 2021 and the dealership offered us 5k for the old one as a trade in. I should have taken the deal. Why is there no fix for this?
Marilyn Varallo wrote on March 28, 2023 - 11:41am
After AAA changed 3 batteries, I took the car to Subaru of Morristown. They never mentioned the drainage problem, removed a good battery, and replaced it with their own. When the car would not start again I had the battery jumped and took it back.They removed a fuse which would allow the battery to function without draining. Now I have no Bluetooth and I'm out the money for two batteries. Despicable!