Subaru Hit With A New Lawsuit Over An Outback And Ascent Dead Battery Issue

I moved to a new area. The local Subaru dealer can't diagnose my 2004 Outback with check-engine light related to a TGR that may or may not even exist on this model.They've had the car for months this year — and literally broke parts they tried to install, then recommended a different repair entirely but wrote that they wouldn't guarantee it if we authorized nearly a grand worth of work to remove carbon deposits in the intake.

Subaru of America must think their customer loyalty is rock-solid strong — to the point of kicking sand in their faces while they laugh all the way to the bank. Spouse buys another Subaru, battery dies in the driveway less than a month into owning it. Now two cars have to go in to the same incompetent dealer who can't even be bothered to pick up their own phone lines during normal business hours (like sending your car into a black hole).

On the 2004 model Subaru pulled a similar stunt, although I don't know if it ever got them sued. They under-specked the brake pads which wore out in six months. Using OEM brakes resulted in rapid wear. For the life of the car, the car required extra heavy duty brake pads (more like the kind used on delivery trucks) in order to get 3-4 years of use per set. Honestly, what's up with these companies shooting themselves in the foot?

For the 2015-2020 models, the consensus seems to be that Subaru under-specked the battery relative to the electric load and engine type. Some owners report that replacing the battery with a higher reserve capacity can help (almost any aftermarket battery, they claim, is going to be stronger than the factory-installed one). It's worth a try — unless you're lucky enough to have a dealer that doesn't take your car for 5 weeks at a shot and refuse to pick up their phones when you call to find out when your car might be ready. If you do face a dead battery, make sure to keep your service records. As soon as I Googled the issue, spouse went straight to the store to buy a battery replacement. It's a small price to pay for skipping a tow and a protracted diagnostic hassle. My two cents: If you live in a rural area and/or don't have access to a reliable Subaru dealer don't chance it — just replace it with something better.

I wrote THIS to a SUBARU OUTBACK FORUM ; they BANNED ME from the site for "not being able to communicate (LOVE-?) constructively !!!!

SOME ( not ALL !!!) Subaru's have some WEIRD Charging problem ... This curse has been a part of most SUBARU Forums for YEARS ! The DEALERS never seem to be able to "fix" it ; the strange problem with Batteries that will not keep a charge - many even OVER-NIGHT - has driven many of US almost INSANE trying to solve the UNSOLVABLE - as witnessed by many who lament that even the Dealers are confounded .... !!!! That is why so many of US have gone on "auto-pilot" and found their own "solutions" ... that fit the particular VERSION of the NO-CHARGE/DEAD-BATTERY problem. I went round with my dealer for MONTHS, endured 7 (SEVEN -! ) dead battery issues in the first couple WEEKS of a brand new car !!! I finally got to my current solution ... and along the way I briefly considered the SECOND BATTERY IN THE VEHICLE "solution" ... then I realized that a FULLY CHARGED BATTERY , sitting ANYWHERE EXCEPT in the proper Battery Holder Box .... was a (possibly FATAL !) DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN !

Also, a total battery switch disconnect wreaks HAVOC on many needed Electronic Settings ; which DO seem to remain OK even with with a WEAK Battery that will NOT start the Vehicle: this solution is .... self-destructive !!!!

I finally settled on a TWO-STEP MODIFICATION SOLUTION :
1) I permanently installed a Battery Maintainer/Charger under the Hood, with the AC Pig-Tail Plug hanging out of the Grill, like an Arctic Freeze Block Warmer;
2) I installed an Alternator Sense Circuit MODIFICATION that forces the Alternator/ECM/Voltage-Regulator to keep the Battery CHARGED .... as its FIRST PRIORITY, and NOT as its LAST (when it finally remembers that the Battery is being starved to death !).

These TWO Modifications made MY Subaru almost as reliable as my GM Le Sabre Luxury Sedan that had a LOT MORE ELECTRONICS than my Subaru (including constantly operating ELECTRONIC LOAD LEVELING, which was constantly operating while I was driving in ANY HILLY COUNTRYSIDE !!!).

For those who have PERFECT SUBARUs .... why are these Forums so interesting ???? .... those of US who do have problems ... gain nothing from "MINE IS PERFECT" comments !!!!! We just want to try to get to the HIGHER PLATEAU where the LUCKY OWNERS LIVE EVERY DAY !!!!!

///MRB

In 20 months of ownership of a 2019 Ascent, we've had to get it jumped at least 4 times. Last time it was so dead, the car didn't even open. 2 times it was because one of my kids probably hit a rear seat dome light with the their head on the way out and it was dead the next morning. The other 2 times we have no idea what happened. Clearly need an auto shut off for the dome lights and to fix the broader electrical problems. The roadside assistance guy says he jump starts 3-4 Subaru Ascent or Outback batteries per week right now and Subaru has to fix this issue. This is not mention that I had to take the Ascent in twice for faulty strut mounts and another time when the one of the rear doors stopped opening. And now seems like the rear suspension is uncontrollably bouncy. It's been a very disappointing ownership experience.

How do I join the lawsuit?
My battery keeps dying with only have the door open long enough to unload or pack a car. It died the other day after aux setting was on for 5 minutes. Dealership says battery is good so they don’t care.

We purchased a 2016 Outback, new, in March 2016. In 2020 the battery has died twice now when it sat for several weeks, not being driven. I recently took it to the dealer and apparently there was an tech update on the charging system in 2017. They updated the program for the charging system. What made me mad was they charged me $100, when I believe it should have been updated in 2017 when this issue came up and the car was under the original warranty. Very disappointed.

We have a 2019 Outback with battery issues. With Covid, we don't get out daily but even every other day doesn't seem to satisfy the charging requirements. Car is at dealer now because the 2nd battery has now failed. The car has 4200 Miles on it. We keep the key fob in the other end of the house as far from the car as possible. Will see what dealer has to say this time. I suggested a bigger, better battery and rep stated Subaru has not authorized that. Wish I had known about this before buying the car.

Purchased a 2020 outback because my 2015 needed a catylitic converter. They gave me less money on a trade in. A week later I received a recall on the car about the converter rusting out. Went back to the dealer and they said they knew nothing about it.
The 2020 battery went dead in 2 months and another dealer took care of it. Supposedly replaced it with a better quality battery. I will check it now that I now it is a problem. But now the screen goes dark, the station changes when we shut the car off. It may have more electrical problems. I am going to take it back to the dealer and have them check it out. I would like to join the class action suit. Email me if you have information.

I have a 2017 Subaru Outback. So far, I have replaced a battery 4X in one year with the last one being yesterday on 12/14/2020. I have only 21000 miles on it. I was told at one time by the dealership that I don’t drive it enough. In fact I was even told that by Subaru of America. So, in 3 days time, I put 72 miles on it to no avail. I tried to start it the next day, as I had a doctor’s appointment, and it would not start. I had her about the parasitic draw that all mechanics had received as a notice from Subaru, so I asked the service department at the dealership to update the computer because I had heard that it was a problem and the reason the batteries were losing charge. They did an update. It didn’t change a thing. I still lost a charge to my battery. Now I hear it’s got to be an electrical problem. My resale is next to zero, whereas their resale has been extremely high in the past. I will never purchase another Subaru again.

Imagine how thrilled i am to see this class action lawsuit for 2016 to 2020 outbacks. We have a 2015 outback. I am on my third battery for this car and looking like I will have to go to the fourth battery soon. I also have to add a quart of oil every 900 to 1000 miles. According to Pelitier Chevrolet in Tyler Texas, our car did not meet the oil consumption required to be an "issue" with the other class action suit. FYI 2015 outback is a POS too!!!!!!!!

My 2016 Subaru Outback has had battery issues since about a year after purchase. Seems every 9 months to 12 months the battery is dead. Get it jumped and take it to dealer. They would not replace. They would simply "recharge and recalibrate" it. Of course, would reoccur. Once it would not juice at all by AAA, and I needed to get it towed to the dealership. Again, they "rejuiced and recalibrated". When I had to go back in again due to same issue, after warranty had expired, of course then they said that it needed to be replaced and was not under warranty any longer. And now, just a few months later, the battery is dead again. Have an appointment for tomorrow. I am sure I will be told the same thing until THIS battery runs through its warranty period.

sad state of affairs for Subaru
I had my 2010 Outback for 10 years and couldn't have been more please with a car and the service, sold to my son and got the Ascent in 2019
this was to be my last car
2020 just keeps on giving....

2019 Forester owner here, 30,100 miles. My car died on Christmas Day with a two-minute display of all my dash lights flashing and the battery clicking. Temps were in the low 20’s, and I had my parking brake on all night because I was parked on an incline. Jump start worked, and dealership said all is fine. We did get a tip to click the lock button twice to put the car to sleep. Hopefully that will work.

I just spoke with Subaru customer service and was told that my battery is draining because I don't lock my car when it's parked in my garage. I asked him if this was documented anywhere that even if the car is parked and off it must be locked otherwise it will continually do computer checks and drain the battery. I asked the person if a mailer was sent out informing all Ascent owners that they should lock their car when parked in the garage since if you don't it will drain the battery. He told me that to his knowledge it wasn't documented but 99.9% of Subaru owners lock their car when they park it in their own garage. Subaru's computers are so complex that they don't know when the car is off so they never shut down and always do checks that drain the battery. This, to me, makes no sense.

in reply to Cory: He's speaking out of his you know what !! I bet he thinks he's very clever when in reality he is very ignorant.

I have replaced 2016 Outback battery several(3 I think) times. I have been stranded 4 times in the last month each time having the battery checked- no problem with the battery, starter or alternator! The problem is the damn car. I have all lights turned off- dangerous and lock the car immediately when I get out and leave it running in order to unload anything out of it that requires leaving a door or hatchback open. This is not acceptable from Subaru.

It is time to do something other than drive my 2018 Subaru Outback off a cliff which is what I think about most weeks. I have had a dead battery 32 times since buying this car new. I live rurally and do not drive the car every day but sometime like tonight it has been driven two days ago and still dead when I get in to start it. I think I have worn out my little charger which I bought due to this issue and sometimes having to wait for 2 or more hours for Subaru Assistance to get to me. The battery has been replaced once and then there was some kind of fix done once... that did nothing. I had to leave my car running for six hours one night while moving. It was a remote location with no cell or internet service due to it being turned off that day because of move. It was dark and cold and I would have to walk a mile in the dark to get to a neighbor's house if I could not start my car. I left it running because I did not trust it at all to start. Earlier that day it had not after driving it the day before for many miles. How do I join the law suit? I am an elderly woman living alone who had Subarus for years that I could trust. NO MORE! It is disgusting that they keep building them knowing there is a problem and not fixing it.

Bought a Subaru Outback limited 2016 on 02/16/2019 with 39,258 miles for MSRP $34,817 with Warranty for $2780 My battery was replaced after one year February 2020 after having to jump start it at least 2 dozen times. With the new battery after almost another year the same issue. I had to purchase a "Jump and Carry" for $250 but the problem is just as bad as last year after getting the new battery. Now the warning light for the passenger side has, come on. VIN 4S4BSANC3G3269707. Please advise next steps. Charlie's Subaro of August Maine yesterday told me again it's because I don't drive it enough, I now know as I looked it up on the internet it is not true and the electronics are darning my battery not me. I want my money back!

@Stephanie, I was told that I had to ensure my Subaru was completely locked when parked in my garage so the checks the computer runs would stop. I pushed back on that but got snarky responses from Subaru saying 90% of owners lock their car when parked in their garage. So, I do that now that. I also spoke with Firestone, I've been going there for years, and they confirmed that since I'm driving less the battery isn't handling that so when parked for long times I should connect the battery to a trickle charger. Car batteries weren't designed for what COVID has brought, less driving.

After my battery died again this week, I went to a auto parts store and purchased a battery tender (charger). This only furiated me because I can't travel out of town without bringing the charger with me. The fact that my neighbor didn't know I had to have my car towed so often and mentioned to my grandson that he knew about the Subarus' batteries, just frustrated me even more. A worthless car with no re-sell value!

Class Action lawsuits do not benefit any of us Subaru owners. We have a a car that will not be accepted form any dealer because they all know about it. I am livid and so tired of the lies my Subaru dealer gives me with one being that my battery was replaced with a Subaru battery, high-end, and that I won't have anymore problems with it starting.

My 2018 Subaru Outback is a hunk of junk. The battery just keeps dying. 19,000 miles. The car is not usable or reliable. I’m working on trying to get out of my lease. Has anyone been able to negotiate with Subaru to get out of their lease? I’ve been a customer for years but it’s time to break up!

2019 Outback with 7,000 miles. Five battery 'drains' and new battery put in 6 months ago by AAA. The fifth battery drainage issue just occurred last week. This is an awful problem and makes the car unreliable in my book.

2019 Outback with 21,700 miles on it. Second towing to dealership first in December 2020 and again in February 2021. They replaced battery in January 2021 and new battery only lasted a month..
Dealership says have it towed and don't put a charge on battery so they can troubleshoot the problem. Car is in dealership now last time for 4 days this time?
Dealership has no loaner cars, I'm not a happy man.

We have a 2021 Ascent and first thing I did (after reading battery issues all over the internet) was get an Odyssey 35-1400T AGM battery and replaced the OEM one at a local mechanic who only kept the OEM battery for cost. SOA reimbursed me fully and when I took the Ascent to dealership to get the plates put on (NJ DMV delayed 3 months) they noted a have an amazing battery in there. Doesn't void the warranty.

Now that battery has:
850 amps at 0 F (cold cranking amps)
950 amps at 32 F (marine cranking amps)
1150 amps at 80 F (hot cranking amps)

Reserve capacity 25 Amp draw: 130
Amp hour at 20HR Rate: 65