Follow us today...
A new defective battery lawsuit has been filed against Subaru of America and Subaru Canada. The recent case covers more models, including the 2015-2019 Subaru Forester, 2015-2019 Subaru Outback, 2019 Subaru Ascent, 2015-2019 Subaru Legacy, and 2015-2019 Subaru WRX.
The plaintiff, Steven Scott from British Columbia, is represented by McKenzie Lake Lawyers LLP and joins similar class-action lawsuits against Subaru of America. According to the statement of claim, the lawsuit alleges Scott's 2016 Subaru Outback, with 4,076 miles on the vehicle, had electrical system problems saying the passenger window and the battery drained after leaving the power tailgate open for 15 minutes.
The lawsuit alleged in June 2019, Scott's Subaru Outback wouldn't start, so he had the vehicle towed to a dealer where the technician gave the battery a boost and told the plaintiff he needed a new battery.
Scott says he purchased a new battery and battery charger, and in July 2019, Subaru technicians determined the battery was at medium health, and no parasitic drain was found. The plaintiff says he charged the battery twice and had to use a spare battery on numerous occasions.
Plaintiffs in an earlier lawsuit against Subaru of America also said defects with Forester, Outback, Ascent, Legacy, and WRX batteries make it necessary to replace the battery in their cars far more often than is typical with other, non-defective vehicles. Owners say they must replace their batteries frequently as a result.
The class action against Subaru claims the automaker has known about the problem and has issued multiple TSB service bulletins filed with the NHTSA over drained battery issues since 2015. The class actions say Subaru has failed to recall the vehicles and fix the problem under its warranty obligations.
The new class action says, "The class vehicles are subjected to a continuous parasitic drain on their batteries, including when the class vehicles are turned off and parked. When the engines are not running, the batteries are not being replenished by the charging system. Therefore, any drain on the batteries at this time is being powered solely by the stored charge contained within the batteries."
What should 2015-2019 Subaru Forester, 2015-2019 Subaru Outback, 2019 Subaru Ascent, 2015-2019 Subaru Legacy, and 2015-2019 Subaru WRX owners do if you have experienced the same battery issues? You should first report a problem to the NHTSA. Affected Subaru owners/lessees can contact McKenzie Lake Lawyers here.
You Might Also Like: The Updated 2022 Subaru Model Preview And Why the New Forester and Crosstrek Models Are Delayed
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.
Subaru Report - We’ve got you covered! Check back tomorrow for more unique, informative SUBARU news, reviews, and previews you can trust.
Leave your comments below, share the article with friends and tweet it out to your followers!
Photo credit: Subaru USA
Follow us today...
Comments
I have a 2017 outback and
Permalink
I have a 2017 outback and have had 5 batteries already. Just yesterday, my Subaru dealership told me there was nothing to do about it, because the car has so many computerized functions. I find this insane. Why doesn’t it go into sleep mode? I know people with equally functioned cars but from different companies that never have this problem. I feel totally duped.
I continue to have problems
Permalink
I continue to have problems with my brake lights burning out shortly after purchasing new ones. I’ve replaced both left and right at least three times in less than six months. I have a 2014 forester. Also having malfunctioning with drivers window not going up or down. Any body else having these problems?
I bought a new battery Jan 8
Permalink
I bought a new battery Jan 8,2020 for my 2011 Subaru Forester and today (2 years later) it's DEAD! Never had battery issues like this. The battery in my 2005 Toyota usually last about four to five years even if it's not used for days sitting in the cold! Subaru needs to address this battery issue!
I have a Subaru Outback 2018,
Permalink
I have a Subaru Outback 2018, and like others the battery keeps draining.
I have a Subaru Outback 2018,
Permalink
I have a Subaru Outback 2018, and like others the battery keeps draining.