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Subaru of America is hit with another class-action lawsuit concerning the Subaru Outback wagon. The new Subaru class action lawsuit alleges 2016-2019 Subaru Outback and 2019-2020 Subaru Ascent SUVs have electrical problems. The alleged defect may also be present in the 2020 Outback according to the filing.
The lawsuit contends plaintiff Dustin Dalen’s 2017 Subaru Outback has a defective electrical system causing his battery to drain prematurely. Dalen represented by Tina Wolfson, Bradley K. King, and Ruhandy Glezakos of Ahdoot & Wolfson PC., says his Outback’s battery failed with only 12,000 miles on the odometer. The vehicle left Dalen’s wife and two children stranded at a park. When he took the vehicle to an Oregon dealership where he purchased the wagon, the technician could not diagnose the problem, the filing states.
2019 Subaru Outback
The lawsuit contends Dalen has since had to change his vehicle’s battery regularly at home to keep it from going dead. On a business trip to Seattle, the Outback’s battery failed again and Dalen was forced to take an Uber to purchase a battery charger and jumper cables so he could get the car started and drive home the next morning, the Subaru class action lawsuit states. At his next scheduled oil change, Subaru technicians determined the battery's voltage was low and replaced the battery under warranty.
The lawsuit also contends Subaru has known about the problem since 2017 and issued a technical service bulletin addressing potential battery discharging after repeated periods of short-trip-driving resulting in a dead battery. The lawsuit says if owners of Outback and Ascent models take their vehicle in for diagnosis of the problem, dealers replace the old battery with the same OEM battery “and is thus a temporary fix only.”
2019 Subaru Ascent
The lawsuit contends the 2019-2020 Subaru Ascent 3-Row family SUV also suffer from the same battery problems. The plaintiff says his Subaru Outback has lost its resale value and the drained battery caused him stress, money, and time.
Another class-action lawsuit has been filed by a California woman, Virginia Tomasian alleging her 2017 Subaru Outback also has battery problems. This recent lawsuit also alleges 2016-2020 Subaru Outback and 2019-2020 Subaru Ascent SUVs are equipped with batteries that drain and die. The Subaru dead battery lawsuit was also filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Subaru of America has been hit with a number of other lawsuits concerning the Outback wagon. There are lawsuits concerning the vehicle’s Subaru Starlink infotainment system, defective windshields, and an Outback airbag causing serious injury class-action all in the past 18 months.
What should 2016-2020 Subaru Outback and 2019-2020 Subaru Ascent owners do if you have experienced the same battery issues? You should first report a problem to the NHTSA, and you can contact attorneys Ahdoot and Wolfson or Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith LLP.
You Might Also Like: Subaru Outback, Ascent, Impreza, Legacy Recalled For Defective Fuel Pump
Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. All of his reports are archived on our Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Subaru Report. Check back tomorrow for more Subaru news and updates at Torque News!
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Comments
Our 2017 Subaru has had to be
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Our 2017 Subaru has had to be jumped several times, we do not take short trips in it. This is what we bought for vacations. Had it back to the dealership they say nothing is wrong. Sure I had to charge it to get it started to get here. Should I tow it in next time? Well the dealer will not come tow it in. Jump start box in the back seat. Very frustrating. Stranded in Ohio.
I have a 2017 Outback that I
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I have a 2017 Outback that I bought new, after trading in my great (non-electronic hatchback) Outback. I have had so much trouble with the "parasitic battery drain" situation. Almost always when I am camping, usually when unloading or loading the car with hatchback opened, but usually for less than an hour. Pain in the neck! They've replaced one battery so far. Really frustrating!!! And yes, I carry jumper cables, and an electronic jumper. This shouldn't be happening!
After 38 times with a dead
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After 38 times with a dead battery I finally seem to have it fixed. I will admit that part of the reason that it took so long was that I live about two hours from the Subaru dealer and was busy with life. I used a portable charger often rather than go in to the dealer. Maybe - and I do not know this - but maybe if I had gone in more often it would not have taken so long to find an answer. Who knows? I did have a battery one time but only after it tested as bad. Soon after it would not start again. BUT when I presented the documented number of times of having a dead battery for my 2-1/2 year old Outback, they did a test to find what the parasitic drain was and I had the DCM (Data Control Module) and its battery replaced about a month ago. Since then I can start my car. I even had temps of 20 below one night and had not started it for a week while it sat in my unheated garage. But amazingly it started after that. Fingers crossed that they found the answer for good.
I purchased a New Subaru
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I purchased a New Subaru Impreza September 2019 and have had service calls for a dead battery on 7/31/19,8/8/19,9/13/19 and 2/27/21.I have not driven the car a lot due to Covid. The service center told me that because I have not driven the car alot that is why I am having problems! A new car should not have these issues. They should tell you when you buy the car that you need to drive the car alot if not you will get a dead battery!! I would like to know if any other 2019 subaru impreza customers our having the same issues.
I purchased a New Subaru
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I purchased a New Subaru Impreza September 2019 and have had service calls for a dead battery on 7/31/19,8/8/19,9/13/19 and 2/27/21.I have not driven the car a lot due to Covid. The service center told me that because I have not driven the car alot that is why I am having problems! A new car should not have these issues. They should tell you when you buy the car that you need to drive the car alot if not you will get a dead battery!! I would like to know if any other 2019 subaru impreza customers our having the same issues.
Hi Bonnie, I purchased a
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In reply to I purchased a New Subaru by Bonnie MillerI (not verified)
Hi Bonnie, I purchased a Subaru Impreza in Feb 2019. Ten months later the battery died repeatedly. I took it to Subaru service center. They told me nothing was wrong with it. I drove home. The battery died a few days later so I had AAA jump start it , drove it back to Subaru and they put in a second battery and told me I didn't drive it enough and to get a solar charger. That is ridiculous for a new car. The second battery died in Jan, after one year. I had purchased my own jump starter and kept driving the car around aimlessly every day just to keep the battery charged. I took the car to my own mechanic last week. He put in a better battery, Interstate, and said the battery Subaru uses is not good quality. Also, with the electrical infotainment system recharging itself every night it drains the battery too much. Subaru needed to put in bigger, better batteries in all their cars but kept the batteries small in order to get more mileage, I complained to Subaru of America customer service and sent them the bill for the new battery. Waiting to hear it they will pay for it but not hopeful. I don't drive my car every day nor do I drive it long distances but Subaru should have designed their cars to suit all lifestyles. Good luck with your car. I only hope this third battery lasts longer than the first two.
Having problems with my
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In reply to I purchased a New Subaru by Bonnie MillerI (not verified)
Having problems with my Impreza 2019 too. Just had my mechanic install a third battery. The first two were Subaru batteries and not good quality. Very frustrating since I don't drive every day nor for long distances. This is a Subaru engineering issue. They didn't install bigger batteries that could handle all of the electrical recharging. Very frustrated.
2016 outback with parasitic
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2016 outback with parasitic electrical draw. Factory got involved to help tech and determined it was in the DCM circuit apparently some kind of battery internally that was causing the problem tech at colonial subaru in feasterville pa found the issue I had multiple complaints and went thru multiple batteries subaru stood behind the repair provided a loaner and paid for batteries that were purchased. I have had subarus my entire life and this one could not sit for more than 8 days without dying. I had all the suggestions like key fob too close the car needed to be driven more and that bull. They literally disassembled the entire inside. This is difficult work to the tech who is paid by flat rate. Many do not want to take on the issue and try to move you along. i was a subaru tech 30 years ago and narrowed down the problem but no one was willing to listen to me.
I was having the same problem
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I was having the same problem talk to the dealer they said if you leave the forb in the car or leave the hatch open for more then 5 min. it will kill the battery, they must think we are dumb. I sold the car was tired of having my wife stranded and having to go jump the car. that was the 4th Subaru we have owned it will be the last! P.S. I sold it to a dealer did not want to stick a private person with the problem
The lawsuit contends that the
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In reply to I was having the same problem by Peter Proffetty (not verified)
The lawsuit contends that the he had “change” his battery at home? I assume you mean “charge”
These are different things
We have the same problem with
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We have the same problem with our 2016 Outback. Already replaced one battery, took a little while but this newer battery is also draining.
My 2020 Subaru Ascent has
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My 2020 Subaru Ascent has less than 12k miles on it and has had a completely dead battery twice and the battery replaced once. After reading owner comments about this problem, after the first dead battery, I turned off the Auto feature for the headlights hoping that would help but it didn't. We needed to be in Houston by Friday last week and the battery was completely dead and the fob wouldn't open the doors when we were ready to leave Thursday afternoon! I called Subaru and they said to call roadside assistance and have the car toad in to the dealership so I did. The tow driver was towing another vehicle in a town which was over an hour away and said he would be here after he towed that vehicle to Tulsa so I called service, which is just down the street from us, back twice before they suggested we jump start the vehicle. Then they said they weren't sure when they could work on it. Needless to say I was livid. My husband had to drive his truck to storage to get the extra long jumper cables so he could jump start the battery. We drove it 600 miles to Houston and it hasn't died since then but I know the battery could die at any time. I bought a Subaru because of the good reviews and I'm VERY disappointed. It is not Okay for Subaru to IGNORE this problem and the concerns of their vehicle owners. We need them to find a solution for this well known problem and make this right! Customers shouldn't be forced to drive their vehicles more than necessary, not use certain car features, put their key fobs in a steel case or carry a battery charger everywhere they go.
Just stumbled on this
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Just stumbled on this concerning forum today when researching Subaru batteries.
My 2016 Outback dealer just replaced my battery a second time last week--after being towed in. This second replacement battery only lasted one year. No charge for the two replacement batteries, but last year they called it a "courtesy" replacement.
I'm retired and don't drive much--just 5,000 miles per year--so I bought an intelligent Noco Genius5 (5amp) battery charger recently and used it today. The Noco indicator lights showed less than 75% charge before I charged it to full voltage. I intend to start out by charging once per week. I know someone who does this on all of their cars using a cheaper Walmart trickle charger.
When my motorized rear gate is open, two small lights on the side mirrors are on; so I've always been careful not to leave the gate open unnecessarily, as when camping. When I sleep in the car, the key fob is inside for many hours and I haven't had a problem yet. I was told that the key doesn't transmit when it's more than 30 feet from the car.
Just wanted to add one thing.
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In reply to Just stumbled on this by Bill (not verified)
Just wanted to add one thing. The Subaru invoice for my recent battery replacement indicated that the dealer also updated my car's battery charging software which seems to be a current Subaru attempt to address the problem.
I did some reading in my
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In reply to Just stumbled on this by Bill (not verified)
I did some reading in my manual (2016 Outback).
When I have the key in my house within ~30 feet of the car, both the car and key enter battery saving mode after ten minutes--but only if the car doors were locked. So, even if the car is in your garage, you may need to lock it to spare the batteries. I didn't know this the last four years, but fortunately, I always lock my car. Also, when sleeping in my car, I nearly always lock up.
When the car is sitting unused for a long time, like at an airport or trailhead, the car enters battery saving mode after five days and total battery shutdown after 14 days.
One YouTuber shows himself replacing an OEM Group 25 battery with a larger amp-hour (AH) rating Group 24 battery on a 2017 Outback. This may be the way to go for some of us, but maybe not for the newer 2020 and 2021 cars with Start-Stop technology (car engine turns off and then turns back on at red lights).
But if you have a parasitic leak, that's a different issue, and any solution may need to be different for different owners with differing usages and failure points.
I JUST bought a used 2020
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I JUST bought a used 2020 outback - >7k miles. Googled and found these. START BLOWING SUBARU UP ON TWITTER! Tag national news companies. Time to fight back people.
YES CLIFF!!! I have been
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In reply to I JUST bought a used 2020 by Cliff (not verified)
YES CLIFF!!! I have been trying to get a hashtag going but feel like I am the ONLY one. 2019 Ascent with constant battery issues... stuck with two small children in the car during a snowstorm, had my car burglarized (alarm failed because, the battery was dead). Been working with corporate the past few weeks... everyone seems aloof. BLOW UP TWITTER!!!
I have a subaru outback 2019
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I have a subaru outback 2019 (2.5 liter engine) with no Isight package. I just found before reading your article a 6.3 amp parasitic current leak that kill the battery over night. I pulled a 30 A fuse that bring the leak down to 0.5 A. The car now works ok except the navigation system does not work, windows do not work well and car can't be lock with the car key. Any advice would be appreciated.
Did these non-working items
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In reply to I have a subaru outback 2019 by Pierre Leger (not verified)
Did these non-working items work before you pulled the fuse? Do you always lock your car when it's just sitting? Locking is important to prevent battery discharge if the key is within ~30 feet of the car.
I assume you're using a clamp
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In reply to I have a subaru outback 2019 by Pierre Leger (not verified)
I assume you're using a clamp-on ammeter at the positive battery lead. For a 55 AH, fully charged battery, drawing 6.3 amps, the battery rating would be exceeded at 8.7 hours.
I would temporarily replace the fuse and take measurements with the key in your pocket and the doors locked. Then repeat with the key beyond the effective antenna distance. Also, repeat with the doors unlocked. Then pull the fuse and go see the nearest dealer with your data.
20' Subaru Outback, 7 mos.
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20' Subaru Outback, 7 mos. old, had dead battery when we left for 3 week vacation. Now I read this is common problem. Remedy: drive it more often and purchase a battery maintainer. Subaru should provide a maintainer in my opinion.
2016 outback Subaru 2x’s
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2016 outback Subaru 2x’s already have had to replace battery. For sure, something not right.
I feel as if I've purchased a
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I feel as if I've purchased a lemon. In the six months of owning a 2020 Subaru Outback I've experienced several disappointments. The roof rack rubber runner has detached from the vehicle, apparently all 2020 Outbacks have the same issue. Now all four door panels are loose and that too is something that the service department can do nothing about because all Outbacks eventually have the same problem. The sound of wind coming through is supposedly caused by the mirror aerodynamics. This car is falling apart and I'm expected to be ok with it. I'm absolutely shocked that this is happening. What can I legally do to either have Subaru fix the problems or take the car back?
Got a 2021 Subaru Outback a
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Got a 2021 Subaru Outback a couple of months ago....Have to jump start about every morning....Complained to Dealer to no avail....
My 2016 Legacy seems to have
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My 2016 Legacy seems to have the same symptom: 5 years, 5 batteries. The battery seemed OK two days ago, before taking the car into Subaru fo get tires -- now they say not only is the 6-mo old battery dead but it won't charge up. There seems something odd about the electrical system as things like the ignition switch and the tire pressure sensor just die, which I wouldn't expect in a 5yr old car.
Ever notice noise in the
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Ever notice noise in the garage? Obviously it is drawing current/power. I have, and someone says the following: "What you heard running was not the fuel pump, it's part of the evaporative emissions system. The pump you heard puts a small amount of air pressure into the fuel tank and carbon cannister to test for leaks. The test runs after the car has been shut off for a few hours and is normal."
I purchased a new 2018 Subaru
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I purchased a new 2018 Subaru Outback, Had to replace the battery since the purchase. Now again May 2021 went to use the car and battery dead. Purchased a new battery car was ok for about 3 days and battery dead again.
Just found out about the lawsuit. Taking car to dealer today May 26 2021 see what they have to say.
What did the dealer say when
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In reply to I purchased a new 2018 Subaru by Timothy and He… (not verified)
What did the dealer say when you took your car to the dealer? I am having the same issues with my car and I am almost at the point of getting rid of it, but the car drives nice, only issue is the battery situation.
I had problems with my 17
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I had problems with my 17 outback this morning. This is the 2nd battery drained. Had to use my husband's truck to pick him up at airport. Very worrisome, and very upsetting.
New job with a ton of
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New job with a ton of traveling promoted my first new car purchase ever. I purchased the new 2022 Outback Wilderness Edition on Tuesday. By Friday, it wouldn’t start. After a jump, I was on my way for the first 300-mile drive. Sunday (today when dealers are closed) I had 3 rounds of jumps and spent most of the day stranded. If it would lock while running, I would have left it on in between trips into stores. After my 4th jumpstart jumpstart this weekend, I went to the auto parts stores. (Reserve judgment, it was more complex than you think to diagnose.) The unbranded battery was fried. The auto parts store manager pointed out these issues with Subaru as well as the various lawsuits. Looks like I’m not the only one. I’m not happy. Meh.