Subaru Loses Lawsuit Over Faulty Outback Windshields

2017 Subaru Outback. Windshield cracked when rock hit the top driver side of windshield. Took it to the dealer, they gave me a loaner car saying it would be about 3 -4 hours. I don't hear from them all day and call them at 5pm for status - said they'd have the service writer call me back in a few minutes. She calls says the car is ready... great. She doesn't say why it took so long. I go to pickup my outback and she mentions that they had to replace it twice as the first windshield cracked, that's why it took so long. A week later the windshield cracks from the the lower right on the passenger side. There may have been a small rock or pebble that hit it but it shouldn't crack the windshield, a crack that immediately ran upward and inward to the middle of the windshield. If a windshield cannot take a small rock without cracking it there is something wrong. A chip in the windshield is understandable but not a full blown crack. I don't have the option of windshield repair due to the crack, just replacement. Nobody should have to deal with this, these are defective windshields. I'm more than happy to join in a class action suit at this point. For now I'm looking into third party glass for I fear if something substantial hit the windshield it could come through or blow out the entire windshield.

I have a 2019 Outback, five weeks old windshield had a crack within 24 hours entire windshield was toast! About to replace the windshield again! Car is five months old!! Not happy AT all with this feel Subaru should start paying for these!!

I was driving my 2016 Subaru Outback on the highway and heard a very loud CRACK — scared the wits out of me. At that moment I saw nothing amiss. Now, two weeks later, a spider crack is forming, with two cracks about three inches long emanating from the center pinhole. I called SafeLite who said I need to take it to my Subaru dealer, that it could be under warranty. I called my dealer’s service office and both the tech and the manager told me to just get the windshield replaced through a glass company. I’m still taking it over for them to look at it and I will have these testimonials in hand. Reading them all makes my situation seem very ominous.

I have a 2015 outback and I am about to install my 3rd replacement due to crack that is progressign across the unit.. This last one happen while rounding a corner into my neighborhood at less then 10 MPH. No one in front of me. Heard a noise and saw a crack appear at the edge. There was no external force evident. I think they have a design flaw in the entire system that holds the windshield in place and potnetially flexing of the car during use, not sure but very suspicious to be on my 4th windshield if you include the original that cracked.
JL

Suffered my 4th cracked windshield on my 2016 Legacy 3 days ago. Safelite is so busy they can't replace OEM glass until next week. At wits' end what to do next. Love the car but windshield issues getting unbearable.

We’ve replaced one windshield on our 2018 outback...crack started in lower center of windshield. Bought my daughter a 2018 Impreza hatchback less than 4K miles took Tonga’s station and dvd store as she wouldn’t be driving anytime soon because of wisdom teeth. Parked in garage and 4 days later crack formed lower center of windshield. Please someone if similar problems we need to get together because something not right!!!!!!!

I’ve had my 2019 Outback 2 months and the windshield has cracked on me twice. First time I didn’t question it. Just got it replaced. $500. Deductible with insurance. I heard a small gravel hit the windshield and the crack ran right away. I didn’t have it back more than a couple weeks and the same thing happened. I went back to the dealership I bought it from, they were not going to help me, but give me a CS number. I called and after arguing with them they agreed to pay for replacement. But I’m still trying for the reimbursement of my $500.

Toronto Canada:
New 2015 Outback 2.5 with windshield de-icer.
Windshield cracked from the area of the de-icer, took it to Local Subaru dealership with the warranty advisory from the USA, where my car was built. After some inspection the dealership would cover the glass replacement under warranty..Perfect.
Subaru Glass installation "specialist" was brought in, glass was replaced at no charge.
A month or so later I start to smell a musty odour inside the car.
After a wicked rain storm I notice that my back carpet is soaked and notice a water stain on the head liner.
Not sure what the cause was I took the car back to the dealership for them to inspect. They said my AC drain had clogged, cleared "the blockage" and gave me the car back.....I would have to take care of the water in the carpet myself as the clogged AC drain was my fault (even though it should have been inspected during the regular maintenance at the dealership.)
A week later my carpets were almost dry when we had another biblical rain. With my carpets still raised up off the floor I could hear a sloshing noise from the passenger side foot well. I stopped and checked under the carpet only to find about 3" of fresh water in the foot well.....Back to the dealer.
After 2 1/2 weeks I got the car back, apparently the windsheild installation "specialist" had neglected to properly seal around the installation clips, this was the cause of the flooding....carpet was dry, but my beige headliner was water stained, other trim pieces have greasy finger marks every where, the passenger side curtain air bag now has rust visible on the outside (visible once the trim is removed.)
To top all this off, the bloody replacement windshield cracked again, and is no longer covered under warranty...$1,400 to replace it at the dealership.
Suffice it to say, this will be my last Subaru, great vehicles, but this is obviously an ongoing issue.

What can I say? 2019 Subaru Outback, 11,000 miles with spontaneous cracked windshield. Reported to DOT NHSTA, insurance company, local dealership where car bought and serviced and Subaru America. THIS IS NOT THE MARK OF A RESPONSIBLE SAFETY CONSCIOUS "LOVING" CAR COMPANY! Greedy, unsafe and irresponsible come to mind. Walk the walk Subaru!

Bought 2016 Outback brand new in December 2015. After all paperwork done and we got in to drive off lot, I noticed a very small crack on lower windsheild. Pointed out to salesman and told him I would still take car(because I lived 4 hours away and couldnt wait to have replaced) if he wrote something up stating that if the crack enlarged the delaer would replace windshield. Salesman did so. A few months later, sure enough, crack spreads all across windsheild. Went back to dealer and after way too much resistance dealer did replace windshield. The point of this story is that it adds credence to the idea of a defect in the glass since my crack started on the dealer lot, before I had even driven off the lot.

I have a 2016 Outback. On my 2nd windshield replacement. I actually got hit but a stone in the lower side of windshield on the passenger side and the next morning hade a long crack. Not more than a week later while waiting to get it replaced I took a stone on the lower drivers side and it cracked immediately. 2 cracks on one windshield plus 2 other chips. There is definitely a major problem with Subaru glass. Love my car but I’m going to have to trade it in and bu another brand. I’ve replaced the windshield more in 1 year than I have in 40 years of driving any other brand of car. It was fun while it lasted. Bye bye Subaru.

2018 Subaru Outback. We have had it for just over 1 year and have replaced the windshield once already, just got a second crack in it that ran the horizontal length of it instantly after being hit with rock. Luckily we purchased the extended warranty so all the glass is covered for 7 years up to around and 8,000 dollar total I think. Worried at this paced we will cap out the warranty within 3-4 years.

Daughter bought a 2019 Outback a couple months ago.
Driving down a side road with no-one in front of her the windshield cracked from the passenger side about Midway up , about 8 inches.
Nothing in front of her to kick up a stone.
Just cracked spontaneously
Very frustrated getting the run-around from dealership

Bought my first Subaru 3 weeks ago, a 2019 Subaru Impreza Sport Wagon. The windshield got 2 chips and 1 large crack by the second week. The third week I now have a 2nd large crack!! The windshields from Subaru seem pretty weak and really disappointed with the quality.

I have 2016 Outback and had 3 windshields crack in 3 mths. How do I get involved in class action??

I found out this am that my 2019 Subaru Outback Touring has a big crack on the passenger side window. I always park on my driveway and there’s no trees above. Two years ago, I also had my 2017 Outback Limited parked in my driveway that had a cracked windshield. I like Subaru’s safety features but it seems that they have on going problems regarding their windshield and glass windows as I read comments.

Purchased a 2018 Subaru Outback. Almost immediately a star appeared on eye height on the driver's side of the windshield. Fortunately it did not spread though. Driving home the other night, heard a "pop" sound from the driver's side, the next morning we awake to find a large stress crack again on the driver's side of the vehicle. Clearly there is some kind of defect innate in the windshield itself. I have never experienced this kind of repetitive problem with any windshields in any of my previous vehicles whether it was a Toyota or a Nissan. Judging by the frequency of this issue among Subaru owners as documented online, clearly this problem is well known by Subaru and has not been corrected since initially being identified in their 2015 models.

Hi all,

This happened to me. too. Please report your windshield issues to safercar.gov to support potential legal action and recall efforts.

Thanks,
Samantha

2015 Subaru Outback purchased brand new in August 2014, now I am at 54K miles. The windshield had developed a crack that started at the base and about 9 inches up on the driver side. Took it to Subaru dealer, dealer insists there was a pin size hole along the crack and it would not be covered under the windshield Extended Warranty. I had to pay $750 for the repair out of pocket or go through my own insurance. I am not happy Subaru had notify the owners of the extended windshield warranty, but deny the claim when people tries to use it. I will be filing a complaint with Subaru USA.

Got into my SUBARU outback 2018 which I purchased new, and heard a strange noise look at windshield and a small crack started to happen starting at the base of windshield. NO PING MARK JUST A CRACK. FILED A CLAIM AND NOTHING IS HAPPINING ??? SHOULD I FILE AGAIN??

I have a2018 outback . After reading in CONSUMERS REPORT that Subaru was the best car to purchase with less repair to their vehicles, I bought one new. I have less than 20,000 miles on car. My windshield started to crack on the passenger side from the base and continued up and than to the right. I was parked in front of my house when it started to crack. I'm discussed thought I bought the best car on the market.

My windshield keeps breaking. I need to join the lawsuit I bout my 2016 outback limited addition Nov 2015 very disappointed.

I own a 2015 outback and had to replace a cracked windshield. Ca you give me the contact information for the class administrator and the plaintiffs attorneys?

I own a 2015 Subaru Outback and live in New Mexicxo. About two months ago when I got in and started it up a small crack had appeared overnight appeared at the base of the windshield. Within a few minutes the crack spread the entire height of the windshield. The next morning I saw that another crack running almost the entire height of the windshield, had occurred next to the previous one.
What can we do to make Subaru issue a general recall???

My windshield in myv2016 Subaru Outback limited suddenly chipped in the upper left hand corner, then cracked across the full windsheild.