2020 Subaru Outback

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that on various occasions upon bringing the vehicle to a stop or upon acceleration the vehicle had experienced a total loss of automotive power, and all of the warning lights would remain illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it diagnosed and the contact was advised that the battery, and thermal valve were faulty and needed to be replaced. The battery had been replaced five times however the contact noted that the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 19,000.

The warning lights on our 2020 Subaru Outback have lit intermittently for the past 2 years. When bringing the vehicle into the dealer for service and oil changes, this was reported. Recently the TPMS light began to light intermittently. Tire pressure was checked and adjusted but the problem persisted. When we brought the vehicle in for service, it turned out that all tire pressure sensors needed to be replaced BUT the service techs identified other problems that surfaced JUST AS THE CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY - the most serious being an oil leak caused by FAILURE OF CAM CARRIER SEALS. This caused a dangerous condition where oil was leaking onto the engine and into the spark plugs. I find it odd that this EXPENSIVE issue was not discovered sooner. Subaru and only Subaru has been servicing this vehicle since new and they should have caught it.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - Car fire, originating under the hood. Unknown if vehicle is available for inspection. Last reported by Insurance company to be at IAA; [XXX]; PH#: [XXX]. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - Car fire began while in the car after moving through an intersection with a stop light. Four of us in the car, ages raging from [XXX] old. Fire quickly spread; however, we were able to exit the car without injury. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - NO, car was totaled and Subaru, NA Consumer Advocacy agent assigned claims that the vehicle is no longer available for inspection. Both insurance company (Travelers Auto) and Subaru, N.A. consumer advocacy group made aware of our concern as to why the vehicle caught fire. One or both demonstrated nonchalance of this concern. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? - YES - Just prior to the start of the fire, the vehicle stalled and cut-off with CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. Also, we smelled an unusual exhaust at the time prior to, and at the time of the cut-off. This occurred at the intersection of where the car caught fire. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Vehicle: 2020 Subaru Outback Onyx/Limited/Touring XT (2.4L Turbo FA24) Component: Engine Lubrication / Oil Pan Sealant I am reporting a manufacturing defect involving the engine oil pan seal on the 2020 Subaru Outback 2.4L Turbo. Upon inspection of fluid accumulation at the transmission joint, a Subaru dealership diagnostic confirmed that the engine oil pan seal has failed. The dealership noted that engine oil is leaking and being forced rearward by airflow while the vehicle is in motion, saturating the transmission assembly. Technician Admission: The service department at the Subaru dealership explicitly stated that this is a "known manufacturing issue" with the FA24 engine series. Financial Concession: To acknowledge the nature of this premature failure, the dealership waived the $185 diagnostic fee, resulting in a $0 invoice (attached). Inadequate Coverage: Despite the dealership’s admission and a repair quote exceeding $1,100 (file is attached), Subaru has not yet issued a recall or extended warranty for this specific 2020+ turbo application, though similar issues with RTV sealant have plagued the brand’s newer engine platforms. The technician confirmed that the leak is significant enough that oil is traveling the length of the transmission. This presents a potential fire hazard if oil contacts high-temperature exhaust components (such as the turbocharger or catalytic converter) and contributes to environmental contamination. This is the Turbo (XT) model. Turbochargers generate much higher heat, which makes an oil leak significantly Subaru National Customer Service has advised me to file this complaint with the NHTSA. I am requesting that the NHTSA investigate the frequency of oil pan seal failures on the 2020+ 2.4L Turbo (FA24) engine to determine if a mandatory recall or extended warranty (similar to past CVT or engine seal settlements) is warranted to protect consumers from the high cost of a documented manufacturing flaw.

A fire started under the hood of my car while I was driving. There were no warning lights on in my car and the temperature gauge was in the middle where it usually is. Earlier in the day, I smelled gas, but I thought it was a different car as the smell of gas went away after a car that had a lot of exhaust coming out was no longer in sight.

Car stalled in traffic. The engine was cranking but it would not start. Had AAA tow off the road and to my home. Car sat for 10 days waiting for a fuel pump (thought this was the problem). After sitting for 10 days the battery was totally dead! New fuel pump installed battery was jumped but could not start the car. After 2 hours on the charger the battery still did not have enough energy to turn over the engine. Car is in a certified service shop (Wilhelm). Battery replaced and same starting issues with the new battery and the new battery is discharging at a very high rate even though the car is not starting. Bought the car used in 2023 so I have no knowledge of the history of the car. Service provider running factory diagnostic testing but so far no determination as to cause of the high rate of discharge. Verified that the fuel pump is fully operational. What we know is that with a fresh fully charged battery and a working fuel pump the car will not start and remain running. The engine stops and the battery drain is excessive.

Hi: When I was driving yesterday, the engine warning light and brake warning light both turned on. The car was like frozen on the road cannot be moved no matter how to press the gas pedal. The police helped to call tow and move my car out of the road. The tow driver left my car at a flat parking lot. On the lot, when I tried to restart my car, the car started to shake side to side and up and down. I can feel some part is dislocated and one piece of heavy thing was swaying in the car. The engine warning light was on for two times during the last two years. First time when I sent the car to the dealership, they performed the check and fixed it by free. The customer service person told me the problem is the sensor failing and the fixing was free. So, I guess it is the system defect and the manufacture already knew it. So the repairing was free. However, with one year, the situation happened again. The second time I sent the car for fixing, the service person told me it was the same problem of sensor failing but they charged me around two hundreds dollar for the second time fixing. Yesterday, the same situation happened again with the brake warning light on at the same time. It is almost another one year after the second time I sent car for repairing. My most concern is the car completely suddenly stopped during the driving. If I was on the highway, serious collision may happen and I am already passed away.

On 12/6/2023, as I slowly turned right into a parking space, my car suddenly surged forward and accelerated without my input to the gas pedal. The brakes did not work, and there was no resistance from the brake pedal when I repeated to push it. The car continued to accelerate for about 80 ft as I focused on steering to avoid hitting other cars parked in the lot. The car ran over a curb, up a grassy area, and crashed into a row of trees. The airbag did not deploy. I sustained neck muscle strain/whiplash, and bruises to my chest and right knee. My safety was at risk, as well as anyone or anything that was in the car's path since I had no control over the acceleration or the brakes. The car is a 2020 Subaru Outback with about 44000 miles. It is in a body shop and they have not yet determined if it is safe to work on. So far, they have observed the engine race when the car was turned on. There were no warning signs prior to the acceleration. When I called the Subaru dealer service department, I was told that they never heard of this before and it had to have been my fault. They said I could bring it in after the body damage is repaired, and that I can pay for a diagnotic report. However, they expect that the report will not show anything.

Thermo Control Valve assembly has failed resulting in loss of use for the following: Rear Automatic Brake, Eye Sight lane keeping, loss of heat in cabin and failure of coolant to circulate within engine possibly leading to engine failure, loss of cruise control and check engine light coming on. Reference TSB [XXX] . Without cabin heat vehicle is not useable in current cold temperatures (Currently 22 degrees Fahrenheit in Ohio on December 14, 2023). Dealer has confirmed part failure. Issue must be addressed to continue operating vehicle so I paid $1185.87 out of pocket to repair. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

A well-known failure of the Thermal Control Valve (TCV) occurred, which disabled many or most of the safety features on the car in addition to crippling the heat output in the cabin. Additionally, depending on which way the valve sticks, it could overheat the car and ruin the engine, or worse. Car is under 4 years old and repair estimate is nearly $1900. There is a technical safety bulletin [XXX] that outlines a redesigned TCV. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)