2020 Subaru Outback

The electronic controls black out while driving the entire center screen and electronics shut down disabling the warning lights and I think also the electronic systems that function to control the safety warnings and functionality. This has been a problem on an ongoing basis since the purchase of the vehicle. This has been "repaired" multiple times by the dealer under the direction of Subaru. There was a recall earlier this year that was supposed to correct the problem it added some functionality, but primarily this recall reprogramming of the electronics was supposed to correct the blacking out of electronics and the disabling of the safety systems. The recall reprogramming has not corrected the problem. When I complained to Subaru they suggested that I take a video of the failure when it happened. I explained that this was not possible because I was driving at 70 MPH when it happened and could not just grab my phone and start a video while driving on I-95. Last week I was able to get a video of the failure as it happened while my wife was driving and I was a passenger. The entire panel blacked out and she pulled to the side of the road and I took a video of the 4 minutes the system was out. I will attach this video to this report. In addition there is an additional problem that occurred related to the lane keep assist function. There are four options to configure this function they are: 1> OFF 2> Warning Buzzer Only 3> Lane Keep function Only 4> All Functions. My understanding of the operation of this system has one function that shuts the system Off that is obviously the OFF function. #2 although only a buzzer has the system on, #3 has the functionality working but no warning buzzer (my preferred choice) and #4 that has all functions operating both warning buzzer and lane keep functions. My concern is that if you use #3 the system shows a warning light on the dash that shows the system if OFF. I have video of the electronics but don't know how to upload it.

THERE HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE ELECTRONICS THE DEALER HAS REPROGRAMMED THE ELECTRONIC CONTROLS 4 TIMES IN THE YEAR SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THE LAST REPROGRAMMING WAS DUE TO A NHTSA RECALL. THE SYSTEM WAS BETTER FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS SINCE THE LAST REPROGRAMMING BUT ON MONDAY 4/19/21 AT 5:58 PM THE SAME PROBLEM REOCCURRED THE ELECTRONIC SCREEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DASH WENT BLACK AS I WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH SOUTHBOUND ON I-95 IN BALTIMORE MARYLAND. THE SCREEN AND ALL IT FUNCTIONS WERE OFF FOR 4 MINUTES UNTIL IT RESTARTED WITH THE INITIAL SCREEN THAT APPEARS WHEN I START THE CAR. IT IS A WARNING SCREEN WITH A GREEN AREA TO PRESS THAT I AGREE WITH THE WARNING. FOR 4 MINUTES I WAS DRIVING WITH NO ACCESS TO THE CONTROLS THAT ARE UNDER THE DIRECTION FO THE MAIN SCREEN. THE DEALER HAD TOLD ME I SHOULD TAKE A VIDEO OF THE DASH IF THIS HAPPENED AGAIN BUT IT IS HARD TO TAKE A VIDEO WHILE DRIVING IN THE EXPRESS LANES AT 65 MPH. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT AFTER ALL THESE REPROGRAMMING ACTIVITIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED. WHEN THE DEALER HAD INSTALLED THE REVISED PROGRAMING I ASKED WHAT TO DO IF THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN AND HE SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE A VIDEO THEN TOLD ME THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. WELL IT DID HAPPEN AGAIN. I IMAGINE I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO FIND THIS REOCCURRING BUT I CAN'T BE SURE OF THAT. IT IS MOST DISCONCERTING TO THINK THAT ALL OF THE SAFETY CONTROLS THAT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE TO OBTAIN ARE OUT OF USE FOR 4 MINUTES AS I AM DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAD THE RADIO ON WHILE DRIVING AND SUDDENLY IT WENT OFF I LOOKED DOWN AT THE SCREEN AND IT WAS BLACK COMPLETELY OFF. I ASSUME THAT ALL OF THE SAFETY FUNCTIONS THE SCREEN CONTROLS ALSO WERE OFF. IT STAYED THAT WAY FOR 4 MINUTES AND THEN RESTARTED AS IF I HAD JUST STARTED THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO BUT I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT KEEPS RECURRING.

I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THE PROBLEM THAT I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH MY CAR. THE CAR'S CCM WOULD OCCASIONALLY FREEZE; SAY APPLE CARPLAY IS UNAVAILABLE AND RESTART; THE CCM WOULD GO BLANK, BUT STILL BACKLIT; OR JUST FREEZE ATTEMPT TO RESTART, BUT NOT TURN BACK ON RENDERING ITEMS IN THE CAR USELESS, LIKE VOICE CONTROL AND JUST EVERYTHING!! SUBARU CLAIMS THAT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG AND I JUST HAVE A GRIEVANCE. I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT'S THE CASE, WHEN THERE'S VIDEO EVIDENCE. I HAVE A LOANER CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP, AND TURNED OFF THE DISPLAY (I DIDN'T KNOW THAT COULD BE DONE), BUT THE VOICE CONTROL WORKED IN THE LOANER THAT WAS NOT HAVING A PROBLEM AS OPPOSED TO MINE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS WRITTEN IN WITH THAT COMPLAINT. OF NOTE, I'VE BEEN GOING INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM SINCE OCTOBER 2020, AND I'VE ONLY OWNED THE CAR SINCE JUL 2020. I HAD IT CHECKED IN VIRGINIA AND OKLAHOMA CITY. I RECEIVED A LOANER CAR ON THURSDAY, 8 APR 2020, FOR THE PROBLEM ONLY AFTER I NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP THAT I CONTACTED SUBARU ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I RECEIVED A TEXT STATING THAT THE CAR WAS READY, BUT NO RESPONSE AS TO WHAT WAS DONE. AGAIN, I RECEIVED THE 'SOFTWARE IS UP TO DATE'. BE AWARE THAT WHEN THE SCREEN GOES BLANK, YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER ANYTHING, NOT EVEN VOICE CONTROL. I DID TEST THAT WHILE MY CAR WAS MALFUNCTIONING A D ALSO DISPLAYING THAT EYESIGHT AND REAR ASSIST BRAKING WERE ALSO NOT FUNCTIONAL. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, BECAUSE I WAS UTILIZING NAVIGATION SINCE I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE I WAS GOING AT THE TIME. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME DURING NAVIGATION THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED. ALTHOUGH I RECEIVED AN ERROR MESSAGE FROM THE CAR VIA TEXT ON EASTER SUNDAY, THE MY SUBARU APP SENT AN 'ALL SYSTEMS FUNCTIONAL' FOR 30 DAYS, BUT I JUST HAD ERRORS A FEW DAYS PRIOR. IT'S LIKE THE HEALTH REPORT IS ONLY FOR THAT MOMENT IN TIME AND NOT REALLY FOR 30 DAYS.

MY 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK HAS HAD A 2ND INCIDENT WITH A WINDSHIELD CRACK THAT DRAMATICALLY SPREAD MORE THAN A FOOT LONG ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD, STARTING FROM A PIN-NEEDLE-SIZED HOLE NEAR THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER, I.E., ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AROUND SPEED LIMIT WHEN A PEBBLE HIT IT, CAUSING THE TINY HOLE, WHICH ONLY ERUPTED INTO A HUGE CRACK AFTER I PARKED IT. I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR EXACTLY 1 YEAR WHEN IT HAPPENED AND IT'S ONLY BEEN DRIVEN FOR LESS THAN 6,000 MILES. THE WINDSHIELD SEEMS THIN AND NOT DURABLE.

WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A PROGRESSIVE CRACK FROM EDGE ON PASSENGER SIDE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE CRACK WAS NOT THERE ON FRIDAY, 2/26/2021 AT THE END OF THE DAY. HOWEVER, WHEN I WENT TO DRIVE IT ON SATURDAY MORNING, 2/27/2021 THERE WAS A 6-8 INCH CRACK. THE CRACK HAS CONTINUED TO SPREAD ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING NOR DID ANYTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD.

MY 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK HAD ITS WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE TRAVELING ON A TEXAS HIGHWAY (SOUTH PADRE - AUSTIN) ON DEC 27, 2020. THE CRACK STARTED SMALL AND GREW QUICKLY OVER THE COURSE OF THE TRAVEL TO ALMOST 20 INCHES. THE WINDSHIELD HAD TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WAS EXPENSIVE, CONSIDERING THE EYESIGHT SAFETY SYSTEMS NEEDED TO BE RECALIBRATED. I HAVE TRAVELED OVER 200K MILES IN THE US IN MULTIPLE CARS BUT NEVER EXPERIENCED A CRACKED WINDSHIELD THAT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY AND SPONTANEOUSLY AS IT HAPPENED ON THE SUBARU OUTBACK. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS COULD BE A ONE-OFF EXPERIENCE BUT READING MORE ABOUT THE PENDING LAWSUIT ON DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELDS MADE ME SUBMIT THIS COMPLAINT.

THIS 2020 SUBARU OUTBACK TOURING XT RAN WELL FOR THE FIRST 10,000 MILES. WE WERE INFORMED IT HAD A RECALL AND THIS WAS CORRECTED 1/06/2021 BY CARBOONE'S SUBARU IN UTICA, NY. AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WHEN THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE AND ADAPTIVE STEERING ARE ENGAGED IF THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO LEAVE ITS LANE THE WARNING MESSAGE IS 'PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL'. BEFORE THIS IT WAS 'LANE DEPARTURE'. IF THE ADAPTIVE STEERING IS NOT ENGAGED THE WARNING REMAINS 'LANE DEPARTURE'. THIS BEHAVIOR HAPPENS ON ALL ROADS WHEN THE ADAPTIVE STEERING AND ADAPTIVE CRUISE CAN BE ENGAGED. IT OCCURS AT ALL SPEEDS. THIS WARNING TO PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE WHEEL OCCURS WHEN YOUR HANDS ARE ON THE WHEEL AND IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING (LANE DEPARTURE) NOR WHAT THE VEHICLE WARNINGS ARE WHEN NOT USING THE ADAPTIVE STEERING. THIS PRESENTS A CONFUSING PICTURE TO THE DRIVER AND COULD LEAD TO AN INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO WHAT IS HAPPENING AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. SUBARU'S RESPONSE TO THE CHANGE OF WARNINGS IS 'THIS IS NORMAL BEHAVIOR'.