111 complaints reported

2015 Subaru Outback VISIBILITY/WIPER

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
111
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jul 2023

Around 8 am on 1/4/2022, driving the car on I85 in Durham County, NC, at a normal highway speed, the sunroof glass shattered suddenly and without warning. The sunroof was fully closed at the time, but the inside cover was open. Shards of glass were sprayed within the cabin. This was a dangerous distraction to the driver, and could have been much more serious if he had gotten glass in his eyes from looking up to see what had happened. There was no apparent impact to the sunroof glass from a rock or other object outside the car, and the sunroof was not being opened or closed at the time. We contacted Subaru of America and our local dealer. The car is no longer under warranty, and Subaru refused to cover the cost of repair (though I see online we are not the only ones to have this problem). The local dealer could not perform the repair for another week, so we bought a new sunroof glass and installed it ourselves. There was no apparent damage to the surrounding metal frame or roof. The car and shattered sunroof were not examined by anyone else. I have the damaged sunroof, but was planning to discard it. I am attaching an email we received from Subaru of America, along with photos of the sunroof.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2023
Dec 2022

My sunroof exploded. Sounded like a gunshot. On the highway, 12/12 1pm. 50+- degrees partly sunny day.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2022
May 2022

Windshield spontaneously cracked. No impact or accident.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2022
Mar 2022

Subaru Outback windshield cracks again within 2 months after warranty replacement pursuant to windshield settlement agreement. The claimed enhanced windshield from Subaru is exposed to the issue reported from the windshield settlement agreement, and Subaru refused to provide warranty replacement to fix this issue. Carter Subaru replaced my windshield on 02/15/2022. The new windshield placed by Carter Subaru crack on 4/24/2022 while I stop at a restaurant and there is no obvious external influence in my windshield.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2022
Oct 2021

A CRACK APPEARED STARTING AT THE BOTTOM OF MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD AND I WATCHED IT MOVE ACROSS TO THE DRIVERS SIDE. IT WAS FAST MOVING. I WAS DRIVING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2021
Jun 2021

The windshield spontaneously cracked at the deicer area. The windshield is available for inspection. The crack has grown and is interfering with visibility. The crack in the deicer part of the windshield is easy to see. I have called and left messages about the cracked windshield for the Subaru service manager at the dealership where we bought the car. The service manager has not returned my calls. I drove the car to the Subaru dealer and showed the crack to the substitute service manager (Brian from Kia). Brian took my name and number and said he would contact the Subaru rep for me. To date, I have not heard from the Subaru rep about the spontaneously cracked windshield. There was no warning that the windshield would crack. I was driving the car on Saturday June 5th when I heard a pop. There was no other traffic on the paved road I was driving on. Noticed a crack low on the windshield starting at the deicer area.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: May 2021
Jun 2021

My windshield cracked for no reason on June 12, 2021. Large crack took over the left side of the window. Crack kept spreading for no apparent reason.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2021
Feb 2021

I PARKED MY CAR IN A PARKING GARAGE ONE MORNING, AND WHEN I RETURNED TO MY CAR LATER THAT DAY, A CRACK DEVELOPED FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CRACK BEGINS CLOSE TO THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD, CURVES UP AND AROUND TO THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOT HIT BY ANYTHING, NOR WAS THE VEHICLE IN ANY TYPE OF ACCIDENT. THE CRACK ESSENTIALLY DEVELOPED ON ITS OWN.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2021
Jan 2021

CAR DEVELOPED A 20" CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD ALL BY ITSELF. THE CRACK STARTS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PASSENGER SIDE BY THE WIPER BLADE AND RUNS UP AND OVER TOWARDS THE DRIVERS SIDE. I DROVE THE CAR ONE DAY AND THE CRACK WAS NOT THERE. A WEEK LATER I DROVE IT AGAIN AND THE CRACK WAS THERE WHEN I GOT INTO THE CAR TO START IT UP. FROM WHAT I READ ONLINE IT IS DUE TO SOMETHING WITH THE DEICER MAKING THE WINDSHIELD VERY LIKELY TO CRACK IN THAT AREA. I HAVE NEVER HAD A WINDSHIELD CRACK BY ITSELF AND I'VE OWNED OR TAKEN CARE OF A DOZEN CARS FOR MY FAMILY OVER 40 YEARS. SUBARU SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING AND ISSUE A RECALL, AS THERE ARE A TON OF REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING TO PEOPLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2021
Dec 2020

WINDSHIELD CRACKED, STARTING AT HEATING ELEMENT AND GREW TO ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. MFR ADMITTED FAULT (I HAVE DOCUMENTATION) BUT WOULD NOT COVER FULL COST OF REPAIR. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN CRACK APPEARED AND HAD BEEN STATIONARY FOR SOME TIME DUE TO COVID-19 STAY AT HOME GUIDELINES. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2020
Nov 2020

LARGE CRACK IN WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER SIDE EXTENDING OVER 15 INCHES ACROSS. SUBARU DEALER SAYS IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THEY SAY IT WAS CAUSED BY A MICROSCOPIC SIZE CHIP. REPORTING BECAUSE I SEE ONLINE THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS MAKE AND YEAR. JUST CAME DOWN ONE MORNING AND THE HUGE CRACK WAS THERE. CAR WAS STATIONARY IN LOT. NO SIGNS OF VANDALISM. NO EVIDENT CHIPS BEFORE CRACK APPEARED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: May 2020
Oct 2020

DROVE CAR TO MONTANA, PARKED IN HOTEL. THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED INTO THE UPPER 20'S. WHEN WOKE UP THE NEXT MORNING, BEFORE TOUCHING THE CAR, WE SAW THAT THERE WAS A 6 INCH CRACK STARTING AT BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD ON DRIVERS SIDE. CRACK GREW AS TEMP WARMED DURING THE DAY WITH ONLY DRIVING ABOUT 5 MILES. THE NEXT MORNING THERE WAS A CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH PROGRESSIVELY GREW THROUGH THE DRIVE BACK TO CA. I HAVE DRIVEN MANY CARS IN COLD TEMPERATURE AND NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN. THIS IS A SIGN OF A FAULTY WINDSHIELD. I HAVE READ THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF SUBARU OWNERS WITH SAME COMPLAINT, AND THAT REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELDS HAVE ALSO CRACKED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2019
Sep 2020

WINDSHIELD CRACKED STARTING FROM WINDSHIELD WIPER HEATER LOCATION ON PASSENGER SIDE UP AND OVER TO MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD APPROXIMATELY 2 .5 FEET IN LENGTH. THIS HAPPENED WITH THE SO CALLED IMPROVED WINDSHIELD FROM SUBARU. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY , NO STONE CHIP/IMPACT DAMAGE NOTED. AT THE TIME WHEN I TURNED ON THE WINDSHIELD HEAT I HEARD A CRACK. THE WEATHER OUTSIDE WAS COLD ABOUT 40 F.THE TEMP INSIDE THE CAR WAS WARM. THIS IS DANGEROUS SINCE THE WINDSHIELD IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE CAR AND HELPS TO CONTAIN THE AIR BAGS DURING AN IMPACT. THESE WINDSHIELDS APPEAR TO BE TOO FRAGILE OR THIN FOR SAFETY AND SHOULD BE RECALLED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2020
Mar 2020

SUDDEN OVERNIGHT CRACK ALONG THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD, ABOUT 2" DOWN FROM THE TOP, FULL WIDTH OF DRIVER'S SIDE. CAR WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE ON A QUIET RESIDENTIAL STREET, NO IMPACT OR UNUSUAL WEATHER EVENTS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
Feb 2020

WIND SHIELD CRACKED FOR NO REASON. NO ROCK IMPACT, NO DAMAGE, JUST CRACKED. HORIZONTAL CRACK ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE WIND SHIELD

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2018
Feb 2020

THIS MORNING I DROVE MY VEHICLE AND NOTHING WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY. I CAME HOME AND THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR 1.5 HOURS AND WHEN I WENT BACK OUT I NOTICED ABOUT AN 8 INCH CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD WITH NO SIGN OF ANY OTHER DAMAGE. IT IS A NICE, CLEAR DAY, AND THE CAR WAS NOT PARKED UNDER A TREE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2020
Feb 2020

MY FRONT WINDSHIELD KEEPS CRACKING ON THE DRIVER SIDE, FROM THE EDGE TOWARDS THE CENTER. I HAVE REPLACED IT MULTIPLE TIMES WITH IT CRACKING FROM THE EDGE. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN THE CAR WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND ALSO DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. I THINK THE BODY OF THE CAR BENDS AND PUTS TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON THE GLASS WHERE IT KEEPS CRACKING. I'VE INQUIRED WITH MULTIPLE LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIPS AFTER GETTING A NOTICE FROM SUBARU AND NONE OF THEM WILL FIX OR HONOR THE LETTER. DUE TO COSTS, I'VE STOPPED REPLACING IT AND AM SETTLING WITH CRACKS IMPAIRING MY VIEW.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2020
Feb 2020

WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED MULTIPLE TIMES

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2019
Feb 2020

SECOND WINDSHIELD TO SPONTANEOUSLY CRACK SINCE BUYING THE CAR NEW.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2019
Jan 2020

UNDER NORMAL STRESS - A CRACK APPEARED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD STARTING AT THE BASE AND BEGAN TO SPREAD UPWARD AND OUTWARD FROM THERE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
Jan 2020

WHILE DRIVING MY 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, I NOTICED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY HAD A CRACK THAT STARTED AT THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE AND RAN DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD ABOUT 12", NO EVIDENCE OF BEING HIT BY STONE, ETC.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2000
Sep 2019

A CRACK APPEARED AT THE BASE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD. GREW TO ABOUT A FOOT AND A HALF. IT SEEMS THERES BEEN A LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST SUBARU IN REGARDS TO WINDSHIELD, BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE. VERY SAD TO HEAR THAT ABOUT SUBARU. BECAUSE I'VE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH MY SUBARU UNTIL NOW

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2019
Jul 2019

WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2019
Jun 2019

WINDSHEILD CRACKED FOR NO APPEARANT REASON. THERE ARE MANY ACCOUNTS OF THIS PROBLEM ONLINE.VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN DRIVEWAY NOT MOVING WHEN CRACK OCCURRED. .IN SHORT TIME CRACK RAN OUT 1 1/2 FEET. HAD WINDSHEILD REPLACED ON 06/18/19

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2019
Jun 2019

WINDSHIELD STARTED TO SPLIT IN LOWER WIPER RESTING AREA AFTER NO APPARENT IMPACT. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT MODERATE SPEED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. SPLIT CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN SIZE OVER THE FOLLOWING 3 DAYS. CORRECT LENGTH APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK, Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2019

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2015 Subaru Outback has 111 VISIBILITY/WIPER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.