2016 Subaru Outback VISIBILITY/WIPER

CRACK IN WINDSHIELD DIRECTLY BEHIND THE REARVIEW MIRROR HORIZONTALLY AND VERTICALLY WITH NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF IMPACT, FOUND ONE GETTING INTO THE CAR WHICH WAS IN OUR GARAGE

SPONTANEOUS CRACK DEVELOPED DOWN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD IN MY 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK WHILE DRIVING. NO OBVIOUS REASON SUCH AS IMPACT WITH STONE OR ROCK WAS INVOLVED- LARGE CRACK JUST SUDDENLY APPEARED. HAVE READ MANY REPORTS OF OTHERS HAVING SAME ISSUE, AND SUBARU HAS HAD AT LEAST 3 CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS FILED AGAINST THEM FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. *TR

I HAVE A 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK, WHICH I'VE OWNED SINCE NEW (09/15/2015). I'VE HAD TO REPLACE 8 WINDSHIELD SO FAR, SOMETIMES WITHIN 3 MONTHS, OR EVEN 2 DAYS APART. I DRIVE AROUND SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA (NOT STATISTICALLY HIGHER RISK FOR WINDSHIELD DAMAGE) THIS CONSTANT ISSUE WITH THE WINDSHIELD AFFECTS THE SAFETY OF THE CAR IN CASE OF FOREIGN OBJECT IMPACT OR SPONTANEOUS CRACKING, BECAUSE OF REDUCED VISIBILITY AND COMPROMISED STRUCTURAL/IMPACT PROTECTION

THIS IS THE 2ND WINDOW THAT HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED IN 2 1/2 YEARS. IT APPEARED TO CRACK SPONTANEOUSLY. *TR

IN FEBRUARY 2019 I HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD IN MY 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK BECAUSE OF A CRACK THAT STARTED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE EDGE FROM A VERY TINY CHIP, AND PAID ABOUT $950 (OEM EQUIPMENT AND DUE TO THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM CALIBRATION REQUIRED). ON FEBRUARY 29, 2020, I DISCOVERED A CRACK IN THE NEW WINDSHIELD, IN A SIMILAR PLACE (PASSENGER SIDE, TINY CHIP AT THE EVERY EDGE (BLACK PART OF WINDSHIELD), THAT THEN EXTENDED HALF WAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I COULD NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING HITTING THE WINDSHIELD TO CAUSE THE TINY CHIP, AND IT REALLY WAS TINY AND VERY SHALLOW. THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED ALL DAY IN A SAFE, SECURE AREA. THE CRACK WAS NOT THERE IN THE MORNING WHEN I PARKED THE CAR, BUT WAS THERE BY THE END OF THE DAY. PHOTO ATTACHED. IT DOES NOT SEEM REASONABLE TO HAVE TO REPLACE A WINDSHIELD ANNUALLY! SUBARU HAS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR WINDSHIELDS!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT IMPACT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED AT PEACOCK SUBARU HILTON HEAD (111 DRIVERS WAY SUITE A, HARDEEVILLE, SC 29927) FOR A CRACKED WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WINDSHIELD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER, NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 53,688.

MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY WHEN A PEBBLE STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD AND A CHIP WAS FORMED ON 8/26/2016. THIS CHIP WAS IMMEDIATELY REPAIRED. THIS WAS ONLY MONTHS FROM PURCHASING A BRAND NEW 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK; FACTORY TO DEALER. THEN, WHILE PARKED, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE CHIP FORMED A SPREADING CRACK ON 11/13/2017. AT THIS POINT, THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED WITH NEW, ORIGINAL SUBARU GLASS. *TR

MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE NEAR THE WIPER BLADE, WHILE DRIVING WITH A FACTORY WINDSHIELD. THE 6" CRACK FROM THE CORNER ALMOST IMMEDIATELY TURNED INTO A CRACK ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD - AGAIN NO TRAUMA OR ROCKS. I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A HIGHWAY WITH NO POTHOLES OR ANYTHING. I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED AND IT HAS AGAIN SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED WITH NO TRAUMA (NO ROCK OR BUG IMPACT OR OTHER IMPACTS/DAMAGES) ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BY THE WIPER BLADE. I BELIEVE THAT THE SUBARU WINDSHIELD AS WELL AS THE DEFROST SYSTEM ARE DEFECTIVE. THIS WILL BE MY THIRD WINDSHIELD IN UNDER 3 MONTHS. OTHER SUBARU OUTBACK OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS AND SUBARU CONTINUES TO BLAME IT ON ROCKS. THE SECOND CRACK HAPPENED WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN THE DRIVEWAY!

WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN L SHAPE . ON DAY AFTER SNOW FALL. WHEN CLEARED THERE WAS THE CRACK

I HAD PURCHASED MY CAR IN FEB 2016. WE HAD TO HAVE WINDSHIELD REPLACED 90 DAYS LATER. AND THEY TOLD ME " THE GLASS IS THINNER DUE TO EYE SIGHT. I'VE HAD WIND SHIELD REPLACED 2 OTHER TIMES SINCE THEN. WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY,AND IT WAS STRUCK BY ROCKS. I WENT TO SUBARU AND THEY STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THEIR GLASS. AND EACH TIME IT WAS REPLACED. 1 AT THEIR COST AND 2 AT MIND. ALL OF THE PAPERS WORK I CAN GET FROM INS. COMPANY

NUMEROUS WINDSHIELD CRACKS, SEEMS TO OCCUR SPONTANEOUSLY.

JUNE 2019 - WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT ANY APPARENT IMPACT FROM ANYTHING, DRIVING BY MYSELF. REPLACED WINDSHIELD, AND WITHIN TWO WEEKS, THE SAME THING HAPPENED - WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT ANY APPARENT IMPACT FROM ANYTHING. VEHICLE WAS MOVING IN BOTH INSTANCES. OCCURRED ON HIGHWAY DRIVING. IN BOTH INSTANCES, CRACK STARTED SMALL AND WENT HORIZONTALLY ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD IMPAIRING MY VISION AND CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE.

ON 10/10/2019 WE NOTICED A LONG CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD OF THIS VEHICLE FOR NO CAUSE. WE JUST GOT INTO THE CAR AND NOTICED. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE WE BOUGHT OUR 2016 SUBARU OUTBACK IN JUNE 2016. THE FIRST TWO TIMES (LAST ONE REPAIRED IN MARCH 2019) THE CRACK STARTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD AS NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED. INSURANCE WILL NOT PAY IN NEW MEXICO, SO WE HAVE TO KEEP REPLACING AT OVER $300 A TIME. THIS IS CLEARLY A FAULT IN THE DESIGN OR QUALITY OF THE GLASS. WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU INVESTIGATE THIS FOR US AND MANY OF THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO HAVE TO KEEP PAYING THE FULL PRICE FOR NEW WINDSHIELDS. SUBARU NEEDS TO ADMIT A FAULT IN DESIGN AND PROVIDE CONSUMERS WITH WINDSHIELDS AT NO COST - PREFERABLY DESIGN ONE THAT WILL NOT CRACK. THIS IS THE FIRST VEHICLE IN 35 YEARS THAT HAS EVER CRACKED. THANK YOU FOR INVESTIGATING THIS ISSUE.

WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT ANY OBJECT IMPACT. CRACK STARTED AT THE BOTTOM PASSENGER SIDE. SAME LOCATION AS LISTED IN A CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR 2015 AND EARLY MODEL 2016 CARS. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS AT ABOUT 35MPH WHEN I HEARD THE NOISE. I DID NOT NOTICE THE CRACK UNTIL LATER IN THE DAY, AS IT WAS VERY LOW ON THE WINDSCREEN AND WAS NOT VISIBLE FROM THE DRIVERS POSITION IN THE CAR. THE CRACK HAS SINCE SPREAD ACROSS AND UP THE WINDSCREEN. SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS DENIED MY REQUEST FOR A REPAIR AND I WILL BE DOING SO AT MY OWN EXPENSE LATER TODAY.

I'VE ONLY RECENTLY LEARNED OF THE SPONTANEOUS WINDSHIELD CRACKING ISSUE THAT IS IN LITIGATION. THIS HAPPENED TO ME. I WAS STOPPED, WAITING AT A LIGHT NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF WASHINGTON AND THE ENTRANCE TO I-70 IN DENVER. SUDDENLY, THE WINDSHIELD LOUDLY POPPED AND A LARGE CRACK APPEARED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH HAS SINCE PROGRESSED IN MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. I SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. I'VE NOT YET HAD IT REPLACED AS I'D LEARNED OF THIS LAWSUIT, BUT NO DEFINITIVE PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE, I'M REPORTING IT HERE. I DO NOT HAVE A PICTURE, BUT WILL UPDATE THIS POST LATER, IF POSSIBLE.

A CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY APPEARED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND. THE CRACK WAS 8" LONG AND STARTED NEAR THE BOTTOM CORNER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. AFTER PARKING IT OVERNIGHT, THE CRACK SPREAD ACROSS HALF THE WINDSHIELD. WHEN WE HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED, SAFELITE COULD NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF A CAUSE, NO CHIPS OR EVIDENCE OF A ROCK HITTING IT. EVEN WITH THE EXTENDED "GOLD" WARRANTY, SUBARU WOULD NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT.

ABOUT A WEEK A GO I NOTICED A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I CAN NOT ATTRIBUTE IT TO A ROCK OUR OTHER ROAD DEBRIS. CLOSE INSPECTION SHOWS A VERY SMALL CHIP DIRECTLY UNDER THE WIPER BLADE, WHICH WOULD PROTECT THE WINDSHIELD FROM A ROCK ETC. THE CRACK EXTENDS VERTICALLY DOWN UNDER THE PLASTIC TRIM AND UP ALMOST TO THE WIPER BLADE SWEEP LIMIT. THIS IS THE SECOND WINDSHIELD IN MY VEHICLE. IN 2017 I THOUGHT I GET HIT BY A ROCK. A LARGE CHIP APPEARED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND A CRACK IMMEDIATELY APPEARED. I PAID FOR A REPAIR BY THE DEALER. IT WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY OR INSURANCE. I AM NOW WONDERING IF THE FIRST WINDSHIELD WAS HIT BY A ROCK OR NOT. REGARDLESS, I CANT BELIEVE I WILL BE ON THIRD WINDSHIELD IN A VEHICLE I HAVE NOT YET HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS.

CAR WAS STATIONARY AND HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN SEVERAL HOURS AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE TOP CENTER DOWN ABOUT SIX INCHES ACROSS BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FIELD OF VIEW. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE, MAJOR OR MINOR, FROM THE POINT WHERE THE CRACK APPEARED TO START FROM.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE ONTO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN AT SUBARU OF AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE. 2016 OUTBACK 3.6R BULLETIN NUMBER: 12-192-15R; NHTSA ID:10093903; REVISED: 11/19/15 UPDATE BULLETIN NUMBER: 12-192-15R; NHTSA ID:10093903; REVISED: 03/06/17 ISSUE: SPONTANEOUS CRACKED WINDSHIELD HELLO, I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF MENTIONED VEHICLE, 2016 OUTBACK 3.6R EQUIPPED WITH THE ALL-WEATHER PACKAGE AND EYESIGHT. ON FEBRUARY 28, 2019 A SMALL VISIBLE RUNNING CRACK ONE INCH IN LENGTH APPEARED JUST IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WINDSHIELD. WITH INSPECTION THE CRACK ACTUALLY STARTED AT THE LOWER PORTION OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD IN THE DEICER/DEFROSTER AREA. SINCE THEN THE CRACKS HAVE INCREASED DAILY IN LENGTH AND IN NUMBER. ONE RUNNING CRACK HAS NOW SPREAD ACROSS THE ENTIRE LOWER HALF OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SIDE. ANOTHER VISIBLE RUNNING CRACK ONE INCH IN LENGTH NOW HEADING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF FRONT WINDSHIELD. IT TOO ORIGINATES FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD IN THE DEICER/DEFROSTER AREA. UNDER VERY CLOSE PHOTO INSPECTION AT THE JUNCTIONS OF THESE MERGING CRACKS CHIPPING IS OCCURRING CAUSING ADDITIONAL SPIDERING CRACKS. I DID CONTACT MY SUBARU DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON MARCH 5, 2019.A SALESPERSON FILLED OUT AND I SIGNED AN INFORMATION FORM FOR REPORTING THIS ISSUE TO SUBARU AMERICA. I WAS NOT OFFERED AND DID NOT RECEIVE A COPY. HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM YET. THIS ISSUE AND REPAIR MENTIONED IN TSB ID: 12-192-15R NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I HAVE ATTACHED DETAILED PHOTOS AND MC-10093903-2280.PDF DOCUMENT. THIS SHOULD EXPEDITE THE REPLACEMENT PROCESS.

I HAVE NOTICED A SMALL CRACK IN THE LOWER CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD AND I HAVE NOT BEEN WITH A ROCK OR ANY OBJECTS. I PURCHASED THE SUV THE FEBRUARY OF 2019 AND IT APPEARED TO HAVE A NEW DEALERSHIP WINDSHIELD. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE INCLUDING LAWSUITS REGARDING SUBARU WINDSHIELDS THAT SPONTANEOUSLY CRACK. THE WINDSHIELDS FROM SUBARU SEEM TO BE VERY FRAGILE AND I HAVE CONCERNS OF A DEFECT.

I RECEIVED A SMALL CHIP FROM A ROCK THAT THEN SPREAD TO ABOUT AN 8 INCH CRACK. IT'S BEEN THAT WAY WITH NO CHANGE FOR MONTHS. THEN THIS MORNING WE DROPPED TO 26 DEGREES AND WHEN I TURNED ON THE DEFROSTER FOR THE WINDSHIELD THE CRACK SHOT ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. I HADN'T EVEN MOVED THE CAR YET. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SAFELITE THAT THIS WINDSHIELD WAS FAULTY AND SUBARU SHOULD REPLACE IT UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE SUBARU HERE IN MISSOULA, MT IS REFUSING TO DO SO. I SEE THAT CA HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND THEY SUED SUBARU. DO I HAVE TO DO THAT TOO TO GET THEM TO HELP ME?

OUR WINDSHIELD HAS HAD 3 CHIPS/CRACKS IN IT SINCE NEW. THE FIRST ONE WAS A CHIP THAT WAS REPAIRED BY SAFELIGHT. THE SECOND WAS A CRACK/CHIP WHERE THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED BY SAFELIGHT. BOTH OF THESE HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ON-HIGHWAY. BOTH WERE IN DIFFERENT SPOTS, BUT WERE LOCATED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE THIRD ONE WAS A LARGE CRACK ON THE DRIVER SIDE WE NOTICED YESTERDAY (12/26/18) WITH NO APPARENT CHIP ASSOCIATED. WE'RE NOT SURE IF THIS HAPPENED WHILE VEHICLE WAS MOVING OR STATIONARY. DATES FOR THE INITIAL CRACKS ARE ESTIMATES, BUT FIRST ONE WE ESTIMATE TO BE 8/2017. THE SECOND ONE WHERE THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED IS ESTIMATED MAY 2018. WE NOTICED OTHERS WERE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES AFTER DOING A SEARCH 12/26/18. IT ALSO APPEARS THAT SUBARU HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH SOME 2015 AND 2016 MODELS, BUT OUR VEHICLE VIN DID NOT SHOW UP WHEN DOING A SEARCH.

SUDDEN 6" CRACK IN WINDSHIELD ORIGINATING ON THE LOWER EDGE UNDER THE WIPERS. I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR HOME FOR LUNCH AND BACK TO WORK AT 1:15PM AND THE CRACK WAS NOT THERE. WHEN I GOT OFF WORK AT 4PM THE CRACK WAS THERE. DROVE CAR HOME AND PUT IT IN THE GARAGE. THE NEXT MORNING AT 7AM THE CRACK WAS APPROXIMATELY 12" LONG RUNNING AT A DIAGONAL TOWARDS THE OUTER EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD.

3 MONTHS AFTER GETTING MY OUTBACK THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT THE BASE AND WENT UP AND OVER. I REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD AT A COST OF $500. MY WINDSHIELD RECENTLY CRACKED AGAIN AND WHEN I TAKE TO THEM AT THE SERVICE COUNTER THEY SAID IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BUY A WINDSHIELD EVERY YEAR FOR A BRAND NEW CAR. FOR A CAR THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE 5+ STAR SAFETY RATED I SHOULD HAVE AN INTACT WINDSHIELD. THE CRACKS ALSO APPEARED OVERNIGHT. THEY WERE NOT THERE WHEN I PARKED THE CAR, BUT WHEN I GOT IN IT THE NEXT MORNING. ALSO - NO CHIPPING OR STARING WAS FOUND WHERE THE CRACK STARED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD.

SPONTANEOUS CRACKS ON WINDSHIELD AND THEIR EXTENSION DURING HOT, SUNNY DAY. FOR THE SAFETY ISSUE, IT HAD TO BE REPLACED.