2017 Subaru Outback VISIBILITY/WIPER

UNEXPLAINED WINDSHIELD CRACKING STARTING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE AT THE EDGE OF THE WINDOW BY THE DEFROSTER.

THE WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A HORIZONTAL CRACK ON THE DRIVER SIDE ONLY A YEAR AND HALF INTO OWNERSHIP. NOTHING WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE STRUCK THE VEHICLE. THE CRACK WAS NOT THERE IN THE EVENING WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN OUR CARPORT. IT WAS OBSERVED WHEN WE WENT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING (JULY 10, 2018). SAN DIEGO WAS EXPERIENCING AVERAGE SUMMER TEMPERATURES. THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED AT OUR OWN COST, AS THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. A SECOND CRACK IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE HAS APPEARED APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS LATER. AGAIN, THERE WAS NO CRACK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY IN THE EVENING. NOTHING STRUCK THE VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD IN THE DAYS PRIOR. IN THE MORNING, WE CAME OUT TO AN IDENTICAL HORIZONTAL CRACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD (JANUARY 21, 2020). THE TEMPERATURE WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE WINTER AVERAGE (LOW OF 45F). AS WE HAVE MOVED CITIES (SAN DIEGO TO PORTLAND), WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT, AS WE ALSO HAD A SAFETY RECALL THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED. AGAIN, THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THAT IT WASN'T THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT SOMETHING MUST HAVE HIT THE WINDSHIELD AT EXACTLY THE SAME PLACE. THE MECHANIC DID NOT THINK THAT ANYTHING STRUCK THE VEHICLE. THE ASSISTANT MANAGER MOTIONED FOR HIM TO BE QUIET AND THEN TRIED TO CONVINCE MY WIFE THAT IT WAS A ROCK.

WHILE DRIVING ON HWY 101 IN PASO ROBLES , HEARD A LARGE POP. AFTER STOPPING NOTICED A CRACK APPROX 8 INCHES LONG ON PASSENGER SIDE ABOUT HALFWAY UP APPARENTLY EMANATING FROM THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD. DID NOT SEE AN OBVIOUS ROCK HIT.

THE WINDSHIELD IN OUR 2017SUBARU OUTBACK HAS FAILED FOR THE THIRD TIME IN THREE YEARS. A CRACK INITIATED IN THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CORNER WIPER DEFROST ZONE, AND GREW UPWARD AND INTO THE CENTRAL PART OF THE WINDSHIELD. SEE PHOTO. THIS HAPPENED UNDER ROUTINE LOW SPEED IN-TOWN DRIVING CONDITIONS AND FOR NO APPARENT REASON EXCEPT THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER WAS ON. A CRACKED WINDSHIELD IS A SAFETY RISK. SUBARU IS WELL AWARE OF THE DEFICIENCIES IN THE WINDSHIELD DESIGN AND MATERIALS IN OUTBACKS AND OTHER SUBARU MODELS OF THIS VINTAGE, AND THE ATTENDANT SAFETY CONCERNS THE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELDS REPRESENT. EVIDENCE OF A PERVASIVE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD PROBLEM AND RELATED SAFETY CONCERNS INCLUDES SUBARU SERVICE BULLETIN #12-19215R AND NUMEROUS ASSOCIATED CLASS ACTION SUITS INCLUDING LUONG V. SUBARU OF AMERICA AND POWELL V. SUBARU OF AMERICA. SUBARU'S SOLUTION HAS BEEN TO REPLACE BROKEN DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELDS WITH NEW DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELDS OF THE SAME TYPE THAT ARE PRONE TO BREAK AGAIN, OR TO DENY RESPONSIBILITY. SUBARU SHOULD OFFER FREE WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENTS FOR THE LIFE OF AFFECTED VEHICLES, OR IMPROVE THE WINDSHIELD DESIGN AND MATERIALS TO ACTUALLY FIX THE CRACKING AND DAMAGE SUSCEPTIBILITY ISSUES.

WITHIN THE FIRST 100 MILES OF OWNING OUR BRAND NEW 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK A SMALL ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD GOING UNDER 10MPH AND A CRACK PROPAGATED ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. WHEN WE TOOK THE CAR INTO SUBARU THEY REJECTED FIXING THE ISSUE BECAUSE THEY SAID A ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD. RECENTLY WE TURNED ON OUR FRONT WINDOW DEFROSTER AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AGAIN AND PROPAGATED ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD AGAIN. WE REQUESTED SUBARU FIX THE ISSUE AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS A NON IMPACT FAILURE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND THEY REJECTED TO FIX THE WINDSHIELD BECAUSE THEY SAID OTHER SECTIONS HAD ROCK CHIPS (THE SECTION WHERE THE CRACK OCCURRED DID NOT HAVE A ROCK CHIP). THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE THAT THE WINDSHIELD WILL BREAK WITH LITTLE TO NO EXTERNAL FORCE BEING APPLIED TO IT WHICH WILL CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD TO FAIL AND SUBARU WILL NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE.

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY POPPED OR CRACKED IN MY 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK 3.6 LIMITED. IT CAUSED A DISTRACTION FOR ME WHILE DRIVING AS I THREW UP MY HANDS TO SHIELD MY FACE. THE CRACK WAS ABOUT 5 INCHES NEAR THE LOWER PORTION OF THE MIDDLE/PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE VEHICLE. THE NEXT DAY I STARTED THE CAR AND HAD THE DEFROST ON IN COLD WEATHER, WHICH I SUSPECT MAY HAVE SPURRED THE FIRST CRACKING, AND THE CRACK SPREAD HORIZONTALLY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I SUSPECT THE GLASS IS DEFECTED. IT COULD MAYBE ALSO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE POSITIONING OF THE DEFROST VENTS INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BLOWING ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. I WAS QUOTED OVER $1,000 FOR THE REPAIR AS THEY WILL HAVE TO RECALIBRATE MY SUBARU EYESIGHT CAMERA SYSTEM AS WELL WHEN REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD WITH NEW GLASS. I HAVE READ THAT MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCE MULTIPLE SPONTANEOUS CRACKS IN THEIR WINDSHIELD PER YEAR, WHICH WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER MY VEHICLES WARRANTY. I SPECIFICALLY BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR THE WARRANTY AS WELL. I WOULD LOSE MONEY ON MY CAR IF I TRADED IT IN AT THIS POINT. IT SHOULD NOT BE MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR SUBARU'S MISTAKES AND DISHONESTY IN PRODUCING DEFECTED GLASS. I CAN PROVIDE A RECEIPT FOR REPAIR ONCE COMPLETED.

2017 OUTBACK SECOND TIME WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED. FIRST TIME (11/2018)SOMETHING VERY TINY HIT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD AND IT CRACKED. THE CAR WAS ON AN INTERSTATE. THE EMPHASIS IS ON TINY, NO WAY IT SHOULD HAVE CRACKED. THIS TIME, 12/25/2019, I WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, ON AN INTERSTATE, LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A CRACK APPEARED ON THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD. I EXCLAIMED TO MY HUSBAND "THE WINDSHIELD JUST CRACKED!". NOTHING HIT IT, IT JUST CRACKED AND IT CONTINUES TO GROW. THIS WAS AND CONTINUES TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM BASED ON READING I HAVE DONE. I HOPED THE FIRST TIME AROUND SUBARU HAD CORRECTED THE PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD, I HAD A CORRECTED WINDSHIELD AND NO LONGER HAD TO WORRY. WHY ISN'T THIS OBVIOUS PROBLEM BEING ADDRESSED? MY INSURANCE RATE WENT UP AS A RESULT OF THE FIRST "INCIDENT". AND, WITH THE FIRST ONE IT TOOK AROUND 30 DAYS TO GET IT RESOLVED PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF A DIFFICULTY LOCATING A SUBARU REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD.

WE NOTICED A CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD WHEN WE DOING A CAR CLEANING AND REPORTED IT TO OUR CAR INSURANCE COMPANY; OTHERWISE, WE WEREN'T AWARE OF IT HAPPENING, IT STILL EXISTS AND I NEED TO GET THE CAR INSPECTED IN JANUARY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL PASS.

SPONTANEOUS CRACKS IN WINDSHIELD WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF A CHIP OR EXPERIENCING ANY "HITS" TO THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING - GO OUT TO MY GARAGE PARKED SUBARU OUTBACK (TOURING) AND NOTICE A LINEAR CRACK ACROSS WINDSHIELD ON THREE (3) SEPARATE INCIDENCES WITHIN 369 DAYS - FEB 2018, MAY 2018 & FEB 2019

SPONTANEOUS CRACKS IN WINDSHIELD WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF A CHIP OR EXPERIENCING ANY "HITS" TO THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING - GO OUT TO START MY GARAGE PARKED SUBARU OUTBACK (TOURING) AND NOTICE A LINEAR CRACK ACROSS WINDSHIELD ON THREE (3) SEPARATE INCIDENCES WITHIN 369 DAYS FEB 2018, MAY 2018, & FEB 2019.

SPONTANEOUS CRACKS IN WINDSHIELD WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF A CHIP OR EXPERIENCING ANY "HITS" TO THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING - GO OUT TO START MY GARAGE PARKED SUBARU OUTBACK (TOURING) AND NOTICE A LINEAR CRACK ACROSS WINDSHIELD ON THREE (3) SEPARATE INCIDENCES WITHIN 369 DAYS FEB 2018, MAY 2018, & FEB 2019.

MY WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED MULTIPLE TIMES. I HAD TO REPLACE IT OUT OF POCKET WHEN I BELIEVE THE WINDSHIELD WAS DEFECTIVE.

I HAD THE ORIGINAL WINDSHIELD IN MY 2017 OUTBACK CRACK WHILE DRIVING ON I-65 BACK IN MARCH OF 2018, WHICH I PRESUMED WAS DUE TO A STONE CHIP EVEN THOUGH THE CHIP DAMAGE I OBSERVED WAS EXTREMELY MINOR. NOT KNOWING ABOUT THE ONGOING WINDSHIELD CRACKING ISSUES THAT SUBARU WAS UNDERGOING WITH THEIR 2015-2016 MODELS, I HAD THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD REPLACED AT MY DEALER WITH OEM PARTS ORDERED THROUGH MY DEALER'S PARTS DEPT. WHICH ENDED UP COSTING ME $500 OUT OF POCKET ON A $788 INSURANCE CLAIM. NOW I HAVE THE SAME KIND OF CRACK APPEARING IN THE REPLACEMENT WINDOW WITH NO APPARENT STONE CHIP OR OTHER CAUSE. I FIRST NOTICED THE CRACK ORIGINATE FROM THE AREA OF THE VIN WINDOW IN THE BOTTOM DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE WINDOW. THIS HAPPENED SOON AFTER I BEGAN DRIVING ON A QUITE COLD DAY WITH THE WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER ENGAGED. SINCE IT HAPPENED LESS THAN 1 YEAR AFTER THE FIRST, I ASKED THE SERVICE REP AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP IF THE REPLACEMENT WINDOW WAS COVERED BY ANY MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY AND HE SAID NO, NOT FOR CRACKING. AFTER SEARCHING THE WINDSHIELD CRACKING PROBLEM ONLINE, I WAS SHOCKED TO READ OF THE NUMBER OF OTHER SUBARU LEGACY/OUTBACK OWNERS OF SIMILAR MODEL YEARS AND LATER WITH IDENTICAL STORIES AND WITH SUBARU APPARENTLY DUCKING THE ISSUE BY CONTENDING THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR WARRANTYING REPLACEMENT WINDOWS. NEEDLESS TO SAY I'M NOT HAPPY TO READ OF THEIR DODGING THIS POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I GUESS IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT TO GET SUBARU TO STEP UP.

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE SUBARU IN TOWN ON A PAVED ROAD HER WHEN SHE HEARD A POP/CRACK NOISE. A CRACK BECAME VISIBLE IMMEDIATELY AND AFTER SHE TOOK A LUNCH BREAK AND RETURNED TO THE CAR, THE CRACK HAD EXPANDED FURTHER INTO HER LINE OF SITE. THE CRACK STARTED IN THE LOWER CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THIS HAPPENED IN MID AUGUST 2019. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD IN SEPTEMBER SINCE IT INTERFERED WITH HER VISIBILITY. I HAVE A PHOTO WHICH IS TOO LARGE (OVER 5MB) TO BE ACCEPTED BY THIS FORM.

MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED AND SPREAD TO THE POINT WHERE I HAD TO REPLACE IT. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE WHEN IT CRACKED. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR THE CRACK SPREAD THE ENTIRE SPAN OF THE WINDSHIELD.

WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE CAR WAS PARKED.

WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK FROM THE VERY TOP EDGE WITHOUT ANY IMPACT OR SIGNS OF DAMAGE. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND IN A COVERED GARAGE.

THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND BY THE END OF THE DAY (SITTING IN A PARKING LOT) WAS SEVERAL FEET LONG. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER SERVICE CENTER AND HAD IT REPLACED. USED MY INSURANCE CLAIM AND PAID OUT OF POCKET.

WINDSHIELD CRACKS AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT FOLLOWING THE SMALLEST OF PEBBLES IMPACTING WINDSCREEN. THIS IS MY SECOND REPLACEMENT FOLLOWING A SMALL HIT RESULTING IN THE ENTIRE SCREEN CRACKING FROM MOLDING TO MOLDING, RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED CRACK FROM UNDER DRIVER'S WIPER UP AND ACROSS 3 INCHES THEN ACROSS TO UP TO ABOVE OTHER WIPER THEN UP IN HALF CIRCLE AND BACK ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE. CAR HAD BEEN PARKED.

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AND SMALL PEBBLE STRUCK CENTER OF WINDSHIELD. AT THE TIME OF IMPACT NO VISUAL DAMAGE TO WINDSHIELD. DROVE APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES ON THE WAY TO HOME WHEN THE LOWER CENTER OF WINDSHIELD CRACKED. CRACK IS ESTIMATED 8 INCHES IN DIAMETER.

HAVE TO REPLACE WINDSHIELD FOR 2ND TIME ON 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. CRACKS HAVE BEEN BOTH TIMES ON DRIVERS SIDE FROM BOTTOM UP UNDER WIPER WITH NO CHIPS ON WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR THE SAME PROBLEM FOR THE 2015 AND 16 OUTBACKS WHICH SUBARU LOST BUT SO FAR THEY ARE NOR COVERING THE 2017 MODELS WHICH IS HAS A DIFFERENT WINDSHIELD BUT HAVING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CRACKING BOTH TIMES WAS FIRST NOTED WHEN THE CAR WAS IN THE OUR GARAGE.

THE WINDSHIELD JUST CRACKED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ENTERING THE FREEWAY. THERE WAS NO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF MINE WITHIN 150 FEET. THERE IS NO MARK INDICATING AN IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD WHERE THE CRACK STARTS.

OUR OUTBACK WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY SINCE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. THIS MORNING MY WIFE DISCOVERED A LARGE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. IT'S APPROXIMATELY 7 INCHES LONG. I'VE READ ON SEVERAL WEBSITES THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH LATE MODEL SUBARUS. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP US?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE DIMMERS FOR THE REARVIEW MIRRORS. SHE STATED THAT SHE COULD NOT SEE OUT OF THE MIRRORS AND THE MIRRORS THEMSELVES WERE TOO DARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD TINTED WINDOWS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DUNNING SUBARU (3771 JACKSON RD, ANN ARBOR, MI 48103, (734) 662-3444) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TINTED WINDOWS WERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.