NHTSA Complaint #10181847 — 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK

IT'S BEEN RATHER COLD HERE THE PAST COUPLE DAYS (SINGLE DIGITS, -20 WIND CHILL). I WAS SITTING IN MY 2001 OUTBACK YESTERDAY EVENING LETTING IT WARM UP. I TURNED ON THE DEFROSTER, WINDSHIELD WIPER DEFROSTER INCLUDED. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I ACTUALLY WATCHED THE WINDSHIELD CRACK FROM BOTH ENDS OF THE DEFROSTER ELEMENT! WHEN I GOT HOME I CHECKED IT OUT FURTHER. THE CRACK EXTENDS THE FULL LENGTH OF THE DEFROSTER ELEMENT ON THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NO IMPACT OF ANY KIND. AS THIS IS OBVIOUSLY UNSAFE, I AM HAVING TO PAY $300 FOR A WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE SUBARU OUTBACKS. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A DEFECTIVE COMPONENT AND A MAJOR SAFETY RISK. THOUGH THE GLASS MAY NOT BLOW IN, THE SHATTER WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY AT 65 MPH WOULD CERTAINLY CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *JB