NHTSA Complaint #10713161 — 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK

OUR FULLY-LOADED '15 OUTBACK WITH EYESIGHT & LANE ASSIST WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT IN THE GARAGE (AS ALWAYS). WHEN WE GOT INTO THE VEHICLE, WE NOTICED AN 12-INCH CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD (BEGINNING IN THE LOWER CORNER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND HEADING UP TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE). THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR ROCK INCIDENT TO WARRANT THE CRACK - IT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE. WE CALLED OUR SUBARU SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY REFERRED US TO THEIR (OUTSIDE VENDOR) WINDSHIELD REPAIR GUY. AFTER SEVERAL CALLS TO SUBARU, HE WAS TOLD THAT SUBARU HAS PULLED THESE WINDSHIELDS FROM THEIR PRODUCTION LINE BECAUSE THERE IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH CRACKING DUE TO THEIR SUBSTANDARD QUALITY AND INFERIOR AERONAUTICAL DESIGN. HE SAID THAT THE SUBARU PLANT WAS WAITING ON A SET OF WINDSHIELDS AND AN ORDER WAS PLACED FOR ME, BUT THAT I WOULD BE COMPETING WITH THE NEW CARS ROLLING OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE. THIS INFORMATION ALONE (ASSUMING IT IS ACCURATE) SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL. WE CONTACTED THE WINDSHIELD GUY AGAIN TODAY TO FOLLOW UP AND HE SAID HE JUST ORDERED ANOTHER '15 OUTBACK WINDSHIELD FOR SOMEONE THIS MORNING - - SAME PROBLEM (NO ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT). HE REITERATED HIS CONVERSATION WITH SUBARU PRODUCTION PERSONNEL ONCE AGAIN THAT "THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELDS AND SUBARU HAS PULLED THEM FROM THEIR PRODUCTION LINES." TWO WEEKS AGO WE PUT A POST-IT FLAG INSIDE THE WINDSHIELD AT THE END OF THE CRACK TO MARK ITS PLACE AND PROGRESS - THE CRACK HAS NOW GROWN TO 20+ INCHES STRAIGHT ACROSS THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT IS EASY TO FIND OTHER FOLKS WITH THIS PROBLEM - - INEXPLICABLE CRACKED WINDSHIELDS WITH NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF CAUSE. THE CAUSE AND EFFECT OF THESE BROKEN WINDSHIELDS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT OR INJURED THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN. *TR