NHTSA Complaint #10725382 — 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK

WHILE WASHING MY CAR, THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER BLADE WAS EXTENDED AND RETRACTED INTO THE WINDSHIELD. I FINISHED BY DRYING THE CAR, INCLUDING THE WINDSHIELD, WITH A CHAMOIS CLOTH. NO DAMAGE WAS NOTICEABLE AT THAT TIME. AFTER DRIVING TO THE GROCERY STORE AND BACK HOME, NEVER GOING OVER 40 MPH, I LOOKED OVER AND NOTICED AN 18 INCH CRACK HAD DEVELOPED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. CLOSE INSPECTION REVEALS A POSSIBLE VERY SMALL IMPACT MARK DIRECTLY UNDER ONE OF THE METAL BLADE RETENTION PIECES ON THE WIPER BLADE FRAME. THERE WERE NO ROCKS THAT HIT THE WINDSHIELD BETWEEN THE CAR WASH, THE GROCERY STORE, AND HOME. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT I WOULD NEED TO PAY TO REPLACE IT, AND THAT I COULD JUST GET SAFELITE TO DO IT. SAFELITE ORDERED THE GLASS FOR ME AND CONFIRMED WHAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD SAID, THAT I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT INDEFINITELY FOR THE GLASS, AS IT IS ON BACK ORDER. THIS NO DOUBT IS DUE TO THE HIGH NUMBER OF FAILURES AS SEEN ON THIS WEBSITE AND ELSEWHERE ON THE INTERNET. THE LOCAL SAFELITE REPAIR SHOP EVEN HAD 5 SUBARU VEHICLES WITH REPLACEMENT GLASS ON ORDER. MY RESEARCH HAS UNCOVERED NUMEROUS CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE GLASS ON THESE 2015 VEHICLES MULTIPLE TIMES. IN MY 37 YEARS OF DRIVING, I HAVE HAD WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES RETRACT AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD UNTOLD NUMBERS OF TIMES, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT HAS EVER CAUSED A FAILURE. I THINK SUBARU NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE, FIND OUT WHY IT IS OCCURRING, AND REIMBURSE THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED. THIS IS MY FIRST SUBARU. OTHER THAN THIS ISSUE, I LIKE THEIR PRODUCT VERY MUCH. MY CONTINUED ALLEGIANCE TO THEM WILL DEPEND ON HOW THEY HANDLE THIS ISSUE.