NHTSA Complaint #11041865 — 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK

THE CAR IS PARKED. THE FLASHERS ARE ACTIVATED. THE CAR IS THEN LOCKED FROM THE OUTSIDE WITH THE KEY FOB. AFTER RETURNING TO THE CAR A SHORT TIME LATER (MAYBE 5 MINUTES OR SO) THE KEY FOB IS TOTALLY UNUSABLE. LOCK, UNLOCK, REAR HATCH OR PANIC DO NOT WORK. MUST THEN USE THE KEY IN THE DOOR LOCK, TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. THEN, OF COURSE, THE ALARM SOUNDS UNTIL YOU CAN PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION TO SILENCE THE ALARM. THERE APPEARS TO BE A TIME OUT PROBLEM BECAUSE THE KEY FOB CAN UNLOCK THE CAR WITH THE HAZARD FLASHERS ON, RIGHT AFTER LOCKING THE CAR BUT THIS PROBLEM ONLY HAPPENS AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN LEFT FOR A SHORT TIME. I HAVE GIVEN THIS PROBLEM TO SUBARU HEADQUARTERS AND THEY GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER OF 1-27586772057. IN AN EMERGENCY WHEN THE FLASHERS ARE ACTIVATED, IF THE CAR IS LOCKED AND UPON RETURNING A SHORT TIME LATER AND THE KEY FOB WON'T UNLOCK THE CAR, THERE COULD BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY IN A DANGEROUS LOCATION OR SOMEONE (ESPECIALLY AN OLDER PERSON) MIGHT PANIC AND NOT THINK CLEARLY WHAT TO DO NEXT. I AM ABLE TO REPEAT THIS PROBLEM AT ANY TIME SINCE IT HAPPENED. I TRIED BOTH KEY FOBS WITH THE SAME RESULT.