NHTSA Complaint #11180541 — 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK

SECOND CRACKED WINDSHIELD IN ONE WEEK. FIRST ONE WAS REPLACED 2/8/18. BOTH TIMES TRAVELED AT LOW TO MODERATE SPEED 25-40 MPH ON LOCAL FWY IN LOS ANGELES, CA. SUNNY MILD, DRY CONDITIONS, NO WIND. SMALL PEBBLE HIT WINDSHIELD. COULDN'T SEE HIT, ONLY HEARD A SMALL CRACK SOUND. DAMAGED WINDSHIELD, FIRST TIME SMALL PEBBLE MARK GREW TO LONG CRACK. INITIAL IMPACT SIZE ABOUT 1.5 - 2 MM. ONE WEEK LATER ANOTHER PEBBLE HIT WINDSHIELD IN SLOW TRAFFIC,35 MPH, NO TRUCKS NEAR BY. SAME SIZE OF MARK. SUBARU REQUIRES THEIR WINDSHIELD REPAIR AT CUSTOMER COST OF $930. WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER ANY DEBRIS DAMAGE, BUT SMALL PEBBLES SHOULD NOT CAUSE THIS KIND OF DAMAGE AND COSTS. HAD A GRAND CHEROKEE 184K MILES AND NEVER A CRACK OR DING, NEVER ISSUE FOR OUR 2005 SAAB, OR ANY OREVIOUS VEHICLE. SHOULD NOT COST US $1860 MONTH ADDITIONAL TO MAINTAIN CAR, PLUS SAFETY ISSUE. ACCORDING TO SUBARU CORPORATE: DOES NOT RECOMMEND US TO DRIVE IT WITH I-SITE CAMERA WITH A DAMAGED WINDSHIELD. THEY SAY THAT THE GLASS IS THINNER/LIGHTER IN ORDER TO WORK WITH CAMERA AND BE MORE FUEL EFFICIENT/LIGHTER. CARS SHOULD BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND NORMAL DRIVING AND ROAD CONDITIONS.