NHTSA Complaint #11240959 — 2019 SUBARU ASCENT

WE HAD A SERIOUS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION OF OUR NEW 2019 SUBARU ASCENT THAT HAPPENED ON JULY 27,2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 11 AM. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY IN THE SUN. THE TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 95 DEGREES.WE LOADED OUR DOGS IN THE REAR OF THE SUBARU ASCENT IN METAL WIRE CRATES.WE THEN CLOSED THE HATCHBACK USING THE BUTTON AND THE MOTOR FUNCTIONED PROPERLY TO CLOSE THE HATCHBACK COMPLETELY. MY WIFE THEN GOT INTO THE DRIVER SEAT OF THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR WITH THE PUSHBUTTON START. THE STARTER CLICKED ON AND THE ENGINE TURNED OVER ONCE BUT DID NOT START. SHE THEN PRESSED THE START BUTTON AGAIN WITH NO RESPONSE WHATSOEVER FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING RANDOMLY. THE MAIN LCD SCREEN IN THE CENTER CONSOLE TURNED BLANK AND THEN REAPPEARED IN THE HOME SCREEN. NO OTHER ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WERE FUNCTIONAL. SPECIFICALLY WE COULD NOT OPEN THE REAR HATCH NOW AS IT IS ELECTRICALLY MOTOR DRIVEN AND THERE IS NO WAY FROM THE OUTSIDE TO MECHANICALLY OPEN THE HATCH. THIS IS A NEW 2019 SUBARU ASCENT THAT WAS PURCHASED APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS PRIOR AND HAS ONLY 1500 MILES ON IT.MY WIFE ATTEMPTED TO USE THE STARLINK HELP BUTTON INSIDE THE VEHICLE BUT THAT DID NOT WORK.I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY CABLES FROM THE BATTERY FOR A LITTLE OVER A MINUTE AND A HALF. I THEN TRIED RECONNECTING THE BATTERY CABLES AND RESTARTING THE CAR BUT NOTHING WORKED.THE CAR WOULD NOT START EVEN WITH JUMPER CABLES ATTACHED. NONE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WERE FUNCTIONAL WITH THE JUMPER CABLES ATTACHED.I HAD TO OBTAIN A BOLT CUTTER AND CUT THE CRATE APART TO BRING THE ANIMALS OUT. I NOTIFIED A MY SUBARU DEALER OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAD US BRING THE CAR INTO THEIR DEALERSHIP ON MONDAY JULY 29.THEY STATED THEY RAN DIAGNOSTICS AND ACTUALLY TALKED TO THE SUBARU SUPPORT FROM CORPORATE AND COULD NOT FIND ANY DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE. NO FIX WAS DONE