NHTSA Complaint #11309670 — 2019 SUBARU ASCENT

AFTER LEAVING THE REAR HATCH OPEN FOR AN EXTENDED TIME WHILE LOADING THE CAR FOR A TRIP TO FLORIDA, IT FAILED TO START. IT ALSO WAS NOT ABLE TO BE JUMP START IT WITH ANOTHER CAR BATTERY. IT WAS FINALLY TOWED TO THE DEALER ON 12/31/19 & THEY CHARGED THE BATTERY & TESTED & REPROGRAMMED IT.SINCE I WAS GOING AWAY FROM HOME FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE THAT THE DISCHARGED BATTERY WOULD CAUSE FURTHER PROBLEMS, SO I PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY & HAD IT INSTALLED. AS I UNDERSTAND FROM THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN, A SENSOR ON THE TAILGATE DID NOT SHUT OFF THE CARGO LIGHT WHEN IT WAS LEFT OPEN FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD, WHICH DISCHARGED THE BATTERY TO ALMOST NO ENERGY REMAINING. THIS EXTREMELY LOW ENERGY CAUSED THE BATTERY NOT TO BE ABLE TO BE JUMPED & FORCED IT TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE CHARGED. I UNDERSTAND THAT ALMOST COMPLETE DISCHARGING OF A BATTERY SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTENS ITS LIFE & RELIABILITY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS MODEL SUBARU HAS A DESIGNED DEFECT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THAT CAUSES THE BATTERY TO BE ALMOST COMPLETELY DISCHARGED BY HAVING THE TAILGATE OPEN FOR THE TIME IT TAKES TO PACK THE CAR. THIS BELIEF IS REINFORCED BY CHECKING THE INTERNET & LEARNING THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES & HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT TO THE CAR MANUFACTURER. THE CAR MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO BE FORCED TO INSTITUTE A RECALL & PROVIDE A SOFTWARE "PATCH" & WHATEVER ELSE NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED OR CHANGED TO PREVENT THE BATTERY FROM DISCHARGING IN THE FUTURE. IF PART OF THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM WAS THAT THE OEM BATTERY WAS INAPPROPRIATELY SIZED, THEN THEY SHOULD ALSO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE NEW BATTERY THAT WAS PURCHASED.