NHTSA Complaint #11374353 — 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK

OUR 2017 OUTBACK HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE BATTERY DISCHARGING. THE CAR WOULDN'T START IN FEBRUARY 2020. SINCE WE HAD A LONG TRIP PLANNED, WE REPLACED THE BATTERY. THAT SEEMED TO WORK FOR A WHILE, BUT THE CAR SEEMED TO STRUGGLE WITH STARTING SOME MORNINGS. I NOTED THAT THE BATTERY WAS ONLY AT 11.5 VOLTS AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY PERFORMED $130 "PARASITIC BATTERY DRAIN TEST", BUT IT DIDN'T SHOW ANY PROBLEMS. I INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A RECALL TO REPROGRAM THE CAR TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER WASN'T AWARE OF IT AND THANKED US FOR BRINGING IT TO HIS ATTENTION (AND TO BE "GENEROUS" HE WASN'T GOING TO CHARGE US FOR THE RECALL!). WE THOUGHT THAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE SOLVED. IF WE DON'T DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR 3 OR 4 DAYS, THE BATTERY IS DEAD, UNDER 11 VOLTS. SO, IT IS A RITUAL FOR US TO HAVE TO CHARGE THE BATTERY IF IT HASN'T BEEN DRIVEN IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. WE ALSO CARRY A SPARE 12V BATTERY IN THE VEHICLE ALONG WITH JUMPER CABLES. EVEN AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS, THERE IS RANDOMLY A "FAN NOISE" NEAR THE REAR AXLE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE "PARASITIC DRAIN" IN ACTION. THERE ARE LAWSUITS FILED OVER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. I DO HAVE A CELL PHONE VIDEO THAT HAS THE SOUND DOCUMENTED, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE I CAN'T UPLOAD IT. IT CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM.