NHTSA Complaint #11378352 — 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK

ON DECEMBER 7, 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 1200 HOURS, I RETURNED TO MY 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK AFTER A BRIEF SHOPPING TRIP. THE BATTERY WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO USE A PORTABLE BATTERY STARTER TO START THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVE FROM MY RESIDENCE TO THE STORE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LONG. THE FIRST THING I NOTICED UPON STARTING UP MY VEHICLE WAS IT DREW HARD FROM THE BATTERY, ALMOST NOT STARTING. I AM NOT NEW TO THIS ISSUE, AS IT HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST 4.5 YEARS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE. THE BATTERY THAT CAME WITH MY VEHICLE, PURCHASED IN JULY OF 2016, WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 808 MILES. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AGAIN APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS LATER, SUFFERING FROM THE SAME ISSUES. THE BATTERY WOULD WORK OKAY AT BEST, THEN START TO DRAW HARD ON THE BATTERY, THEN DIE COMPLETELY. WHEN TESTED, ALL OF THE BATTERIES WERE SUPPOSEDLY SUFFERING FROM A BAD CELL. 3 BATTERIES WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CURRENT BATTERY WAS PURCHASED JUST OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY IN 2019, AS THE LAST WARRANTY BATTERY WAS IN 2017. THIS BATTERY IS SUPPOSEDLY A NEWER, UPDATED MODEL WITH MORE CCA. I DO NOT LEAVE LIGHTS ON IN THE CAR, OR ANY ELECTRONICS PLUGGED IN DUE TO THIS CONSISTENT ISSUE. THIS RECURRING ISSUE HAS LEAD TO A LACK OF TRUST IN THE VEHICLE STARTING, HAVING STRANDED MY FAMILY SEVERAL TIMES. TO COMBAT THIS ISSUE, I KEEP A PORTABLE BATTERY CHARGER AND JUMPER CABLES IN THE VEHICLE.