NHTSA Complaint #11384518 — 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK

MY 2019 SUBARU OUTBACK BATTERY HAS DIED MULTIPLE TIMES ON ME. I PREVIOUSLY HAD A 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK AND HAD NO ISSUES AT ALL WITH THE BATTERY. THE FIRST TIME THE BATTERY DIED, MY NEIGHBOR WAS ABLE TO JUMP START THE BATTERY. IT HAS HAPPENED 4 MORE TIMES AND HAD TO CONTACT SUBARU ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO GET MY BATTERY JUMPSTARTED. IT SEEMS THAT THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IS WITH THE LIFTGATE. A COUPLE OF TIMES I'VE COME OUT TO START MY CAR AND THE LIFTGATE IS UP, BATTERY IS DEAD. THE LIFTGATE ALSO MYSTERIOUSLY OPENED ON ME ONCE DURING A ROADTRIP TO GATLINBURG WITH MY VEHICLE LOCKED. OTHER TIMES WHEN THE LIFTGATE IS CLOSED AND BATTERY IS DEAD, AFTER JUMPSTARTING, I CAN HEAR THE CAR TRY TO PULL THE TAILGATE TIGHT LIKE IT THOUGHT THE TAILGATE WAS OPEN. THE LAST TIME THAT I HAD MY BATTERY JUMPED, I WAS OUTSIDE THE CAR. AS SOON AS THE CHARGER WAS CONNECTED TO THE BATTERY, ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND RADIO CAME ON. (INSTRUMENT PANEL, DOME LIGHTS, ETC.) ALL THE DOORS WERE SHUT, AND I HAD NOT PUSHED A BUTTON TO GET THIS TO OCCUR. THAT, TO ME, DEFINITELY POINTS OUT AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN ON THE INTERNET, IT SEEMS THAT SUBARU HAS AN ISSUE WHERE THE COMPUTER CONTINUALLY SENDS A REQUEST TO THE TAILGATE TO ENSURE THAT IT IS CLOSED. THIS SEEMS TO BE WHAT IS KILLING THE BATTERY. THERE HAVE BEEN CAMPERS STRANDED WITH A DEAD BATTERY DUE TO TAILGATE OPEN AND TENT ATTACHED TO THE CAR. THIS SEEMS TO CONTRADICT SUBARU OUTBACK'S BUILD FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURE. I'VE CONTACTED ROMAIN SUBARU IN EVANSVILLE MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND THEY CAN'T EVEN FIND MY NAME IN THEIR RECORDS, CLAIMING THAT MY VIN BELONGS TO SOMEONE ELSE. IT'S REALLY ODD BECAUSE I'VE PURCHASED 3 VEHICLES FROM THEM. I'VE YET TO GET THEM TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. I DON'T WANT THEM TO REPLACE THE BATTERY SINCE THIS WILL NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE.