NHTSA Complaint #11406136 — 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK

THIS CAR HAS HAD REPEATED ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE CAR IS ON IT'S THIRD BATTERY IN 4 YEARS. SUUBARU PAID FOR THE LAST "AFTERMARKET" BATTERY BASED ON MY REQUEST AND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS. THE SAFETY ISSUE CAME UP FROM THE LAST PROBLEM: THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THIS TOO IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR IN THE GEAR SHIFT MECHANISM TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS OWNERS ARE POSTING WORKAROUNDS ON LINE TO GET AROUND THIS PROBLEM. THE WORKAROUNDS GET AROUND THE ISSUE. HOWEVER, BY DISCONNECTING WIRES THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED IN ANY POSITION, INCLUDING WHILE THE CAR IS IN GEAR AND MOVING. THAT IS CLEARLY A POTENTIAL PROBLEM. THIS REPAIR WAS MADE APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS AGO. TWO DAYS AGO THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEPLETED AND THE TAILGATE WOULD NOT FUNCTION. I BROUGHT THIS TO SUBARU'S ATTENTION. THIS TIME THEY SAID I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST (I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY ON THE IGNITION SWITCH AND BATTERY ISSUES). I BELIEVE THERE IS A FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM IN THIS GENERATION OF SUBARU'S THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. A SIMPLE SEARCH OF THE SUBARU OUTBACK FORUM FOR KEY RELEASE PROBLEMS WILL VERIFY MY ASSERTION. SUBARU NEEDS TO COME CLEAN ON THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEFICIENCIES IMPACTING SAFETY AND RELIABILITY.