NHTSA Complaint #11714422 — 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that when driving approximately 30- 40 MPH, veering off the highway, the vehicle suddenly lost power, but had immediately regained power. The failure had occurred 3 - 4 times total. The last time it occurred, the vehicle took a bit longer to regain power. After pulling into the desired parking lot, the contact checked the battery. When touching a wire connecting to the battery, it sparked and caught fire. The contact immediately grabbed some snow nearby and threw it onto the wire to put out the fire. There was no fire report filed. There were no injuries or medical attention needed. The contact had noticed that the instrument panel would flash with several warning lights; however, it would illuminate quickly and intermittently. The vehicle was then scheduled to be towed from the parking lot, but it had not been taken to the dealer after the incident. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.