2019 SUBARU OUTBACK Electrical System Problems

The car repeatedly drains the battery after being left for a short time (a day or 2). This has now happened at least four times and has destroyed multiple batteries. I have taken it to the dealer and complained multiple times. They check for software updates and sell me a new battery and then the same thing happens again. Because of this, the car is essentially unusable because I can't trust it to run. The problem seems to come and go, though that may simply be due to having a new battery for a while. There doesn't seem to be any indication before this problem occurs.

Good Morning. I am the victim of a lemon of a car, a 2019 Subaru Outback and no one, I mean no one wants to get involved with exposing this disgraceful uncaring car manufacturer. I am forwarding the 10, yes 10 issues with this dangerous piece of junk I am unfortunately driving putting our lives at risk!! Please see the information below and my hope is that you will care enough to expose and help us get a resolution with this horrible company manufacturing rolling death traps. Thank you [XXX] [XXX] Listed below are the continuing problems with my 2019 Subaru Outback which was purchased new: 3 new batteries in a mileage span of 40,000 or 50,000 miles up to 80,000 miles. These replacements were done at no cost as a result of a class action lawsuit. A windshield settlement which only extends the warranty mileage and not an automatic...

"Parasitic" draw. Battery replaced, less than year old, almost daily need to "jump" vehicle to start. Always have to have booster pack. Multiple mechanics trips. Dash screen touch option does not work, have videos of the screen randomly "fluttering" through various screens and or radio stations. Leave the radio off, will randomly come on, on its own.

Repeated battery drain within 48 hours use of the vehicle, to the point the battery will no longer start the car. I believe this has come to be known as a parasitic battery drain, and has been traced to the Data Communications Module in these Subarus.

Parasitic draw of the battery. (DCM) class action lawsuit.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start as intended. The contact inspected the battery and determined that the battery needed to be charged. The contact stated that the battery needed to be recharged every three days due to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. Additionally, the contact stated the failure was persistent. The contact stated that the dealer had replaced the battery with a genuine Subaru battery three months prior to the failure. However, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,879.

Purchased 2019 Subaru outback June 2019. Have had multiple batteries replaced. Approximately every year at least the battery fails and I am left stranded. January 2021 the fuel pump was not working properly and they said that was from low drain on the battery but that when the car went to sleep, the draw was normal so they didn’t do anything. February 5, 2025 I was in for an oil change and everything was working well. March 17, 2025 battery going dead again. I got a jump and drove to the dealership. They said that they replaced the DCM and installed the new battery. It is now May 27, 2025 and my car will not start again not even with the jump. Called the dealership and they said I have to pay for a tow which is 45 miles away and I am not under Warranty any longer so I...

Battery draining fast. installed new battery last month. Car is dead and had to be towed to dealer. DCM issues. System prematurely drains battery because system is trying to connect to 3g even when car is off. There should be a recall. Not just an extended warranty that Subaru may not accept for rebuilt titled cars

Car will lane correct when it's not needed. And all warning lights will come on in car when it's very hot. Cannot access touchscreen - because it constantly glitches as if it's being touched passenger side window continues to roll up and down when you click auto control on window and will not stop. I am afraid to drive because of these Electrical issues.

Every few days of car not being used battery is being completely drained. We replaced 3 new batteries with a span of a 1 year.

I am on my third battery for this car. It apparently has a known software issue of a parasitic battery drain that destroys the battery, leaving me stranded.

The Radio has what looks like water spots under the screen, this causes the infotainment system to go crazy, no hands free and I’m afraid it won’t show the backup screen while it is like this.

Car screen is malfunctioning. Starts doing own things and can cause huge distraction to the driver. Beeping noise, blinking, calling and dialing phone numbers, raising volume. Becomes unresponsive and impossible to operate.

Screen is delaminating. Becoming unresponsive at times. Making ghost touches, phone calls, opening apps, messing with GPS. Seems unsafe when it could be going haywire and especially using GPS trying to navigate traffic.

Subaru settled a class action lawsuit regarding faulty battery and DMC component that drains the battery continuously. My dealer just replaced my battery and DCM under warranty (I'm assuming the warranty is a result of the lawsuit). However, this does not ultimately remedy the problem. The new DMC will continue to draw on the battery causing future reoccurring issues. Subaru needs to make good on this problem in a permanent way.

PARASITIC BATTERY DRAIN. I JUST BOUGHT THIS USED SUBARU OUTBACK IN JULY 2024. SINCE THEN, (WITHIN 8 MONTHS) THE CAR HAS HAD A DEAD BATTERY TWICE, IN 11/24 AND 2/25. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR JUMPED STARTED BY AAA SERVICES. THIS IS MORE THAN AN INCONVENIENCE NOW. IT HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE IF MY CAR WON'T START IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. I HAVE TAKEN THIS TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT AND THEY DIAGNOSED A 6 DAY BATTERY DRAIN TIME. SEE UPLOADED INVOICE. THIS IS A KNOWN FAULT REGARDING THE DATA COMMUNICATIONS MODULE (DCM) PREVIOUS SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS ONLY REIMBURSED FOR COSTS OF BATTERY REPLACEMENTS, DIAGNOSIS UP UNTIL 2023. THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED

The head unit on the vehicle has an issue where it bubbles and it’s causing the touch screen to spaz out, change sources, etc creating a terribly distracting driving experience and you are unable to turn it of. The screen flashes, the radio changes stations, it messes with the navigation rendering it useless, etc. it’s a known issue and Subaru settled a class an action lawsuit related to it for 2018 models but has not issued recalls to for any year models. They should fix the issue on all models. It has been going on for months.

I feel unsafe driving my car. My car could break down in the middle of nowhere at night, or worse. 2019 Subaru Outback **2023** October 2023 - Battery drain begins; neighbor/Darrel jump-starts repeatedly. - **First battery replacement** (Advance Auto Parts). - Driver-side window switch/trunk latch malfunctions. - Subaru of Kennesaw fails to diagnose drain; advises "electronic reset." - Trickle charger purchased as temporary fix. **2024** - **[XXX]** - **DCM replaced** at Subaru of Gwinnett (confirmed drain from DCM). - Car breaks down hours post-repair; **second battery installed**. - Case opened with Kelly of Subaru of America (no resolution). - **July 2024** - Dashcam installed (later blamed by Troncalli Subaru for drain). **2025** - **[XXX]** - Car taken to Cumming Subaru for battery drain. - **Third battery installed**; dealership blames dashcam (issue predates installation). - **[XXX]** - Denise (Customer Advocate) opens Case promises update (none received). - **[XXX]** - Barb (Executive...

Parasitic battery drain when vehicle is turned off. The DCM module in these vehicles will not shut off properly and continue to drain the battery. Subaru has firmware on the vehicle that will not fully charge the battery when driving to save fuel. The vehicle has had 6 or more instances over the past two weeks where the car was undriveable unless jumped from another vehicle or a boost device is used.

Parasitic battery draw - when left completely unattended for about 10 days, the battery is drained, leaving driver stranded and in need of a car jump. Has occurred twice on a new battery installed in late Nov.

Battery not charging. Battery from 09/2024. Unable to turn vehicle over. After charging battery, it has happened again.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the battery was power was draining abnormally. The contact stated that the vehicle had to be jumpstarted on ten occasions and the battery was replaced. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the failure was due to a parasitic draining. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.

Delamination of the infotainment system. It delaminated and causes screen haunting. Which while I’m driving touches random things on the screen, which include vehicle safety settings, changing them at random. Also, it changes the radio, and disables the driver from being able to control volume which further distracts driver and puts driver at risk. A car that once had car play which allowed hands free phone calls, now puts people on hold, ends call, starts calls, and changes navigation directions, at no notice. The car was seen by the dealer, and confirmed as an issue, the dealer in turn asked for 2200 dollars to repair this problem.

First battery --original to the car lasted about 3.5 yrs. Replacement lasted less than 2 yrs and was particularly weak in cold weather conditions. Third battery purchased in June 2024 and it was totally dead by Oct 2024 and was replaced. The Oct 2024 battery began to start slowly in Jan 2025 and today, Jan 12, 2025 failed to start. It was totally dead but was restarted with an emergency starter. I don't drive long distances often and most trips are short --3-5 miles almost every day. This seems to fit in with the electrical problems described for 2016-2020 Outbacks.

Ongoing for several months. Battery will have parasitic drain that is causing me to have to jump start the car frequently. There are no warning lamps or light. I have not gone to dealer as I read on the internet it is a DCM module that costs several hundreds to fix. Apparently this is a widespread issue and this should be covered by Subaru because of defective equipment. Thank you.

The battery drained within a year. Battery functioning issues

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The computer control system showed low tire pressures. While the passenger’s seat was occupied, there was an abnormal dinging sound detected. The message that the seat not activated message was displayed. The contact stated that the battery drained, and the vehicle failed to start. The starting system had drained the battery. The contact had Triple AAA check the vehicle, and the DCM made an abnormal popping sound. The ABS, radio, and CD warning lights were flashing. The transmission, GPS, and undercarriage messages were illuminated. The computer screen had burned out and was inoperable. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH, the vehicle abruptly stopped without driver input. The steering wheel became inoperable and was uncontrollable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the DCM...

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the control panel failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the control panel independently blinked on and off. Additionally, the contact stated that there were bubbles on the outer surface around the control panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. In addition, the contact stated that in March 2024, the control panel was replaced due to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,500.

The head unit is delaminating making navigation, bluetooth connection, radio inoperable. The screen flashes through different screens which is a safety hazard. I filed a claim with Subaru Care and they offered only $500 assistance on a $1600 repair for a 2019 with about 78,000 miles.

Battery drainage, I’ve had to replace my battery 3 times within 1 year time frame (10/13/23, 10/15/14 & 11/24/24). This is making my vehicle inoperable and unable to drive.

Infotainment unit failed. Battery died and was replaced with a larger capacity battery. Shortly after, the infotainment head unit became inoperable with ghosting of buttons. Then, the car would not hold a charge again and a bypass box for the digital communication center is being installed today under a recall. The ghosting/inoperable infotainment center remains non-functional and is apparently a separate issue? It randomly beeps and selects buttons, which is distracting. Unit has to be shut off to avoid this.

Battery goes dead after not using car for 4 days. Subaru said the battery that came with the car was not strong enough. There was a lawsuit, but i missed the date to buy a new battery. I bought a strong battery, but problem happed again. Based on many forum messages, there is a parasitic battery drain while car is off. Problem is tied to Starlink Fuse. Also saw a new lawsuit on the fact that Starlink is trying to connect to 3G network, which no longer exists. Subaru is not fixing this problem. Google Subaru 2019 Starlink battery, it is all over the place.

DCM battery drain and bad head unit display. The class action law suit does not cover the fix for the battery drain problem. Just a new battery. My is the battery continues to drain. I cannot afford to replace the problem DCM. I had to pull that fuse as a fix. I now do not have fro t speakers or Bluetooth. My CarPlay maps no longer tell me where I need to turn. Causing me to looks at the display more frequently. This is not good in busy areas. The other issue is with the head unit. When it gets warm and humid, the display doesn’t work. It clicks all over causing issues with CarPlay, Bluetooth and the radio. This is due to moisture getting in the display. Again causing problems and distractions. This will cause accidents if it hasn’t already. There are a lot of complaints out there for...

Head unit delaminating after Data Control Module repair in 2023. Head unit is entirely inoperable and poses a safety risk to driver by turning radio on and off, switching stations, raising and lowering volume level, and affecting the eyesight periodically. Head unit can be turned off after multiple attempts, however powers back up on its own continuing the previously mentioned issues.

Battery dies multiple times per week. I have already had the battery replaced under the Subaru Battery Settlement, but it is still dying regularly. This is absolutely a safety issue.

BATTERY failures and being stranded due to parasitic loads from DCM.

Parasitic drain cause by the CAN system, which causes the battery to randomly die, batter has been replaced, alternator and starter have been tested. When the battery has low voltage this also shuts down the cars safety features like forward Collision and cruise control. The head unit in the car is also malfunctioning, causing it randomly turn on and off while driving, button s being pressed on their own which is a huge distraction while driving. Subaru has not been willing to assist.

The infotainment system on my 2019 Subaru Outback has failed. The problem arose suddenly. The system is randomly cycling through radio stations, the touch screen has stopped responding to being touched, the gps apps stopped working properly and across the board the unit no longer works. The touchscreen also appears to have bubbling under the surface of the screen, which may be contributing to the problem. This failure has deprived me of access to important apps -- gps, vehicle maintenance records, bluetooth phone calls. The constant beeping and cycling is an unwanted distraction. For now, the rear back up camera still seems to be working, but if I'm forced to turn off the touch screen, it obviously won't be of any help. I am bringing the car to the dealership tomorrow.

We had dealt with a parasitic battery drain issue related to the DCM, which was improperly addressed by Johnson Subaru of Cary. The dealership bypassed the problem, which was not what we requested or expected. While they have stated they will replace the DCM once parts become available, this is unacceptable, given that we paid for this part with the initial purchase. If they follow through with the replacement, that would resolve one issue, but their initial response seemed like an attempt to avoid responsibility. After the DCM was replaced, a new issue arose: the radio head unit became inoperable, experiencing severe malfunctions. The seems like it could also be related to the replacement of the DCM bypass. The head unit changes radio stations and screens on its own, making it inoperable to control or even shut off. This is clearly a safety concern, particularly since the delamination and malfunctioning...

Battery drains where car will not start. Apparently connected with Subaru Starlink system and Apparently has been a continual problem with Subaru without recall action. People could be stranded without any assistance available. Real safety issue to families. Experience a non-Start situation 4 times within the past month.

The infotainment / touch screen system in my vehicle is malfunctioning and causing a safety issue. Due to bubbles on the screen I can not effectively use the back up camera. Additionally, the system will randomly make noises, make phone calls and change settings without warning. When this happens it creates a substantial distraction the the driver and causes me to have to pick up my phone to disconnect and address the concerns. I also need to turn the system on and off repeatedly. In the current state, I’m unable to use any navigation features as well.

The StarLink touchscreen (which controls radio, etc. and includes vehicle systems monitoring) delaminates and then the system goes crazy If iPhone is plugged in, system starts randomly calling people, all the icons flash on and off as if being pushed, it pulls up random maps, and brings up vehicle maintenance information. All the weird flashing is very distracting and dangerous. I know Subaru was sued on this issue for 2015-2018 models but the 2019s still have the same problem and Subaru won't recall or fix.

Issue with bubbles forming on information/tech screen which then causes it to flick to different screens, and radio stations.

The radio/navigation screen is beginning to delaminate. I noticed the bubbles a day or so prior. While driving the whole system begins to change stations/apps and will not allow you to even turn off the system with the button. Caused extreme distraction. System is now stuck in this mode.

Horn beeps 2 to 4 times randomly when the car is being started or driven. This has been identified by the manufacturer as a defect and a service bulletin has been issued. It should be a recall as a safety issue as it happens randomly, many times, and in any conditions.

Infotainment system is not working correctly. Delamination causes the system to malfunction causing a distraction. I took it to a Subaru dealer and was told what the problem was but if I wanted to have it assessed it would cost more than $100 and a replacement would be over $1300. I was also informed that if Subaru was to replace it, it would be with the same system. I was told by the technician there is a class action suit lodged against Subaru for other years for this issue, but not for 2019. There were no warning messages.

The infotainment display on our 2019 Subaru Outback for the past 10 months has been inoperable and poses a distraction to the driver. One time this display distraction caused a near miss incident. Moisture under the display causes the screen to randomly touch buttons and beep continuously as they are being touched. The bubbles below the screen became apparent roughly 2-3 months before the screen became inoperable. The vehicle was brought into the dealership and the parts department claimed the part would be in within a month or so every time we contacted them. It is now 10 months later and the part still has not been replaced. Subaru is aware of this issue yet they have sent no notice or recall advisory to any of its customer about this issue. We have contacted Subaru of America countless times and after three call attempts and multiple emails, we received a...

Navigation console formed a multiple bubbles underneath the display randomly calling people, going into different function screens, radio changing to different stations randomly.

The Starlink Infotainment head unit on our 2019 Subaru Outback is faulty. Last fall (2023) the infotainment screen began delaminating from the inside and large spots started showing up making it difficult to see what images were on the screen. Next the radio and hands free phone features began malfunctioning and switching channels constantly becoming a serious distraction while driving and a safety issue. The screen has continued to delaminate to the point where it is almost impossible to see what's behind the vehicle when using the the backup camera, also making for a very dangerous situation. The radio and Apple Car Play are useless because of the constant changing of stations and connection due to the faulty infotainment system. We have not brought this problem to the local Subaru dealership's attention as we don't really trust them. In the past they have tried to have us do repairs to...

While driving, paired radio randomly begins dialing phone numbers. Controls randomly do not work or activate wrong control. Significant distraction to driving when trying to halt random uninitiated calls or radio arbitrarily activates and the controls do not function properly.