2019 SUBARU OUTBACK Electrical System Problems

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The head unit for my 2019 Subaru Outback has failed due to manufacturer error. The issue is screen delamination which renders the screen unusable and causes major distractions while driving due to "ghost touches" on the screen. This causes a loud beeping noise which coincides with the screen sporadically jumping. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No. Subaru of America refuses to assist. Shockingly, even if I was willing to pay out of my own pocket, there is a multi month/year wait list, leaving me without critical safety functions (back up cameras, etc) for an unknown amount of time.

The radio and head unit is glitching and automatically doing crazy things. The lighting is also affected on the head unit. The radio volume will turn up loud for no reason. It is intermittent. The dealership says it’s bubbling and head would have to be replaced..but back ordered parts and 3,000 dollars. I’ve googled and this is a well known issue with 2019 Subarus, but it’s a safety issue if you are driving and volume/screen is not controlled.

The head unit in my vehicle is malfunctioning and causing a safety issue. The unit will flash on and off and change displays with distracting noises with no apparent cause. It has also caused my phone to call random contacts without warning which is causes a safety issue as I need to pull over and disconnect my phone from wi-fi to address the issue. I am unable to use my maps feature because of this issue as well. Finally, I am unable to safely back up using my camera as the screen has bubbled / discolored causing me to not be able to safely view the traffic or obstacles behind my car.

The infotainment system in my 2019 Subaru Outback glitched/ stops working randomly. I have a video of the touchscreen glitching and making selections betweens apps by itself. Also, I've started having random alerts pop up on the dash, such as: " obstacle ahead" when there is not an obstacle ahead or "roads may be icy" when it is 60 degrees outside. I reported it to Subaru, which they advised me to take it to Crown Subaru to have them take a look at it and they can submit a claim. I took it to the Crown Subaru & when I told them the problem, the lady that helped me stated, " yeah, this is common, I know exactly what your talking about." She then called another employee and told him she needed a quote for a infotainment center that was delaminating and was making selections on it's own. A week...

The battery has a substantial drain on it when the car is not in use. The car is not reliable to get from one place to another, especially if it sits for 24+ hours. The danger comes in that we may be left stranded in a remote area where no cell service is available. We often go to remote areas to camp. The vehicle and battery have been inspected by the dealership and they recommended a larger battery due to a settlement in a class action lawsuit. However, this does not fix the battery drain. Another class action suit is in the process to address this situation. No symptoms or warnings for when the battery dies. Everything operates just fine until it does not. Absolutely unpredictable.

Having dead battery issues due to DCM drain when vehicle parked in garage. I replaced 2 batteries since November 2023 and last dead battery issue March 2024. Took it to dealer Brilliance Subaru and they said they found no problem. Went to another mechanic and they said draining 150 or more milliamps from DCM fuse #9 when they take out milliamps returned to normal draw i think 20 or less but then i lose front speakers and bluetooth or more stuff. So thats not the fix.

Touchscreen has delaminated and bubbled, and it begins to operate on its own, and is unresponsive to correction. This affects the Settings, Navigation, and Infotainment systems. At worst, it causes Navigation and Maps to be inoperative at critical times. At best, it is distracting to the driver while trying to get it responsive, back in control. Dealership wants $3K TO REPLACE ENTIRE SCREEN SYSTEM, which is excessive for a new vehicle.

Starlink system not have service. SOS button doesn't work. My safety and life after an accident may be at risk because the SOS system will not call for help

3rd battery in 2019 Outback. Park car and next day battery is dead. And fully dead. Does not even want to take a charge at times…. 39000 on vehicle. Dealer could not find anything. Coincidently the passenger front window quits working also. There is no warning to this just next day vehicle will not start. All work is done at the Mandan nd Subaru dealership.

I am writing to bring to your attention a concerning matter regarding a 2019 Subaru Outback. This vehicle has a known factory defect that results in excessive electrical draw from one of the factory-installed systems (DCM), leading to drained car batteries. This issue poses a significant risk, especially in situations where the vehicle may fail in dangerous environments. Subaru has previously issued a recall for the same issue on earlier model years, indicating awareness of the problem. However, they have failed to extend this recall to the 2019 model, despite it being part of the same manufacturing series. This inconsistency in addressing the issue is deeply concerning and potentially puts consumers at risk. Given the potential safety implications and the manufacturer's failure to take adequate action, I urge your office to investigate this matter thoroughly. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to your prompt...

Broken axle, ECM or engine control module, Replaced with third battery with only 77,000 miles. This car is a lemon and a total,piece of junk My wife’s 2020 Subaru Forrester has a console which is a complete hazard on the road. If you put anything on the console it doesn’t stay and slides off Talk about a complete distraction and safety danger just because of lazy manufacturing and stupid engineers who can’t think their way out of a wet paperbag

My battery continually dies leaving me stranded. I have to carry a jumper box to be sure I can start my car and safely get home . From doing research, Subaru is aware of this problem from the tech bulletins they have posted . They should replace the DCM for their customers and update the program as well.

Delamination on radio screen causing head unit to go crazy on its own. Identical issues reported in 2017/2018 models resulting in class suit vs Subaru… at this time Subaru dealership advised Subaru is not addressing the known defective head unit issue and quoting $2000 for replacement which is ridiculous for a 4-5 year old car. Assistance needed to have Subaru issue a recall and take ownership for its defective product.

The head unit is malfunctioning due to bubbles behind the screen, causing various systems to act up. When a phone is plugged in for guidance it will randomly change the settings and guidance goes away. It will automatically call people. Radio stations and music turn on and off, and change by themselves. All of these are distractions while driving, and negate the safety features of the in dash guidance and hands free phone features. This is a continuous problem.

The battery keeps draining/dying and I need to constantly jump start the car. I’ve replaced the battery and it keeps happening.

The DCM component failed and is available for inspection by the dealer. When a manufacture has knowledge of a component that has a record of failure but ignores the need for replacement; it becomes a safety concern. Any problem when neglected is a potential safety issue. The dealer has confirmed the DCM is responsible for causing the engine battery to fail. No warning. No mention in vehicles regular maintenance schedule. The dealer reports SOA advised the service department to stock DCM's.

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the entertainment system randomly restarted without warning, froze, and then became unresponsive. The system was uncontrollable and was transitioning from one program to another independently. The entertainment system affected Eyesight warnings, back up camera, and the GPS. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.

Repeatedly DEAD BATTERY. Experiencing premature parasitic battery drain in Outback, I had to jump the car every morning.

DCM is a parasitic drain on the battery according to the dealership. Replaced battery twice. The "fix" online is to pull the fuse but starlink and hands free won't work without it.

My 2019 Subaru outback has a defective screen. The screen has begun to delaminate from the inside and causes the screen to jump around and not be able to stay on one screen. The power button also seems to not be working and is cause the radio to turn on and off. Because of those two issues, the radio screen jumps around and turns off and on, posing a major safety risk. I tried taking the car to the place I bought it and a Subaru dealer, and they will not help financially or with the repair even though they have this issue with other year models of the same car. Picture is attached. Has sense gotten worse.

Faulty dcm causing parasitic drain on battery causing dead battery every two days. New battery did not solve problem.

Repeated dead battery. Have replaced battery to no avail.

2019 SUBARU OUTBACK Purchased new 10/10/2018. December 13, 2021 Original Battery Dead Replaced by Firestone cost $164.51 - 53,931 miles. June 8, 2023 Dead Battery - Towed to Firestone - Replaced Battery. December 28, 2023 - Dead Battery Vehicle wouldn’t start - Recharged Battery. January 7, 2024 - Dead Battery Vehicle wouldn’t start - Recharged Battery. January 9, 2024 - Firestone Tested Battery - Could not diagnose problem cost $37.99. January 12,2024 - Subaru Dealer performed Battery Draw Test Cost $170.00 - Concluded DCM (Data Communications Module needed to be replaced) - 88,009 miles. February 1, 2024 Currently still waiting on DCM Back-order to arrive at the Subaru Dealer. Cost to replace DCM $800. Subaru has many class action lawsuits on its 2015 - 2020 Vehicles over dead battery failures but is not offering a recall replacement of the DCM causing the failures. Also, the reimbursement for a dead battery...

Starling system that also controls the hands free voice control for phone and navigation has a data control module that is trying to connect to an out dated relay or 3g phone tower. Because the system cannot connect the car continues to loop itself in its programming to keep trying. The continuous retrying eventually drains the battery causing the car to not start. The fix within the Subaru Outback forum has a fix to remove the data control module fuse. When this fuse is remove the hands free calling and navigation is also disabled. Repeated attempts for Subaru to replace or update the starlink system is not acknowledged and it’s claimed that Subaru does not recognize that there is an error in the starlink programming or system that causes a battery drain.

Battery failure! Something is draining the battery constantly causing it to fail and the vehicle will not start without a jump. We have owned the vehicle since it was new and have been dealing with the battery failing ever since. We have gone through several new batteries and the batteries continue to get depleted and fail...

Battery has been dead,if sitting acouple of days of not driving,charge it up and in acouple of days it's is dead again,seem the data communication module(DCM) IS what is drawing the Battery dead

The radio receiver is defective as it experiences ghost touches and changes screens by itself while driving. This causes it to change settings, remove paired devices, open apps, change the radio stations, and several other things. As one could imagine, this is a major distraction while driving. I purchased the car working flawlessly in June of 2023. The issues did not arise until after a few hot days happened in FL around August of 2023 and I noticed the screen started to form bubbles. The touch screen is now inoperable so I am unable to change the clock, use navigation, reset maintenance reminders, or use any other built-in functions. Luckily the backup camera still works but can be hard to see in certain lighting. Previous model year Subarus were covered under a class action lawsuit for experiencing similar issues but not 2019. The last time I took my vehicle in...

Ignition and battery failure - unable to unlock certain parts of the car, all electrical is dead This is the second incidence in 6 months. Not weather dependent. One incidence in June and another in January. Entered car, pressed ignition button, no ignition, the icons all lit up in red on the indicator dash. Previously AAA indicated that the battery was totally dead, no amps, appeared to be an electrical problem and not strictly a battery problem according to AAA. At dealership they performed a "drain test." They told me that is all they could do. Customer Service gave me a battery for "free." I don't know if it was a used battery or a new one. This time I will pay for the battery to make sure it is new. No words of why this occurred to my car were stated. They just pushed the repair invoice towards me...

The touch screen on my head unit no longer works consistently. The screen flickers and changes menus constantly. When making hand's free calls, the call often goes on hold with no way of getting out of hold due to the broken touch screen. The knobs and side buttons also regularly don't work. Need to use the phone to cancel call or get out of hold. This is extremely distracting when driving and has almost caused an accident multiple times.

My 2019 Infotainment systems has begun delamination from the outer glass on the back side. It is causing ghost operations of the systems. Access to my safety features are through the system.

Battery started draining while parked when the car was about 3 years 8 months old. I got a new higher capacity battery and it also drained several times.

I have submitted for Extended Warranty Battery Service in the Subaru Battery Settlement confirmation number is SB68712430. This battery settlement should include the DCM as replacing the battery does not fix the problem. I believe this is an electrical fault (parasitic current draw) is caused by the the faulty DCM. There are hundreds of people posted the same issue. This should be a recall.

Subarus have a battery drain problem. Frequently, my car would unexpectedly have a dead battery and not start. This is a safety issue for anyone needing to drive as part of an emergency response, to a hospital, to a doctor, etc. Being unexpectedly unable to drive at all could leave people stranded on cold nights, on the side of the road, or unable to get to necessary services/meals/warmth/ etc. The issue is a common one for Subaru owners like me, and there was a class action lawsuit on the issue for 2015-2020 Subarus. That lawsuit was settled with a battery replacement warranty extension, and a software update to the ECM. Replacing the battery and updating the ECM software did not solve the problem. Not for me and not for many others. The real source of the parasitic drain is the DCM. Subaru knows this and dealerships will readily admit it...

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked in the residential garage, the contact turned the ignition key to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start. The contact charged the battery for six hours and then was able to start the vehicle. The following day the contact attempted to start the vehicle and the vehicle failed to start. The contact was advised to purchase a new battery to replace the old battery. The contact stated that the battery was replaced; however, the new battery lasted for only six weeks. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed data control module. The contact was informed that the data control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,500.

Battery dies on a consistent basis and appears to be a trickle drain on the battery. After reading numerous online forums this appears to be a consistent issue that has not been addressed by Subaru of America. It appears the drain is caused by the DCM fuse being faulty. I have recently had the vehicle inspected by an authorized Subaru dealership with no issues noted. While this issue does not create any immediate safety concerns, it could place individuals at risk if they found themselves in remote and/or dangerous locations with no ability to start their vehicle. According to online forums this issue has been observed by multiple Subaru dealers. There are no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of this issue other than a dead battery.

There is a persistent battery issue that, after repeated periods of short-trip-driving, results in a dead battery. There is a parasitic drain on the battery. We've had the battery replaced twice, and the issue still continues. We're worried that this will leave us stranded somewhere with a vehicle that won't start.

I had a sudden dead battery in January 2023. My mechanic replaced it, and told me that Subaru had a service bulletin about a parasitic drain issue. In October, my battery died again, so my mechanic kept the car for several days, discovered that it would drain after charging, so he pulled all the fuses, individually, based on his hunch from the service bulletin, and found that the Starlink fuse was the problem. (I believe it’s DCM #9). So, he pulled it, and replaced the battery again (under warranty) as it had been totally drained. He talked to Subaru, who said the fuse is back ordered around the country, and he will notify me when the part is available. He estimates it will cost about $600 to fix. My car seems fine, now, except I’ve also lost the hands free phone capability and had to buy a phone holder in...

I have a 2019 Subaru Outback. I bought it used in June 2023 and all warranties have expired. My battery has been drained multiple times. I have to get it jumped to start the car. There is a long Reddit thread that explains that a fuse powering the Subaru Starlink system (its version of OnStar) drains the battery even when the car is off. See --> [XXX] My dealership has pushed back that my problem is the DCM fuse--they say the radio unit is draining my battery. Their only solution is to find either (1) a used radio or (2) order a new radio which costs $1500 and it on a 6-12 month back order. I've contacted Subaru of America for help and I am awaiting for one of their specialists to contact me. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

At this point I dont know what to do. This has been a reoccurring problem since I initially purchased the car. - Electrical Issues have been a problem since the day we purchased the vehicle. Initially thought it was our toddlers fault. Raised multiple times at multiple dealerships. I have yet to find a service center that can tell me why my car will not start other than they can tell something is draining the battery. No warnings. Safety is of concern, because one never knows when the issue will occur. For example, brand new battery died in parking lot of my kids school. - Fuel pump issues - took car on drive from LA to Las Vegas, with child. Car struggled to maintain speed. Exited in Barstow, CA. Parked at a Midas, which was closed, and was stranded with a toddler. After 3 hours of waiting in parking lot,...

BATTERY DRAIN AFTER SITTING FOR 2 WEEKS. NEW BATTERY. DEAD AGAIN.

Defective Infotainment System. There is a known issue with the touchscreen Starlink system that can experience the dynamic or phantom input, i.e. a “ghost touch” that causes the system to change sources, shut off, reboot, or work intermittently or not at all. Even when the input does not change, the system emits the audible beep sound as if changes are being selecting via the touch screen. The distraction resulted in me taking my eyes off the road. The touch screen has ghost blobs or prints on the underside of the touch screen. Reported the issue to Subaru of America, who was already aware of the issue; they have received complaints for 2019-2023 models. The same issue was resolved via a class action suit for previous models.

THE CAR HAS HAD 4 BATTERIES IN FOUR YEARS. THERE IS A VOLTAGE DRAIN TO THE "CAM" COMPUTER MODULE, AS IT FAILS TO GO INTO FULL SLEEP MODE. i WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS ISSUE THINKING THEY WER BAD BATTERIES. YESTERDAY IT WAS DEAD AGAIN BUT THE BATTERY WAS GOOD JUST NEEDED CHARGING. HOWEVER, THE REAR HATCH WOULD NOT OPEN AND BEEPER ALARM WOULD GO OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE ALARM WOULD GO OFF IN DRIVE OR REVERSE AND STOP WHEN THE CAR STOPPED. IF I CONTINUE DRIVING IT STOPS AFTER ABOUT TWO MINUTES, BUT WILL SOUND OFF ONCE I STOP AND START DRIVING AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 2 MINUTES. THERE ARE NO SUBARU DEALERS WITHIN 100 MILES. THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER DIAGNOISTED THE PROBLEM STATING IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR 2018-21 OUTBACKS.

Battery keeps draining. Was reading about a known issue with DCM

I previously reported the deteriorating state of my head unit (which controls all features relating to the screen in my vehicle--including the backup camera). The head unit spontaneously "delaminated" in early August and now has a persistent "ghost touch" that has escalated to the point that the car now rapidly cycles through screen movements and features--all while making a persistent beeping noise that cannot be turned off (even if you adjust the volume knob down to zero). This is distracting beyond belief, and renders the car virtually undriveable. This is known issue to Subaru, and a class action lawsuit has been filed, but they appear to want to wait to see if they lawsuit is successful before they rectify the issue with owners. They have told me repairs would run close to 4k and the parts to fix the car are backordered for over a year. In the meantime, the...

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle failed to start-up. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due the battery not operating as designed. The battery was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the Data Control Module (DCM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The DCM was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,941.

My battery died and I replaced it. Suddenly my radio/screen system started to malfunction. It no longer works at all other than interrupting phone calls by switching from car to phone speaker. I have no access to any safety features. Now my brand new battery of one month isn’t working. When I had an oil change at the dealership last month, they were familiar with the issue but stated there was a recall on the exact issue for a different year. They said I’d have to pay $1000 for a new radio interface. My question is why is the radio/screen and the battery failing at the same time? Why is there a recall one year off and my car is costing me a fortune and so much time.

Diagnosis from Dealer - DCM is causing a draw on battery during sleep mode will need new DCM to be replaced to stop draw on battery. Battery is drained after a couple days of not driving the car. Battery was replace in May 2023. Safety issue if somewhere where car can not be jumped.

On July 28th, my touch screen (head unit) in my Subaru Outback suddenly delaminated overnight. From that point foward, all systems connected to the head unit have been either unusable or intermittent--often dangerously so. My backup camera and blind spot indicators are randomly unusable; the GPS system turns itself on and off in use (and half the time, screen itself cycles through "ghost touches" and is unable to be directed in any way); my car calls random people through the Bluetooth system while driving, which is a major distraction, and Starlink is unusable. Internet searching has revealed a proposed class action lawsuit against Subaru for the known issues with their head units; the 2018 models were recalled, but as mine is a 2019, I have been told I'm ineligible for support with repairs and would need to pay 3k out of pocket. I can't sell the car with the level...

Radio Headunit -- Freezes and has ghost inputs. Makes the unit unusable- no backup camera. Flashes and beeps constantly. You can not mute it or stop it. It seems to also cause the "Eyesight" to not behave normally

The screen has bubbles form behind it from condensation and causes it to phantom press buttons. It will interrupt any activity you do it's is very distracting and dangerousfor equipped to fail when it is a known issue.