New Subaru won't start 4 times in 16 months!

roadtrip1roadtrip1 Member Posts: 1
edited September 2016 in Subaru
I regret buying my brand new 2015 Subaru Outback! The car would not start 4 times in 16 mo.!!! I have had mostly old cars for 40 years and was thrilled to get a new car... but I was better off with the old cars! They were more reliable! I called Subaru roadside assistance each time... once the car would not start with the battery jump and the man said I'd have to have it towed. He said it was "maybe the starter or gas pump or something else". That was a Saturday night so I had to wait until Monday to have it towed. I had to cancel my Saturday night party plans. The next afternoon I decided to try to start it and low and behold it started! 2 other times that the car wouldn't start - the Subaru roadside assistance came and the jump didn't start it again... the person was ready to leave but tried once more and thank the lord - it started. One other time it started with the jump on the first try. I am absolutely certain I didn't leave anything on 3 of the times. The 4th time I was windsurfing at a river and while loading the car to return home I had the radio on for 15 min. and one dome light. When I tried to turn it over - there was absolutely no sound! I was wet, cold, hungry, and by then it was dark. It was hard for the Subaru roadside assistance to find me and I waited almost 2 hours- furious that for the 4th time my brand new car wouldn't start!!! That time was one of the times the car wouldn't start with the jump and the man was ready to give up but I begged him to try again... and thank god - a little sound came- then nothing, then another sound... after a few times it started! I had brought the car to the Subaru maintenance to have it looked at twice. The first time the guy convinced me that I must have left something on (I am certain I didn't). The second time they did a battery check and it tested "ok". After that 4th time I was furious! I brought it to maintenance and they replaced the battery. It has only been a little over a week so every time I get in the car I still have stress that it might not start. I tried to call Subaru America twice to complain and I waited on hold 10 min. and longer twice... and hung up. The purpose of spending 30 something grand on a brand new car is so you don't have to waste time, have stress of the car not starting, give up your party when you are all dressed up with hair, makeup, heels..., be late to work, wait in the dark and cold while wet and hungry and need to get up early for work the next day ... for roadside assistance.... !!! I still worry every time I go to start the car... any suggestions?

Comments

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I suppose you could have the car checked for a "parasitic drain" on the battery. It's also possible the old battery was your problem all along and now you're good to go.
  • turnerworkturnerwork Member Posts: 3
    Roadtrip1, what happened with your car? I have a 2015 Outback with 30K on it and am having the same awful experiences with failure to start after having been well-driven enough for a chatter. This last time it conked out in a state park with my 94-yr old dad as a passenger and I was so worried about him.
    i get the same feedback about the battery is fine, must be that you left a door open or a light on. But after the first time, I keep all lights off always, and always turn off the radio and double check that all is locked...
    It's very upsetting to not trust the car that you bought for $30K+ because of its sterling reputation for reliability.
  • turnerworkturnerwork Member Posts: 3
    :'(  
  • flypatchflypatch Member Posts: 3
    I just posted on another forum, ref other comments @ 'constantly dead battery, new 2016 Forester', about experiencing same issue on my in laws 2016 Outback SUV.

    From my research this is systemic to newer Subaru's and clear electrical design flaw.

    If I can't get any action from the dealer, I'm considering mounting a solar panel on the roof to provide battery tender, with a lemon shaped banner 'Subaru battery charger'

    Check our your states Lemon Law: https://colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/DR%202440.pdf
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    flypatch said:

    I just posted on another forum, ref other comments @ 'constantly dead battery, new 2016 Forester', about experiencing same issue on my in laws 2016 Outback SUV.

    From my research this is systemic to newer Subaru's and clear electrical design flaw.

    If I can't get any action from the dealer, I'm considering mounting a solar panel on the roof to provide battery tender, with a lemon shaped banner 'Subaru battery charger'

    Check our your states Lemon Law: https://colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/DR%202440.pdf

    Has anyone done a "parasitic drain test" on this vehicle? This would reveal a good deal of information as to what might be going on.
  • cubbies2016cubbies2016 Member Posts: 33
    2015 Outbacks were notorious for bad electrical systems. We had the same issue. When we tried to jump the car, it fried all of the circuits back to the ECU. The dealer said that we jumped it backwards, but there was no way we did that. They covered the repair, but there are gremlins in the 2015 Subaru electrical systems.
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