2024 Subaru Outback Wilderness

The contact owns a 2024 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer for routine service. After retrieving the vehicle, approximately two days later, while driving 30 MPH on a windy day, the hood opened unexpectedly and crashed onto the front windshield. The driver was able to close the hood. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer. The dealer determined that the hood was bent. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer provided a loaner vehicle. The manufacturer declined liability for the damages. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.

Accident! Deer walked out in front of car resulting in front end collision then semi truck smashed into rear of vehicle car then spun around resulting in side impact. No air bag deployed in the vehicle. Vehicle was considered a total loss! Both individuals in the vehicle were transported to hospital and subsequently released. Vehicle was inspected by insurance adjuster and the Ohio highway patrol.

This is a follow-up to NHTSA Complaint #11744977 regarding the Occupant Detection System on a 2024 Subaru Outback. The passenger airbag indicator showed "off" twice, on separate drives, with two different adult passengers seated normally during regular highway driving. Shifting the seat made the light come back on both times. Since filing the original complaint, the dealer kept the vehicle for multiple weeks, opened a national technical case with Subaru, and performed a "zero-point calibration" of the ODS sensor. Subaru of America opened Case #260618-1500443. A Subaru of America specialist then told us a technician took one test drive, could not reproduce the issue, found no mechanical problem, and concluded the vehicle is "operating as designed." They suggested the original incidents may have been related to "passenger positioning," but did not identify or test any specific position. Subaru has closed the case on this basis. We do not believe a single test drive that failed to reproduce an intermittent fault proves there is no defect. The known failure mechanism in related Subaru ODS recalls — degraded sensor connections and moisture-related circuit damage — is intermittent by nature and would not reliably show up on demand. This vehicle has an unresolved passenger airbag issue that was recalibrated, not diagnosed. The case was closed without identifying a root cause. We are filing this update so the pattern is part of the record.

Driver and adult passenger were traveling at highway speed on the NJ Turnpike. The passenger noticed that the airbag light on the display showed "Passenger Airbag OFF" We stopped at the next rest area and found guidance online that the Occupant Detection System sometimes doesn't properly register the weight in the seat so shifting the seat could turn the airbag back on. We did this and the light did come back on. We continued our trip. Shortly after the same issue occurred again. We shifted the seat again and the light came on again. We are not satisfied that the ODS is working properly and the risk is too great to have the burden of readjusting the seat to make a sensor work properly so that airbags, which are consequential safety features, will deploy in the event of a crash. Airbags must function to protect passengers and this is not functioning correctly. The dealer said there is nothing wrong, yet we are aware of an ODS recall for prior year Subaru Outbacks that were displaying similar issues. We want this fixed so we don't have to worry. It is not safe to be traveling in a car and to have to worry about whether your air bag is turned on or adjusting a seat to hope it turns back on.

While driving, a SiriusXM advertisement popped up in the center infotainment screen that controls not only the radio, but several of the driver assistance and climate control features of the car. They created it in a way that makes calling the advertiser very easy, with a big centrally-located button, and clearing the advertisement out with a tiny x over by the passenger side of the screen. I had to pull over in order to safely regain control of the screen.

Sirius XM ads keep popping up at random times removing the ability to use or see the media display unless you press the small X on the far side away from the driver. Usually happens when starting the car, sometimes happens when you are driving regardless of speed. Has happened multiple times and causes distraction and is more than potentially dangerous. Can not opt out of it on the car, have talked to Sirius on the phone and told them I do not want their service. They don't care.

The entertainment system is dangerous and actively so. The system pushes pop up advertisements for sirius xm among other distracting features that require taking attention away from the roadway to dismiss

On multiple occasions, the car's onboard, factory-installed user interface system (the computer screen that operates climate control, navigation, entertainment, etc.) has pushed pop-up ads for Sirius FM. These pop-ups persist and interfere with operating of the system. This presents a driving distraction and hazard due to (1) operator attention is drawn from the road, (2) normal function of the screen is not possible, and (3) the operator is required to interact with the screen to close the pop-up. Nor does the screen expire and simply go away - it persists until the operator takes action. The marketing cannot be turned off and there is no opt. Also, it is not limited to SiriusFM customers - I have never been a user or subscriber. Sirius FM stated that the pop-up marketing is built into the software the Subaru installed in the vehicle.

Many controls are integrated within the main infotainment screen on the 2024 Outback. Every month or so, a SiriusXM advertisement will randomly pop-up on the screen, taking up the entire screen, rendering all screen controls/buttons useless. This is a safety concern, as not only screen controls are blocked when this ad appears, but air and comfort controls are blocked until the ad pop-up is closed.

Before I begin my commute, I’m greeted by a persistent message within the center infotainment display from the satellite radio service provider SirusXM. The message will not go away until manually closed out, as the exit button is farther away from the drivers reach (more accessible from the passenger side). This can lead to distracted driving, especially if you’ve already expressed no interest in the service, prior to its other attempts. It also doesn’t help that the center console is frustratingly non responsive for the first few minutes during every vehicle startup. There’s also a number displayed on the screen to call SirusXM to opt out of the messages but the attempt is useless as they will corner you into purchasing subscription. I shouldn’t have to do this for a vehicle I own and the monopoly that service presents as the only satellite provider is anti competition.

More than 3 times, I have had a SiriusXM pop-up completely covering my Subaru Outback's headunit screen while I was actively driving. It completely disables all functions on the screen until you are able to click the small red X in the far right corner, away from the driver. Even though the message says you can call to opt out, if you call Sirius, they will tell you there is no way to opt out of the messages in the car. This is crazy unsafe, and Sirius needs to be forbidden from doing this and punished for its current actions.

Sirius XM advertisement popped up twice today while I was driving, effectively preventing me from following navigation guidance on the screen. I had to take my eyes off the road and find the “x” on the screen to close the advertisement, so I could continue following the navigated route. An accident could have happened during this time. This advertisement is unnecessary and UNWANTED. I never approved of receiving Sirius XM ads, nor can I option out of receiving them and they take up the whole screen at random times.