NHTSA complaint #11630079

Owner complaint summary

The surface of the interior touch screen display on my 2019 Subaru Outback Touring that controls the radio, navigation, phone, vehicle settings and information, and rear backup camera assistance developed bubbles and presses buttons on its own. It toggles between apps, calls people, changes radio stations, adjusts volume, discontinues map routes, removes backup camera footage, and beeps at random and while driving. As a driver or passenger I am unable to control these functions because the touch screen is not functional. The safety of myself and others has absolutely been put at risk: a once reliable backup camera is no longer consistently functional; the route I set in the driveway disappears, reappears, and changes destination locations while I'm driving; at times the screen toggles and beeps quickly, will not stay turned off, and creates an unavoidable visual and audible distraction. Phil Long Subaru inspected my vehicle, confirmed that this is a known issue with United Radio part #AL58A, and quoted the repair at over $1600. Subaru of America has not issued a recall despite two class action lawsuits for this issue and an existing recall for the same issue on earlier models. SOA offered a one time credit of $1200, which leaves me on the hook for $500 for their defective manufacturing, and no guarantee that the replacement part has been modified to address the issue or extended warranty on the part in case this happens again. There were no warnings, messages, or symptoms of the problem prior to failure. The bubbles appeared around October 2024 and the ability to consistently control the display was lost immediately.