2019 Subaru Outback: windshield wiper failure

Filed Apr 1, 2024 · Visibility · IL

We own a 2019 outback, and have had the windshield replaced twice prior this event. The first was a year ago with about 70K miles after the windshield suddenly cracked while going about 70MPH, this happen when no other cares where around. The second time was 2 weeks later when we came outside in the morning and the windshield was cracked while parked in a parking lot. Now for the 3rd time the windshield has cracked while parked in the garage, the windshield has cracked more each night, and has not grown is size while driving. Coincidental all the cracks have started in the same spot, lower portion of the windshield by the wiper, just to the right of the driver. We have been told every time by the dealer that it has been a rock chip, but its hard to get a rock chip when teh vehicle is in the garage and not moving.

Filed Mar 29, 2023 · WA

Windshield cracked due to wiper deicer defect.

Filed Aug 11, 2022 · WA

The temperature outside was below freezing and I was running the defrost on the highest temp. There was a loud pop and I thought maybe something had hit the windshield, but there was nothing. Then a few days later I noticed a crack emerging just above where the wiper rests. It proceeded to move up, then out in a T, then curl around and meet itself, it has just continued to spread. The dealership (Rogers Subaru, Lewiston, ID) traced the cracks with a pen but was not able to find any damage aside from the crack.

Filed May 19, 2022 · Visibility · TX

My windshield cracked in February 2022 while parked and was replaced with a new Subaru windshield under warranty in February 2022. After having the windshield replaced, it cracked again in May 2022, with the crack propagating from the same spot at the base of the wiper blade on the driver's side windshield. The windshield glass failed. It was available for inspection at Safelite and Subaru upon request. Disagreement between myself and Subaru and Safelite as to cause. The main crack is a stress crack, which started from the base of the windshield and propagated towards the center of the windshield. There is a small radial fracture, which seems to be around a jog in the main fracture, possibly where there was a local stress field change in the glass around the intermittent tip of the propagating fracture. Subaru and Safelite claim it is an impact fracture because of the small radial/conchoidal fracture. However, a) I did not witness an impact while driving when the crack initiated, b) the same type of conchoidal/radial fracture can occur due to localized stress field changes in the damage zone ahead of a propagating fracture tip, 3) and the main fracture can then continue to propagate through the damage zone, as it seemed to do in my windshield. The fracture deviates slightly at the radial point, suggesting the radial nature is due to a local stress field change rather than an impact. Furthermore, the intersection of the crack with the molding at the base of the windshield is in almost an identical location to the February 2022 crack, which occurred while my car was parked and had no impact. Even if there was a minor impact, the crack propagating at the same location at the base of the windshield is statistically unlikely unless there is an issue with the glass. Safety of myself and others was put at risk by reducing visibility. No warnings or other signs of failure occurred prior to the windshield failure.

Filed Mar 1, 2022 · Visibility · IL

I own a Subaru Outback 2019, and am based out of Chicago. The car was parked outside during a snowfall. After snowfall I went out to clear the snow off my car, and turned on the defoggers of the car to help clear out the snow on the windshield. After brushing off the snow I noticed a huge crack on the lower part of the windshield across the windshield wiper deicer. There was no other probable cause for the crack. I believe it is the change in temperature when from using the defogger which has caused the windshield to crack. Subaru dealership denies that it is possible, and claims that I was somehow responsible for the crack.

Filed Nov 20, 2021 · Body · ID

We bought the car from the Ford dealership. after nearly owning it. the windshield crack in a place where no rock or vandalism could have happened. It started underneath the windshield wiper and has scaled across the whole windshield within a week. I contacted my bumper to bumper warranty and they don’t cover replacements. I looked up and their is a current lawsuit on suburu for this exact reason.

Filed Nov 3, 2021 · Visibility · TX

My windshield started to crack from the bottom of passenger side where wipers come up for no reason at all. Now it has spread scross whole windshield.

Filed Sep 13, 2021 · Visibility · WA

The windshield of the car just spontaneously cracked starting down at the wiper blades and extending up and across the windshield about 24 inches

Filed May 17, 2021 · NY

Vehicle was parked for four and a half days in a public garage, with which I pay for monthly parking. Upon my request, vehicle was waiting for me to pick it up. The vehicle seemed to be intact. Just after leaving the garage, I used the front, then the back wipers to clean the windshields. The back (hatch) windshield completely shattered into the vehicle. Nothing hit it, no accidents with other vehicles or objects occurred. While no one was hurt, the incident was alarming. The integrity and strength of a vehicle's windows/ and windshields are important. There was no prior warning or alert.

Filed Mar 26, 2021 · Visibility · 10,300 miles · MO

Spontaneous crack in my windshield. No impact every noticed. I noticed when I was driving at dusk and used my windshield wipers to clear rain. I saw a glisten at the bottom and was surprised to see a crack.

Filed Dec 20, 2020 · Visibility · 16,700 miles · WA

We developed two spontaneous cracks in our windshield. The vehicle was stationary, parked in our garage. No debris hit the windshield at any time. The cracks begin under/at the driver side near/under the wiper unit. (the cracks essentially form a wide "v" one crack toward the passenger side is quite long and growing, the other is short - about 3" now also growing). The location of the beginning of the crack/s is under the level of the hood of the car, which would also make it near impossible for the crack to be due to a pebble, gravel, etc.

Filed Dec 11, 2020 · Visibility · 23,375 miles · TX

The day I drove the car off the lot, I noticed a chip on the windshield right in the line of view that I did not see during the test drive. I took it to get repaired by a reputable company and they noticed 4 seperate chips. They performed the recommended repairs and replaced my windshield wipers. When the weather became cold in houston, I noticed a new chip that had a crack form down the upper right quadrant on the windshield. I thought someone had physically damaged the car, but upon examination there was no evidence of such a thing having happened.