2020 Subaru Outback: lane keeping assist jerks the wheel

Filed Dec 14, 2023 · Driver assistance, Engine · OH

Thermo Control Valve assembly has failed resulting in loss of use for the following: Rear Automatic Brake, Eye Sight lane keeping, loss of heat in cabin and failure of coolant to circulate within engine possibly leading to engine failure, loss of cruise control and check engine light coming on. Reference TSB [XXX] . Without cabin heat vehicle is not useable in current cold temperatures (Currently 22 degrees Fahrenheit in Ohio on December 14, 2023). Dealer has confirmed part failure. Issue must be addressed to continue operating vehicle so I paid $1185.87 out of pocket to repair. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Nov 15, 2023 · Driver assistance, Electrical · NC

Per Subaru there is something wrong with the Cockpit Control Module (CCM) that is causing a constant / parasitic draw on the battery. This results in the battery being dead within 4 hours, leaving us constantly stranded. Because the CCM also controls the electrical system, many of the safety features (auto breaking, lane departure, etc) turn off randomly. This is the diagnosis from our local Subaru dealership: COCKPIT CONTROL MODULE IS DRAWING 2 AMPS. WITH COCKPIT UNPLUGGED THERE IS STILL A 1 AMP DRAW. WILL NEED TO REPLACED CCU THEN FIGURE OUT WHERE THE OTHER 1 AMP DRAW IS. UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE WITH MULTIPLE SYSTEMS DRAWING I have opened a case with Subaru of America, but with no resolution.

Filed Jan 21, 2022 · Visibility · WA

The windshield on my 2020 Subaru Outback spontaneously cracked shortly after I started the car on a hot summer day (06/28/2021). Roughly a minute after starting the vehicle and turning on the air conditioning, I drove a distance of about 100 ft and heard a really loud snap, but initially didn't see the cause of the sound. About 2 seconds later, a crack quickly spread horizontally from the driver's side edge at mid height of the windshield until reaching the center of the windshield. After continuing to drive the vehicle, the crack began to spread vertically for about 6 inches, and then spread further horizontally to the right by another 6 inches, forming an S-shape. No damage or chips were known to have been previously inflicted on the windshield and the glass was visibly intact prior the cracking event. Because the crack was positioned almost exactly at eye level, visibility was noticeably distorted. If the crack and associated snapping sound had occurred while the car was being driven in actual traffic on a road or freeway, the startling nature of the event and loud volume of the snapping sound would likely put someone driving the vehicle at risk of reacting in a hazardous fashion and result in a crash. Furthermore, since the Subaru Outback's forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assistance all operate through a camera-based system that requires a clear view through the windshield, the crack posed a risk of malfunction of these systems. The windshield was inspected by a professional automotive glass installation shop and was determined to have been damaged beyond repair, requiring total replacement.

Filed Jan 21, 2022 · Visibility · WA

The windshield on my 2020 Subaru Outback spontaneously cracked while I was driving the vehicle on a cold morning (01/20/2021). This crack is the second such spontaneous crack that has occurred with this same vehicle. The first crack occurred in the original windshield in June 2021, after which the original windshield was replaced with an OEM windshield. This second cracking event occurred with the OEM replacement windshield. About 30 minutes into driving the vehicle at freeway speeds (65 mph), a crack with a total length of about 10 inches (5 inches vertical, 5 inches horizontal) formed spontaneously mid-length on the windshield beginning from the bottom edge of the glass. The formation of the crack occurred quickly and was associated with a loud snapping sound. The path of the crack traveled through the location of a small (2mm x 2mm) chip in the glass located approximately 2 inches from the bottom edge of the glass. This chip in the glass occurred at least 2 months prior to the cracking event and was the result of an impact from a small rock (about 1cm x 1cm). No additional damage or impact force had occurred on the chipped location between the creation of the chip and the cracking event. If the crack had been larger and the associated snapping sound louder, the startling nature of the event and loud volume of the snapping sound would likely put someone driving the vehicle at risk of reacting in a hazardous fashion and result in a crash. Furthermore, since the Subaru Outback's forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assistance all operate through a camera-based system that requires a clear view through the windshield, the crack posed a risk of impacting these systems.

Filed Sep 21, 2021 · Electrical, Steering · TX

Lane Departure feature malfunction at higher speeds: will reactivate a few seconds after physically deactivating the control; spontaneously activates and inactivates or activates on one side only - pulls aggressively to one side or the other, even though vehicle is centered in highway. Will not stay inactivated but fluctuates on/off. It is dangerous and causes fatigue in wrestling with the steering.

Filed Aug 10, 2021 · Driver assistance · VA

While driving the car the car's computer/radio/navigation system will randomly shut down. This has been occurring since approx 6500 miles. When this occurs all of the safety systems/HVAC/Rear Camera/Radio/Navigation systems all will fail with the associated warning lights. The car now has approx 9000 miles, this appears to be random occurrences about every 200-250 miles. Dealer states that they are aware of the problem and was told to contact back late June/early July that SOA was going to release a software fix. Well time has passed and nothing has occurred. When driving this car and the failure occurs all of the safety systems are totally inoperable thus the computerized safety systems are not functional. So, far I have been able to maintain full control of the car. The time for the systems to comeback online is highly variable and sometimes I have to stop, and turn the car off for approximately 10 minutes to have the systems return to being functional. For example, the automated cruise control if in operation will fail to operate, the backup camera will be inoperable, the side space warning will fail, lane assist will fail, and so on for all of the safety systems that this particular car has will all fail. Fortunately, I have been able to safely find a safe place to stop, but what happens when this failure occurs and there is not a place to stop/pull over to rest the car/computer. I can't be the only owner/driver that is having this problem(s) they are all interrelated when the master computer shuts down all of the other systems then follow. It is only a matter of time that a potential crash with associated injury and or loss of life can potentially occur. Dealer is unable to replicate and therefore unable to repair/replace parts. Once this failure can be rectified/corrected this is a wonderful car. At this point, I am unable to determine the cause nor am I able to prevent these failures.

Filed Aug 1, 2021 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · CA

The head unit (Entertainment Center) of my car will re-boot several times while driving. This re-boot process will also disable Eyesight, speed control, lane departure warning, and other safety systems on my car while driving. These safety systems will not re-enable without pulling over, turning off the car, then turning the car back on again.

Filed Jul 23, 2021 · Airbags · 12,000 miles · WA · crash

The contact owned a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 50 mph, a truck pulled into the roadway and struck the contact's vehicle however none of the airbags deploying. In addition, the lane keep assist system did not chime. No one was injured and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed as destroyed. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

Filed May 27, 2021 · Driver assistance · MD

The electronic controls black out while driving the entire center screen and electronics shut down disabling the warning lights and I think also the electronic systems that function to control the safety warnings and functionality. This has been a problem on an ongoing basis since the purchase of the vehicle. This has been "repaired" multiple times by the dealer under the direction of Subaru. There was a recall earlier this year that was supposed to correct the problem it added some functionality, but primarily this recall reprogramming of the electronics was supposed to correct the blacking out of electronics and the disabling of the safety systems. The recall reprogramming has not corrected the problem. When I complained to Subaru they suggested that I take a video of the failure when it happened. I explained that this was not possible because I was driving at 70 MPH when it happened and could not just grab my phone and start a video while driving on I-95. Last week I was able to get a video of the failure as it happened while my wife was driving and I was a passenger. The entire panel blacked out and she pulled to the side of the road and I took a video of the 4 minutes the system was out. I will attach this video to this report. In addition there is an additional problem that occurred related to the lane keep assist function. There are four options to configure this function they are: 1> OFF 2> Warning Buzzer Only 3> Lane Keep function Only 4> All Functions. My understanding of the operation of this system has one function that shuts the system Off that is obviously the OFF function. #2 although only a buzzer has the system on, #3 has the functionality working but no warning buzzer (my preferred choice) and #4 that has all functions operating both warning buzzer and lane keep functions. My concern is that if you use #3 the system shows a warning light on the dash that shows the system if OFF. I have video of the electronics but don't know how to upload it.

Filed Mar 27, 2021 · Driver assistance · 12,000 miles · NC

Ever since the recall for the cockpit control system software was updated on my 2020 subaru outback touring on march 1, 2021 the console randomly reboots. It has happened 6 times in 3 weeks. On a recent trip on thursday march 25, 2021 the console rebooted 3 times in a little over an hour. When that happens the safety functions are disabled - pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise control, pre-collision throttle management, lane departure and sway warning with lane keep assist, etc.

Filed Jan 9, 2021 · Driver assistance · 10,500 miles · NY

This 2020 subaru outback touring xt ran well for the first 10,000 miles. We were informed it had a recall and this was corrected 1/06/2021 by carboone's subaru in utica, ny. After the recall repair when the adaptive cruise and adaptive steering are engaged if the vehicle appeared to leave its lane the warning message is 'put your hands on the steering wheel'. Before this it was 'lane departure'. If the adaptive steering is not engaged the warning remains 'lane departure'. This behavior happens on all roads when the adaptive steering and adaptive cruise can be engaged. It occurs at all speeds. This warning to put your hands on the wheel occurs when your hands are on the wheel and is not consistent with what is happening (lane departure) nor what the vehicle warnings are when not using the adaptive steering. This presents a confusing picture to the driver and could lead to an inappropriate response to what is happening and cause an accident. Subaru's response to the change of warnings is 'this is normal behavior'.

Filed Sep 15, 2020 · 3,500 miles · CA · crash

Owner drove on to a parking lot. Vehicle lane departure prevention function sensed a white line on the pavement. This caused the vehicle to turn left, acceleration an uncontrollable fashion. The vehicle jumped the curb proceeding into heavy shrubs which damaged the vehicle. The shrubs stopped the vehicle.