Is your Subaru’s battery dying prematurely and randomly? If so, you’re not alone. Many Subaru owners have experienced the same issue. This class action settlement is designed to help Subaru vehicle owners affected by the premature battery drain defect. If own a Subaru vehicle affected by this defect, you may be eligible for compensation.
While Subaru hasn’t admitted to any wrongdoing, the class action settlement has revealed that the vehicles components required more power than the battery was able to provide. Simply put, the OEM Subaru battery did not have the capacity to support the vehicle’s electrical components. As a result, Subaru owners experienced random and sudden premature dead batteries.
If you own a 2015-2020 Outback, 2015-2020 Forester, 2015-2020 Legacy, 2015-2020 WRX and 2019-2020 Ascent vehicle, you may be eligible to receive an extended battery warranty and cash reimbursements.
Subaru Battery Drain Problems
According to the class action, the electrical system in these Subaru vehicles are subject to a continuous parasitic drain. Allegedly, the battery drain problems stem from the vehicles Controller Area Network (CAN) system which fails to enter sleep mode when the vehicle is turned off.
The CAN system is designed to let components like electronic units, microcontrollers, devices, sensors and actuators communicate and work together without a host computer.
However, a defect in the vehicle results in the CAN system drawing significant “dark current” (parasitic battery draw) even when the vehicle is turned off and not being operated.
Further investigation showed that the batteries in these Subaru vehicles just simply weren’t designed to be continually drained down to low volumes of power. Thus, the parasitic draw reduces the battery’s total charge and its lifespan significantly shortened.
As a result, the battery defect leaves vehicle owners stranded requiring a jump start or battery replacement – far more often than expected.
While Subaru hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing for the defects in the vehicles they designed and manufactured, they have agreed to a settlement.
Status of the Subaru Battery Drain Class Action Litigation
Subaru Battery Drain Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 1:20-cv-03095-JHR-MJS in the District Court for the District of New Jersey. This lawsuit is now settled.
Under the terms of the settlement, Class Members can receive extended warranty benefits and reimbursement payments.
Extended Warranty Details
All class members can receive an extended warranty for future qualifying battery failures. Under the terms of the settlement for the first battery replacement, the extended warranty covers:
- 100% of the battery replacement cost for vehicles up to five years and 60,000 miles
- 50% of the battery replacement cost for vehicles over five years and 60,000 miles
After five years or 60,000 miles, the extended warranty covers:
- 80% of replacement costs for seven years or 84,000 miles
- 60% of replacement costs for eight years or 100,000 miles
Cash Payments
Cash reimbursement are also provided for past battery replacements, towing and other related costs vehicle owners paid out of pocket.
Class members are eligible to receive between 55% and 165% reimbursement for expenses based on the vehicle’s age, mileage and number of paid repairs.
Subaru Models Affected
The following Subaru models are affected by this settlement:
- 2015-2020 Outback
- 2015-2020 Forester
- 2015-2020 Legacy
- 2015-2020 WRX
- 2019-2020 Ascent
What Action Subaru Outback, Forester, Legacy, WRX, and Ascent Owners Need to Take?
If you currently or previously owned or leased a certain Outback, Forester, Legacy, WRX or Ascent vehicle in the United States, you may be entitled to benefits afforded by the class action settlement.
Subaru Battery Settlement Claim Form
To receive settlement benefits, vehicle owners must submit a valid claim by no later than March 9, 2023.
Class Members who do not submit a claim will still be able to receive extended warranty benefits.
Questions About This Settlement?
MyCarVoice.com is not counsel or the settlement administrator in this class action lawsuit. Our goal is to inform owners of these vehicles of the recent settlement.
This post will be updated when/if new settlement information is released. Please considering subscribing to this post for updates.
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Last Updated on January 19, 2023
Loves anything with a motor and wheels.
Christopher is an internet technology expert and mechanical engineer. When he’s not at the local autocross event, he can often be found working on one of his cars. He loves nothing more than taking something apart and putting it back together again. Email me direct, or learn more about us
J hildebrand
October 2, 2022 at 10:20 pmI have battery issues. I see there are several things you can do. What is the best option? Tired of dead battery! Was told to leave keys away from vehicle. Seriously? Does not work!
Stephanie
November 27, 2022 at 9:07 pmThanks for this article. Isn’t there a way to stop this parasitic draw in these vehicles? Can this CAN system be fixed? Are owners of these vehicles just supposed keep getting new batteries?
Louis B
January 18, 2023 at 5:27 pmMy girlfriend’s 2023 Legacy is doing the same thing so it hasn’t been fixed.
Robert C Tiedeken
January 23, 2023 at 5:12 pmCan anyone tell me if Subaru is replacing the bad ABS sensor that is causing the drain? It sounds like they are just giving stronger batteries to alleviate the problem. If that is the case, then why is the dealer asking for $2,000 for me to replace the defective sensor?
Virginia B
January 27, 2023 at 11:19 pmWhat good does it do in the long run if all I get is reimbursed for a new battery? Does the parasitic battery drain just magically go away with a new battery? No, it does not. I have been through 2 batteries on my 2017 Outback. I have been lucky enough that my Outback was in the garage when the batteries failed. Thank goodness for AAA as I live over 50 miles from the closest Subaru Service Center. What does it cost to resolve the problem? (Assuming that there is a resolution.)
Rebecca
February 2, 2023 at 12:15 amI have a 2019 Crosstrek that began losing battery power in December 2022. I replaced the battery, and then one moth later, the problem returned. Is the Crosstrek not eligible?
Christopher
February 2, 2023 at 4:15 pmRebecca, the vehicles in the settlement have a similar and high incident rate of battery failure. Other Subaru models – like the Crosstrek were not within that same category. Hope this helps clarify the settlement details. Feel free to send me an email for further clarification.