Subaru Lawsuit Says Certain 2019-2025 Vehicles Plagued by Electrical System Defect Causing Battery Drain

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges that certain newer Subaru models are plagued by an electrical system defect that can prevent one or more of the cars’ electronic control modules from going into a low-power “sleep” state, which can cause parasitic battery drain that can ultimately leave drivers with a disabled vehicle.

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The 116-page lawsuit contends that the Subaru electrical system issue can cause an affected vehicle to be unable to properly manage power consumption while the car is turned off. The filing says that the problem can manifest unexpectedly and poses a safety risk, given that the apparent defect can cause a vehicle’s battery to fail prematurely and leave a driver stranded.

According to the lawsuit, Subaru has known of the electrical system defect since at least 2014, in part because of a litany of consumer complaints, yet the automaker has been unsuccessful at remedying the problem. Moreover, the case says that Subaru attempts to avoid its warranty obligations with respect to the parasitic battery drain issue in that when a driver requests service under warranty, they are told that their battery is functioning normal and “only needed to be recharged.”

In other instances, Subaru has done nothing more than replaced a vehicle’s battery without addressing the underlying cause of the parasitic drain defect, the suit claims.

“As a result, Plaintiffs and Class Members have been forced to pay out-of-pocket for replacement batteries, jumper packs, and other repairs,” the filing reads.

Per the complaint, the vehicle models at issue in the Subaru class action lawsuit include:

• -2021-2022 Outback;
• -2021-2024 Forester;
• -2021-2023 Legacy;
• -2021-2023 WRX;
• -2021-2022 Ascent;
• -2019-2023 Crosstrek;
• -2019-2024 Crosstrek Hybrid;
• -2022-2025 Forester Wilderness; and
• -2019-2023 Impreza.

The class action lawsuit explains the Subaru models at issue rely on a network of interconnected electronic control units that communicate over a controller area network system. When functioning properly, these systems switch to a “quiescent state” after a vehicle is turned off, thus minimizing the draw from the car’s battery, the case says.

The complaint states that in the affected Subaru vehicles, one or more components remain active and “awake” after a car is shut off, preventing it from entering a stable low-power state and resulting in “continuous or intermittent electrical draw,” a phenomenon known as “parasitic drain” or “dark current draw.”

When defective electrical components drain a vehicle’s battery, the car is left completely inoperable, and a driver may be left stranded in dangerous conditions, increasing the risk of being struck by another vehicle or inadvertently locking children and pets inside a vehicle that cannot be opened without battery power, the lawsuit alleges.

Moreover, the filing says that the defect has left consumers without functional vehicles for extended periods of time and forced them to incur out-of-pocket costs for alternative means of transportation, roadside assistance or towing services, and equipment to charge, preserve, or jump-start the vehicles’ batteries.  

Per the case, Subaru began issuing in 2014 a series of technical service bulletins pertaining to the electrical system defect and parasitic battery draw. One technical service bulletin released by Subaru suggested that the vehicles’ data communication module (DCM), which the case says is responsible for the vehicle’s network connectivity, is “constantly” searching for a cellular network to connect to when the vehicle starts or is in an area with bad reception, keeping the DCM “awake” and drawing power from the battery for up to 14 days, the filing relays.

The filing stresses that the electrical system defect in the class vehicles is severe enough to impair the primary function of the vehicle, providing safe and reliable transportation. Had the plaintiffs and proposed class members been aware of the defect, they would not have purchased or leased the class vehicles, or would have paid significantly less for them, the case contends.

The Subaru class action lawsuit seeks to cover all individuals in the United States who bought or leased, other than for resale, any of the vehicles listed on this page.

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