Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2021 Subaru Outback owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that on three separate occasions the windshield cracked without impact. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer after each failure and was informed each time that a rock chip might have caused the failure. The contact purchased a carbon steel film after which he was informed would prevent the windshield from breaking in the event of another cracked windshield, with the purchase of this protective film, he could have a total of 4 windshield replacements free of charge. The contact stated that each failure obstructed his vision while driving. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 75 mph, a small rock struck the windshield and made a small mark at the bottom of the passenger's side windshield. The contact continued driving and the crack started to expand across the windshield. The contact stated that the next morning the crack was approximately 3 feet in length. The vehicle was taken to a window shop and the front windshield was replaced. The contact stated that on June 25, 2021 while driving 20 mph, the windshield cracked. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that upon approaching the vehicle, she became aware that the front windshield had suddenly cracked, extending from the center of the windshield to the passenger's side bezel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the crack was the result of the impact of a small, unknown object. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V712000 (Visibility), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 23,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH approaching a traffic light, the contact heard an abnormal cracking sound coming from the front windshield. The contact noticed a small crack on the driver's side of the windshield that spread to the middle of the windshield. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer who stated that the failure was related to a thinner OEM breakable glass on the vehicle that needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,400.
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she noticed a crack on the center passenger's side of the windshield. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the windshield to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure with the new windshields. The contact stated he had the windshield replaced a total of three times. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 17,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that there was a crack on the windshield. There was no impact to the windshield that could have caused the crack. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that a rock chipped the windshield. The dealer informed the contact that the windshield crack was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but denied the claim for the windshield replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact noticed that there was a crack in the middle of the windshield going upward. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was parked at home when the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they informed the contact that a stone had struck the windshield. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150.
Windshield suddenly cracked, starting from bottom center of the window, crack moved up about 6" and then turned 90 degrees towards passenger side and went another 6". No object hit the window or car; it just spontaneously cracked from bottom then moved upwards.
The component that has failed twice is the windshield. They current windshield is available for inspection but not the first. In fact, I am taking it my Subaru dealer tomorrow so they can look at it. This is the second windshield in 13 months that has failed. The first one became heavily pitted across the entire windshield. This one has a crack starting from the passenger side, 2/3 of the way up and then continues 1/3 of the way towards the driver. I do not recall any impact on the windshield prior to the crack occurring. I am concerned about the frequency of this model's windshield issues and whether it can stay intact. As noted above, this problem has happened twice for me. I posted my concerns on Reddit to see if other owners of this vehicle are having issues and I have received numerous responses that others are also having quality issues and those issues are similar to mine. …
We purchased a new 2021 Outback Subaru 2 months ago. Three days ago, on 11/12/21, a crack appeared on the windshield overnight, while the car was parked on our driveway. Nothing hit our car while we were driving and there's nothing that stands above the car that could have fallen on it while parked at our house. The crack is linear and started on the very left side right above the driver's sight. It started at about 5 inches long and the next day was already extending almost halfway through the windshield length. We are highly suspicious that the crack is a result of a defective windshield specially after learning that Subaru has several lawsuits regarding this same issue. We had to stop driving the car in fear that the windshield may completely break at any time. My husband contacted Subaru twice and the representatives told him someone would soon contact him about the incident. …
Window & Wiper complaints in other Outback years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2021 Subaru Outback?
NHTSA has 107 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2021 Subaru Outback, 36% of the model year's 298 complaints. The component named most often is windshield (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2021 Subaru Outback window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof recall for the 2021 Subaru Outback, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2021 Subaru Outback window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 3,000 miles, and 100% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to windows, wipers & sunroof problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.