The majority of models in Subaru’s U.S. lineup have been implicated in a new class action lawsuit for a persistent battery drain problem. Despite many owners replacing their batteries, the lawsuit claims the issue will simply return due to a larger defect within the electric systems of the vehicle, resulting in parasitic drain. Plaintiffs claim that they’ve had to spend extra cash on diagnostic costs, roadside assistance, and complete battery replacements, besides the inconvenience of being left stranded by cars that won’t start. Here’s everything we know.
Subaru Battery Class Action Lawsuit
Subaru
The lawsuit’s multiple plaintiffs hail from New York, New Jersey, California, and Texas. All have had problems with their cars either being unable to start or shutting down/stalling in traffic due to issues with the battery and electric system. The lawsuit, shared by Car Complaints, alleges that power consumption is inadequately managed by the electric system when the vehicle is off, with at least one electronic control module failing to put the vehicle into the correct low power sleep mode. This leads to parasitic battery drain that can happen at any time. The following Subaru models have been mentioned in the lawsuit:
- 2021-2022 Subaru Outback
- 2021-2024 Subaru Forester
- 2021-2023 Subaru Legacy
- 2021-2023 Subaru WRX
- 2021-2022 Subaru Ascent
- 2019-2023 Subaru Crosstrek
- 2019-2024 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid
- 2022-2025 Subaru Forester Wilderness
- 2019-2023 Subaru Impreza
The Forester and Crosstrek are some of Subaru’s best-selling models in the country, so there are potentially a very large number of affected vehicles. Christina Taylor, the plaintiff from New York, purchased a 2021 Subaru Forester and first ran into trouble with starting the vehicle at 36,705 miles. She replaced the battery for $326 initially, but it failed again at 72,678 miles. The dealer replaced it for free but she claims that rough starts are still an issue.
Other plaintiffs have had similar experiences and have had to replace batteries for up to $434.
Not The First Lawsuit For Subaru Batteries
Subaru
More than one lawsuit has been filed for the battery issue in Subarus. In 2022, a settlement was reached between the automaker and a separate group of plaintiffs. In it, Subaru insisted the vehicles were fine, but in the proposed settlement, the automaker agreed to pay 100% of the first battery replacement for up to five years or 60,000 miles. That doesn’t directly resolve the issue of continued parasitic drain, which eventually affects new batteries, too.
In the 2026 lawsuit, the owner of a 2024 Outback had a larger replacement battery and bracket installed, indicating that the original was inadequate. In October 2025, Subaru issued a bulletin on how to correctly test for parasitic battery drain, with the aim to address “the tendency of technicians to prematurely attribute parasitic draw to the Data Communication Module.”
We visited the NHTSA and Car Complaints and found numerous complaints from customers who have had battery issues. For the Subaru Outback, the single most reported problem is for dead batteries on 2017 Outbacks, a model not even included in this latest lawsuit.
This suggests there is an underlying electrical flaw.
Related: Toyota and Subaru Sued as EV Owners Claim Batteries Fail in Just Months
What It Means
Subaru
Whereas an issue like a defective airbag often results in an immediate recall—due to not meeting federal safety standards—the Subaru battery issue is more challenging to resolve. The automaker’s findings of there being no underlying flaw conflicts sharply with the experiences of many customers, who have had repeated battery failures. While some lawsuits can unfortunately take months or years to reach a resolution, there’s hope for owners that legal pressure will compel Subaru to initiate a recall. Until that happens, many may have to grapple with more frequent battery replacements.
