Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a new Subaru Outback XT on Dec 16, 2022. Many of the vehicles options run through my android smart phone. Immediately after taking ownership I started having problems with: 1) receiving text messages (not showing up on my home screen) 2) receiving phone calls from from a phone # listed as ************ which cuts out the radio and 3) causing my navigation to either not function at all or would completely drop off leaving me stuck with no directions and not allowing me to restart the navigation. After several unsuccessful visits to the dealership they finally told me that my phone was too old to interface with the vehicles software. So approximately 6 months ago I bought a NEW phone. I continued to have problems. In mid November when I was in the dealership having it checked out again, they said that a new software update will be coming soon as many other Subaru owners were having the same problem as me. Finally, on March 24th, 4 months later, I had new software downloaded to my vehicle. The navigation still vanished while enroute to my destination. On April first they rechecked my vehicle and they are saying again that the problem is in my phone. I took my phone to ******** and asked them if any of my phone settings were causing the navigation to vanish. They said it should work. However, they also said a lot of people that own Subarus were coming in for help with the same thing. I believe that if the subaru navigation system only functions with certain phones, then Subaru should provide the phone, or at least tell me which one to buy. I simply want my navigation to function. Thank you for any assistance you can give me. *********************

  

  Business response

  04/09/2024

  Brooklyn Park Subaru will and has been working with Subaru techline to resolve or repair the issues ****************** has been having. Some of which have been duplicated in our service **** and some have not. We do now have a list of recommended phones from Subaru which we will supply to ******************. Any adjustments or refund will have to be pursued with Subaru as we are only an agent for them and can only work to repair the vehicle at their direction. 

  Customer response

  04/10/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  If the navigation and other options on the Subaru Outback don't work well with certain phones, they should tell potential buyers this before they purchase it.  If they did share this bit of information some people would buy a different brand of car, and they want people to buy Subarus, so they keep this important fact to themselves and hope new owners will just live with the inconvenience.  Doing this is deceiving and a very poor business practice.  

  Even if they were to give me a phone that is supposedly going to function better than mine, I'm still the person with the inconvenience of having to learn how to operate it.  I'm 74 yrs old.  I did not grow up in a computer world.  I'm not going to accept there half-hearted effort.  If you knew how many hours I have spent on the phone with Subarus tech people people trying to get it to work you would be SHOCKED.  I want my money back so they can sell this car to some other unlucky person.  I have some health issues that require traveling to hospitals and clinics that are unfamiliar to me.  I don't want to be left somewhere not knowing where to go and end up being late for my Dr ******************* don't let Morries' Subaru sluff off this problem.   Thank you,   *********************

  there is a Class Action Lawsuit against Subaru for all kinds of problems with their Starlink communication system software.  I am certain that my vehicle is one of the more than ******* Subarus affected.

  Maybe this information will assist you on my behalf.  Many peoples lives are at risk because the navigation goes blank and/or freezes up while traveling to a destination.

   

  You can access this information by going to the following website:  torquenews.com

   

  It is likely that it can also be found just by googling Subaru Starlink Lawsuit.

   

  

  Business response

  04/16/2024

  Brooklyn Park Subaru is not being deceitful or trying to withhold information. As stated before we are glad to continue to work to resolve any issues and offer additional user training as needed. We have been passing information along as it becomes available. The list of recommended phones is not a guaranteed list of phones that are compatible. It is a recommendation list based-on feedback from many customers who are not having issues. This information is not available when the car initially comes out. It takes years of user experience and feedback to develop. Like all computers and phones including your phone and the computer in your car, they are often being updated and changing operating systems. Making them go from more or less compatible with each update. Computers are also known to freeze up or need restarts- this is not A Subaru issue and certainly has nothing to do with Brooklyn Park Subaru. 

  You are certainly welcome to join any Class Action Lawsuit that is pending- This however would be a suit against Subaru not Brooklyn Park Subaru. 

  As far as the navigation freezing and lives being at risk it is the policy of Subaru and Brooklyn Park Subaru to advise any driver that they are in control of the car and not to allow the navigation system to control the vehicle. Phones lose connection and freeze. If this happens and you are unsure of where to go it is best to pull over safely and restart the phone or gain direction in another manner. This ensures your safety and the safety of other drivers on the road. 

  Customer response

  04/17/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  Subaru IS being deceitful.  Otherwise they would tell shoppers that certain phones will function better.  

  So, here is the strategy used by Subaru:  drag out the issue until the owners warranty expires. Pretty obvious by the responses I've received.  

  Morries' is a part of Subaru.  If corporate Subaru is putting out an inferior product, that doesn't absolve Morries of Brooklyn Park.  

  So far, Morries hasn't offered one single thing to me to resolve this issue. Morries Subaru needs to understand they have to make some kind of an offer to cover all of the time and frustration their vehicle has caused me to waste.  I'm waiting for an offer that shows they care more about customer satisfaction than hiding behind CORPORATE Subaru.

   

  *********************

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I brought my car in to get the timing belt changed and originally was giving a quote over the phone of around $500. Upon picking up my car, on 12/26, they told me the bill was $1709 and that the person on the phone was not authorized to give quotes for work. They also neglected to inform me that when you do a timing belt change, you should also change the water pump. They also told me that my check engine light was on, it was not on when I arrived and they wanted me to pay for the diagnosis. While my car was in their shop they also blatantly missed a power steering rack leak. Having contacted another mechanic afterward for a quote, they stated that they could do the job for $1400-$1600 which includes the water pump as well.

  

  Business response

  01/02/2024

  In regard to ******************* complaint #******** and visit on 12/26 Morries BDC did provide a preliminary estimate of $500 for the Timing Belt. This did not include the ancillary items such as Belt Tensioner and Idler Pulleys and associated labor which are required to do with the Timing Belt. *************** his advisor did ask ************** if he was familiar with the cost of the repair when he arrived and he stated yes. No further discussion about price was had. In reviewing the invoice there was an incorrect charge on the labor cost in the amount of $223.00. We will be glad to submit a refund check to ************** in this amount. 

  As far as the other concerns brought to our attention, We do not automatically recommend the water pump at the time of Timing belt repair. They rarely fail on Subaru's and increase the cost of unnecessarily replacing them. Upon inspection ************** Water pump was in good condition and good working order. 

  The check engine light did come on while test driving the vehicle post inspection. This had nothing to do with any of the work we did. It just happened to develop while we had the car. There is a standard diagnostic charge to pull the code and determine what caused the warning, however ************** declined. We did offer to take care of this service at no charge, but ************** declined. 

  Also while completing the Multi point inspection, it was noted that ************** vehicle had several oil leaks and was wet with oil/grease on most of the underside of engine bay. This would include the above-mentioned Steering Rack leak. ************** was informed of these leaks and that we would need to diagnose them further to identify which specific components were failing and in need of replacement in order to fix all the leaks. ************** declined the diagnostic of them. 

  Thank You,

   

   

   

   

   

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩