In 2019, four American Subaru owners filed a class action suit against the Japanese car manufacturer. They claimed that the windshields in their Outback and Forester models were weaker and more likely to crack and chip than they should be.
Worse, they claimed the car company knew about the defective windshields and covered up the problem.
After six years of fighting in court, Subaru has settled the lawsuit. Almost unbelievably, the settlement involves paying the plaintiffs $5,000 apiece — while paying their attorneys $7.25 million. Or perhaps that’s not so unbelievable, given that the attorneys negotiated those terms.
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Other Subaru owners also qualify for reimbursement, if they suffered windshield damage. Here’s how you can get it. Also find out the few ways to tell if you’re eligible for any settlement checks.
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Affected Models
The settlement lists the following four Subaru models as eligible for extended warranties and reimbursement requests:
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Subaru Ascent (2019-2022)
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Subaru Forester (2019-2022)
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Subaru Legacy (2020-2022)
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Subaru Outback (2020-2022)
The company agreed to reimburse 125% of the parts and labor costs for a single incident, 150% for owners who suffered two incidents, and 200% for those who have had three or more windshield incidents.
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Unfortunately for many owners, the deadline for filing for reimbursement passed at the end of January. If you already repaired or replaced your windshield but didn’t file a reimbursement request before Jan 31, 2025, you missed the window.
The good news? Owners qualify for an extended warranty moving forward.
Extended Warranty Coverage
As part of the settlement, owners gain an extended warranty covering one windshield replacement within eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Owners don’t have to opt in to receive the extended warranty. If you suffer windshield damage, you can simply take your vehicle to the nearest Authorized Subaru Retailer.
For further information about the settlement terms, read the official Subaru Windshield Settlement website.
How Concerned Should Subaru Owners Be?
Subaru enjoys one of the best reputations for reliability and build quality in the industry. Should owners and car buyers rethink Subaru as a brand?
“Every manufacturer has hiccups,” noted Alex Black, CMO of EpicVIN. “Subarus make good cars, particularly for snow-country people, with the cars’ AWD, good crash ratings and good resale value.”
Even so, he urges consumers not to just assume that general reliability doesn’t mean bulletproof. Cars come with imperfections, even those from quality manufacturers.
As for those considering buying an affected car, Alan Gelfand of German Car Depot just recommends basic due diligence.
“Have it checked by an independent mechanic. You should pay close attention to the windshield, CVT transmission and the engine oil level and condition,” Gelfand said.
He agrees, however, that Subaru still makes great cars.
“Even well-regarded manufacturers can have model-specific issues, recalls and settlements,” Gelfand added. “That’s why consumers need to pay attention to the news around their cars: To protect their investment.”
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Sources
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Subaru Windshield Settlement, “Welcome to the Subaru Windshield Settlement Website.”
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EpicVIN, “Free VIN Check: Search and Get Your Vehicle History Report.”
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German Car Depot, “German Car Depot: German Auto Repair Shop For Over 30 Years.”
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: If You Own One of These Popular Subaru Models, You May Be Owed Money
