A neighbor with a fairly new Honda CRV just had their battery fail for no apparent reason...he was really bragging on it before that!

 

TBH, the "new and improved" thing sounds like a crock to get you off their backs. With all the people on this board posting about their 2020s, not a single one has complained about the battery. If it was a widespread problem surely you wouldn't be the first one to post about it months after the first 2020s arrived. Hopefully the battery you get works out for you though! Cheers!

 

Sorry to hear - this must be frustrating. I hope you can get it resolved soon!!

 

Sisters-in-law bought a 2019 Forester when they first came out and battery went dead after test ride. Took them a while to get a replacement also. Looks like battery problem still exists


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Friend has a new 2019 Porsche with <1000 miles...dead battery. The car window sticker was $82k. I have no idea what he paid. He said new Porsche batteries are over $200 plus $75 installation. His thank you was under warrantee.

 

Has anybody posted the specs on the 2020 Outback battery with the Start/Stop yet? Just wondering what will be needed as far as a quality aftermarket replacement will be.

 

Yeah, especially an upgrade that disables S/S. Apparently the wrong battery should do the trick. That would be a real upgrade!

 

The battery "problems" have not really been a true "issue" for Subaru, and not for Subaru alone. The vendors that make the batteries are about 3 and 2 of those vendors had manufacturer defects, and not to the point of ever getting a recall or anything. I have asked the right places and gotten a few good answers. But basically comes down to 2 of the vendors that make the raw components had an issue. I went through about 4 batteries (both OEM and aftermarket) in my 06 legacy and was able to track it down to a single vendor that made the core of both the OEM and the Sears one other battery I had.

With Subaru's new start/stop system, it requires huge more load to keep starting the engine and keeping future issues to a minimum, they had to beef it up a bit.

Also, keep in mind, the outback is so new, the parts pipeline has not been fully stocked as most are getting consumed in production to keep up with the demand. I have seen this happen on many of the new models, especially if it is new, like when the Crosstrek came out and when they have refreshed it as much as they did the outback (over 90% new being on the new Global Platform).

I checked Optima and they have not even released a battery yet for the 2020 outback, likely due to larger load. Optima tends to base their batteries at 20% over the OEM.

 

You local Interstate, NAPA, Advanced Auto Parts, O'Reilly Auto Parts don't have replacement batteries? I really find this hard to believe. They can also usually provide a battery with higher cranking amps. I guess I haven't done the research but then again I'm surprised no one has batteries.

 

I am guessing the issue is warranty replacement.
The dealer and/or SOA is not going to pay for a local Interstate, NAPA, Advanced Auto Parts, O'Reilly Auto Parts battery.

 

I had a leaking battery in my 2016 that was replaced under warranty after 2 years. This thread reminds me that I need to go back to the dealer because the second one is also leaking. If this continues then I will never have to pay for a battery.

 

It is out of the regulations that came out in the '80s when retailers would do this all the time. Oh, this car in service needs a new motor, let's pull one out from the showroom floor. Oh, and it was rear-ended on the test drive. Let's fix it with other parts. They would then sell it as new. There was so major shady crap they pulled back then. It is now that they cannot change core components like a battery without violating the regulations that were imposed on retailers. I know because it happened to my parents, they sold a "New car" that had been wrecked. It fell off the transporter and should have been totaled, but instead of taking the loss, they fixed the car and sold it. Don't ever try to screw over a lawyer. That retailer ended up way in the hole on that one. But a few years later, after enough people went to the BBB and legislators with this crap happening, they passed legislation around it.

It has been relaxed in the last 15 years so that they can make changes like different tires and wheels, graphics, lift kits. and the like. But the core still cannot be done.

The same can be said in computers, my industry. I asked the same when I was a new tech (too many moons ago ) when a customer brought in a computer with a faulty power supply and the OEM had them on backorder for over a month. I got a good lesson on what can and cannot be done under warranty.

 

Should suggest they pay to have Costco provide a battery. Once you have the Costco battery there should be no issues.

 

My understanding is that Costco, NAPA, Autozone, etc., are yet to maintain stock of batteries specific to the 2020 OB.

 

Napa batteries are good, Optima, and many, many others.
Batteries ALL have plates though, even the newer gel-types, and they CAN/will have defects, it's just a "matter of odds", like any mass-produced item.
Some of these manufacturers do pretty rigorous QA testing, but still, if the battery in-question gets dropped/knocked-around, before install (who knows which battery got "dropped by accident, when shelving them, for example?), then all-bets-are-off.
Just buy a battery from a reputable dealer (NAPA is handy like this, Costco, and many, many others), that way if it does die, shortly after install, you can simply swap it out.
Having one of those "budget battery jump-starters" isn't a bad idea, in this era/area, given that they sort of give you a "bailout" if you have a failure, to at least "limp along" until you can get it replaced, just make sure to disable the Auto-S/S, or you won't get far, even after jumping it ;-]

 

My Onyx XT battery died at 1400 miles. No stock at the dealership so they gave me a loaner. Evidently there are 2 different batteries in the Outbacks with mine being the larger one. Dealer called to tell me they couldn’t get the battery till the end of this week so I’ll be in the loaner for about a week. Interesting to see if these battery issues become more widespread.

 

Duralast Gold Battery H5-DLG Group Size H5/LN2 650 CCA

Shop for Duralast Gold Battery H5-DLG Group Size H5/LN2 650 CCA with confidence at AutoZone.com. Parts are just part of what we do. Get yours online today and pick up in store.

www.autozone.com

H5 is a standard battery group commonly used in European cars, and I suspect LN2 is the Japanese equivalent designation. BCI Group 47 is size equivalent.

Autozone does not show this as fitting the 2020 Outback, but they may not have the applications loaded yet.

I'd bet that Subaru is using an AGM version of this battery for the start/stop operation.

 

Where is the second battery? I think I read somewhere that if that battery is removed or a battery that's too small is installed, then S/S does not kick in. Worth an experiment?

 

There isn’t one. Subaru designed the system with just the one main battery. Here is the thread discussing the start stop and use of just the one battery.

If the battery with a lower spec is installed, presumably the system would detect that and not activate start stop (assuming that swap even worked in the first place), but then you’re not keeping up with the state of charge in the battery, so that’s not going to work out well.

 

Yep, what @tickman said, I just don't see Subaru going out and having a "specialty battery designed", for the newer Outbacks/Forester/whatever, it's not practical, from a LOT of standpoints (such as what happens if your "custom battery company" goes out of business, to start.
I'm pretty sure it's just a group 47, not common, but certainly easy to buy, locally or online: https://www.dstgateway.com/ACDelcoDocuments/BatterySpecifications.pdf

Google Search

I'm VERY curious too, about this "2nd battery". I've only ever seen dual-batteries in things like big trucks, heavy equipment, or RVs.
I don't doubt that there aren't a few cars out there, that did this, stock, but it's gotta' be very few.
Just doing the "electrical isolation alone" would be a HUGE headache, both in terms of drain/use, but also in terms of charging, which has to include both the alternator, and external.

 

I was looking in the engine compartment drivers side fuse box (there are 2) and it looked like there might be a small battery in there. I didn't have a chance to check it out further, but it was a rectangular block approx 5 x 1 x 1 inches that looked like it could be a Li-ion battery. Maybe its to hold some settings when main battery is disconnected.

 

Actually, there have been quite a few"defective" batteries noted in the Ascents, described as having "dead cells". Apparently the supplier has poor quality control standards. I would have thought this issue would have been taken care of, and maybe it has been. You are the first battery issue I have read about. Could have just been that one in many thousands. Sorry for the trouble and I hope you get back on the road with your own car soon. Safe travels!

 

Who actually makes the battery's for Subaru?

 

Subaru strikes again with Gen 6 battery problems. smh

 

Look on the bright side, there haven't been any wind noise complaints.

 

Is the physical size of the battery the same as the Gen5's battery?
If so, I could probably just do a swap with my 2016.

 

@flixden Maybe, depending on the "wiggle room" in the tray: https://www.batteryequivalents.com/bci-battery-group-size-chart.html
You're comparing the 25 to the 47 here, and the 25 has a bit smaller "footprint", but is slightly taller. I bet it'd work...

 

This is the battery that goes into an Aussie XV (Crosstrek) with stop/start. They are big, heavy and expensive. Luckily we have not need to replace it yet. $469 at my local Battery World store.
They are not a $100 battery.

Fitment Options - Century Batteries

www.centurybatteries.com.au

Q85 Century ISS Battery

www.batteryworld.com.au

 

Why Don't they give you a battery out of a new car and replace it with the new battery on order when it comes in.

 

Been asked and discussed in this thread.

 

I would think something ON is draining the battery.

For example,

It might be as simple as leaving the headlights ON and they do not automatically turn OFF.

Fully charge the battery with a smart trickle charger overnight, say, and practice manually turning headlights OFF.

 

I have had bad luck with all of my Subaru factory batteries! On my 2017 Forester after my 1st warranty battery replacement I swapped in a Northstar battery and have used it for 3 years in weather down to -11º with no issues. It doesn't look like Northstar makes a group 47 battery. I wonder if you could fit a group 48 battery from Northstar in the 2020 Outback (haven't bought mine yet).

 

I had the battery fail on my 2015 Outback last year. The 3 year warranty expired so I went to Costco to buy a replacement.
I use two methods to easily ensure the battery will start the engine:
1: I purchased a voltmeter that plugs into the 12 V power port. When the ignition switch is turned on, the voltmeter shoes the current battery voltage. As long as it reads over 11 volts, I'm good to go.
2: I keep a LiIon jump starter in the rear compartment storage tray over the temp spare tire. The LiIon battery will hold enough power to start the car at least 10 times.
Modern automobiles are far too reliant on the battery. You can't even release the parking brake unless there is enough juice in the battery to activate the brake lights, the shift interlock and the e-brake servo. I found this out the hard way. The Outback would not crank, so I tried to roll the vehicle out of my garage so I could easily access the batter for a jump start. You can't move the shifter out of park without pressing the brake pedal, so the brake lights took the last bit of power in the battery, and then the electrically operated shift interlock would not allow me to shift out park.

 

I had the battery fail on my 2015 Outback last year. The 3 year warranty expired so I went to Costco to buy a replacement.
I use two methods to easily ensure the battery will start the engine:
1: I purchased a voltmeter that plugs into the 12 V power port. When the ignition switch is turned on, the voltmeter shoes the current battery voltage. As long as it reads over 11 volts, I'm good to go.
2: I keep a LiIon jump starter in the rear compartment storage tray over the temp spare tire. The LiIon battery will hold enough power to start the car at least 10 times.
Modern automobiles are far too reliant on the battery. You can't even release the parking brake unless there is enough juice in the battery to activate the brake lights, the shift interlock and the e-brake servo. I found this out the hard way. The Outback would not crank, so I tried to roll the vehicle out of my garage so I could easily access the batter for a jump start. You can't move the shifter out of park without pressing the brake pedal, so the brake lights took the last bit of power in the battery, and then the electrically operated shift interlock would not allow me to shift out park.

There is a shift override beside the selector. Look for the little and i mean little plastic cap beside the shifter. Remove that then stick the key in the hole. The key I am talking about is the key inside your fob.