Subaru Solterra Lemon Law

The Solterra's most talked-about defect is DC fast charging. Early cars charged slowly — topping out well below the rated speed on capable chargers — and imposed strict limits on how often you could fast-charge in a day. Subaru addressed this through battery-management and thermal software updates, but owners have reported that charging performance, range, and charging behavior still fall short of what they expected from an electric vehicle, and repeated over-the-air or dealer updates that don't fully resolve it are a classic lemon pattern.

The Solterra has also been the subject of serious recalls. Certain 2023 vehicles were recalled because improperly tightened hub bolts could loosen and let a wheel come off, prompting a "Do Not Drive" warning until repaired. Later software-heavy recalls addressed a rearview camera that could freeze or go blank in reverse and an HVAC control fault that could suspend heater operation and hurt defrost visibility. Alongside these, owners cite general software glitches and infotainment quirks.

California's Lemon Law covers a vehicle the manufacturer can't repair within a reasonable number of attempts, or that is out of service for an unreasonable time, while under warranty — and it fully applies to electric vehicles, including charging, battery, and software defects. If your Solterra keeps going back for the same problem or racks up shop time, you may be owed a buyback, a replacement, or a cash settlement, with Subaru paying your attorney fees.

A recall is not automatically a lemon — it's the manufacturer acknowledging a defect and offering a free repair. California's Lemon Law (the Song-Beverly Act) comes into play when a substantial defect can't be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts, or when your Solterra has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days.

If your Subaru Solterra qualifies, you may be entitled to a buyback (a refund of what you've paid, minus a mileage offset), a replacement vehicle, or a cash-and-keep settlement — and Subaru pays your attorney fees on a successful claim, so pursuing your case costs you nothing out of pocket.