2023 Subaru Solterra Problems: What Owners Report & How to Avoid Surprises

If you’re eyeing a used 2023 Subaru Solterra, you’ve probably heard about wheel-bolt recalls, dead 12‑volt batteries, and flaky HVAC systems. The good news is that the Solterra isn’t a disaster; the bad news is that it’s very much a first‑generation EV, with the teething problems you’d expect from a brand that’s spent a century burning gasoline.

Overview: Should You Worry About 2023 Solterra Problems?

Let’s start with the big picture. By early 2026, the 2023 Solterra has collected a handful of serious recalls plus a growing stack of owner complaints, but not a pattern of catastrophic failures. Think “annoying and sometimes expensive” more than “hopeless money pit.”

For a used buyer, the Solterra’s story is nuanced. If recalls are up to date and the car has a clean service history, it can be a very usable all‑weather EV with Subaru’s familiar outdoorsy vibe. If maintenance has been spotty, you’re potentially inheriting someone else’s experiment.

Major 2023 Solterra Recalls & What They Fix

Before you get lost in forums, anchor yourself in the problems Subaru has officially acknowledged. These are the big‑ticket recalls you should confirm have been completed on any 2023 Solterra you’re considering.

The wheel‑bolt campaign in particular is non‑negotiable. A loose wheel in a front‑drive econobox is bad; in a 4,400‑pound AWD EV with instant torque, it’s downright operatic in the wrong way.

Electrical and 12V Battery Problems

If there’s a single gremlin that keeps cropping up in owner reports, it’s the 12‑volt auxiliary battery

By late 2025, consumer‑protection sites and attorney groups were tracking dozens of NHTSA complaints about Solterra 12V failures, including cars that died multiple times within the first 5,000–10,000 miles. Dealers often replace the battery under warranty, but many drivers report repeat failures because the underlying logic, how the car maintains that battery, hasn’t been fully resolved yet.

HVAC and Defroster Issues on the Solterra

Next on the hit parade: heating, A/C, and defrost performance

• Weak or no heat even at high temperature settings
• Defroster that never fully clears the windshield
• Intermittent “EV system” or A/C errors followed by long stays at the dealer
• Compressors and A/C components sitting on nationwide backorder, leaving owners in loaners for weeks

The official fix is a software update for the HVAC control ECU, plus hardware replacement (compressor, sensors, hoses) if the unit has already eaten itself. The recall work is free, but downtime can be lengthy if parts are scarce.

Charging, Range, and Ownership Quirks

On paper the 2023 Solterra’s 72.8 kWh battery and roughly 225‑mile EPA range look respectable. In practice, owners describe a car that’s fine for commuting and weekend duty, but a bit high‑maintenance on road trips and in cold climates.

Level 2 home charging is the Solterra’s happy place. Give it a 240‑volt outlet and a steady overnight session, and life is pretty uneventful. Rely on DC fast chargers and long winter drives, and you’ll spend a lot more time thinking about kilowatts than you ever wanted to.

How Reliable Is the 2023 Subaru Solterra Long-Term?

We’re still early in the Solterra’s life story. By 2026, mileage on most 2023s is modest, and catastrophic failures are rare. What we do see is a pattern of nuisance issues and software‑adjacent problems rather than core drivetrain carnage.

Inspection Checklist When Buying a Used Solterra

If you’re shopping a used 2023 Solterra, treat it like what it is: a sophisticated computer with wheels, built by a company that’s still learning the operating system. Here’s what to check before you sign anything.

How Recharged Helps With Used Solterra Buying

If you like the idea of a Solterra but not the homework, you don’t have to white‑knuckle this alone. At Recharged, every used EV we list, including the 2023 Subaru Solterra, comes with a Recharged Score Report that tells you exactly what you’re stepping into.

Because Recharged focuses solely on EVs, our team is fluent in quirks like preconditioning limits, heat‑pump behavior, and those mysterious errors that make a generalist dealer shrug. If a particular Solterra doesn’t clear our bar, it doesn’t get a Recharged Score, and it doesn’t get listed.

2023 Subaru Solterra Problems: FAQ

Bottom Line: Is a Used 2023 Solterra Worth It?

The 2023 Subaru Solterra is not the perfect EV. It is, however, a legitimately capable all‑weather electric crossover built on a modern platform, saddled with the kinds of first‑generation hiccups that Subaru and Toyota have been slowly chasing down via recalls and software revisions.

If you’re the sort of driver who keeps a binder of service records and doesn’t mind one or two extra dealer visits in exchange for a good deal, a carefully vetted 2023 Solterra can be a smart, characterful used EV. If you want something utterly drama‑free, consider either a later‑model Solterra or a more mature rival with a longer EV track record.

Either way, go in with clear eyes: insist on recall documentation, scrutinize HVAC and 12V behavior, and get real battery‑health data, not just a dashboard guess. That’s exactly what a Recharged Score Report is designed to surface, so you can decide whether this particular Solterra is an adventure wagon… or someone else’s unfinished science project.