Rattles, Creak and general build quality

I have a 2021 Outback Outdoor XT (Canada) or Onxy XT for those in the US. It’s all built in the same factory in Indiana, so hopefully this can help anyone in North America. I love the cart, but lately (last 6 months) I have noticed more and more noises and squeaks. I am writing this to hopefully help other Outback owners try to resolve some of these issues as I find dealers to be challenging to work with and the warranty doesn’t always seem to “guarantee” any fixes or care. I have to admit this is my third Subaru that I have owned and my parents and sister also have one and I have noticed that the build quality just isn’t what it used to be. But so far their AWD and the passion for the brand is still there (for now). Hope this helps any other Subie owners out there.

The sunroof creaks. This seems to be quite common with the rubber seal drying out over time if you live in areas with extreme hot and cold seasons. I found an applicator product called 301 Rubber Seal Protectant. Just clean the rubber seal and the metal where the seal meets the roof and apply and let dry. Creak should go away for the most part. You may need to reapply several times over the next month or two if it reappears. So far so good for me and I have done it twice in 2 months.

Sunroof vibration. I still haven’t figured this out. The dealer said they put more foam and raised the sunroof a bit and that made a difference, but there is still a faint noise that I can’t figure out. It sounds like plastic on metal or plastic on plastic.

Head knocks on the passenger side of the rear. I thought it was coming from the B Pillar driver, but the noise travels. I brought it to the dealer and they thought it was the grips, but when I took it back the noise continued. Mainly when I go over uneven surfaces. I removed the rear passenger door gasket seal to fit between the top and frame. the only thing it has are side curtain airbags and I doubt they would make any noise. Looking closer, there is a metal bracket than holds the air bag cylinders. He stuck it up and made the same noise. Told the dealer and tried to get them to remove the full head to tighten it or put some kind of foam around it to prevent it. Will report back.

There are some other noises that happen when I go over bumps that seem to come from behind the center console, but they don’t bother me at the moment and that’s only when I drive it over bumps like a forest service road.

If anyone else has had any of the above issues, hope this helps or if you can help with the sunroof/header noise please leave a message or DM me.

Thank you
@Findme.outback (IG)

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