2018 Subaru Outback
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 811 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 26 Outback model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 27 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 19 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpJul 29, 2021
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
Campaign 21V587000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, rearview mirrors/devicesDec 31, 2018
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Legacy, Outback, and BRZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, a software issue may cause the audio display system to not initialize, resulting in the camera display remaining blank. If this occurs, the rearview image will not display while backing up the vehicle. As a result, the vehicles fail to comply with requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.
Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the audio system display software, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTZ-85.
Campaign 18V935000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, softwareNov 1, 2018
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
The inaccurate fuel display may cause a driver to unexpectedly run out of fuel and the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the combination meter software, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTW-82.
Campaign 18V773000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: visibility/wiper
233 reports, newest first. Show all
Visibility/wiper, Apr 14, 2021
WINDSHIELD MADE A POPPING SOUND AND THEN SPIDER CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NOT NEAR OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD WHEN THE CRACK HAPPENED, NO FLYING DEBRIS. WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 60 MPH ON A FREEWAY ON NO CALIFORNIA. THE CRACK STARTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE WINDSHIELD THEN MADE A SECOND POPPING NOISE AS THE PASSENGER WATCHED THE CRACK SPREAD. THERE IS NO INDENTATION FROM A ROCK CHIP. JUST THE CRACK ACROSS A SMOOTH WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 12, 2021
WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED
Visibility/wiper, Apr 10, 2021
I AM CURRENTLY ON MY SECOND WINDSHIELD AFTER HAVING THE FIRST REPLACED FOR CRACKING. THE REPLACEMENT NOW HAS UPWARDS OF 100 PITS OR CHIPS AND LOOKS WELL ON ITS WAY TO CRACKING AGAIN. I HAVE VISITED THE DEALERSHIP AND SUBARU WILL NOT ENTERTAIN THE IDEA OF COVERING THIS UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THERE SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE OF WINDSHIELD FAILURE. THE CHIPS AND PITS HAVE COME FROM NORMAL USE WHILE DRIVING AND THE WINDSHIELD HAS NOT BEEN STRUCK BY ROCKS OR ANY LARGER OBJECTS.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 29, 2021
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD (2 LANE HIGHWAY) AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AROUND ME, AND NO VEHICLE NEAR TO THROW UP A ROCK. I COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED. I ONLY RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT THESE WINDSHIELDS DO THIS ON THEIR OWN. DEFECTIVE.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 28, 2021
IT HAPPENED IN AUGUST OF 2020. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN A GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT ON A CLEAR SUNNY DAY. IT WAS FAIRLY HOT OUTSIDE (A/C WAS RUNNING) AND I WAS SITTING IN THE CAR EATING WHEN I HEARD A POPPING/CRACKING SOUND. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE PLASTIC SUSHI CONTAINER I WAS EATING OUT OF BREAKING, BUT THEN I SAW A CRACK HAD FORMED AT THE TOP OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD. IT CONTINUED RADIATE AND NOW IS A LONG CRACK RUNNING THE LENGTH OF THE WINDSHIELD AND IS PARALLEL TO THE ROOF LINE.
Visibility/wiper, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 24, 2021
WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND WITHIN 3 DAYS RAN ACROSS MOST OF THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 22, 2021
WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED DURING THE NIGHT. VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT RESIDENCE WHEN IT CRACKED. THE LOW TEMPERATURE WAS AT OR JUST BELOW ZERO DEGREES FARENHEIT.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 14, 2021
MY WINDSHIELD SPIDERWEBBED WHEN IT WAS HIT WITH ROCK. AT FIRST IT CHIPPED AND THEN A COUPLE MINUTES LATER IT SPIDERWEBBED INTO A CRACK THAT IS ALMOST A FOOT LONG. THIS ALSO HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I WAS COMING HOME FROM THANKSGIVING. I HAD TO REPLACE MY WINDSHIELD ON DECEMBER 5TH, 2020, WHICH WAS AROUND $1500 AND NOW I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE THING AGAIN. BOTH INSTANCES I WAS DRIVING ON HWY 49 IN ARKANSAS. I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I FEEL LIKE THE WINDSHIELD SHOULD BE STRONG ENOUGH TO JUST GET CHIPPED AND NOT IMMEDIATELY SPIDERWEB INTO SOMETHING BIGGER AND MORE EXPENSIVE TO FIX. IN THE 3 YEARS OF HAVING MY CAR THIS WILL HAVE TO BE THE SECOND WINDSHIELD I NEED TO REPLACE DUE TO THE WINDSHIELD CRACKING AFTER IT GETS CHIPPED. I JUST DON'T THINK THE WINDSHIELD IS AS HIGH OF A QUALITY AS THE REST OF THE CAR.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 12, 2021
HELLO! SO I JUST GOT THIS SUBARU A FEW WEEKS AGO AND TODAY IN THE RIGHT SIDE LOOK LIKE THE TINNIEST ROCK IN THE WORLD HIT IT AND CRACKED MY WINDSHIELD. I'VE TALKED TO A FEW A MY BUDDY'S WHO OWN SUBARU'S AS WELL AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT Y'ALL BECAUSE THE NEW MODELS HAVE A VERY THIN WINDSHIELD AND Y'ALL WILL HAVE IT TAKEN CARE OF. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. CODY.
Visibility/wiper, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 5, 2021
WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED NEAR MIDDLE TOP OF WINDSHIELD, FROM EDGE ABOUT 6-8INCHES AND WITHIN THE FIELD OF VIEW OF THE EYESIGHT CAMERAS
Visibility/wiper, Feb 28, 2021
THE WINDSHIELD OF THIS 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK HAS FRACTURED THREE TIMES IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. IN ALL THREE INSTANCES, THERE WAS NO KNOWN PROJECTILE THAT CAUSED IMPACTED THE VEHICLE TO CAUSE THE HAIRLINE CRACKS. THE WINDSHIELD APPEARS TO HAVE CRACKED ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY DRIVEN ON PAVED ROADS AND HIGHWAYS, WITH NO UNUSUAL OR OFF-ROAD DRIVING PRECEDING THE INCIDENTS. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2018 AND BOTH REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELDS WERE PURCHASED AT A LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP WITH SUBARU OEM GLASS. EACH REPLACEMENT HAS COST ROUGHLY $500 USD PLUS THE EYESIGHT RECALIBRATION COSTS. TOTAL REPLACEMENT COSTS HAVE TOTALED ROUGHLY $3,000 USD.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2021
WINDSHIELD CRACKED TWICE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS AFTER GETTING HIT BY SMALL PEBBLE WHILE DRIVING WITHIN SPEED LIMIT ON HIGHWAY.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 19, 2021
THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DEVELOPS CRACKS AND STAR CHIPS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. HAD IT REPAIRED WITH HANSON AUTO GLASS 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS IN THE 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. ONLY ABLE TO FIND 2 OF 3 PICTURES OF REPAIR PAPERWORK.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 17, 2021
WELL IT WAS 25BELOW HERE AND MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON ITS OWN WHILE IN THE SCHOOLTEACHERS PARKING LOT.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 8, 2021
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS NOT A PARTICULARLY HOT OR COLD DAY. SHE HEARD A CRACKING SOUND, WHEN SHE STOPPED SHE NOTICED A 3 INCH CRACK IN HER WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK WAS LOCATED ABOUT HALFWAY UP THE WINDSHIELD AND ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE. OVER THE NEXT DAY THE CRACK GREW AND GREW IN SEVERAL DIRECTIONS. MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER ON JAN 21, 2021 AND ASKED THEM ABOUT REPLACEMENT AND THEY TOLD HER THAT THEY DID NOT REPLACE WINDSHIELDS. IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE SO I HAD TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED. THE COST WAS $1279.83.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 3, 2021
CRACK APPEARED IN RIGHT SIDE OF WINDSHIELD FOR NO REASON AS OUTBACK HAD BEEN SITTING PARKED THE DRIVEWAY FOR 5 DAYS. IT IS ABOUT 6' LONG FROM LEFT TO RIGHT THEN TURNS RIGHT OR DOWNWARD ABOUT 3'.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 28, 2021
MY WINDSHIELD JUST CRACKED. IT WAS NOT HIT BY A ROCK OR ROAD DEBRIS, NOR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT/CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, CRUISING ON A WELL-MAINTAINED ROAD FREE OF DEBRIS AND POTHOLES. THERE WERE NO VEHICLES IN FRONT OR AROUND MY VEHICLE. SPEED WAS ABOUT 45 MPH. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARU CARS, AND SEEMS THAT THERE ARE OUT THERE INITIATIVES FOR A LAWSUIT AGAINST SUBARU.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 26, 2021
DRIVING VEHICLE SLOWLY OVER SPEED BUMP LEAVING AIR FORCE BASE. HEARD POPPING SOUND AT WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER SIDE. DAY LATER HAD A LARGE CRACK IN WINDSHIELD. CRACK STARTED UNDER WINDSHIELD WIPER ON PASSENGER SIDE. SUBARU DEALERSHIP ADVISED WINDSHIELD CRACK NOT UNDER 3 YEAR/36000 MILE WARRANTY.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 26, 2021
FOR THE SECOND IN TIME LESS THAN A YEAR THE WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED AS A RESULT OF MINOR ROAD DEBRIS. THE FIRST TIME SUBARU COVERED THE REPLACEMENT UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE RECENTLY CONTACTED THEM ABOUT THIS INCIDENT AND I AM AWAITING A RESOLUTION. I AM AWARE OF THE PENDING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST SUBARU REGARDING DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD. AND I CAN SAY FROM EXPERIENCE IT IS COMPLETELY VALID. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE WITH SUCH A FRAGILE WINDSHIELD. IT IS DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS. PLEASE CONTACT IF YOU NEED ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Visibility/wiper, Jan 5, 2021
WHILE TRAVELING AT 70MPH ON A HIGHWAY, A ROCK STRUCK THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD FROM ANOTHER SUV IN THE LANE TO THE RIGHT OF OUR VEHICLE. THIS WAS A REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD INSTALLED BY JACK MORRIS AUTO GLASS.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 4, 2021
2018 SUBARU OUTBACK HAS HAS A CRACK IN WINDSHIELD IN FEB. AND AGAIN IN SEPT. 2020 I CONTACTED THE DEALER IN BOONE, N.C. AND WAS TOLD THEY DO NOT FIX THEM THERE AND WOULD HAVE TO SEND IT OUT FOR REPAIR AND THEY WOULD NEED IT FOR 3-4 DAYS. I COULD NOT WAIT THIS LONG SO TOOK IT TO SAFELITE GLASS IN BRISTOL, TN. I DO NOT KNOW HOW THIS HAPPENED AND JUST NOTICED IT ONE MORNING. ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED IN ALMOST THE EXACT SAME SPOT. THIS SEEMED VERY UNUSUAL TO ME AND I JUST SAW THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH 2017-2020 YEARS. THIS COST ME $500.00 FOR BOTH REPAIRS.
Visibility/wiper, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 16, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND CRACK SPREAD ACROSS LINE OF SIGHT. MY CAR WAS ONLY TWO MONTHS OLD. I DROVE MY PREVIOUS CAR ON SAME ROUTE FOR 10 YEARS WITHOUT BROKEN WINDSHIELD
Visibility/wiper, Dec 16, 2020
II WAS PARKED AT A FRIENDS RESIDENCE FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS. WHEN I LEFT AND WAS STILL ON HIS DRIVEWAY I SAW THAT MY WINDSHIELD HAD A CRACK IN IT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE PASSENGER SIDE GOING UP ABOUT A THIRD OF THE WINDSHIELD AND CONTINUING TOWARDS THE DRIVERS SIDE ABOUT TEN INCHES. THERE HAD BEEN NO IMPACT WITH ANYTHING, THE CRACK APPEARED ON IT'S OWN.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 12, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANY SPECIFIC TRAUMA. I HAD IT REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 11, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED AT THE BASE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE. CRACK OCCURRED WHILE PARKED AFTER NO (OR NO NOTICEABLE) IMPACT. CRACK EXPANDED QUICKLY OVER SEVERAL DAYS. HIGHLY UNUSUAL.