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, Jul 27, 2020
DEFECTIVE FRONT WINDSHIELDS. THE ORIGINAL HAD A LEGITIMATE CRACK FROM A ROCK HITTING IT. THE FIRST & SECOND REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELDS (SUBARU BRANDED) BOTH CRACKED STARTING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE ABOUT MIDWAY UP. THE FIRST REPLACEMENT CRACKED AT SLOW SPEED AFTER PULLING AWAY FROM THE CURB. THE SECOND CRACKED AFTER PARKING AND CLOSING THE DRIVERS DOOR. BOTH CRACKS IMMEDIATELY SPREAD LATERALLY ACROSS ALMOST HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD IN THE DRIVERS LINE OF SIGHT. THE ORIGINAL WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED ON 4/3/2019 AND THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED ON 11/4/2019. THIS SECOND REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON 7/24/2020. NEITHER OF THESE LAST TWO CRACKED WINDSHIELDS WAS CAUSED BY ROCK OR DEBRIS HITTING THEM.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 23, 2020
WINDSHIELD EXPERIENCED SERIOUS MULTI-FINGERED CRACK, ORIGINATING IN THE TOP CENTER PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD, WHERE THE 'EYESIGHT' CAMERAS ARE LOCATED. NO KNOWN CONTACT BY OBJECT FROM ROAD. APPEARED TO BE SPONTANEOUS. NOT CERTAIN IF VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION OR STATIONARY- DIDN'T NOTICE IT UNTIL ENTERING VEHICLE IN THE MORNING.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 22, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED OUT OF NOWHERE AND SPREAD QUICKLY. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN WE ENTERED THE CAR AND NOTICED A LONG CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. I NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN TO A WINDSHIELD BEFORE. THE CRACK KEEPS GROWING FOR NO REASON.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 13, 2020
I HAVE HAD MY OUTBACK FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS. IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED 4 CRACKED OR BROKEN WINDSHIELDS. I AVOID DRIVING BEHIND TRUCKS/SEMIS BUT THE SMALLEST ROCK OR ANYTHING SEEMS TO HAVE DISASTEROUS RESULT OF BULLSEYE/CRACK ETC. I HAVE HAD MY WINDSHILED REPLACED TWICE AND NOW IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED A THIRD TIME.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 7, 2020
AFTER REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD ONCE WITH OEM GLASS. IT CRACKED AGAIN, IN ROUGHLY THE SAME PLACE AS BEFORE (BOTTOM MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD). THIS IS THE SECOND WINDSHIELD IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS! SUBARU CLEARLY HAS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR GLASS OR CLEARANCES AROUND THE GLASS. THIS ONE CRACKED WHILE SITTING IN A CARIBOU PARKING LOT. WE WERENT EVEN MOVING. NO ROCK CHIPS, NOTHING HIT THE WINDOW. ALL THE SUDDEN HEARD A "POP" NOISE, THEN SAW THE CRACK.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 7, 2020
WAS DRIVING HOME FROM GETTING DINNER ON A SIDE ROAD NEAR HOME (40MPH ZONE), NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD, NOTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD, AND IT STARTED TO CRACK FROM THE BOTTOM MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WERE NO CHIPS, THE CAR WAS ONLY 6MO OLD. NO DRASTIC TEMPERATURE CHANGES OR ANYTHING. BELIEVE WHAT ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING. I HAVE NEVER SEEN GLASS CRACK OUT OF NOWHERE LIKE THIS. I REALLY HOPE THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS STICK AS THERE IS CLEARLY AN UNDERLYING ISSUE.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 6, 2020
TWO SEPARATE INSTANCES OF A CRACK HAVE FORMED WHILE DRIVING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A NOTABLE INCIDENT CONNECTED TO THE CRACKS. THE INITIAL CRACKS WERE NOTICED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 6, 2020
LIKE MANY OTHERS, MY WINDSHIELD STARTED CRACKING IN 2 SEPARATE PLACES. ONE LONG CRACK FROM JUST ABOVE THE WIPER BLADE SPANNING 18 INCHES, AND ANOTHER ONE THAT STARTS FROM MIDWAY UP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE ABOUT 2 FEET LONG THAT ALMOST LINKS UP WITH THE OTHER ONE. WINDSHIELD WAS NOT STRUCK AND JUST OCCURRED WHILE IN MY DRIVEWAY AND GARAGE IN FLORIDA.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 1, 2020
NORMAL DRIVING 45 MPH HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT REASON THE WINDSHIELD STARTED TO CRACK ABOUT ONE INCH THEN KEPT GETTING LONGER ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER THE CRACK WAS ABOUT 8 INCHES LONG. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 30, 2020
I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM REPEATED WINDSHIELD CRACKS, IN A VARIETY OF ROAD CONDITIONS, WITH THIS VEHICLE. BETWEEN MY OWN CAR, AND LOANER VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR/MODEL, I HAVE HAD 5 WINDSHIELDS CRACK IN LESS THAN 30,000 MILES. MOST INSTANCES I DID NOT SEE ANY DEBRIS IMPACT THE VEHICLE. ON ONE OCCASION I WAS TRAVELLING UNDER 10 MPH, WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE STREET, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LARGEST 'BULLSEYE' I'VE EXPERIENCED, NEARLY 3" ACROSS. I DID NOT SEE ANY OBJECT IMPACT THE CAR, AND EVEN STOPPED TO INSPECT THE ROAD FOR DEBRIS THAT I DID NOT FIND. MY CURRENT VEHICLE HAS THREE DISTINCTLY SEPARATE CRACKED SECTIONS THAT OCCURRED ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ONE ONE INSTANCE, THE NEAREST VEHICLE WAS ALMOST 1/4 MILE AHEAD OF ME AS WE WERE BOTH TRAVELLING STRAIGHT AT ABOUT 65MPH. THE LATEST WAS WHILE ON AN INTERSTATE ENTRANCE RAMP, WITH LIGHT TRAFFIC, AND UNDER 50MPH AT THE TIME OF THE CRACK. I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING IMPACT THE VEHICLE.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 23, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED DRIVERS SIDE VERY LOW. IT DOES NOT IMPEDE VISION DRIVING AND I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPLACED. I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENED. I WAS DRIVING MY OUTBACK. I STOPPED FOR AN ERRAND AND CAME OUT AND NOTICED THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. I HAD USED MY DEFROST ON THE TRIP AS THE WINDSHIELD WAS FOGGING. PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN ON MY 2015 OUTBACK TOO. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 20, 2020
I BELIEVE A DEFECT IN THE MATERIAL OR ASSEMBLY CAUSED MY FRONT WINDSHIELD TO CRACK. THIS CRACK WAS INITIALLY NOTED AS I PREPARED TO DRIVE MY CAR OUT OF MY GARAGE AND ON TO WORK, WITH A NEARLY IMPERCEPTIBLE CRACK IN THE VERY LOWER LEFT CORNER. THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHIN MONTHS OF PURCHASE. THE CRACK STARTED IN THE LOWER LEFT CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD, UP AGAINST THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE A PILLAR. THERE WAS NO PITTING ANYWHERE NEAR THE CRACK. IT APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY THE METAL FRAME FOR THE WINDSHIELD. THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT IT. I PAID THE TOTAL COST FOR REPAIR, $867.06, OUT-OF-POCKET. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 20, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER STARTING DEFROSTER WHILE STILL PARKED IN THE UNHEATED GARAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN MOTION AND THERE WAS NO CRACK PRIOR TO STARTING THE DEFROSTER. *TR
Electrical system, Structure, Visibility/wiper, Jun 6, 2020
1. DEFECT IN WINDSHIELDS OR FRAMING AREA. I'VE HAD 4 WINDSHIELD CRACK IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT AND HAVE REPLACED 3 SO FAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT. ADDING MY NAME AND CAR TO THE COMPLAINTS SAYING THE WINDSHIELDS IN THEIR SUBARU VEHICLES ARE DEFECTIVE AND ARE SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKING, AND BREAKING, SOMETIMES 'WITHIN WEEKS OR A FEW MONTHS OF PURCHASE.' I USUALLY NOTICE UPON RETURNING TO MY CAR IN THE MORNING TO LEAVE FOR WORK OR RETURNING FROM BEING AWAY FROM IT ALL DAY. MY CAR INSURANCE HAS COVERED ALL BUT $100 OF THE BILLS OVER THE SPAN OF 2 YEARS, LUCKILY. BUT MY TIME IS VALUABLE. 2. RADIO/MULTIMEDIA SCREEN SOMETIMES DOESN'T COME ON WHEN I START THE CAR AND WON'T WORK UNTIL I TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON LATER. 3. CHINCY MATERIAL, SEEMS TO DENT VEEEERY EASILY, DOES NOT LIVE UP TO HIGH STANDARDS AND DURABILITY THEY RAVE ABOUT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT ALL HAS DINGED MY CAR BUT IT IS WAY MORE FREQUENT THAN ANY OTHER CAR I'VE OWNED. I USUALLY NOTICE WALKING UP TO IT FROM BEING PARKED. COULD BE FROM DRIVING DOWN ROAD THOUGH. 4. BATTERY LIFE IS SHORT. CAR WAS NOT RUN FOR 5 DAYS AND BATTERY WAS DEAD. CLAIMS TO BE AN OUTDOORSY CAR SO WHY WOULD IT BE SET UP TO KILL THE BATTERY SO QUICKLY? MY DEALERSHIP UPDATED THE SOFTWARE AND GAVE ME A BIGGER BATTERY TO HELP "FIX" THAT ISSUE. *TR
Visibility, Visibility/wiper, Jun 3, 2020
MY SUBARU OUTBACK 2018 WINDSHIELD CRACKED AGAIN AFTER JUST A FEW WEEKS INTO GETTING IT PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. THE SAME THING HAPPEN AS THE PREVIOUS TIME, A VERY SMALL ROCK CAUSED A HUGE CRACK TO THE WINDSHIELD GOING AT MODERATELY SLOW SPEED ENTERING THE FREE WAY. SUBARU REPLACED THE FIRST ONE FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE THEY KNEW AN ONGOING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS IN PLACE, BUT STATES THAT ANY FURTHER ISSUES WILL BE OUT OF MY POCKET. THE WINDSHIELDS THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED AS REPLACEMENTS ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUES OF CRACKING VERY EASILY. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 31, 2020
THE CAR WAS PARKED IN AN END SPACE PARKING. WHEN I RETURNED THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. NO MARKS, DINGS OR DENTS ARE NEAR OR AROUND THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, May 24, 2020
OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS I HAVE GOTTEN 6 ROCK CHIPS THAT HAVE COME FROM DRIVING ON GROUND ROADS AT SPEED OF NO MORE THAN 40 MPH SOME WERE FROM BUGS OR DIRT CLODS. ONE CHIP HAS RESULTED IN A BREAK GOING UP THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDOW AND WILL SOON BE IN THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM. THE CRACK HAPPENED WHILE SITTING IN A SHELTERED PARKING LOT DURING A WARM 75 DEGREE DAY. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 18, 2020
CAR WAS SITTING IN DRIVEWAY FOR ONE WEEK. DROVE MY CAR,CITY STREET, TURNED ON AIR CONDITIONER, WINDSHIELD STARTED CRACKING OUT OF NOWHERE, FROM MIDDLE OF PASSENGER SIDE, THE CRACK TURNED UP HALFWAY AND STOPPED HALFWAY THROUGH WINDSHIELD. NOTHING HIT THE WINDOW. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A POINT OF IMPACT. THE DEALER TOOK A PUSHPIN AND PUSHED IT INTO THE WINDSHIELD TO SHOW ME. I ARGUED THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND DEALER SAID THAT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY. I ARGUED THAT NOTHING HIT MY WINDSHIELD AND THEY SAID THAT SOMETHING DID. *TR
Visibility/wiper, May 1, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKS EXCEPTIONALLY EASILY AND SEEMINGLY WITHOUT ANY CAUSE.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 29, 2020
SUBARU OUTBACK 2018, WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE, RARELY DRIVEN FOR LAST TWO MONTHS. CAME TO THE GARAGE IN THE MORNING AND FOUND A LONG SINGLE-LINE CURVY CRACK STARTING AT THE DRIVE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND GOING HORIZONTALLY FOR ABOUT HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 10, 2020
2018 SUBARU OUTBACK WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE ON HIGHWAY. NO APPARENT STONE HIT IT. REPLACED ON 3/5/2019. FRIEND SENT ME A WEBSITE WHERE IT WAS NOTED THAT MULTIPLE OTHERS SUBARU OWNERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME OCCURRENCE. IT STATED TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH YOU. I AM UNABLE TO SCAN OR UPLOAD REPAIR PAPERWORK BUT I HAVE MY RECEIPT FROM THE REPAIR. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Apr 9, 2020
I NOTICED A SMALL CRACK IN THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. I DID NOT SEE OR HEAR A ROCK OR ITEM HIT THE WINDSHIELD, I ONLY SAW THE RESULT ' THE CRACK. EACH DAY THE CRACK GREW LONGER. ONCE IT WAS APPROXIMATELY A FOOT LONG, I CALLED TO GET IT REPAIRED. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Mar 30, 2020
FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 25, 2020
WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED WHILE STATIONARY
Visibility/wiper, Mar 24, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKS WITHOUT ANY APPARENT IMPACT. STARTS FROM THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND CRACK EXPANDS INWARD. REPLACED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO FOR SAME ISSUE AND ALREADY HAVE 2 CRACKS IN THE NEW WINDSHIELD.