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
272 reports, newest first. Show all
Seats, Visibility/wiper, Feb 26, 2020
1-WINDSHIELD VERY LARGE CRACK AND IT KEPT GETTING BIGGER 2-DRIVER SEAT IS SQUEAKING EVEN AFTER THE REPAIR. AFRAID THE SEAT FRAME MIGHT COME A PART DURING ACCIDENT
Visibility/wiper, Feb 25, 2020
WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO CRACK FROM THE RIGHT SIDE LOWER PORTION WITHOUT ANY IMPACT TO THE GLASS FROM ANY SOURCE WHILE DRIVING AROUND 35MPH. THE CRACK CONTINUED ACROSS THE GLASS TO THE DRIVERS SIDE AND GLASS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO APPARENT REASON FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AND THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE OR IMPACT TO THE GLASS.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 24, 2020
THE WINDSHIELD KEPT CRACKING MULTIPLE TIMES
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2020
I WAS ON AN ON RAMP ABOUT TO ENTER HIGHWAY NEAR WHERE I LIVE. I WASN'T YET AT HIGHWAY SPEED. SUDDENLY NOT SURE IF A ROCK OR ROCK SALT HIT MY WINDSHIELD. IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE A LARGE PIECE, AND I DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT. WHAT SEEMED LIKE NORMAL ROAD DEBRIS THAT FROM MY EXPERIENCE WOULD NEVER AFFECT A WINDSHIELD AND HASN'T WITH OTHER CAR MAKES I'VE OWNED ACTUALLY IMPACTED MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. A SMALL CHIP/CHUNK OF GLASS APPEARED ON MY WINDSHIELD. WAS VERY SURPRISED AND APPALLED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2020
CRACKED WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING, POSSIBLY FROM A ROCK. I HAVE NO PICTORAL EVIDENCE BUT I HAVE THE REPAIR RECEIPTS.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND CREATED A VERY LARGE SPIDERING CRACK.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2020
CRACKED WINDSHIELD ON UPPER PASSENGER SIDE
Visibility/wiper, Feb 22, 2020
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, WINDSHIELD STARRED THEN CRACKED ACROSS MOST OF WINDSHIELD WIDTH QUICKLY. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE NEAR AND THERE WAS NO DEBRIS IN ROADWAY. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO; WINDSHIELD HAS LONG SINCE BEEN REPLACED.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 18, 2020
I HAVE A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK (LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD). DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A GLASS CRACK. THEN I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LARGE WINDOW CRACK STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD (DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER) AND CURVING UPWARDS TOWARDS THE CENTER. PULLED OVER TO CHECK, AND THERE WAS NO SIGNS OF OBVIOUS ROCKS HITTING THE WINDSHIELD WHERE THE CRACK APPEARED. I RECALL DRIVING IN THE MORNING AND AS THE WEATHER WARMED UP THE WINDOW CRACK OCCURRED. NOT SURE IF TEMPERATURE MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS, BUT IN ANY CASE THE WINDSHIELD SHOULD NOT BE CRACKING ON ITS OWN WITHOUT OBVIOUS SIGNS OF IMPACT BY OBJECTS. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD ISSUE.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 16, 2020
I WAS DRIVING ON A 2 LANE HWY GOING ABOUT 50MPH WHEN I SPOTTED A SMALL STAR CRACK IN THE BOTTOM, MIDDLE OF MY WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK HAS CONTINUED TO GROW, MOSTLY HORIZONTAL OVER THE NEXT 2 WEEKS. THE WEATHER WAS MILD, ABOUT 55 DEGREES AND THERE WAS NO ONE DRIVING IN FRONT OF ME.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 12, 2020
ON RETURNING TO PARKED CAR MID-DAY ON 2/2/2020 (A MILD WINTER DAY, PARKED IN SHADE AT SKI RESORT), I SAW A T SHAPED CRACK ON LOWER PART OF WINDSHIELD JUST ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CENTER. THERE WAS NO CHIP OR DENT OR CRACK IN THE CENTRAL WINDSHIELD WHEN I PARKED THE CAR. I DIDN'T SEE OR HEAR AN IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVE THAT MORNING. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 10 DAYS, THIS HAS GROWN, EXTENDING TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD AND ACROSS ABOUT HALF THE WIDTH OF THE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 6, 2020
WINDSHIELD CRACKS EASILY AND QUICKLY. AFFECTS SAFETY/CAMERA AND SENSORS. A SMALL CHIP APPEARED ON THE WINDSHIELD, UNDER COLD TEMPERATURES IN KANSAS 2020 JANUARY, CHIP GREW A CRACK EXTENDING FROM DRIVER TO PASSENGER SIDE
Visibility/wiper, Jan 24, 2020
WE HAVE 2 CRACKS THAT CONTINUE TO GROW ON OUR WINDSHIELD. WE HAVE NEVER HAD A WINDSHIELD CRACK IN THIS WAY IN OVER 50 YEARS OF DRIVING. THE CRACKS GROW OVERNIGHT IN THE GARAGE!!
Visibility/wiper, Jan 20, 2020
WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED OVERNIGHT WHILE PARKED IN A GARAGE. 12" CRACK APPEARED ON DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS IS THE SECOND WINDSHIELD THAT HAS CRACKED WITHIN 2 YEARS AND LESS THAN 27K MILES.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 31, 2019
WIFE WAS DRIVING AND A SMALL STONE HIT THE WINDSHIELD, LEAVING A SMALL CHIP IN THE GLASS. UPON TURNING ON THE DEFROSTER LATER, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 30, 2019
MY FRONT WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A SPONTANEOUS CRACK BELOW THE WIPER BLADE. IT WAS STATIONERY.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 30, 2019
LIKE OTHER LATE MODEL SUBARU OUTBACK OWNERS, A SPONTANEOUS CRACK DEVELOPED IN THE WINDSHIELD. THIS CRACK APPEARED AT APPROXIMATELY NOON ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29TH, 2019 IN THE PARKING LOT OF A RESTAURANT. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO ASSESS THE PROBLEM TOMORROW AT THE SUBARU DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE INITIAL INDICATION IS THAT THE CRACK MAY NOT BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT TO DOCUMENT THE ISSUE AND PERHAPS TO RECOVER THE COST OF THIS REPAIR ,IF INCURRED, FROM SUBARU.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 30, 2019
SMALL ROCK (MAYBE?) HIT WINDSHIELD AND IT IMMEDIATELY CRACKED. WAS DRIVING BACK FROM MEMPHIS, TN TO LITTLE ROCK, AR CHRISTMAS EVENING ON I-40. THIS IS NOW THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN 1.5 YEARS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 28, 2019
CRACKED WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. CRACK SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE LOWER PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD.
Electronic stability control (ESC), Visibility/wiper, Dec 27, 2019
I FOUND A CRACK IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER OF MY WINDSHIELD (SUBARU OUTBACK 2018). THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT THE TIME. THERE WAS NO CAUSE FOR THE CRACK (HAIL STORM, ROCK/GRAVEL HITTING CAR). AT THIS TIME, THE CRACK HAS SPREAD AND THE SUBARU EYESIGHT PROGRAM (SENSOR PROGRAM) DOES NOT WORK.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 27, 2019
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY A ROCK OF PIECE OF GRAVEL HIT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WINDSHIELD APPROXIMATELY 1/8" FROM THE TOP EDGE OF THE GLASS IMMEDIATELY RESULTING IN A CRACK WHICH WITHIN HOURS SPREAD ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 26, 2019
A SMALL ROCK OR PIECE OF GRAVEL HIT THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD APPROXIMATELY 3" FROM THE TOP EDGE WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY A 12" LONG CRACK DEVELOPED AND HAS CONTINUED TO SPREAD. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN 16 MONTHS.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 24, 2019
SUDDEN CRACKING OF THE WINDSHIELD. NO ROCKS OR PEBBLES HIT THE WINDSHIELD. IN THE MORNING I ENTERED MY VEHICLE (THAT WAS STATIONARY ALL NIGHT) AND NOTICED A 2 INCH CRACK THAT DIDN'T EXIST THE DAY BEFORE. BY AFTERNOON, THE CRACK GREW TO ALMOST HALF THE WINDSHIELD AND WE NEEDED TO REPLACE IT. GLASS CLAIM WAS PLACED VIA GEICO WHO REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Dec 24, 2019
CRACKED WINDSHIELD FOR NO REASON. ALSO, RADIO IS CONTINUALLY DEFUNCT.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 23, 2019
A CRACK IN WINDSHIELD JUST APPEARED AND STARTED TO SPREAD SO WE TOOK IT TO MARK'S MOBILE GLASS IN JEFFERSON CITY, MO TO GET REPLACED.