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
811 reports, newest first.
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Jan 21, 2022
When I was idling in park, the car spontaneously accelerated at full throttle. Another incident occurred while braking the car started accelerating at full throttle, even though I was sitting still at a drive through. - it would not stop without turning off the ignition.
Other or unspecified, Jan 13, 2022
Cracked windshield for no reason. Saw a current lawsuit that I wanted to add to my claim. Crack is at the bottom of the windshield
Visibility/wiper, Jan 6, 2022
Windshield has cracked twice with no dings. The crack starts at the top and goes down and then horizontal. The car only has 18,500 miles on it. There is currently a class action law suit against Subaru on this subject. Subaru requires a special type of glass because of the cameras that look thru the windshield. It is very expensive to replace.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Jan 4, 2022
We have had 4 windshields on this vehicle and now the current one that was just replaced last October ( 3 months ago) just broke too. If we have this replaced it will be the 5th windshield in 4 years. It is unsafe because visibility is reduced. This is a common problem with Subarus, as evidenced by the many online discussions regarding the faulty windshields. Subaru did lose a lawsuit for 2015-2016 windshields but the newer models have not been included as yet.
Electrical system, Jan 3, 2022
I parked in my garage for 2 weeks, and I couldn’t start my car again. I had to jumpstart it. This is the third time it happened. The battery checked out fine. I drove around and now able to start again.
Electrical system, Jan 3, 2022
Battery continues to die. We have had our vehicle for a year and had to get to replace our battery 3 times including today! Multiple jumpstarts. Even had it die from leaving out trunk open once. How does that make sense?
Electrical system, Dec 31, 2021
Battery continues to drain prematurely. It's been an issue since the very beginning of out ownership in June 2018. We replaced the battery after it would not hold a charge for more than two days. The replacement battery still wouldn't last for more than a day or two. Now in the cold weather it won't even last a day. Two days ago, I went in the grocery store for about 45 minutes and the battery was dead. I can't go anywhere without my portable jump starter.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 30, 2021
The windshield has had 3 different pressure cracks (there's never been any evidence of a chip or impact) and the cracks have all appeared spontaneously. The cracks spread quickly and end up having to be replaced. The first crack was in May 2018, the second was in March 2020, and the 3rd (most recent) happened December 30, 2021.
Electrical system, Dec 27, 2021
Battery loses charge overnight for no reason. New battery placed in vehicle and same issue still present.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 23, 2021
My husband and I were driving on the freeway at 10:05 am on 12/23/21. Suddenly we heard a slight noise that emanated from the windshield. I 13 1/2 inch crack appeared on the passenger side windshield. Upon closer inspection there is a minute ding mark near the bottom of the windshield that may have been caused by a very small pebble, causing the windshiedl to crack upon impact. The vehicle is available for inspection. Safety concerns are visibility of the road, other vehicles, and possible Eyesight system failure that is embedded in the windshield. I am reporting this prior to any inspection. I will now call the insurance and the manufacturer for repair. There was no warning system of any kind.
Structure, Dec 22, 2021
Rock hit windshield and cracked windshield, from a small rock cracking the windshield and leaving this much damage if it was a bigger one it could have gone through and hurt us. This will be the second time I’ll have to repair the windshield.
Air bags, Dec 12, 2021, crash
I was rear-ended on August 30 in this vehicle while at a traffic stop by a truck traveling 65+mph. Upon impact, I was pushed into the vehicle in front of me at a high rate of speed. Despite being hit from behind and pushed into the vehicle ahead of me no airbags deployed in the vehicle. As a result, my head struck the steering wheel knocking me unconscious, and has resulted in a traumatic brain injury, labyrinthine concussion, whiplash, and damage to my vision and hearing. The vehicle was totaled out by my insurance company and the vehicle was sold to CoPart and I don't believe anyone has investigated it even though all parties have been made aware of it. Prior to the accident there were no warning lights and all vehicle safety systems appeared to be in working order.
Electrical system, Dec 6, 2021
Battery is draining over time. Vehicle is now on 3rd battery in 3 years! Dealer replaced original battery during 2nd year and claimed it under warranty. Now that battery has failed and a different brand of battery has been installed (Dec 2021). Unknown cause of battery drain.
Electrical system, Dec 2, 2021
We have a 2018 Subaru Outback with 87,000. As of yesterday our car is now on its third battery. The original battery lasted about a two years, then we purchased one from Autozone, that battery only lasted 15 months. There is obviously an issue with the electrical system on these cars causing the battery to have a shortened life span. With so many electronics in the car it seems the battery may be to small, it is only a 25 series battery. It could possibly be there are issues with the electrical system cause constant drain. We do know that the car showed no real signs of battery failure before the battery is dead. No slow starting, dim headlights, etc. Both batteries were working well, until all of a sudden they did not. I have read online where this seems to be a real problem with these cars from 2016 to 2019 and possibly the 2020 models.
Carry handle, Shell, Base, Nov 27, 2021, crash
I was in an accident 11/26 and would need to replace my care seat
Electrical system, Nov 22, 2021
Battery will not hold charge
Other or unspecified, Nov 22, 2021
BATTERY KEPT DIEING THE FIRST TIME CAR WAS ONLY 2 WEEKS OLDIT DIED AT LEAST 10 TIMES SINCE ALSO IF TAILGATE IS LEFT OPEN CAR BATTERY IS DEAD AFTER 5 MINUTES
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Nov 19, 2021
A week ago, drove 5 miles to get a hamburger. While the car was parked I listened to the radio. When my husband returned with our food 8 minutes later, the car would not start. The battery was dead. This happened again today (11/19/21) when we drove 4 miles and parked. I left the key in the ignition for barely 3 minutes before removing it, but the battery was dead when I tried to start it again a few minutes later. Both instances we used a portable battery charger after having the same problem happen during the summer. Today my husband took the car in to have the battery checked, but it is within normal range (12.2 volts). Aside from the battery problem, the oil lamp also comes on a lot…after getting a complete oil changed which should last us 6k miles or so, the oil warning light comes on after 1,500 or 2k miles, forcing us to add a quart of oil which we always have in the car now.
Visibility, Nov 19, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while approaching her parked vehicle, she noticed a crack on the middle of the passenger’s side windshield. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
Visibility, Nov 16, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked overnight and as he sat in the vehicle the next morning, he noticed a foot-long crack starting from the top of the windshield going down on the driver’s side. The contact looked around but could not determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and advised the contact that he would be responsible for the cost of the repair because the warranty only covered minor cracks. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 32,000.
Electrical system, Nov 15, 2021
I experienced premature draining of my car battery. I purchased the car in March 2021. It had approximately 19K miles and was in excellent/showroom condition. This is my first car with GPS and other advanced driving assistance safety features and collision avoidance systems. I'm still trying to understand all of these but some seem to have a mind of their own. I discovered the car's battery dead on the morning of 11/14/21. There was no warning that there might be a low battery problem and the car worked fine the previous day. I researched on-line about why this would suddenly happen and came across the Class-Action Lawsuit filed in April 2020 regarding these problems with Subaru Outback and Ascend models. I will also be contacting the legal team involved with the lawsuit, McKenzie Lake Lawyers, to verify if I need to take any steps prior to having my car fixed. Because Subaru of America and its dealerships deny there is a fundamental problem with premature battery draining, there is no verifiable source on how to repair the car, outside of simply replacing the battery, or how to reset the associated memory features. I have no idea of what electronic and safety features will or will not be operating properly once I replace the battery. I'm also very hesitant to take the car on a long trip over the Thanksgiving Day week.
Electrical system, Nov 12, 2021
i own a 2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited. In the last 18 months the battery has died three times while the car is parked. On the second occasion the battery condition was poor and I had to replace it. The third time occurred yesterday. Each time I have had to call for roadside assistance and wait, unable to start/use the car unti the help arrived. I have never had a similar problem with any previous car I have owned.
Visibility, Nov 4, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact noticed that the windshield was cracked from the bottom of the passenger’s side going upward. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 18,130.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Nov 2, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle stalled intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer as well as Hudiburg Subaru (210 E Interstate 240 Service Rd, Oklahoma City, OK 73149) on several occasions. However, both dealers could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V587000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
Electrical system, Nov 2, 2021
My new replaced battery just died again. The first one lasted 27 months and after Subaru replaced a new one, it died after 15 months. I did report on the first one too.