2018 Subaru Legacy Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Legacy years
- More complaints than other years 12th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 117 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Subaru Legacy. That ranks 12th out of 31 Legacy model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (40 complaints, 34%), typically at around 16,745 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 117owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Subaru Legacy problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 40 | 34% | 16,745 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 29 | 25% | 12,700 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 25 | 21% | 23,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 10 | 9% | 23,563 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 7% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 8 | 7% | 37,577 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 4% | 3,800 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 4 | 3% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 3% | 3,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 3% | 12,850 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 3% | 69 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 2% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 2% | 44,768 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | 23,191 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 69 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Subaru Legacy recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: 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.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Visibility:rearview mirrors/devices
Problem: 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."
Risk: Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.
Fix: 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.
Electrical system:software; fuel system, gasoline
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Following an engine-out service at an authorized dealer (Bill Kolb Jr. Subaru), a primary powertrain mounting bolt was left unthreaded by approximately 1 inch, creating an undetected 8,000-mile safety hazard that resulted in extensive drivetrain and suspension component failures. Subsequently…
The vehicle on board video entertainment display has stopped working properly. It does not allow any input to the touch screen. And the only way to regain some functionality is by pressing the steering wheel source button. However it works intermittently. And this causes Driver Distraction while…
The factory Harman Kardon Starlink touchscreen infotainment system in my 2018 Subaru Legacy has experienced severe touchscreen delamination. The display has developed widespread bubbling beneath the glass and now generates repeated "ghost touches" without any driver input. The system activates…
The computer screen has an issue where there is bubbling in the lamination causing the screen to go nuts and become a distracting hazard that you can not shut off. It's a known Subaru Legacy issue and should be a recall. A new screen is $2000 plus, which is not feasable for the average person to…
The car 2018 Subaru Legacy 2018, has touch screen delamination on thecentral information/ entertainment screen, which leads to screen freezing, unresponsiveness, and erratic "phantom" inputs. These malfunctions disable vital safety features, like backup cameras, etc.. Subaru has settled claims on…
Other Subaru Legacy years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Legacy | 6 | 0 |
| 2024 Legacy | 17 | 0 |
| 2023 Legacy | 10 | 2 |
| 2022 Legacy | 34 | 2 |
| 2021 Legacy | 31 | 3 |
| 2020 Legacy | 121 | 6 |
| 2019 Legacy | 123 | 3 |
| 2018 | 117 | 3 |
| 2017 Legacy | 119 | 2 |
| 2016 Legacy | 147 | 3 |
| 2015 Legacy | 160 | 3 |
| 2014 Legacy | 53 | 10 |
| 2013 Legacy | 66 | 12 |
| 2012 Legacy | 90 | 16 |
| 2011 Legacy | 167 | 16 |
| 2010 Legacy | 150 | 18 |
| 2009 Legacy | 65 | 13 |
| 2008 Legacy | 65 | 9 |
| 2007 Legacy | 33 | 9 |
| 2006 Legacy | 87 | 7 |
| 2005 Legacy | 184 | 9 |
| 2004 Legacy | 49 | 10 |
| 2003 Legacy | 60 | 14 |
| 2002 Legacy | 54 | 4 |
| 2001 Legacy | 77 | 7 |
| 2000 Legacy | 94 | 3 |
| 1999 Legacy | 94 | 3 |
| 1998 Legacy | 114 | 4 |
| 1997 Legacy | 139 | 5 |
| 1996 Legacy | 123 | 3 |
| 1995 Legacy | 182 | 2 |
See all Subaru Legacy problems by year, every Subaru model, or the Subaru VIN decoder.
Similar Subaru models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Subaru Legacy?
Owners most often report electrical system, unknown or other, visibility/wiper problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 40 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Subaru Legacy?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Subaru Legacy a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Legacy model years, the 2018 has more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.