2018 Subaru Outback Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Outback years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 814 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Subaru Outback. That ranks 4th out of 32 Outback model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (267 complaints, 33%), typically at around 16,250 miles. Complaints mention 27 crashes, 4 fires, 19 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 814owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 27complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Subaru Outback 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 problems | 267 | 33% | 16,250 | “battery dead” (9%) | $320 |
| Visibility/wiper problems | 234 | 29% | 21,775 | “windshield cracked” (29%) | $1,300 |
| Unknown or Other | 161 | 20% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 43 | 5% | 5,585 | — | — |
| Visibility | 41 | 5% | 34,900 | — | — |
| Engine | 37 | 5% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 36 | 4% | 4,700 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 21 | 3% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 19 | 2% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 18 | 2% | 21,425 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 18 | 2% | 7,092 | — | — |
| Structure | 15 | 2% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 14 | 2% | 6,750 | — | — |
| Wheels | 11 | 1% | 8,200 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 9 | 1% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 1% | 2,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 8 | 1% | 10,300 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 8 | 1% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 8 | 1% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 0% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 0% | 75,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 0% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 0% | 16,927 | — | — |
| Carry Handle, Shell, Base | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | 3,900 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Subaru Outback 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.
SUMMARY OF SAFETY DEFECT: The vehicle exhibits severe, premature corrosion and rust perforation of the front subframe (crossmember) assembly. This structural component is deteriorating at an accelerated rate, compromising the vehicle's structural integrity. This was confirmed at a Subaru dealership…
The touchscreen has delamination and ghost touching of the apps. I spoke with my dealer and was first told it was covered by Subaru to replace, as it was a known issue, but when I took my car to the dealer, I was told I would have to pay around $1,500 to have it repaired/replaced. The ghost…
The 8-inch Gen 3 Harman STARLINK touchscreen is delaminating/bubbling. It registers phantom touch inputs and becomes unresponsive on its own while the vehicle is in motion, changing audio, navigation, and system settings without driver input. If a phone is ever attached, the screen will randomly…
Infotainment unit in my 2018 Subaru Outback has had a recurring freeze/black-screen defect since new, and it directly affects the backup camera display and interaction with EyeSight safety features, creating a rear-visibility hazard while reversing and a driver-distraction hazard while underway…
The car started to make very loud engine noises and then the engine completely failed. The car was no longer able to accelerate and lost the ability to go in both forward and reverse. Luckily, my son had just arrived home when the car completely lost power, but it began to have acceleration issues…
Other Subaru Outback years
← 2017 Outback · 2019 Outback →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Outback | 18 | 0 |
| 2025 Outback | 82 | 0 |
| 2024 Outback | 104 | 0 |
| 2023 Outback | 89 | 2 |
| 2022 Outback | 465 | 4 |
| 2021 Outback | 297 | 4 |
| 2020 Outback | 899 | 6 |
| 2019 Outback | 1,036 | 3 |
| 2018 | 814 | 3 |
| 2017 Outback | 918 | 4 |
| 2016 Outback | 643 | 4 |
| 2015 Outback | 510 | 5 |
| 2014 Outback | 208 | 10 |
| 2013 Outback | 297 | 12 |
| 2012 Outback | 292 | 16 |
| 2011 Outback | 652 | 16 |
| 2010 Outback | 360 | 18 |
| 2009 Outback | 106 | 13 |
| 2008 Outback | 226 | 8 |
| 2007 Outback | 129 | 8 |
| 2006 Outback | 277 | 7 |
| 2005 Outback | 273 | 9 |
| 2004 Outback | 90 | 10 |
| 2003 Outback | 93 | 14 |
| 2002 Outback | 143 | 4 |
| 2001 Outback | 171 | 3 |
| 2000 Outback | 207 | 1 |
| 1999 Outback | 111 | 1 |
| 1998 Outback | 127 | 2 |
| 1997 Outback | 79 | 4 |
| 1996 Outback | 46 | 2 |
| 1995 Outback | 2 | 1 |
See all Subaru Outback 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 Outback?
Owners most often report electrical system, visibility/wiper, unknown or other problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 267 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Subaru Outback?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Subaru Outback a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Outback model years, the 2018 has far 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.