2018 Subaru Outback Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 267 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2018 Subaru Outback, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 16,250 miles. The words owners use most often: “battery dead” (9% of reports).
- 267electrical system complaints
- 16,250median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $320typical repair cost reported by owners
- 46%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Battery dead: mentioned in 24 of 267 complaints (9%)
- Head unit: mentioned in 17 of 267 complaints (6%)
- Jump start: mentioned in 15 of 267 complaints (6%)
- Backup camera: mentioned in 15 of 267 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the 2018 Subaru Outback at $320, and half of them between $240 and $820.
Based on 9 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2020–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 140 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 267 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 3 a fire.
Subaru Outback electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Outback | 6 | 33% | — |
| 2025 Outback | 13 | 16% | 6,000 |
| 2024 Outback | 16 | 15% | 2,800 |
| 2023 Outback | 17 | 19% | 4,100 |
| 2022 Outback | 52 | 11% | 25,000 |
| 2021 Outback | 75 | 25% | 2,150 |
| 2020 Outback | 259 | 29% | 4,746 |
| 2019 Outback | 364 | 35% | 13,000 |
| 2018 Outback | 267 | 33% | 16,250 |
| 2017 Outback | 391 | 43% | 31,000 |
| 2016 Outback | 309 | 48% | 40,238 |
| 2015 Outback | 127 | 25% | 30,000 |
| 2014 Outback | 32 | 15% | 47,217 |
| 2013 Outback | 23 | 8% | 40,000 |
| 2012 Outback | 37 | 13% | 70,000 |
| 2011 Outback | 67 | 10% | 60,993 |
| 2010 Outback | 33 | 9% | 90,000 |
| 2009 Outback | 23 | 22% | 107,000 |
| 2008 Outback | 34 | 15% | 80,500 |
| 2007 Outback | 20 | 16% | 116,750 |
| 2006 Outback | 42 | 15% | 100,000 |
| 2005 Outback | 28 | 10% | 110,812 |
| 2004 Outback | 8 | 9% | 36,039 |
| 2003 Outback | 7 | 8% | 13,502 |
| 2002 Outback | 4 | 3% | 115,000 |
| 2001 Outback | 3 | 2% | 72,500 |
| 2000 Outback | 8 | 4% | 117,200 |
| 1999 Outback | 8 | 7% | 91,350 |
| 1998 Outback | 6 | 5% | 100,147 |
| 1997 Outback | 4 | 5% | — |
| 1996 Outback | 1 | 2% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
2018 Subaru Outback Infotainment center glass delamination causing the system to come on by itself start malfunctioning switching between channels or apps and potentially startle / distract the driver. Incident has been ongoing for over 8 months..
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Subaru Outbacks have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 267 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2018 Subaru Outback (33% of the 814 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Subaru Outback electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 16,250 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the 2018 Subaru Outback?
Owners report a typical cost of $320 (half paid between $240 and $820), from 9 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2018 Subaru Outback?
The most frequent phrase is “battery dead”, in 24 of 267 complaints, followed by “head unit” (17).
Other 2018 Subaru Outback problems
See all 2018 Subaru Outback problems or electrical system problems across all Outback years.