2018 Subaru Outback Visibility/wiper Problems
Owners have filed 234 complaints with NHTSA about visibility/wiper problems on the 2018 Subaru Outback, 29% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 21,775 miles. The words owners use most often: “windshield cracked” (29% of reports).
- 234visibility/wiper complaints
- 21,775median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 57%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.
- Windshield cracked: mentioned in 68 of 234 complaints (29%)
- Crack appeared: mentioned in 23 of 234 complaints (10%)
- Apparent reason: mentioned in 12 of 234 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical visibility/wiper repair on the 2018 Subaru Outback at $1,300, and half of them between $1,100 and $1,550.
Based on 14 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2019–2024), 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 visibility/wiper problems happen?
Based on 162 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 234 complaints, 1 mention a crash.
Subaru Outback visibility/wiper complaints by model year
| Model year | Visibility/wiper complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Outback | 5 | 6% | — |
| 2024 Outback | 22 | 21% | — |
| 2023 Outback | 16 | 18% | — |
| 2022 Outback | 255 | 55% | — |
| 2021 Outback | 97 | 33% | 3,000 |
| 2020 Outback | 313 | 35% | 5,000 |
| 2019 Outback | 326 | 31% | 10,000 |
| 2018 Outback | 234 | 29% | 21,775 |
| 2017 Outback | 205 | 22% | 33,000 |
| 2016 Outback | 83 | 13% | 38,000 |
| 2015 Outback | 130 | 25% | 9,000 |
| 2014 Outback | 8 | 4% | 38,000 |
| 2013 Outback | 11 | 4% | 45,000 |
| 2012 Outback | 5 | 2% | 79,500 |
| 2011 Outback | 18 | 3% | 99,351 |
| 2010 Outback | 5 | 1% | 60,219 |
| 2009 Outback | 8 | 8% | 94,500 |
| 2008 Outback | 8 | 4% | 83,000 |
| 2007 Outback | 1 | 1% | 64,200 |
| 2006 Outback | 4 | 1% | 123,500 |
| 2005 Outback | 6 | 2% | 98,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists visibility/wiper for the 2018 Subaru Outback. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
This is the third time my windshield has cracked in the last three years.
Sunroof's glass panel exploded/shattered unexpectedly due to unknown cause(s)/reason(s) while driving vehicle. No external item(s) contacted sunroof glass panel.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Subaru Outbacks have visibility/wiper problems?
No. NHTSA has 234 owner complaints about visibility/wiper for the 2018 Subaru Outback (29% 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 visibility/wiper?
No recall currently lists visibility/wiper for this vehicle.
At what mileage do visibility/wiper problems start?
The median reported mileage is 21,775 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix visibility/wiper problems on the 2018 Subaru Outback?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,300 (half paid between $1,100 and $1,550), from 14 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about visibility/wiper problems on the 2018 Subaru Outback?
The most frequent phrase is “windshield cracked”, in 68 of 234 complaints, followed by “crack appeared” (23).
Other 2018 Subaru Outback problems
See all 2018 Subaru Outback problems or visibility/wiper problems across all Outback years.