Complaint volume
796 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2018 Subaru Outback Complaints
796 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Subaru Outback, grouped by component category.
796 Total complaints
26 Crash reports
4 Fire reports
10 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are visibility/wiper, electrical system, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 26 crash reports, 4 fire reports, 10 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 488 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 21,422 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to visibility/wiper, electrical system, unknown or other?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2018 Subaru Outback?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2018 Subaru Outback
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2018 Subaru Outback complaints?
26 Crash
4 Fire
10 Injury
0 Fatality
19 Towed
7 Medical attention
What are the most common 2018 Subaru Outback complaint categories?
VISIBILITY/WIPER 210
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 196
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 93
VISIBILITY 37
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 22
STEERING 22
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 19
ENGINE 13
STRUCTURE 12
BACK OVER PREVENTION 10
796 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 02/26/2021: CAR WOULDN'T START AFTER BEING STATIONARY. HAD TO GET ASSISTANCE TO HAVE BATTERY JUMPSTARTED SO I COULD GET HOME. 03/01/2021- CAR WOULDN'T START IN DRIVEWAY. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CONTACTED AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET BATTERY TO CHARGE. HUSBAND PURCHASED A JUMP BOX AND GOT THE CAR TO START. HE DROVE IT TO LOCAL SUBARU AGENCY AND BATTERY WAS TESTED AND THEY SAID IT WAS FINE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED BATTERY WAS REPLACED AS IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY FROM ORIGINAL BATTERY BEING REPLACED IN 12/2019. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS DATE (12/2019 AND 02/03/2020). | Crash: No Fire: No | 31,190 |
| Mar 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | BATTERY CONTINUES TO DIE. BATTERY WILL NOT HOLD CHARGE. CAR HAS LESS THAN 11000 MILES ON IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,771 |
| Mar 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | AT 27K MILES, MY CAR WAS GETTING SLOW TO START. I TOOK MY CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AT ALMOST 30K AND THEY HAD TO CHARGE MY BATTERY FOR 1.5 HOURS. TWO WEEKS LATER, MY CAR WAS BEEPING AND I HAD TO PULL INTO A SHOP WHO SAID THE CHARGE OF MY BATTERY WAS TOO LOW TO DETECT. I HAD TO REPLACE MY BATTERY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 29,000 |
| Mar 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE WINDSHIELD HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK STARTING AT THE VERY BOTTOM BELOW THE PLASTIC EDGE, WITH NOT APPARENT IMPACT SITE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 29,000 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | MY WINDSHIELD SPIDERWEBBED WHEN IT WAS HIT WITH ROCK. AT FIRST IT CHIPPED AND THEN A COUPLE MINUTES LATER IT SPIDERWEBBED INTO A CRACK THAT IS ALMOST A FOOT LONG. THIS ALSO HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I WAS COMING HOME FROM THANKSGIVING. I HAD TO REPLACE MY WINDSHIELD ON DECEMBER 5TH, 2020, WHICH WAS AROUND $1500 AND NOW I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE THING AGAIN. BOTH INSTANCES I WAS DRIVING ON HWY 49 IN ARKANSAS. I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I FEEL LIKE THE WINDSHIELD SHOULD BE STRONG ENOUGH TO JUST GET CHIPPED AND NOT IMMEDIATELY SPIDERWEB INTO SOMETHING BIGGER AND MORE EXPENSIVE TO FIX. IN THE 3 YEARS OF HAVING MY CAR THIS WILL HAVE TO BE THE SECOND WINDSHIELD I NEED TO REPLACE DUE TO THE WINDSHIELD CRACKING AFTER IT GETS CHIPPED. I JUST DON'T THINK THE WINDSHIELD IS AS HIGH OF A QUALITY AS THE REST OF THE CAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 59,350 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | HELLO! SO I JUST GOT THIS SUBARU A FEW WEEKS AGO AND TODAY IN THE RIGHT SIDE LOOK LIKE THE TINNIEST ROCK IN THE WORLD HIT IT AND CRACKED MY WINDSHIELD. I'VE TALKED TO A FEW A MY BUDDY'S WHO OWN SUBARU'S AS WELL AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT Y'ALL BECAUSE THE NEW MODELS HAVE A VERY THIN WINDSHIELD AND Y'ALL WILL HAVE IT TAKEN CARE OF. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. CODY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED NEAR MIDDLE TOP OF WINDSHIELD, FROM EDGE ABOUT 6-8INCHES AND WITHIN THE FIELD OF VIEW OF THE EYESIGHT CAMERAS | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD OF THIS 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK HAS FRACTURED THREE TIMES IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. IN ALL THREE INSTANCES, THERE WAS NO KNOWN PROJECTILE THAT CAUSED IMPACTED THE VEHICLE TO CAUSE THE HAIRLINE CRACKS. THE WINDSHIELD APPEARS TO HAVE CRACKED ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY DRIVEN ON PAVED ROADS AND HIGHWAYS, WITH NO UNUSUAL OR OFF-ROAD DRIVING PRECEDING THE INCIDENTS. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2018 AND BOTH REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELDS WERE PURCHASED AT A LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP WITH SUBARU OEM GLASS. EACH REPLACEMENT HAS COST ROUGHLY $500 USD PLUS THE EYESIGHT RECALIBRATION COSTS. TOTAL REPLACEMENT COSTS HAVE TOTALED ROUGHLY $3,000 USD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 29,000 |
| Feb 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | C | Crash: No Fire: No | 31,800 |
| Feb 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | REAR GATE MALFUNCTIONS SOMETIMES DOESN'T OPEN SOMETIMES DOESN'T CLOSE PROPERLY (THIS ALLOWS EXHAUST GASES TO BE DRAWN INTO THE VEHICLE) WHEN YOU DRIVE WITH THE GATE NOT COMPLETELY CLOSED. DEALER HAS NO SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENS ON A REGULAR BASES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 24,000 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED TWICE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS AFTER GETTING HIT BY SMALL PEBBLE WHILE DRIVING WITHIN SPEED LIMIT ON HIGHWAY. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | VEHICLE PARKED IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT. BATTERY KEEPS DYING WITHOUT KNOWN CAUSE. NOTHING LEFT ON. I'VE HAD 2 NEW BATTERIES INSTALLED IN THE LAST 4 MONTHS AND THEY KEEP DYING WITHOUT EXPLANATION. SOMETIMES FINE FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, THEN IT DIES EVERY 2-3 DAYS. NOTHING IS LEFT ON. CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT NEEDED!!! | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Feb 2021 | ENGINE | DURING FISH-TAILING ON A SLICK ROAD THE ENGINE ACCELERATED WITHOUT PUSHING ON THE GAS PEDAL. | Crash: No Fire: No | 380 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DEVELOPS CRACKS AND STAR CHIPS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. HAD IT REPAIRED WITH HANSON AUTO GLASS 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS IN THE 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. ONLY ABLE TO FIND 2 OF 3 PICTURES OF REPAIR PAPERWORK. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WELL IT WAS 25BELOW HERE AND MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON ITS OWN WHILE IN THE SCHOOLTEACHERS PARKING LOT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 33,363 |
| Feb 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | CAR WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE 2018. PERIDICALLY OVER THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF OWNERSHIP THE BATTERY WOULD DIE AND THE CAR WOULD REQUIRE A JUMP TO START. SINCE THE ONSET OF THE COVID PANDEMIC - WITH THE CAR LEFT UNUSED (IN A GARAGE) FOR MORE EXTENDED PERIODS - THE BATTERY DIES FREQUENTLY, EACH TIME REQUIRING A JUMP TO START. NOW, IF THE CAR IS NOT STARTED AT LEAST ONCE EVERY 1-2 DAYS THE BATTERY WILL BE DEAD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| Feb 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | I STARTED MY CAR WHEN I WAS 0 DEGREES OUTSIDE. IT STARTED BUT AFTER DRIVING 15 MINUTES I SHUT IT OFF. STARTED IT 10 MINUTES LATER AND THE BATTERY WAS NEARLY DEAD. I HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME IN LIMP MODE. THIS IS THE 2ND BATTERY IN MY 2018 SUBARU AND THE CAR IS ONLY 2.5 YEARS OLD AND HAS 54,000 MILES. THE BATTERY IN THESE CARS ARE KNOW TO DIE QUICKLY AND SUBARU WON'T RESOLVE THE ISSUE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 54,000 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER AN UNKNOWN OBJECT STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT IMPACT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED, HE BECAME AWARE THAT THE REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD WAS ALSO CRACKED. THE TECHNICIAN RETURNED TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD AND STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED BY THE PLASTIC TRIM USED FOR THE WINDSHIELD SUPPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS BEING REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE OCCUPANTS RIDING IN THE VEHICLE AFTER LEARNING THAT THE PLASTIC TRIM WAS ABLE TO CRACK THE WINDSHIELD. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WITHOUT IMPACT. THE NEXT DAY THE CRACK CONTINUED TO EXPAND. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT YET NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 37,000 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS NOT A PARTICULARLY HOT OR COLD DAY. SHE HEARD A CRACKING SOUND, WHEN SHE STOPPED SHE NOTICED A 3 INCH CRACK IN HER WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK WAS LOCATED ABOUT HALFWAY UP THE WINDSHIELD AND ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE. OVER THE NEXT DAY THE CRACK GREW AND GREW IN SEVERAL DIRECTIONS. MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER ON JAN 21, 2021 AND ASKED THEM ABOUT REPLACEMENT AND THEY TOLD HER THAT THEY DID NOT REPLACE WINDSHIELDS. IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE SO I HAD TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED. THE COST WAS $1279.83. | Crash: No Fire: No | 41,950 |
| Feb 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | AFTER JUST UNDER 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP, I STARTED NOTICING THAT THE BATTERY WAS A BIT WEAK WHEN STARTING. SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY DUE TO MILEAGE, I TOOK IT TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC FOR IT'S 60K MILE CHECK UP. HE FOUND THE BATTERY WAS WEAK AND REPLACED IT. SINCE THEN, I AN STILL HAVING THE LOW BATTERY ISSUE. IF I DO NOT START THE VEHICLE IN 2.5 DAYS, THE BATTERY IS TOO WEEK TO PERFORM. | Crash: No Fire: No | 60,000 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CRACK APPEARED IN RIGHT SIDE OF WINDSHIELD FOR NO REASON AS OUTBACK HAD BEEN SITTING PARKED THE DRIVEWAY FOR 5 DAYS. IT IS ABOUT 6' LONG FROM LEFT TO RIGHT THEN TURNS RIGHT OR DOWNWARD ABOUT 3'. | Crash: No Fire: No | 26,000 |
| Feb 2021 | STRUCTURE | MOONROOF EXPLODED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 39,000 |
| Jan 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | MY WINDSHIELD JUST CRACKED. IT WAS NOT HIT BY A ROCK OR ROAD DEBRIS, NOR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT/CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, CRUISING ON A WELL-MAINTAINED ROAD FREE OF DEBRIS AND POTHOLES. THERE WERE NO VEHICLES IN FRONT OR AROUND MY VEHICLE. SPEED WAS ABOUT 45 MPH. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARU CARS, AND SEEMS THAT THERE ARE OUT THERE INITIATIVES FOR A LAWSUIT AGAINST SUBARU. | Crash: No Fire: No | 41,700 |
| Jan 2021 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND FELT THE CAR ACCELERATE WHICH CAUSED ME TO HAVE A PANIC ATTACK, I QUICKLY RELEASED THE PEDAL BEFORE REAPPLYING PRESSURE AND IT SELF CORRECTED LUCKY JUST BEFORE LIGHT. THIS HAS HAPPEN BEFORE BUT I ERRONEOUSLY BELIEVED THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN MY FAULT, THIS TIME I WAS 100% SURE IT WAS MY BRAKES. I HAVE ALSO BEEN HAVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH BEING ABLE PRESS DOWN ON MY BRAKE PEDAL DUE TO IT BECOMING VERY STIFF. I WAS SO WORRIED I DECIDE TO SEE IF OTHER PEOPLE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD AND IT WAS NOT JUST ME. | Crash: No Fire: No | 27,000 |