Complaint volume
805 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
805 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Subaru Outback, grouped by component category.
Buyer interpretation
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
805 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
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.
Enriched records include 27 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 is available on 488 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 21,422 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
805 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | TWO SEPARATE INSTANCES OF A CRACK HAVE FORMED WHILE DRIVING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A NOTABLE INCIDENT CONNECTED TO THE CRACKS. THE INITIAL CRACKS WERE NOTICED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 25,000 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE UPPER RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE GLASS WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE CRACK WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 INCHES LONG AND WAS LOCATED ON THE INTERIOR SECTION OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 50,000 |
| Jul 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | THE HEAD UNIT HAS FAILED AND FROZEN SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, FUNCTIONS LIKE SMARTPHONE INTEGRATION, NAVIGATION, AND BACKUP CAMERA STOP WORKING. THIS OCCURS WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. FUNCTIONALITY RETURNS AFTER CAR RESTS FOR SEVERAL HOURS. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THE ISSUE WITH SOFTWARE UPDATES. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 19,000 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | NORMAL DRIVING 45 MPH HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT REASON THE WINDSHIELD STARTED TO CRACK ABOUT ONE INCH THEN KEPT GETTING LONGER ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER THE CRACK WAS ABOUT 8 INCHES LONG. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 28,500 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM REPEATED WINDSHIELD CRACKS, IN A VARIETY OF ROAD CONDITIONS, WITH THIS VEHICLE. BETWEEN MY OWN CAR, AND LOANER VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR/MODEL, I HAVE HAD 5 WINDSHIELDS CRACK IN LESS THAN 30,000 MILES. MOST INSTANCES I DID NOT SEE ANY DEBRIS IMPACT THE VEHICLE. ON ONE OCCASION I WAS TRAVELLING UNDER 10 MPH, WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE STREET, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LARGEST 'BULLSEYE' I'VE EXPERIENCED, NEARLY 3" ACROSS. I DID NOT SEE ANY OBJECT IMPACT THE CAR, AND EVEN STOPPED TO INSPECT THE ROAD FOR DEBRIS THAT I DID NOT FIND. MY CURRENT VEHICLE HAS THREE DISTINCTLY SEPARATE CRACKED SECTIONS THAT OCCURRED ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ONE ONE INSTANCE, THE NEAREST VEHICLE WAS ALMOST 1/4 MILE AHEAD OF ME AS WE WERE BOTH TRAVELLING STRAIGHT AT ABOUT 65MPH. THE LATEST WAS WHILE ON AN INTERSTATE ENTRANCE RAMP, WITH LIGHT TRAFFIC, AND UNDER 50MPH AT THE TIME OF THE CRACK. I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING IMPACT THE VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 27,500 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WINDSHIELD CRACKING WHILE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE 80. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED DRIVERS SIDE VERY LOW. IT DOES NOT IMPEDE VISION DRIVING AND I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPLACED. I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENED. I WAS DRIVING MY OUTBACK. I STOPPED FOR AN ERRAND AND CAME OUT AND NOTICED THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. I HAD USED MY DEFROST ON THE TRIP AS THE WINDSHIELD WAS FOGGING. PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN ON MY 2015 OUTBACK TOO. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 42,500 |
| Jun 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | CAR WOULD NOT START, CLICKING NOISES CAME FROM THE FUSE PANEL LOCATED INSIDE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH WE NEVER HAD HEARD BEFORE, NO PRIOR INDICATION OF LOW VOLTAGE OR BATTERY DISCHARGE. EVENTUALLY RED BATTERY ICON DISPLAYED BRIEFLY ON INSTRUMENT PANEL. UNABLE TO START, HAD TO GET A TOW, JUMP UNSUCCESSFUL.FORTUNATELY CAR WASPARKED AT HOME IN THE GARAGE. LIGHTS WERE NOT LEFT ON NOR WERE DOORS OR LIFTGATE AJAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 18,000 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I BELIEVE A DEFECT IN THE MATERIAL OR ASSEMBLY CAUSED MY FRONT WINDSHIELD TO CRACK. THIS CRACK WAS INITIALLY NOTED AS I PREPARED TO DRIVE MY CAR OUT OF MY GARAGE AND ON TO WORK, WITH A NEARLY IMPERCEPTIBLE CRACK IN THE VERY LOWER LEFT CORNER. THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHIN MONTHS OF PURCHASE. THE CRACK STARTED IN THE LOWER LEFT CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD, UP AGAINST THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE A PILLAR. THERE WAS NO PITTING ANYWHERE NEAR THE CRACK. IT APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY THE METAL FRAME FOR THE WINDSHIELD. THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT IT. I PAID THE TOTAL COST FOR REPAIR, $867.06, OUT-OF-POCKET. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,500 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER STARTING DEFROSTER WHILE STILL PARKED IN THE UNHEATED GARAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN MOTION AND THERE WAS NO CRACK PRIOR TO STARTING THE DEFROSTER. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Jun 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE CAR WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL IMPACT WHILE PARKED. THE CRACK STARTED FROM THE TOP ON PASSENGER SIDE AND EXTENDED VERTICALLY TO THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS CRACK IMPAIRED THE ABILITY OF THE EYESIGHT DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM TO FUNCTION PROPERLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE SAFETY CRITICAL FEATURES LIKE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE AND LANE KEEP ASSIST. | Crash: No Fire: No | 43,900 |
| Jun 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | BATTERY IS COMPLETELY DRAINING WITHOUT CAUSE AND REQUIRES JUMP START. CAR BATTERY DRAINS AFTER NOT DRIVING FOR A LITTLE AS 3 DAYS. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE AND ON THE STREET. SUBARU MAINTENANCE VERIFIED THAT NO LIGHTS WERE LEFT ON. STATES BATTERY IS GOOD AND I JUST HAVE TO START AND DRIVE EVERYDAY. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 23,000 |
| Jun 2020 | STRUCTURE | SUBARU OUTBACK 2018 HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE RESIDUE LEAK FROM THE WINDSHIELD NEAR THE EYE SIGHT IT HAPPENED TWICE TO MY VEHICLE FIRST TIME WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE THEY SAID IT MIGHT BE A LEAK FROM THE GLUE IN EYESIGHT AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE EYESIGHT MIGHT BE LOOSE AND THEY HAVE TIGHTEN IT AND SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED AND THEN THEY SAID NO NO THE EYESIGHT DOESN'T HAVE ANY GLUE AND THIS IS COMING FROM SOME GLUE USED IN THE WINDSHIELD. SUBARU DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WORRY ABOUT IT AND ALL THEY SAY IS THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. THIS ISSUES STARTED HAPPENING IN THIS SUMMER WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS EXTREME HOT THE GLUE WHAT THEY USED TO STICK THE WINDSHIELD TO THE BODY OF THE CAR MELTS AND IT COMES OUT WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ALL THEY SAY IS WE ARE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE. CONTACTED SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID WE HAD OUR MASTER TECHNICIAN HAD A LOOK AT THE CAR AND THE FIELD ENGINEER THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO SEE THIS AS AN ISSUE. WHEN I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW CAR FROM SUBARU AND WITH IN 2 YEARS THE GLUE IS MELTING BECAUSE OF HEAT NOT SURE WHAT KIND OF CAR SUBARU MANUFACTURES. THE SUPERVISOR FROM SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY CONCERN ON THE ISSUE AND KEEP SAYING WHEN WE ARE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE ITS NOT OUR CONCERN. I AM GETTING SCARED IF THE GLUE CAME OUT AND THE WINDSHIELD BREAKS OR CRACKS WHEN I AM DRIVING WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE SAFETY OF ME AND MY FAMILY. I TOOK IT TO 2 SEPARATE DEALERSHIPS. SUBARU OF AMERICA AND COLONIAL SUBARU. SUBARU AMERICA SAID IT MIGHT BE A LEAK FROM THE GLUE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND COLONIAL SUBARU SAID THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Jun 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | PARASITIC BATTERY DRAIN - PREMATURE BATTERY FAILURE RENDERING VEHICLE INOPERABLE. VEHICLE CAN NOT SIT OR IDLE FOR LESS THAN DAY WITHOUT BATTERY FULLY DISCHARGING, REQUIRING JUMP START OR ROADSIDE ASSIST. BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS AND LESS THAN 10K MILES ON 2018 VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW (THROUGH DEALER-- UNDER WARRANTY) . BATTERY REPLACEMENT HAS NOT CURED DEFECT, AND VEHICLE CONTINUES TO FAIL. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN ACCIDENT, AND IS USED CUSTOMARILY. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,500 |
| Jun 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT HOME IN MY GARAGE. BATTERY WAS DRAINED. AAA HAD TO BE CALLED TO BOOST. BROUGHT TO DEALER ON JUNE 3, 2020. THEY CHECKED BATTERY. BATTERY TESTED FINE. SITUATION OCCURRED AGAIN ON (SUNDAY) JUNE 7, 2020, AGAIN AT HOME IN MY GARAGE. DEALER IS CLOSED ON SUNDAY. WILL CALL ON MONDAY TO DISCUSS PROBLEM. NO ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES WERE LEFT ON TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM ON EITHER DAY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 21,585 |
| Jun 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1. DEFECT IN WINDSHIELDS OR FRAMING AREA. I'VE HAD 4 WINDSHIELD CRACK IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT AND HAVE REPLACED 3 SO FAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT. ADDING MY NAME AND CAR TO THE COMPLAINTS SAYING THE WINDSHIELDS IN THEIR SUBARU VEHICLES ARE DEFECTIVE AND ARE SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKING, AND BREAKING, SOMETIMES 'WITHIN WEEKS OR A FEW MONTHS OF PURCHASE.' I USUALLY NOTICE UPON RETURNING TO MY CAR IN THE MORNING TO LEAVE FOR WORK OR RETURNING FROM BEING AWAY FROM IT ALL DAY. MY CAR INSURANCE HAS COVERED ALL BUT $100 OF THE BILLS OVER THE SPAN OF 2 YEARS, LUCKILY. BUT MY TIME IS VALUABLE. 2. RADIO/MULTIMEDIA SCREEN SOMETIMES DOESN'T COME ON WHEN I START THE CAR AND WON'T WORK UNTIL I TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON LATER. 3. CHINCY MATERIAL, SEEMS TO DENT VEEEERY EASILY, DOES NOT LIVE UP TO HIGH STANDARDS AND DURABILITY THEY RAVE ABOUT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT ALL HAS DINGED MY CAR BUT IT IS WAY MORE FREQUENT THAN ANY OTHER CAR I'VE OWNED. I USUALLY NOTICE WALKING UP TO IT FROM BEING PARKED. COULD BE FROM DRIVING DOWN ROAD THOUGH. 4. BATTERY LIFE IS SHORT. CAR WAS NOT RUN FOR 5 DAYS AND BATTERY WAS DEAD. CLAIMS TO BE AN OUTDOORSY CAR SO WHY WOULD IT BE SET UP TO KILL THE BATTERY SO QUICKLY? MY DEALERSHIP UPDATED THE SOFTWARE AND GAVE ME A BIGGER BATTERY TO HELP "FIX" THAT ISSUE. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Jun 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | SOMETHING IN THE CAR IS CONSTANTLY DRAINING THE BATTERY. NO LIGHTS OR OTHER SYSTEMS ARE ON BUT WHEN THE CAR SITS FOR A COUPLE DAYS WITHOUT STARTING, THE BATTERY DRAINS. WE HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE AND IT KEEPS HAPPENING. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | BATTERY WAS DEAD IN MAY 2020. PURCHASED NEW BATTERY 5/28/2020. NEW BATTERY WAS DEAD 6/4/2020. NEW BATTERY HAD LASTED ONLY 7 DAYS. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 45,000 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY,VISIBILITY/WIPER | MY SUBARU OUTBACK 2018 WINDSHIELD CRACKED AGAIN AFTER JUST A FEW WEEKS INTO GETTING IT PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. THE SAME THING HAPPEN AS THE PREVIOUS TIME, A VERY SMALL ROCK CAUSED A HUGE CRACK TO THE WINDSHIELD GOING AT MODERATELY SLOW SPEED ENTERING THE FREE WAY. SUBARU REPLACED THE FIRST ONE FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE THEY KNEW AN ONGOING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS IN PLACE, BUT STATES THAT ANY FURTHER ISSUES WILL BE OUT OF MY POCKET. THE WINDSHIELDS THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED AS REPLACEMENTS ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUES OF CRACKING VERY EASILY. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 27,053 |
| May 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE CAR WAS PARKED IN AN END SPACE PARKING. WHEN I RETURNED THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. NO MARKS, DINGS OR DENTS ARE NEAR OR AROUND THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,750 |
| May 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS I HAVE GOTTEN 6 ROCK CHIPS THAT HAVE COME FROM DRIVING ON GROUND ROADS AT SPEED OF NO MORE THAN 40 MPH SOME WERE FROM BUGS OR DIRT CLODS. ONE CHIP HAS RESULTED IN A BREAK GOING UP THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDOW AND WILL SOON BE IN THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM. THE CRACK HAPPENED WHILE SITTING IN A SHELTERED PARKING LOT DURING A WARM 75 DEGREE DAY. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 17,222 |
| May 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN A YEAR OF OWNING THE CAR AS IT WOULD NOT START AND COULD NOT BE RECHARGED. SINCE REPLACEMENT I HAVE HAD A FEW TIMES WHEN THE CAR WOULDN'T START AGAIN. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,808 |
| May 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | DEAD, DRAINED BATTERY- NO RESPONSE FROM CAR, UNABLE TO EVEN OPEN WITH KEY FOB. CAR PARKED IN GARAGE AT HOME. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 45,000 |
| May 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | MY RELATIVELY NEW SUBARU FAILED TO START, AND HAD NO ELECTRICAL POWER AT ALL. THE OEM BATTERY WOULD NOT CHARGE WITH A HOME CHARGER, BUT WAS ABLE TO START WITH A JUMP FROM AAA. AT SUBARU OF BEND, THEY STATED THE BATTERY HAD NOT FAILED, BUT THAT SUBARU'S ARE PROGRAMMED NOT TO CHARGE THE BATTERY BELOW 40 MPH. THEY INSTALLED A SOFTWARE CHANGE THAT REMOVED THAT "FEATURE" SINCE WE USE THE VEHICLE PRIMARILY, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY, FOR AROUND TOWN DRIVING. THIS NON-CHARGING IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE FAILURE TO START OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING, NOR WOULD ANY REASONABLE PERSON EXPECT A CAR NOT TO CHARGE THE BATTERY WHEN DRIVING PREDOMINATELY ON LOCAL TRIPS. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF THIS "FEATURE" AND IF THE CAR FAILED TO START IN A REMOTE LOCATION, THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. WE DO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO TRAILHEADS IN THE NATIONAL FOREST AND WILDERNESS AREA'S, AND SUBARU ADVERTISES ITS PRODUCTS, SUCH AS THE OUTBACK, AND BEING SUITABLE FOR BACK ROADS DRIVING. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,000 |
| May 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THIS MODEL HAS SEVERE BATTERY DRAIN ISSUES. I HAVE HAD TO REPEATEDLY JUMP OR CHARGE THE BATTERY AFTER JUST A SHORT PERIOD OF THE LIFT GATE OR SIDE DOORS BEING OPEN. THE LIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF BUT THEY STILL DRAIN THE BATTERY. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE IN AN "OUTDOOR" VEHICLE. YOU CANNOT TAILGATE, USE THE LIFT GATE TO MAKE A TENT, KEEPS DOORS OPEN WHEN UNLOADING. SUBARU GIVES YOU AN UNDER-POWERED CHEAP BATTERY AND HAS THE DRAIN ISSUE. I CANNOT USE THE CAR AS MARKETED. I FINALLY GOT FED UP WITH THE ISSUE SO FAR AND PURCHASED MY OWN LARGER BATTERY. SOA HAS AGREED TO PAY FOR THIS, BUT THE UNDERLYING ISSUE NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. I SUSPECT ON THE LIFT GATE THERE IS POWER CONTINUALLY FLOWING TO IT WHEN OPEN SO IT IS READY TO CLOSE WHEN YOU PUSH THE CLOSE BUTTON. THIS NEED A KILL SWITCH. MY BEHAVIOR WITH THIS CAR IS NO DIFFERENT THAN OTHER CARS IN THE PAST AND THEIR BATTERIES DID NOT DIE. THIS IS NOT USER ERROR, BUT A BAD DESIGN. THE WEB IS FULL OF SIMILARLY FRUSTRATED OWNERS. I'LL PUT THE LAST DATE I HAD TO CALL AAA, BUT THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. EVEN AN HOUR OF THE LIFT GATE OPEN SEEMS TO SEVERELY DRAIN THE BATTERY. MY PARENTS HAVE A 2016 AND I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE THIS ISSUE? THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF YOU GET STUCK SOMEWHERE IN THE WILD WITH A DEAD CAR. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,500 |