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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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,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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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,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 |
| May 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CAR WAS SITTING IN DRIVEWAY FOR ONE WEEK. DROVE MY CAR,CITY STREET, TURNED ON AIR CONDITIONER, WINDSHIELD STARTED CRACKING OUT OF NOWHERE, FROM MIDDLE OF PASSENGER SIDE, THE CRACK TURNED UP HALFWAY AND STOPPED HALFWAY THROUGH WINDSHIELD. NOTHING HIT THE WINDOW. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A POINT OF IMPACT. THE DEALER TOOK A PUSHPIN AND PUSHED IT INTO THE WINDSHIELD TO SHOW ME. I ARGUED THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND DEALER SAID THAT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY. I ARGUED THAT NOTHING HIT MY WINDSHIELD AND THEY SAID THAT SOMETHING DID. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| May 2020 | VISIBILITY,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WHILE PARKED INDOORS A FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACK FIRST APPEARED ON LOWER DRIVERS SIDE OF WINDSHIELD. NO SIGN OF BEING STRUCK BY PROJECTILE. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 9,790 |
| May 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WINDSHIELD CRACK UNDER WIPERS ON PASSENGER SIDE. CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY FOR 2 DAYS. UNDER STAY IN PLACE ORDERS. 2 CRACKS ABOUT 1 INCH APART, NO SIGN OF IMPACT. CRACK BECAME A LONG LINE INTO THE DRIVER VIEW. WHILE DRIVING FOR 1/2 MILE. CALLED SUBARU AND MENTIONED THAT NOTHING HIT CAR. THEY SAID NO PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELDS HAVE BEEN RECORDED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,928 |
| May 2020 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER 2 MONTHS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. ADDITIONALLY, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT WINDOW WAS ALSO CRACKER. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW AND WINDSHIELD WERE REPLACED WERE REPLACED BY INTERNATIONAL AUTOS ORLAND PARK (8031 159TH ST, TINLEY PARK, IL 60477). THE CONTACT STATED THAT FOUR MONTHS LATER, THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND AUTHORIZED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD A SECOND TIME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SIX MONTHS LATER, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW AND WINDSHIELD WERE AGAIN CRACKED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AFTER THE LAST FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| May 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | THE CAR HAS 19065 MILES AND WILL NOT START BECAUSE THE BATTERY IS DEAD. THE CAR WILL START WHEN JUMP STARTED FOLLOWING THE MANUAL PROCEDURES. HOWEVER THE BATTERY IMMEDIATELY DISCHARGES WHEN ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. WHEN THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED FROM THE CAR THE VOLTAGE IS 12.65 BUT WHEN THE BATTERY IS RECONNECTED TO THE CAR THE VOLTAGE DROPS TO 5.75 INDICATING THERE IS A LOAD ON THE BATTERY WHEN THE CAR IS IN THE OFF MODE. WHEN RUNNING OR DRIVING THE BATTERY WARNING LITE IS NOT DISPLAYED. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 19,065 |
| May 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKS EXCEPTIONALLY EASILY AND SEEMINGLY WITHOUT ANY CAUSE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 9,000 |
| Apr 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | SUBARU OUTBACK 2018, WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE, RARELY DRIVEN FOR LAST TWO MONTHS. CAME TO THE GARAGE IN THE MORNING AND FOUND A LONG SINGLE-LINE CURVY CRACK STARTING AT THE DRIVE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND GOING HORIZONTALLY FOR ABOUT HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 26,660 |
| Apr 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | CAR WAS NOT USED FOR 5 DAYS AND HAD DEAD BATTERY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 27,425 |
| Apr 2020 | STRUCTURE | MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED STARTING AT THE VERTICAL EDGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THERE WAS NO EVENT THAT CAUSED THIS. IT JUST HAPPENED ONE DAY. I'M BARELY DRIVING MY CAR BC OF THE PANDEMIC SO I'M ASSUMING IT HAPPENED WHEN IT WAS STATIONARY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 34,120 |