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
2018 Subaru Outback Complaints
805 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Subaru Outback, grouped by component category.
805 Total complaints
27 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 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 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?
27 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 197
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 97
VISIBILITY 37
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 23
STEERING 22
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 19
ENGINE 15
STRUCTURE 12
BACK OVER PREVENTION 10
805 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | 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 |
| Apr 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE ON HIGHWAY. NO APPARENT STONE HIT IT. REPLACED ON 3/5/2019. FRIEND SENT ME A WEBSITE WHERE IT WAS NOTED THAT MULTIPLE OTHERS SUBARU OWNERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME OCCURRENCE. IT STATED TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH YOU. I AM UNABLE TO SCAN OR UPLOAD REPAIR PAPERWORK BUT I HAVE MY RECEIPT FROM THE REPAIR. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,000 |
| Apr 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I NOTICED A SMALL CRACK IN THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. I DID NOT SEE OR HEAR A ROCK OR ITEM HIT THE WINDSHIELD, I ONLY SAW THE RESULT ' THE CRACK. EACH DAY THE CRACK GREW LONGER. ONCE IT WAS APPROXIMATELY A FOOT LONG, I CALLED TO GET IT REPAIRED. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,500 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED WHILE STATIONARY | Crash: No Fire: No | 23,942 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKS WITHOUT ANY APPARENT IMPACT. STARTS FROM THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND CRACK EXPANDS INWARD. REPLACED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO FOR SAME ISSUE AND ALREADY HAVE 2 CRACKS IN THE NEW WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 45,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED FROM BOTTOM AT FRAME UP | Crash: No Fire: No | 62,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT CRACK EXPANDED OVER TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000. *LN*JB | Crash: No Fire: No | 23,000 |
| Mar 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2017 - OEM WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWICE (IN 2 YEARS). | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD HAS A CHIP IN IT & I DO NOT REMEMBER GETTING IT BY ANY PEBBLE. SEEMS THE WINDSHIELD MAY BE DEFECTIVE. THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE DRIVING ON A TRIP, A CRACK APPEARED ON THE LOWER PASSENGER PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD AND PROCEEDED TO GROW UP AND ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. OFTEN TIMES THE CRACK GROWTH WAS OBSERVABLE. SUBARU WOULD NOT COVER BECAUSE THE CRACK HAD ALREADY EXCEEDED THEIR SIZE LIMIT BEFORE IT COULD GET INTO A SHOP. NO PRECEDING EVENT, LIKE A ROCK HITTING THE WINDSHIELD, WAS OBSERVED. THE LOCATION OF THE DIVOT WAS TOO LOW AND CLOSE TO THE WIPER BLADE FOR A ROCK AT HIGHWAY SPEED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 22,000 |
| Mar 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I OWNED A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK FOR ABOUT A YEAR. IN THAT YEAR MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED THREE TIMES ACROSS MORE THAN HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD UPON IMPACT OF A TINY ROCK. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS STOPPED IN A PARKING LOT, AND TURNED ON MY AC WHICH CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO SPLIT- I COULDN'T EVEN FIND A CHIP THAT CAUSED THE HUGE CRACK. THE COST TO REPLACE WAS OVER $800 EACH TIME SO I SOLD THE VEHICLE AFTER THE THIRD TIME. THE FIRST CRACK WAS IN APRIL 2019 AND THE LAST WAS IN AUGUST 2019. I INVOLVED MY LOCAL SUBARU DEALER THAT I PURCHASE THE CAR FROM, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS HOT OUT AND THAT'S WHY THE GLASS WAS CRACKING, BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN A WINDSHIELD BEHAVE IN THAT MANNER BEFORE, NO MATTER THE TEMPERATURE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Mar 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I OWN A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACK FOR NO REASON WHILE I WAS DRIVING. WHEN I WENT TO REPLACE IT SAFELITE GLASS WAS IN ABLE TO RECALIBRATE THE EYESIGHT CAMERA. THEY TRIED TO SWITCH THE AFTERMARKET WINDSHIELD WITH AN OEM WINDOW AND IT DIDN'T WORK AND SENT ME TO THE SUBARU DEALER TO RECALIBRATE. THIS DIDN'T WORK EITHER SO THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE EYESIGHT CAMERA. SAFELITE STAYED THIS HAPPENS A LOT WHEN THEY REPLACE WINDSHIELDS BECAUSE THE CAMERAS ARE NOT PROTECTED SO IF A LITTLE DUST GETS ON IT WHILE THEY CHANGE THE WINDSHIELD IT CAN SCREW UP THE CAMERAS ABILITY TO RECALIBRATE. THEY ALSO ADVISE IT'S A KNOW ISSUE WITH SUBARU'S BUT THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO RESOLVE IT | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKS | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | DURING 4TH WEEK AUGUST 2019, I MADE AN EMERGENCY STOP ON THE SHOULDER ON INTERSTATE 90. THERE WAS USUAL TRAFFIC, NOT SURE IF THERE WAS A TINY ROCK WHICH CAME FLYING ON MY WINDSHIELD, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY NOISE NOR I HAVE SEEN ANY CHIPPING. THE NEXT MORNING I WOKE UP TOO SEE A TINY CRACK, IMMEDIATELY I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE AND LOCAL CAR DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT COST'S, BUT AS IT WAS WEEKEND, I WASNT ABLE TO GET A SLOT. 2 DAYS LATER I SEE A NICE FINE CRACK ACROSS THE SCREEN, THIS WAS A BAD SURPRISE FOR ME, I USED A MAZDA FOR 3 YEARS BEFORE AND DEFINITELY TRAVELED A LOT, WITH TINY ROCKS FLYING ON THE WINDSHIELD, BUT IT NEVER EVER CRACKED. WITH SUBARU I AM SHOCKED, I FELT GLASS QUALITY TO BE EITHER FRAGILE OR COMPOSITION OF WINDSHIELD GLASS MAY BE COMPROMISED(OR POOR). I AM NOT SURE IF THE COMPANY HAS NOTICED THIS COMPLAINTS. WHEN I SPOKE TO 3RD PARTY GLASS VENDOR HE TOLD ME THAT THERE ARE MANY SUBARU OUTBACKS WHICH HAD SEEN SIMILAR ISSUES. ON TOP OF IT, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A CHARGE OF ~250$ TO ADJUST SMART LENS, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS, SO IN SUMMARY WHEN A WINDSHIELD CRACKS IT TAKES 350$ GLASS + 250$ LENS CORRECTION = 600$, WHICH I FEEL IS HIGHLY IN-JUSTIFIED. THERE HAS TO BE SOMEONE WHO NEEDS TO TAKE A LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE COMPANY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 23,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT BEING HIT OR CHIPPED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 22,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | OCTOBER 22ND, 2019 MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED OUT OF THE BLUE AS I WAS SITTING WAITING FOR MY KIDS TO GET OUT OF SCHOOL. | Crash: No Fire: No | 40,000 |