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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED ABOUT 18" WHEN STATIONARY. HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,000 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO CRACK FROM THE RIGHT SIDE LOWER PORTION WITHOUT ANY IMPACT TO THE GLASS FROM ANY SOURCE WHILE DRIVING AROUND 35MPH. THE CRACK CONTINUED ACROSS THE GLASS TO THE DRIVERS SIDE AND GLASS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO APPARENT REASON FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AND THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE OR IMPACT TO THE GLASS. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO REASON AND THE CRACKS ARE SPREADING. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,500 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD KEPT CRACKING MULTIPLE TIMES | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,000 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CRACKED WINDSHIELD ON UPPER PASSENGER SIDE | Crash: No Fire: No | 38,000 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS ON AN ON RAMP ABOUT TO ENTER HIGHWAY NEAR WHERE I LIVE. I WASN'T YET AT HIGHWAY SPEED. SUDDENLY NOT SURE IF A ROCK OR ROCK SALT HIT MY WINDSHIELD. IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE A LARGE PIECE, AND I DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT. WHAT SEEMED LIKE NORMAL ROAD DEBRIS THAT FROM MY EXPERIENCE WOULD NEVER AFFECT A WINDSHIELD AND HASN'T WITH OTHER CAR MAKES I'VE OWNED ACTUALLY IMPACTED MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. A SMALL CHIP/CHUNK OF GLASS APPEARED ON MY WINDSHIELD. WAS VERY SURPRISED AND APPALLED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND CREATED A VERY LARGE SPIDERING CRACK. | Crash: No Fire: No | 50,000 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CRACKED WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING, POSSIBLY FROM A ROCK. I HAVE NO PICTORAL EVIDENCE BUT I HAVE THE REPAIR RECEIPTS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 7,000 |
| Feb 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | CRACKED WINDSHIELD | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Feb 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED FROM DRIVER'S SIDE ABOUT 4 INCHES TOWARD CENTER. I ACTUALLY WITNESSED THE CRACK SUDDENLY APPEAR WHILE HEARING A CRACKING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT THE TIME; I WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON A SMOOTH STRETCH OF HIGHWAY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 31,500 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, WINDSHIELD STARRED THEN CRACKED ACROSS MOST OF WINDSHIELD WIDTH QUICKLY. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE NEAR AND THERE WAS NO DEBRIS IN ROADWAY. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO; WINDSHIELD HAS LONG SINCE BEEN REPLACED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,000 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I HAVE A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK (LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD). DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A GLASS CRACK. THEN I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LARGE WINDOW CRACK STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD (DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER) AND CURVING UPWARDS TOWARDS THE CENTER. PULLED OVER TO CHECK, AND THERE WAS NO SIGNS OF OBVIOUS ROCKS HITTING THE WINDSHIELD WHERE THE CRACK APPEARED. I RECALL DRIVING IN THE MORNING AND AS THE WEATHER WARMED UP THE WINDOW CRACK OCCURRED. NOT SURE IF TEMPERATURE MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS, BUT IN ANY CASE THE WINDSHIELD SHOULD NOT BE CRACKING ON ITS OWN WITHOUT OBVIOUS SIGNS OF IMPACT BY OBJECTS. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD ISSUE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 25,500 |
| Feb 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WE OWN 2 2018 SUBARU OUTBACKS. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD IN EACH ONE TWICE (A PIECE) AND ONE OF THEM HAS A CRACKED WINDSHIELD AGAIN. AFTER LOOKING ON LINE I FIND THAT WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELDS MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALERSHIPS CONTINUE TO SAY THE WINDSHIELDS ARE CRACKING BECAUSE OF ROCK CHIPS. NONE OF OUR OTHER CARS' WINDSHIELDS ARE CRACKING. THE LAST ONE CRACKED WHEN THE CAR WAS SITTING IN THE GARAGE AND HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN. SINCE THIS HAPPENED 5 TIMES WITH 2 VEHICLES SOME OF THE QUESTIONS YOUR FORM ASKED DID NOT APPLY. SUCH AS HOW FAST WERE WE GOING (SOMETIMES 55,65 OR 0) WHAT DATE DID THIS OCCUR (5 DIFFERENT DATES) AT WHAT MILEAGE 5 DIFFERENT ONES BUT THEY ARE ON THE 4 INSURANCE CLAIMS I ATTACHED. THE 5TH ONE WE HAVE NOT FIXED YET. WHY? IT'S JUST GOING TO BREAK AGAIN. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REPORT IT TO OUR INSURANCE COMPANY, OUR RATES ARE GOING THROUGH THE ROOF NOW BECAUSE OF ALL THESES CLAIMS AND THEN THERE IS HASSLE TO GET IT FIXED. NOT WORTH IT TO HAVE IT BREAK A MONTH OR TWO DOWN THE LINE. I AM NOT SURE MY FILES DOWNLOADED TO YOU. I HAVE THE HARD COPIES JUST IN CASE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP! | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,758 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS DRIVING ON A 2 LANE HWY GOING ABOUT 50MPH WHEN I SPOTTED A SMALL STAR CRACK IN THE BOTTOM, MIDDLE OF MY WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK HAS CONTINUED TO GROW, MOSTLY HORIZONTAL OVER THE NEXT 2 WEEKS. THE WEATHER WAS MILD, ABOUT 55 DEGREES AND THERE WAS NO ONE DRIVING IN FRONT OF ME. | Crash: No Fire: No | 28,500 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | ON RETURNING TO PARKED CAR MID-DAY ON 2/2/2020 (A MILD WINTER DAY, PARKED IN SHADE AT SKI RESORT), I SAW A T SHAPED CRACK ON LOWER PART OF WINDSHIELD JUST ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CENTER. THERE WAS NO CHIP OR DENT OR CRACK IN THE CENTRAL WINDSHIELD WHEN I PARKED THE CAR. I DIDN'T SEE OR HEAR AN IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVE THAT MORNING. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 10 DAYS, THIS HAS GROWN, EXTENDING TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD AND ACROSS ABOUT HALF THE WIDTH OF THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 21,550 |
| Feb 2020 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES | MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK HAS BRAKE FADE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, BRAKE LOSS (PETAL GOES TO FLOOR) AFTER BEING PARKED OR DRIVING, AND BRAKE LOSS IN X-MODE ( X MODE FEATURE CONTROLS BRAKING/SPEED ON STEEP SLIPPERY ROADS.SUBARU DEALER MADE 4 UNSUCCESSFUL REPAIR ATTEMPTS. SUBARU OF AMERICA FLEW IN A FIELD ENGINEER, TIED UP MY CAR 3 WEEKS BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL ALSO. MATHEW IN A RECORDED MESSAGE SOA'S SERVICE REP.CONFIRMED THE BRAKE ISSUES & CLAIMED SOA WAS TESTING ALL BRAKE COMPONENTS. ON 01/07/2020 MY 2018 SUBARU ,STILL UNDER NEW CAR WARRANT, FAILED TO PASS A NY STATE MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION. I CAN NOT LEGALLY DRIVE MY VEHICLE ON NY ROADS. SOA OFFERED ME $ 2,500.00 TO GO AWAY. I HAVE MADE VIDEOS OF MY BRAKE LOSS IT OCCURS SO FREQUENTLY. NHTSA HAS SEVERAL BRAKE FAILURE COMPLAINTS WITH ROLL OVER, INJURIES & 5 CAR PILE UPS. I BELIEVE SOA REFUSES TO HELP ME IN ORDER TO CIRCUMVENT A RECALL. THE 2017 OUTBACK HAD A BRAKE FADE ISSUE THAT SOA DID A SECRET REPAIR ACCORDING TO ONLINE INFO. PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2020 | SUSPENSION | REAR TRAILING ARM SNAPPED RENDERING VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE - THE REAR TRAILING ARM SNAPPED. IT LOOKS APPARENT IT WAS SLOWLY FAILING AS SOME PARTS OF THE FRACTURE ARE RUSTED OUT. THE PART NUMBER IS 20250AL02A. THESE PARTS WERE DESIGNED WITH VERY THIN WALLS AND MAY BE THE REASON WHY IT FAILED. I GOT LUCKY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS JUST OFF THE HIGHWAY BEFORE I HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE, BRAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER AS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STABLE AT ALL DURING THE FAILURE. HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF THE FAILURE. THESE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN THE DAY OF THE FAILURE, FEBRUARY 8TH, 2020. | Crash: No Fire: No | 40,200 |
| Feb 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE KEY GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION, AND THE VISOR ON PASSENGER DOES NOT SWING CORRECTLY, THE RADIO TURNS ON WHEN I START THE CAR EVEN AFTER THE RADIO WAS TURNED OFF | Crash: No Fire: No | 4 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKS EASILY AND QUICKLY. AFFECTS SAFETY/CAMERA AND SENSORS. A SMALL CHIP APPEARED ON THE WINDSHIELD, UNDER COLD TEMPERATURES IN KANSAS 2020 JANUARY, CHIP GREW A CRACK EXTENDING FROM DRIVER TO PASSENGER SIDE | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Jan 2020 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, THE ENGINE REVVED, AND WITH THE DRIVER'S FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND WENT OVER THE PARKING CURB AND CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT IN ANOTHER PARKING LOT. THERE WAS NO WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS WIFE COMPLAINED ABOUT AN UNKNOWN LIGHT THAT ONCE FLASHED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHT DID NOT STAY ON. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED BUT WAS NOT TOTALED. THERE WAS NO INJURY AND NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE (ANDERSON SUBARU LOCATED AT 7050 PENSACOLA BLVD, PENSACOLA, FL 32505), WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE TECHNICIAN OFFERED TO HAVE AN ENGINEER EVALUATE THE FAILURE BUT WARNED THAT IT WOULD TAKE THREE TO FOUR MONTHS TO BE COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 39,000. *DT*JB | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | 39,000 |
| Jan 2020 | SERVICE BRAKES | BRAKES ARE SOFT AND GO ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. ONE CANNOT PUMP UP TODAYS BRAKES. REAR BRAKES ALMOST NEW. FRONT BRAKE PADS NEW. BRAKES STOP VEHICLE IN NORMAL OPERATION. MY CONCERN IN EMERGENCY SITUATION. VERY HEAVY BRAKING GOES VERY CLOSE TO THE FLOOR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 35,800 |
| Jan 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | THESE INCIDENTS ARE ONGOING PROBLEMS FROM PURCHASING MY FIRST OUTBACK 4 YEARS AGO. THE QUESTION/ANSWER BELOW (*WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?) CANNOT BE ANSWERED TRUTHFULLY, PINPOINTED TO AN EXACT DATE. IT WAS A BRAND NEW CAR PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER AND MY CURRENT, SECOND ONE WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUES ARE ALSO A NEW PURCHASE FROM THE SAME DEALER. THE HAZARD FLASHERS: WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARKING AND HAZARDS ARE ON, IF ONE LOCKS THE CAR WITH THE FOB, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO UNLOCK THE CAR WITH THE REMOTE ANYMORE. THE TINY KEY FROM THE FOB NEEDED TO UNLOCK, WHICH IS HARD ENOUGH ESPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE WITH DISABILITIES AND CONSEQUENTLY TRIGGERS THE CAR'S ALARM. WEATHER WARNINGS: THIS OUTRAGEOUS THING STARTED JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO (NOV. 2019), WHEN I WAS PROMPTED TO UPDATE THE FIRMWARE. EVER SINCE AT ANY WEATHER PHENOMENA (REGARDLESS OF MY PHONE BEING PLUGGED IN OR NOT, BLUETOOTH ON OR OFF) A WARNING APPEARS ON THE SCREEN AND ONE HAS TO INTERACT WITH IT. THIS WARNING POPS UP SOMETIMES EVERY 2-4 MINUTES WHILE DRIVING. ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED, AT NIGHT AND WHILE USING THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM IN UNFAMILIAR AREAS SINCE ONE'S BEEN DISTRACTED BY THE BLACKED OUT SCREEN. WHEN I FIRST REPORTED THIS ISSUE AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY SPENT AN ENTIRE DAY FINDING THE PROBLEM, UNSUCCESSFULLY. WHICH IS A HUGE SURPRISE BECAUSE THERE ARE MULTIPLE WEBSITES AND FORUMS (HTTPS://WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG/THREADS/WEATHER-ALERTS-ON-THE-HEAD-UNIT-RADIO.449129/) DISCUSSING THE PROBLEM WITH NO SOLUTION, GOING BECK FOR YEARS. WHILE I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT, IT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT MY VEHICLE'S JOB TO TELL ME ABOUT THE WEATHER. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | THE VOLUME OF THE PHONE RING: THIS IS ANOTHER PROBLEM GOING ON FOR YEARS, THROUGHOUT DIFFERENT YEAR MODELS, AND VERY WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET IN SEVERAL FORUMS AS WELL (HTTPS://WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG/THREADS/2018-W-NAV-PHONE-RING-VOLUME.497495/). EVERY TIME MY CELLPHONE RINGS, IT'S EAR PIERCINGLY LOUD. IT MAKES ONE JUMP LOUD. I DID TRY TO GET HELP AT THE DEALERSHIP BUT SADLY THERE IS NO REMEDY. THE PROBLEM IS TWOFOLD: 1. THE PHONE CONNECTED VIA BLUETOOTH TO THE CAR'S NATIVE SYSTEM. WHILE IN SETTINGS THERE IS A MODE WHERE ONE IS ABLE TO ADJUST THE RING VOLUME (WHICH IS FOR SOME REASON SET TO '10' BY DEFAULT) AND BRING IT DOWN TO '1-2', SOON AS ONE PARKS AND LEAVES THE CAR FOR EVEN AN HOUR THE SYSTEM RESETS TO '10'. EVEN WORST, SOMETIMES ALL ONE HAVE TO DO WITHOUT LEAVING THE VEHICLE, TO TURN UP THE VOLUME ON THE RADIO AND THAT WILL RESET THE PREVIOUSLY LOWERED RING VOLUME. 2. THE PHONE CONNECTED TO AIRPLAY FOR WHICH THERE ARE NO SETTINGS WHATSOEVER. EVEN IF THE PHONE IN SILENT MODE AND THERE IS NO SOUND FOR TEXT MESSAGES, IT RINGS OVERWHELMINGLY LOUD. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WE HAVE 2 CRACKS THAT CONTINUE TO GROW ON OUR WINDSHIELD. WE HAVE NEVER HAD A WINDSHIELD CRACK IN THIS WAY IN OVER 50 YEARS OF DRIVING. THE CRACKS GROW OVERNIGHT IN THE GARAGE!! | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,000 |
| Jan 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED OVERNIGHT WHILE PARKED IN A GARAGE. 12" CRACK APPEARED ON DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS IS THE SECOND WINDSHIELD THAT HAS CRACKED WITHIN 2 YEARS AND LESS THAN 27K MILES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 26,995 |