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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2019 | POWER TRAIN | CVT TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED. 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK, 47,000 MILES. CAR ONLY 18 MONTHS OLD. WIFE AND KIDS IN THE CAR IT WAS VERY SCARY MOMENT. THE CAR STARED TO SHUTTERED ACCELERATING FORM A STOP. THEN AT 40 TO 50 MPH, THE RPMS BECAME ERRATIC SHIFTING UP DOWN, TO MAINTAIN SPEED. IT LIKE IT WAS CONFUSED, WHICH GEAR TO BE IN. THEN CAME TO A STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, CAR SHUTTERED AND LOUD BANG, NO GEARS. CAR WOULD NOT GO SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE. MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS, SUBARU NEED TO FIX THIS, IT DANGEROUS DEFECT AND EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 47,000 |
| Oct 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | TWO TIRE BLOW OUTS CAUSING IMMEDIATE LOSS OF AIR. CAR WAS TRAVELLING AT APPROX 35 MPH. EACH TIME ON A CITY STREET. FIRST AT 4000 MILES. SECOND AT 21000 MILES. TIRE HAD CIRCUMFERENTIAL CRACK AT BOTTOM OF TIRE GROOVE. ORIGINAL OEM TIRES. CAR PURCHASED NEW IN SEPT 2017. | Crash: No Fire: No | 21,000 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CRACK DEVELOPED ON WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT IMPACT OF ANYTHING. | Crash: No Fire: No | 25,000 |
| Oct 2019 | STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS | BOUGHT CAR NEW, 7 MILES ON ODOMETER. TOOK CAR INTO AUTONATION SUBARU - CENTENNIAL COLORADO FOR NOISE COMPLAINT IN DRIVER-SIDE FRONT WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. MISSING PARTS WERE NOTICED BY SHOP. SHOP SAID IT WAS COMPLETELY FIXED, BUT WE STILL HAD THIS NOISE, IT WAS JUST QUIETER. VEHICLE FELT LIKE ALIGNMENT WAS OFF, AS IT SHAKES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CAR MAKES TIRE SQUEALING NOISE WHEN TURNING IN AND OUT OF PARKING SPOTS AT LOW SPEEDS. TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALER SHOP MANY TIMES FOR OVER 1 YEAR. SHOP ALWAYS INSISTED NO ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED, FRONT-END WAS IN GOOD REPORT, TIRES WERE IN GOOD BALANCE, AND ROTATION WAS NOT NEEDED. SHAKING PERSISTS, 20K MILES LATER DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE IS WORN DOWN TO ALMOST STEEL ONLY ON IN-SIDE OF TIRE; ALL OTHER TIRES HAVE AT LEAST 6/32NDS ON TREAD (SEE ATTACHED PHOTO: OUT-SIDE OF TIRE IS THICK TREAT LIKE ALL OTHER TIRES, IN-SIDE TREAT IS GONE). ORIGINAL TIRES. NO MODIFICATIONS TO CAR. SERVICED ONLY AT SUBARU DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE SHAKES SO BAD NOW IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR MIGHT FALL APART. I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE HAVING MY PREGNANT WIFE DRIVE OUR ONLY VEHICLE. HELP! NOT FAIR TO BUY A NEW CAR WITH MISSING PARTS AND SAFETY ISSUES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 7 |
| Sep 2019 | STEERING | AT 13,000 MILES CAR STEERING PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT WITHOUT DRIVER PERFORMING THIS ACT. FEELS LIKE CAR IS HYDROPLANING OR AFFECTED BY HIGH WINDS WHEN NEITHER CONDITION IS PRESENT. PRESENTS DANGER AS DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL AS TO WHEN THIS HAPPENS OR WHAT DIRECTION IT WILL GO. OCCURS AT ALL SPEEDS BUT WORSENS AFTER 50MPH. RESEARCH SHOWS THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME SITUATION WITH OTHER SUBARU CARS. MY DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THE PROBLEM BUT SUGGESTED TO MANUAL TURN OFF LANE ASSIST. I PERFORMED THIS ACTION TO NO AVAIL - THE PROBLEM CONTINUES . HAPPENS ON CITY STREETS AT 25 MPH AS WELL AS ON HIGHWAYS. WHILE FIRST INCIDENT WAS AUGUST 5, 2019 IT NEVER STOPPED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,000 |
| Sep 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. WAS NOT HOT BY ANY OBJECT. SUBARU OUTBACK 2018. CRACK INITIATED BELOW DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER. | Crash: No Fire: No | 22,000 |
| Sep 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CAR DEVELOPED A CRACK ON WINDSHIELD OVERNIGHT WHILE PARKED IN AN INDOOR PARKING GARAGE. A FEW DAYS LATER CRACK GREW IN SIZE AGAIN WHILE PARKED IN A DIFFERENT INDOOR PARKING GARAGE. CAR HAS ~33,000 MILES AND WAS NOT HIT BY ANY ROAD DEBRIS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 32,500 |
| Sep 2019 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | DIVING 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY WHEN CAR STARTED TO HARD SHUDDER, LOSE ACCELERATION. ENGINE LIGHT AND ALL OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. DIFFICULT TO STEER AND BRAKE. ABLE TO BARELY PULL OFF ROAD SAFELY AND AVOID GUARD RAIL. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS NOTED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Sep 2019 | STEERING | *TL THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN MAKING A SHARP TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS INTO THAT POSITION UNTIL MANUALLYMOVED OUT OF THAT POSITION AND THEN IT RETURNS TO NORMAL CENTER POSITION. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT COULD RUN INTO OTHER CARS OR OBJECTS. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO SANGERA SUBARU (5500 GASOLINE ALLEY DR. BAKERSFIELD, CA 93313 PHONE #661-438-5588) TO BE CORRECTED. THE FAILURE WAS DUPLICATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT IS THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE POWER STEERING MILAGE AT THAT TIME WAS 7,000 MILES. *DT*JB | Crash: No Fire: No | 7,000 |
| Sep 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON 6/21/19. ON 7/1/19 A SMALL STARBURST CRACK APPEARED ON PASSENGER SIDE OF WINDSHIELD. I FIRST NOTICED THIS WHILE DRIVE ON HIGHWAY. WITHIN 2 DAYS, THE CRACK HAD SPREAD ACROSS 3/4 OF THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. (THERE WAS NO APPARENT IMPACT FROM ANY OBJECT). THE WINDSHIELD WAS TOTALLY REPLACED AND RECALIBRATED ON 7/15/19. ON 8/30/19 THE SAME THING OCCURRED. A SMALL STARBURST APPEARED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF WINDSHIELD , WHICH SOON SPREAD ACROSS THE DRIVERS VIEW. I NOTICED THE CRACK WHEN THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN THE GARAGE. I AM AWAITING SERVICE FROM SAFELITE NOW. SUBARU SAYS IT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE. HOWEVER, THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS EXACT ISSUE...WINDSHIELD CRACKS WITHOUT ANY OBJECT IMPACTING IT! I CANNOT BE REPLACING MY WINDSHIELD EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 26,000 |
| Sep 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE HEAD UNIT IN THE SOUND SYSTEM/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM KEEPS FAILING RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ALL SOUND FUNCTIONS. I DON'T GET ANY WARNINGS OF PROBLEMS AS THE SOUND SYSTEM SIMPLY DOES NOT WORK. THIS IS UNSAFE. TO DATE, THE DEALER HAS REPLACED WHAT HE CALLS AN AMPLIFIER TWICE. THE NEW UNIT WORKS FOR A FEW DAYS OR WEEKS AND THEN FAILS AGAIN. SO FAR, THE OTHER COMPONENTS CONNECTED TO THIS SYSTEM -- BACK UP CAMERA, FOR INSTANCE, STILL WORK. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS RELATED, BUT THE REAR HATCH HAS OPENED BY ITSELF THREE TIMES, EACH TIME WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED. ONCE, THIS CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DRAIN BECAUSE WE DID NOT DISCOVER IT FOR MORE THAN 12 HOURS. ONCE, THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE REAR HATCH BECAUSE WE DID NOT KNOW IT WAS OPEN AND IT WAS DAMAGED BY THE GARAGE DOOR WHEN WE OPENED IT REMOTELY FROM OUTSIDE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,000 |
| Aug 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT BEGAN TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO KUPPER SUBARU (805 E MAIN ST, MANDAN, ND 58554) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING ACCORDING TO DESIGN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,092. | Crash: No Fire: No | 7,092 |
| Aug 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | HEADUNIT, INCLUDING BACKUP CAMERA, HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE FOR OVER SIX WEEKS. A REPLACEMENT HAS BEEN ON ORDER WITH THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER FOR FIVE WEEKS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,432 |
| Aug 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE WINDSHIELD BREAKS FROM EITHER NOTHING AT ALL OR EVEN THE SLIGHTEST ROCK DING. WE'VE REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD TWICE IN UNDER ONE YEAR | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,500 |
| Aug 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CAR WAS IN MOTION AND A LOUD POP IN THE WINDSHIELD AREA WAS HEARD. AFTER ARRIVING HOME THERE IS A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD BY THE WIPER BLADES THAT HAS EXTENDED ABOUT 6INCHES UP. THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ROCK OR FOREIGN OBJECT THAT HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH SUBARU WINDSHIELDS FROM WHAT I KEEP READING. | Crash: No Fire: No | 14,400 |
| Aug 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 8/10/19 A VERY SMALL STONE HIT THE WINDSHIELD IN THE LOWER LEFT CORNER. WITHIN 10 MINUTES A LARGE CRACK HAD FORMED FROM THE EXTREME LEFT EDGE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVER VISION SECTION OF THE WINDSHIELD. BY THE NEXT MORNING THE CRACK HAD EXTENDED TO THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS A VERY SMALL CHIPPED AREA WHERE THE STONE HIT, BARELY VISIBLE. I EVEN HAD ZURICHSHIELD GLASS PROTECTION APPLIED TO PROTECT THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH WAS USELESS. ABOUT 21,200 MILES ON THE CAR. I PREVIOUSLY HAD A HONDA PILOT THAT WOULD HAVE PITS, EVEN A CRATER FROM STONES, BUT NEVER A CRACK. I'VE OWNED MANY CARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A CRACK UNTIL NOW. VERY DISAPPOINTED A SMALL PELLET HITTING THE WINDSHIELD RESULTED IN A CRACK THAT WAS SO BIG THAT I HAD TO ENTIRELY REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. MY CAR IS ONLY 1 YEAR OLD, AND A SMALL STONE COST ME OVER $500, PLUS THE COST OF A PROTECTANT PROGRAM THAT FAILED AS WELL. DEALER (WILLIAMS SUBARU) SAID IT WAS AN AUTO INSURANCE ISSUE, NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, OR UNDER THE ZURICHSHIELD (FIXES UP TO 6 INCH CRACK- MINE NEVER QUIT GROWING), THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. I'M CHECKING INTO GETTING A REFUND ON THE ZURICHSHIELD POLICY... | Crash: No Fire: No | 21,200 |
| Aug 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED/EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT IMPACT OR OTHER VEHICLES AROUND. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 86 DEGREES AT THE TIME. WAS AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON AN INTERSTATE. NOTHING WAS OVERHEAD. GLASS EXPLODED UP AND OUT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Aug 2019 | TIRES | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK EQUIPPED WITH FOUR BRIDGESTONE DUELER HP SPORT AS TIRES, SIZE: 225/60/R18 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL POPPING NOISE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WERE LINES FROM THE BEAD TO THE THREAD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE POLICE ARRIVED ON THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 16,927 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,927 |
| Aug 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED WHILE DRIVING. THERE WAS NO IMPACT ON THE WINDSHIELD WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THERE WAS A POP AND A CRACK APPEARED AT THE BOTTOM ON THE DRIVER SIDE, THE CRACK HAS EVER SINCE GROWN ACROSS AND NOW REACHED THE PASSENGER SIDE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,000 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE REFERRED TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 31,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 31,000 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKS FOR NO APPARENT REASON ON A NEW SUBARU. DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY, WHILE IT WAS HOT OUTSIDE. NO ROCKS JUST A CRACK STARTING UNDER THE WIPER BLADE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,000 |
| Jul 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE RADIO MALFUNCTIONS, IT CRACKLES, STATIC INTERFERENCE, OTHER STATIONS INTERFERE WITH CURRENT STATION. THIS OCCURS DURING ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS AND ALL DIFFERENT ROADS AND WHETHER CAR IS MOVING OR STATIONARY HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2019 | STEERING | WHEN DRIVING AT 43 MILES OR ABOVE THE STEERING HAS A FEEL OF THAT YOU HIT A GUST OF WIND OR YOU HIT A PATCH OF ICE ON HIGHWAY THE CAR DOES NOT FEEL STABLE | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK DRIVER SIDE BOTTOM CORNER, WITH NO CHIP OR REASON FOR THE CRACK | Crash: Yes Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WINDSHIELD SEVERELY STRESS CRACKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN 10 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. THIS WAS NOT COVERED BY DEALER WARRANTY AND I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE REPLACED. WINDSHIELD CONTRACTOR TOLD ME THAT SUBARU IS USING THINNER GLASS NOW THAT STRESSES VERY EASILY. HE HAD JUST REPLACED THE SAME THE DAY BEFORE MINE. I'VE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A WINDSHIELD FROM STRESS BEFORE. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS HAPPENED WHILE IN MOTION OR STATIONARY, BUT I DID NOTICE A SMALL CRACK AND THEN IT WENT SIDEWAYS ACROSS FROM DRIVER TO PASSENGER SIDE OF WINDOW. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,000 |