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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2019 | POWER TRAIN | THE PROPRIETARY SUBARU LINEARTRONIC CVT ON MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE SINCE DELIVERY IN JUNE 2018. IT SHUDDERS, LURCHES, BALKS AND CREATES NEAR STALL CONDITIONS ON BOTH ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. I HAVE BROUGHT IT INTO THE SUBARU DEALER WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FOUR + TIMES SINCE JUNE 2018. THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THE ISSUE AND NOW SUBARU OF AMERICA TELLS ME THAT THE VEHICLE IS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AND KNOW THAT MANY OTHER SUBARU OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED TO NHTSA AS WELL. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,500 |
| Jul 2019 | STRUCTURE | DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK USING KEY IN KEY HOLE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FROM ALL THE ONLINE COMMENTS AND IS ON ALL SUBARU MODELS. BEING LOCKED OUT OF THE CAR FOR SAFETY OR WEATHER CONDITIONS CAN PUT ONE'S LIFE IN EXTREME DANGER. ARE IS STATIONARY. DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK USING KEY IN DOOR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 19,000 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | A LARGE CRACK, LIKE THE SHAPE OF A QUESTION MARK, SPONTANEOUSLY APPEARED IN MY WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK STARTS BELOW THE WINDSHIELD WIPER, UP ABOUT 7 INCHES AND CURVES BACK DOWN. CAR WAS MOVED OUT OF OUR GARAGE AND PARKED IN DRIVEWAY WHEN THE CRACK APPEARED!!!!! | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,500 |
| Jun 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY DEVELOPED A CRACK WHILE PARKED IN A CLOSED, PRIVATE GARAGE. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | REAR LIFTGATE OPERATES INTERMITTENT AND WHEN OPEN INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT CLOSE; I HAVE HAD TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE LIFTGATE NOT FULLY CLOSED OR LATCHED. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN SERVICE SEVEN TIMES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,300 |
| Jun 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 1.5 YEARS. I REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD A WEEK AGO AND NOW HAVE ANOTHER CRACK!! THESE CRACKS WERE OBTAINED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. 2 WERE DUE TO ROCKS. THE OTHERS ARE UNKNOWN. I OWNED MY FORD ESCAPE FOR 10 YEARS AND HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED MAYBE 2 TIMES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 17,000 |
| Jun 2019 | STRUCTURE | REAR LIFT GATE MALFUNCTIONING. WILL NOT OPEN AUTOMATICALLY AFTER APPX 18'. ABLE TO MANUALLY OPEN WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY, AUTO CLOSURE WORKING. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2019 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | WHILE IN MY DRIVEWAY UPON STARTING MY 2018 OUTBACK I SMELLED STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. POPPED THE HOOD AND SAW THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE SPRAYING THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH GAS MIST/DROPLETS IN A FULL BLOWN SHOWER. I TURNED THE CAR OFF,VISUALLY INSPECTED THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE AND SAW THAT IT HAD RUPTURED NEAR THE ENGINE PLENUM INTAKE, APPROXIMATE SIZE 1/8"1/4" (PHOTO ATTACHED). CAR HAS LESS THAN 2900 MILES ON IT. POTENTIALLY VIBRATION FROM BRACKET MOUNT/INAPPROPRIATE MATERIALS USED FOR FUEL SUPPLY LINE. FUEL SUPPLY LINE APPEARS TO BE POLYETHYLENE PLASTIC INSIDE NON-REINFORCED RUBBER OUTER SHELL. HOSE USES FRICTION CLAMPS TO ATTACH TO FIREWALL AND ENGINE PLENUM. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,850 |
| May 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | FILED COMPLAINT WITH WRONG YEAR COMPLAINT #11210766 CORRECT YEAR IS 2018 CAMERA DISPLAY DO ES NOT ALWAYS DISPLAY THE REAR VIEW IMAGE WHILE BACKING UP. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS 5/25/2019. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,000 |
| May 2019 | STEERING | THE STEERING WHEEL OF THIS CAR RANDOMLY TAKES OVER, FOR NO OBVIOUS REASON, AT HIGH SPEEDS (OVER 45 MPH). I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THIS HAPPENS. DRIVING THIS CAR HAS BEEN TERRIFYING! WHILE PASSING A TRACTOR TRAILER, THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED ME TOWARDS THE TRUCK 3 TIMES!!! I THOUGHT I WOULD BE KILLED! THIS IS A LOANER CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, COLONIAL SUBARU, IN COLONIAL HEIGHTS, VA, TO TELL THEM THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS CAR. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAKE IT OUT OF LANE ASSIST MODE. THIS, HOWEVER, DID NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE. THE CAR RANDOMLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT, WHEN LANE DRIFTING ISN'T AN ISSUE. WHY ISN'T SOMETHING BEING DONE ABOUT THIS? I SEE THERE ARE ALREADY DOCUMENTED CASES OF THIS WITH THE 2019 VEHICLE MODEL. | Crash: No Fire: No | 7,630 |
| May 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WHILE PARKED IN THE SUN AND WITH A SUNSHADE INSTALLED INSIDE, WE RETURNED TO OUR CAR AND REMOVED THE SUNSHIELD AND NOTICED A NEW WINDSHIELD CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. SITTING STILL. THIS CAR HAS THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM AND WAS TOLD THE WINDSHIELD IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND INSURANCE AND SUBARU SAY NOT COVERED. CAR HAS JUST TURNED 12,000 MILES AND IS ALWAYS GARAGED AT HOME. SUBARU HAS DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELDS AND MY DEALERSHIP SAYS SO. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| May 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE STEERING WITH LANE DEPARTURE WARNING WILL SOMETIMES JERK THE CAR FROM SIDE TO SIDE, AS IF SELF CORRECTING, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS WELL WITHIN THE LANE. AT TIMES THE CAR ALSO FEELS LIKE IT IS HYDROPLANING ON DRY GROUND WITH LITTLE STEERING FEEDBACK. PURCHASED USED WITH A CARFAX REPORT INDICATING NO PROBLEMS. IT IS A VERY SCARY FEELING ON DRY SURFACES TO GET NO STEERING FEEDBACK OR HAVE THE CAR SELF CORRECT THE EVEN WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE. AT 20,000 MILES HAD AN ALIGNMENT PERFORMED, DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ONLINE THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS FOR THIS OCCURRENCE WITH NO VIABLE SOLUTIONS. OUR FAMILY ALWAYS WANTED A SUBARU FOR SAFETY, BUT THIS FEELS VERY DANGEROUS. WHEN THE LANE DEPARTURE SELF CORRECTS THERE IS LITTLE STEERING FEEDBACK AND THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE GUIDING ITSELF AND STEERING DURING THESE TIMES SEEMS VERY LOOSE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 21,000 |
| May 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 35 MPH WITH TRAFFIC WHEN A ROCK HIT MY WINDSHIELD AND CREATED TWO CHIPS. THESE ARE THE SECOND AND THIRD CHIPS IN THIS WINDOW SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN APRIL 2019. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,400 |
| May 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | A ROCK HIT MY WINDSHIELD AND PRODUCED A SIGNIFICANT DIVOT AND CRACK WHILE THE DRIVER AHEAD OF ME AND I WERE TURNING FROM A STOP IN THE LEFT TURN LANE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,500 |
| May 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CAN NOT SEE BACK UP CAMERA SCREEN IN DAYTIME WITH BRIGHT SUNLIGHT SHINING THROUGH WINDSHIELD | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,000 |
| May 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WINDSHIELD CRACKS. I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE MARCH 2018 AND THE WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED THREE TIMES. THE FIRST TWO WERE THE RESULT OF ROCKS HITTING THE WINDSHIELD - THE THIRD WAS JUST A SMALL CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE RIGHT ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD. .I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 45 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A WINDSHIELD CRACK - THIS WINDHIELD CRACKS CONSTANTLY. - THE PRODUCT SHOULD BE RECALLED | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| May 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | IN DEC 2018 THE FUEL LINE OF MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN CHEWED THROUGH BY A RODENT AND WAS LEAKING IN THE CAR. TOTAL DAMAGE WAS OVER $2000. IN MAY 2019 ANOTHER $3500 DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED FROM A RODENT CHEWING ON ELECTRICAL HARNESSES IN THE DASH. THE DEALER TOLD ME THIS IS BECAUSE SUBARU IS NOW USING SOY-BASED INSULATION FOR FUEL LINES, WIRING, AND ELECTRICAL HARNESSES. RODENTS ARE ATTRACTED TO THE SOY BECAUSE THEY THINK IT IS FOOD. IN BOTH CASES MY DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED WHILE TRYING TO START THE CAR WHILE IT IS PARKED. BUT WHAT IF I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND A CHEWED WIRE CAME LOOSE THAT SHORTED SOMETHING OUT AND IMPACTED MY ABILITY TO CONTROL THE CAR? OR WHAT IF THE FUEL LINE BROKE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND CAUSED THE CAR TO SUDDENLY STALL? MANUFACTURERS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO USE MATERIALS (E.G. SOY) THAT ACTUALLY ATTRACT RODENTS. IF ANYTHING, THEY SHOULD BE USING MATERIALS THAT DETER RODENTS. FUEL LINES AND ELECTRICAL HARNESSES ARE CRITICAL TO THE SAFE OPERATION OF A CAR AND THESE SYSTEMS ARE NEEDLESSLY BEING PUT AT RISK BY USING SOY TO PRODUCE THEM. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TROUBLING FOR SUBARU BECAUSE PART OF THEIR IMAGE ENCOURAGES THEIR OWNERS TO EXPLORE "THE GREAT OUTDOORS." WHAT HAPPENS WHY I GO CAMPING AND PARK MY CAR IN THE WOODS AND CHIPMUNKS CHEW THROUGH MY COMPONENTS AND STRAND ME IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE? OR, WORSE, A CRITICAL SYSTEM ON THE CAR FAILS AS I'M DRIVING HOME AND I LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASH. THE USE OF SOY-BASED COMPONENTS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED. OR, IF IT IS, OEMS SHOULD COVER RODENT DAMAGE TO THESE SYSTEMS UNDER WARRANTY. AT THE VERY LEAST, OEMS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THE USE OF SOY IN THE CAR BEFORE A VEHICLE IS PURCHASED. I HAD NO IDEA SOY-BASED PRODUCTS WERE USED IN THIS CAR. HAD I KNOWN, I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT IT. FYI... SUBARU DENIES USING SOY PRODUCTS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,000 |
| May 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM WOULD NOT BOOT UP AT START. LOSS OF NAVIGATION, BACKUP CAMERA, HANDS FREE PHONE, SIRIUS RADIO. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,500 |
| May 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,WHEELS | SMOKE ELECTRICAL SHORT ISSUE IN DRIVER SIDE MIRROR. DIAGNOSED BY SUBARU MECHANIC TO BE A SHORT IN THE APPROACH LIGHT MODULE. SIGNIFICANT SMOKE WAS EMITTED FROM MIRROR WITH BURN MARKS ON BOTTOM INSIDE MIDDLE OF MIRROR. THE CAR HAD JUST CAME TO REST IN A HOSPITAL PARKING DECK. CAR WAS REMOVED FROM DECK IN ORDER TO PREVENT FIRE HAZARD. NOTE - A 10 AMP FUSE DID BLOW WHICH CAUSED A FAILURE OF THE TPMS (TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM) AND THE REMOTE LOCK/UNLOCK SYSTEM. | Crash: No Fire: Yes | 32,000 |
| May 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | NAVIGATION SYSTEM SUCKS!!!!!!!!! THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND CAUSES ROAD RAGE !!!!! WHILE DRIVING THE SYSTEM USUALLY WILL NOT ACCEPT VOICE COMMANDS. SYSTEM SAYS "I'M SORRY I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. LET'S TRY AGAIN." I TRY AGAIN; SAME RESPONSE. I AM USING THE SYSTEM RECOMMENDED COMMANDS SUCH AS "FIND NEAREST" OR "NAVIGATE TO : " ALSO WHEN TRYING TO ENTER A STREET NUMBER,STREET ,CITY, STATE; I GET THE SAME "I'M SORRY I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. LET'S TRY AGAIN." WHEN I TRY AGAIN SYSTEM REPEATS "I'M SORRY I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. LET'S TRY AGAIN." OR INTERRUPTS ME BEFORE I CAN TRY AGAIN. MY WIFE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SYSTEM. A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I SET A DESTINATION WITH THE KEYBOARD (NOT AVAILABLE WHEN MOVING); THE DIRECTIONS ARE WRONG WHEN YOU ARE NEAR THE DESTINATION, SUCH AS THE TURN DIRECTION OR LOCATION BEING TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT.THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND CAUSES ROAD RAGE !!!!! DEALER SAYS THE SYSTEM IS WORKING AS DESIGNED AND IS DIFFICULT TO USE. NO [XXX]! WE CONTACTED SUBARU. NO RESPONSE. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). | Crash: No Fire: No | 100 |
| Apr 2019 | ENGINE | WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UPON INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE THE ENGINE HAD CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE GREW AND THE CAR WAS DEMOLISHED AS A RESULT OF AN ENGINE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER BEFORE THE FIRE, WELL MAINTAINED AND HAD LOW MILEAGE FOR A ONE YEAR OLD VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: Yes | 6,000 |
| Apr 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. THE DRIVERS SIDE MIRROR WILL NOT ADJUST FAR ENOUGH OUT TO COMPLY WITH THE CURRENT RECOMMENDATION FOR SIDE/REAR VISION LEAVING A BLIND SPOT. THE SUBARU OUTBACK TOURING HAS ELECTRONIC WARNING THAT MAY INTERFERE WITH THE MECHANICAL CAPACITY OF THE MIRROR. SAFETY ISSUE. NOT AN EVENT. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | THE ENTIRE "INFOTAINMENT" SYSTEM, CENTRAL DISPLAY CONSOLE, AND CONTROL PANEL DOES NOT WORK. IT WILL NOT TURN ON. THE SCREEN IS BLACK. NOTHING WORKS. THE REAR VIEW CAMERA SAFETY SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK. THE RADIO, BLUETOOTH, AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK. THIS SYMPTOM IS CONSTANT. IT OCCURS WHEN STATIONARY, IN MOTION, IN CITY, HIGHWAY, TURNING - ALWAYS. IN REVERSE THE REARVIEW CAMERA DOES NOT DISPLAY AN IMAGE. THE HANDS FREE CALLING SYSTEM/BLUETOOTH DOES NOT WORK - AGAIN, THIS ISSUE IS CONSTANT REGARDLESS OF CONDITIONS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,250 |
| Apr 2019 | SUSPENSION | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY JERKED FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND BECAME VERY UNSTABLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500. *BF*JB | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,500 |
| Apr 2019 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | WHEN I COME TO A STOP AND WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE WILL STALL WHEN I START TO TURN. ENGINE IS STILL RUNNING, BUT THE CAR ESSENTIALLY STOPS IN MID TURN. THIS LEAVES ME EXPOSED TO A BROADSIDE COLLISION. DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT AND IT DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME. IN THE LAST 1000 MILES IT HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES. AFTER THE HESITATION, ABOUT 3 -5 SECONDS, IT STARTS TO MOVE. IT HAS ALSO OCCURRED WHEN MOVING FROM ONE LANE TO ANOTHER AFTER COMING TO A NEAR STOP DUE TO A CLOSED LANE IN THE ROAD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 22,000 |