2018 Subaru OUTBACK

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Subaru OUTBACK has 983 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 12.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is visibility problems (28% of all complaints), specifically: drivers side view mirror does not adjust fair enough to see my blind spot well. this is a common problem. i've read countless forums on popular subaru forum websites. this is a safety issue.. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 35 crash reports 9 injuries

983

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

12.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

VISIBILITY

274 complaints

28%

• DRIVERS SIDE VIEW MIRROR DOES NOT ADJUST FAIR ENOUGH TO SEE MY BLIND SPOT WELL. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. I'VE READ COUNTLESS FORUMS ON POPULAR SUBARU FORUM WEBSITES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
• THE ABILITY TO ADJUST THE OUTSIDE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR IS SIGNIFICANTLY RESTRICTED IN COMPARISON TO THE PASSENGER OUTSIDE SIDE MIRROR. THIS INCREASES THE CHANCE OF AN OPERATOR BEING IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO REDUCED AWARENESS AND/OR NEEDED INCREASED REACTION TIME TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS DESIGN FLAW. THE
• THERE IS A DISTORTED VIEW THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS. SUBARU OF AMERICA, AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP THE VEHICLE LEASE WAS SIGNED AT, BOTH TELL ME THAT BECAUSE IT'S TEMPERED GLASS, THAT'S HOW THEY COME. THIS IS VISIBLE WHEN IN MOTION OR WHEN THE VEHICLE I

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“DRIVERS SIDE VIEW MIRROR DOES NOT ADJUST FAIR ENOUGH TO SEE MY BLIND SPOT WELL. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. I'VE READ COUNTLESS FORUMS ON POPULAR SUBARU FORUM WEBSITES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

265 complaints

27%

• THE CAR IS PARKED. THE FLASHERS ARE ACTIVATED. THE CAR IS THEN LOCKED FROM THE OUTSIDE WITH THE KEY FOB. AFTER RETURNING TO THE CAR A SHORT TIME LATER (MAYBE 5 MINUTES OR SO) THE KEY FOB IS TOTALLY UNUSABLE. LOCK, UNLOCK, REAR HATCH OR PANIC DO NOT WORK. MUST THEN USE THE KEY IN THE DOOR LOCK, TO U
• AFTER PUTTING ON HAZARD SWITCH AND LEAVING VEHICLE, I CAME BACK TO VEHICLE AND THE KEYLESS ENTRY WOULD NOT FUNCTION. SYSTEM DID NOT SEEM TO RECOGNIZE MY SMARTKEY AS THE DOOR HANDLE SENSOR DID NOT OPERATE. I TRIED THE BUTTONS ON THE SMARTLY FOB AND THEY TOO DID NOT FUNCTION. ALSO TRIED THE MOBILE R
• ON OCCASION, AND WHILE IN MOTION, THE HEAD UNIT (NAVIGATION DISPLAY, RADIO, ETC), IN OUR 2018 OUTBACK LIMITED W/ EYESIGHT, WILL FREEZE UP AND NO HARD OR SOFT BUTTONS WILL REACTIVATE THE SYSTEM. I MUST SHUT CAR DOWN FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE A "REBOOT" TAKES PLACE. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“THE CAR IS PARKED. THE FLASHERS ARE ACTIVATED. THE CAR IS THEN LOCKED FROM THE OUTSIDE WITH THE KEY FOB. AFTER RETURNING TO THE CAR A SHORT TIME LATER (MAYBE 5 MINUTES OR SO) THE KEY FOB IS TOTALLY UNUSABLE. LOCK, UNLOCK, REAR HATCH OR PANIC DO NOT WORK. MUST THEN USE THE KEY IN THE DOOR LOCK, TO U”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

157 complaints

16%

• STARLINK RADIO IN TOURING MODEL WITH 8"SCREEN UNRELIABLE. HAD ISSUES WITH TOUCHSCREEN FREEZING AND CD LOADING ERROR FROM PURCHASE DATE IN AUGUST TO DEC. 18, 2017. DEALER TRIED TO PERFORM SOFTWARE UPDATE AND FRIED RADIO. RADIO WAS REPLACED. ISSUES WORSE WITH NEW RADIO. TOOK 2500 MILE TRIP AND HAD
• I PURCHASED MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK ON DEC. 29, 2017. THREE WEEKS LATER, THE WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO SHOW A CRACK CREEPING UP FROM THE UPPER RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. MIND YOU, THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN MY DRIVEWAY. I NEVER WITNESSED THE WINDSHIELD SUSTAIN ANY IMPACT THAT WOULD CAUSE SUCH A CRACK.
• A CRACK DEVELOPED IN THE LOWER LEFT CORNER OF THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW. THE CRACK IS ABOUT 7 INCHES IN LENGTH, RUNNING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW - WHERE IT MEETS THE RUBBER GASKET OF THE DOOR - UP AND TO THE RIGHT. IT OBSCURES THE RIGHT SIDE MIRROR. THIS CRACK APPEARED SUDDENLY ON 2/21/18.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 8 crashes

“STARLINK RADIO IN TOURING MODEL WITH 8"SCREEN UNRELIABLE. HAD ISSUES WITH TOUCHSCREEN FREEZING AND CD LOADING ERROR FROM PURCHASE DATE IN AUGUST TO DEC. 18, 2017. DEALER TRIED TO PERFORM SOFTWARE UPDATE AND FRIED RADIO. RADIO WAS REPLACED. ISSUES WORSE WITH NEW RADIO. TOOK 2500 MILE TRIP AND HAD ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

46 complaints

• WHILE DRIVING 70 MILES PER HOUR: ON MOST CURVES TO THE LEFT THE CAR SEEMS TO "GRAB" TO THE LEFT AND THEN I CORRECT THE SWING. SOMETIMES IT SEEMS TO ALMOST OVER CORRECT. AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE WHILE ON THE STRAIGHT WAY AND THE CAR WILL SEEM TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. NOT ENOUGH THAT I AM
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING, THE AUTOMATED DRIVING SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING AND THE BACK-UP CAMERA DID NOT FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (STEVE MOYER SUBARU, 201 S CENTRE AVE, LEESPORT, PA 19533, (888) 696-0345) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT
• THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND CRACK SPREAD ACROSS LINE OF SIGHT. MY CAR WAS ONLY TWO MONTHS OLD. I DROVE MY PREVIOUS CAR ON SAME ROUTE FOR 10 YEARS WITHOUT BROKEN WINDSHIELD

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 10 crashes

“WHILE DRIVING 70 MILES PER HOUR: ON MOST CURVES TO THE LEFT THE CAR SEEMS TO "GRAB" TO THE LEFT AND THEN I CORRECT THE SWING. SOMETIMES IT SEEMS TO ALMOST OVER CORRECT. AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE WHILE ON THE STRAIGHT WAY AND THE CAR WILL SEEM TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. NOT ENOUGH THAT I AM”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

46 complaints

• I WAS DRIVING MY CHILD TO SCHOOL ON A RAINY MORNING IN TRAFFIC,20-30MPH ON A STRAIGHT ROAD. THE CAR STALLED AND THEN THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. (I AM LUCKY I DID NOT GET REAR ENDED; OTHERWISE I WOULD BE IN THE HOSPITAL GETTING MY CHILD CHECKED OUT.) ROLLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD; AS CLOSE
• SUBARU OUTBACKS HAVE DEFECTIVE DTE (DISTANCE TO EMPTY) COMPUTER CODE THAT WILL RUN YOU OUT OF GAS WITH READINGS LIKE "30 MILES TO EMPTY" OR "40 MILES TO EMPTY" I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE GENERAL EXPECTATION IS EVERY CAR OUT THERE GETS YOU TO 0 AND HAS A RESERVE. I RAN OUT OF GAS IN MOTI
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. WHILE PUSHING THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD, IT ROLLED OVER THE DRIVER'S LEGS. THE DRIVER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED T

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“I WAS DRIVING MY CHILD TO SCHOOL ON A RAINY MORNING IN TRAFFIC,20-30MPH ON A STRAIGHT ROAD. THE CAR STALLED AND THEN THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. (I AM LUCKY I DID NOT GET REAR ENDED; OTHERWISE I WOULD BE IN THE HOSPITAL GETTING MY CHILD CHECKED OUT.) ROLLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD; AS CLOSE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 983 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
VISIBILITY: DRIVERS SIDE VIEW MIRROR DOES NOT ADJUST FAIR ENOUGH TO SEE MY BLIND SPOT WELL. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. I'VE READ COUNTLESS FORUMS ON POPULAR SUBARU FORUM WEBSITES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: THE CAR IS PARKED. THE FLASHERS ARE ACTIVATED. THE CAR IS THEN LOCKED FROM THE OUTSIDE WITH THE KEY FOB. AFTER RETURNING TO THE CAR A SHORT TIME LATER (MAYBE 5 MINUTES OR SO) THE KEY FOB IS TOTALLY UNUSABLE. LOCK, UNLOCK, REAR HATCH OR PANIC DO NOT WORK. MUST THEN USE THE KEY IN THE DOOR LOCK, TO U
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: STARLINK RADIO IN TOURING MODEL WITH 8"SCREEN UNRELIABLE. HAD ISSUES WITH TOUCHSCREEN FREEZING AND CD LOADING ERROR FROM PURCHASE DATE IN AUGUST TO DEC. 18, 2017. DEALER TRIED TO PERFORM SOFTWARE UPDATE AND FRIED RADIO. RADIO WAS REPLACED. ISSUES WORSE WITH NEW RADIO. TOOK 2500 MILE TRIP AND HAD
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: WHILE DRIVING 70 MILES PER HOUR: ON MOST CURVES TO THE LEFT THE CAR SEEMS TO "GRAB" TO THE LEFT AND THEN I CORRECT THE SWING. SOMETIMES IT SEEMS TO ALMOST OVER CORRECT. AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE WHILE ON THE STRAIGHT WAY AND THE CAR WILL SEEM TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. NOT ENOUGH THAT I AM
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)