2018 Subaru Outback Problems

2018 Subaru Outback problems owners report most

2018 Subaru Outback problems are documented in public: owners have filed 816 complaints with NHTSA, the earliest in 2017 and the most recent in 2026. Sorting those by the component the filer named puts the electrical system clearly first, at 267 of the 816 complaints, close to a third of everything filed.

A complaint is not a repair bill and not a defect finding. It is one owner telling the regulator something went wrong. What makes the count useful is the concentration: when one component takes 33 per cent of everything filed on a car, the pattern is doing more than chance.

Against the 2017 car, this model year has drawn 11 per cent fewer complaints (816 against 921). Both years are led by the electrical system, so this is a fault that carried over rather than one introduced with the 2018 car.

Of those complaints, 27 describe a crash and 4 describe a fire. Filers reported 19 injuries.

Recalls on the 2018 Subaru Outback

A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator found a safety defect, and the repair is free at a franchised dealer however old the car is. There are 3 recalls on this model year. Your own car may be covered by some, all or none of them, so check the VIN rather than the model.

In owners own words

These are complaints filed about the electrical system, quoted as written. They are one persons account rather than a diagnosis, and they are here because a symptom described by a driver is easier to recognise than a component name.

PROBLEMS & FAILURES include: 1. Repeated battery failures, towed over 12 times since car was purchased in 2017. Left [XXX] and [XXX] stranded and/or stranded in the dark on more than once occasion. Repeated (6+ attempts) to repair and/or replace the battery (local Subaru dealership) with no success- DRIVER SAFETY RISK. Two ADULTS (seniors) should not be repeatedly stranded in the middle of nowhere. Subaru issued battery recalls and was engaged in a lawsuit regarding this matter. 2. Cracks in windshield giving "spackle" pattern/ indicating weakness: DRIVER SAFETY RISK; multiple recalls

In early September 2022, my friend, who owned a 2019 Subaru Outback, needed a AAA tow because the battery died. He told me that battery failure is a common problem with Subaru 2016 - 2020 Outbacks. I researched that assertion and found it well documented. Because my Outback was 4 years old and my family was planning a trip, I decided to replace the battery at my mechanic's shop (Sept. 14, 2022). On the night of December 29, 2022, upon exiting a restaurant with my wife, my car would not start. A patron of the restaurant came to my aid, and we jump started my car. My car ran for 30 mi

On 9/28/23 I was driving in a 2-lane construction zone with my daughter. While going through the construction zone, my car lost all power and just shut off completely. No warning signs just went completely dead. I almost got rear ended, thankfully the car behind me went to the left of the center, but almost had a head on collision into oncoming traffic. Thankfully, no wrecks were involved. It did eventually start back up and has yet to happen again. However, back in July/August of 2021, I received a recall notice on my vehicle NHTSA Campaign #21V587000. When I called to check on the r

To: Subaru Motors Consumer Reports NHtSA I, Richard McNitt, am the very unhappy owner of a 2018 Subaru Outback (4 cylinder “Touring” model with 33,900 miles), VIN 4S4 BSATCT J3362742. Primarily on the basis of “glowing” Consumer Reports Reviews I chose this model….sad to say this was an unfortunate choice. I list some of the troubles endured: • Shortly after delivery the “radio-GPS” failed, replacement was in short supply(!), Did without several weeks and the re-installation had a glitch. •We were informed that the radio would always “come on” when the car was started, My wife finds this

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 TH

I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED A 3.6L AND THIS IS MY FIRST 3.6L 6 CYLINDER 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK! AM DISAPPOINTED WITH FEW PROBLEMS: THE FRONT SEATING IS NOT COMFORTABLE AND NOT SUPPORTIVE AT ALL, ESPECIAL IN HARD TURNS THE SEATS WILL NOT HOLD YOU IN PLACE, THE SEAT BED IS TO SHORT AND DOES NOT SUPPORT LONG LEGS IF YOU ARE OVER 5 FEET TALL. FOR SOME REASON THIS IS MY 3RD SUBARU 2ND OUTBACK THAT HAS WHEEL ALIGNMENT PROBLEM RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX!!! I ALWAYS SEEM TO BE PULLING THE STEERING-WHEEL/VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT AND MY STEERING IS ALWAYS ON A 15-20 DEGREE OFF AND IF I DON'T STEER AND PULL TO THE RIGHT

Every component, by complaint count

The full breakdown of what owners named when they filed. Components below the top ten are grouped out of this table.

How other model years compare

The same nameplate across the years we hold. Complaint counts fall naturally for newer cars because fewer of them have been on the road for long, so read the column as a rough signal rather than a ranking. In this set the 2019 Subaru Outback has drawn the most complaints and the 2021 Subaru Outback the fewest.

What to check on the electrical system

Electrical reports cover a wide spread: screens that reboot, cameras that go black, charging that stops, and warning lights that arrive in groups. The common thread is that the fault comes and goes, which makes it hard to show a mechanic on demand.

Buying a used 2018 Outback

Sit in the car with the engine running and work through every switch, screen and camera before you talk about price. An intermittent fault that appears once during a ten minute check is likely to appear often once you own it.

If you already own one

Have the battery and charging system tested before replacing any module. A weak battery produces electrical faults that look like a dozen separate failures, and the test is free at most parts retailers.

• Test every screen, camera and switch before agreeing a price.
• Have the battery and alternator tested before replacing a module.
• Ask for stored fault codes, including the ones already cleared.
• Check whether the fault is covered by a software update.