2018 Subaru Outback problems and complaints
Owners have filed 814 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Subaru Outback. The most-reported areas: Electrical System (267), Visibility/Wiper (234), Unknown Or Other (161).
Key takeaways
- 814 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 27 involve a crash, 4 a fire, 19 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 267 | 33% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 234 | 29% |
| Unknown Or Other | 161 | 20% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 43 | 5% |
| Visibility | 41 | 5% |
| Engine | 37 | 5% |
| Steering | 36 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 21 | 3% |
| Back Over Prevention | 19 | 2% |
| Service Brakes | 18 | 2% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 18 | 2% |
| Structure | 15 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Subaru Outback SW AWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Steering,suspension,unknown Or Other - filed 2026-10-11
SUMMARY OF SAFETY DEFECT: The vehicle exhibits severe, premature corrosion and rust perforation of the front subframe (crossmember) assembly. This structural component is deteriorating at an accelerated rate, compromising the vehicle's structural integrity. This was confirmed at a Subaru dealership and as a result has ...
Electrical System - filed 2026-10-03
The touchscreen has delamination and ghost touching of the apps. I spoke with my dealer and was first told it was covered by Subaru to replace, as it was a known issue, but when I took my car to the dealer, I was told I would have to pay around $1,500 to have it repaired/replaced. The ghost touching of the screen is ...
Electrical System,visibility/Wiper - filed 2026-09-29
The 8-inch Gen 3 Harman STARLINK touchscreen is delaminating/bubbling. It registers phantom touch inputs and becomes unresponsive on its own while the vehicle is in motion, changing audio, navigation, and system settings without driver input. If a phone is ever attached, the screen will randomly calling phone numbers. ...
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More for the 2018 Subaru Outback
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.