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Subaru · NHTSA safety record

2018 Subaru Outback

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

807

Complaints

27

Crashes

4

Fires

19

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2018 Subaru Outback have filed 807 safety complaints with NHTSA between August 2017 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 265 of them (33%). The typical failure was reported at 16,794 miles, the median across the 488 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Complaints fell 28% year on year: 34 in the twelve months to 2026-Q1, against 47 in the twelve before.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

21V587000 · July 29, 2021

The defect
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
The risk
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.

Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 175,968 vehicles across all model years covered

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES

18V935000 · December 31, 2018

The defect
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Legacy, Outback, and BRZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, a software issue may cause the audio display system to not initialize, resulting in the camera display remaining blank. If this occurs, the rearview image will not display while backing up the vehicle. As a result, the vehicles fail to comply with requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
The risk
Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.
The remedy
Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the audio system display software, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTZ-85.

Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 71,190 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

18V773000 · November 1, 2018

The defect
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
The risk
The inaccurate fuel display may cause a driver to unexpectedly run out of fuel and the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the combination meter software, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTW-82.

Subaru of America, Inc. · up to 228,648 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 807.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 265 33%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 233 29%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 159 20%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 43 5%
VISIBILITY 41 5%
ENGINE 36 4%
STEERING 35 4%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 21 3%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 19 2%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 18 2%
SERVICE BRAKES 18 2%
POWER TRAIN 14 2%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2021 at 174.

2017 2021 2026
2017 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

8 injured · crash · towed

SEVERE, HEAD-ON IMPACT TO DRIVER'S SIDE, OTHER CAR WAS TOTALED. POLICE EXPECTED BOTH CARS TO BE TOTALED, AND WERE SURPRISED THAT DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED, HOWEVER, SHE TOOK A HARD HIT TO HER HEAD, NECK AND SHOULDER. DEALER, INDEPENDENT SERVICE CENTER HAVE NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, NOR HAS PROBLEM BEEN REPRODUCED. AIRBAG HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER, OR INSURANCE REP., POLICE AND REPAIR FACILITY ONLY. NO WARNING LAMPS, ETC. WERE KNOWN TO HAVE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE AND AIRBAG ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION.

NHTSA complaint 11478467. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

2 injured · crash · towed · 30,000 miles

I WENT TO TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND MY BRAKES FAILED. I SWERVED TO MISS THE CAR DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. I HIT 5 OTHER CARS AND THE CAR FLIPPED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO CUT US OUT OF THE CAR.THIS WAS A BUSY STREET.

NHTSA complaint 11170354. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed

[XXX] at [XXX] We were sitting at a complete stop with our turn signal on, waiting for traffic to clear enough to turn left. It was dark/cold but otherwise good road conditions, no rain/snow/wind. We were suddenly slammed from behind in the rear/R passenger rear by the Black Dodge Journey. This impact then pushed us into the oncoming lane causing another vehicle to hit us in the front driver side of the vehicle. 911 was called at 1811 and the call lasted 3 minutes. SBPD was dispatched along with traffic control. The impact caused the visor on the passenger side to fall which caused broken facial bones. The headrest on the passenger side was completely dislodged and out of the seat upon

NHTSA complaint 11580150, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 injured · crash · towed · 3,000 miles

THE ACCELERATION RESPONSE IS DECOUPLED FROM THE THROTTLE. I HAD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP SIGN. I TRIED TO MOVE AHEAD WITH A SLIGHT ACCELERATION TO GET A VIEW OF CROSS TRAFFIC, UNFORTUNATELY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TOO HIGH AND T BONED INTO ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS GOING ACROSS. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE PROBLEM IS MORE EVIDENT WHILE ACCELERATING FROM SLOWER SPEEDS OR FROM A STOP.

NHTSA complaint 11343386. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The infotainment touchscreen in my 2018 Subaru Outback has developed severe internal delamination and persistent phantom or ghost touches. The screen randomly changes navigation routes, places telephone calls, changes audio selections, and moves between menus without driver input. These events create substantial distraction while the vehicle is moving. The condition has now progressed to the point that the rear backup-camera image is obscured and cannot be reliably viewed when the vehicle is placed in reverse. The camera activates, but the defective, delaminated display and make the image unusable. Subaru previously extended warranty coverage for the Harman Gen. 3 head unit under Service

NHTSA complaint 11752926, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2018 Subaru Outback Infotainment center glass delamination causing the system to come on by itself start malfunctioning switching between channels or apps and potentially startle / distract the driver. Incident has been ongoing for over 8 months..

NHTSA complaint 11750658. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Engine cam carrier seals are leaking. Repair cost is $5,700 plus tax. Vehicle is well cared for and well maintained with only 96,000 miles The Subaru Manufacturer was contacted and will do nothing to fix and does not admit engineer defect nor manufacturing defect. Basically, 96,000 and needs a new engine. Please put out a national recall.

NHTSA complaint 11750422. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The car screens are delaminating and bubbling due to fault of the manufacturer. This is a widespread issue and causes safety issues due to the screen moving erratically while driving, messing with volume and function controls.

NHTSA complaint 11746685. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
This is my fourth Subaru Outback windshield. The car has 80K. I had it replaced in 2019 when a rock hit the screen by safelight. I had another crack (no rock) fixed in July 2021 and another crack (unclear source) fixed in August 2025, both by Subaru. This weekend I got my fourth crack in the windshield, no rock. The last two times, the crack extended across the screen. This time the crack is so bad, it is hard to drive. Each time Subaru fixes my windshield, it is $1100. I don't know anyone who has broken a windshield, never mind four of them. There was a lawsuit but for some reason it did not include cars older than 2020.

NHTSA complaint 11746006. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Acceleration was very sluggish and un-responsive Gears would strangely slip on the highway resulting in engine racing up Rotating sound would come and go

NHTSA complaint 11744113. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Subaru Outback

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 74 0 —
2024 96 0 —
2023 87 2 —
2022 460 4 —
2021 294 4 —
2020 895 6 —
2019 1,032 3 —
2017 917 4 —
2016 641 4 —
2015 508 5 —
2014 208 10 —
2013 296 12 1
2012 292 16 —
2011 651 16 —
2010 360 18 —

Other 2018 Subaru models

Forester 491 Crosstrek 194 Impreza 149 Legacy 116 WRX 42

Every Subaru on this site — 97 vehicles, 147 recall campaigns and 1 open investigation .

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst