YearToAvoid

2018 Subaru Legacy Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

60/100

#9 most-complained of 21 Legacy years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2018 Subaru Legacy has 117 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 60 out of 100 — #9 highest of 21 Legacy model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is electrical system (40 complaints, 34% of the total). Complaints report 7 crashes, 1 fire, and 1 injury.

Complaints
117
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
7 / 1
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
26
22.5 city / 31 hwy

Top 2018 Subaru Legacy problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System40 (34%)
  2. Visibility & Wipers32 (27%)
  3. Other31 (26%)
  4. Engine13 (11%)
  5. Fuel System8 (7%)
  6. Brakes7 (6%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires6 (5%)
  8. Collision Avoidance & Cameras5 (4%)
  9. Lane Departure4 (3%)
  10. Steering4 (3%)
2018 Subaru Legacy complaints: complaints filed per quarter122017 Q42019 Q12020 Q12021 Q12022 Q32023 Q32024 Q42025 Q4
160 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2017 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q3 (12).

2018 Subaru Legacy recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V587000Jul 29, 2021Fuel System175,968 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    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.

    Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

    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.

  2. NHTSA 18V935000Dec 31, 2018Visibility & Wipers71,190 vehicles

    Visibility:rearview mirrors/devices

    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."

    Risk: Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.

    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.

  3. NHTSA 18V773000Nov 1, 2018Electrical System228,648 vehicles

    Electrical system:software

    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.

    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.

    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.

2018 Subaru Legacy fuel economy and fuel cost

City
22.5 MPG
Highway
31 MPG
Combined
26 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,525
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2018 compared with other Legacy years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2016Avoid801473 !26
2017Avoid751192 !26
2018Caution60117326
2019Caution65123326
2020Avoid90121628.5

All Subaru Legacy years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Subaru Legacy a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2018 Subaru Legacy ranks #9 of 21 among Legacy model years (Complaint Index 60/100, verdict: Caution). It has 117 complaints and 3 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Subaru Legacy?
The most reported problem areas are electrical system (40 complaints), visibility & wipers (32 complaints), and engine (13 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 20,450 miles.
Does the 2018 Subaru Legacy have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Subaru Legacy, most recently reported 2021, covering fuel system, visibility & wipers, and electrical system.
What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Subaru Legacy?
EPA rates the 2018 Subaru Legacy at 26 MPG combined (22.5 city / 31 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,525. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.