2018 Subaru Legacy Visibility & Wipers Problems
NHTSA lists 32 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2018 Subaru Legacy, 27% of all 117 complaints filed for that model year. Most describe windshields cracking or chipping spontaneously, with a median failure mileage of 28,630. One related recall (18V935000) covers a software issue, not the glass itself.
- Visibility & Wipers complaints
- 32
- 27% of 117
- Crashes reported
- 0
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 28,630 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical visibility and wiper symptoms owners report
- Windshields crack or chip spontaneously while parked, with no rock impact or visible cause.
- Cracks appear near the Eyesight camera housing between the windshield-mounted cameras and spread quickly once started.
- Some owners report the windshield chipping or cracking multiple times on the same vehicle, requiring repeated repairs or replacement.
- Cracks sometimes form while driving on the highway at speed, starting at an edge and extending across the glass within seconds.
- Side mirrors equipped with blind spot detection do not adjust far enough outward for drivers seated further back, leaving a blind spot despite the detection light working.
When 2018 Subaru Legacy visibility and wiper complaints were filed
First complaint Mar 5, 2019, latest Aug 27, 2026.
Visibility & Wipers recalls for the 2018 Subaru Legacy
- 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.
Visibility & Wipers complaints by Legacy model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the 2018 Subaru Legacy have a lot of windshield complaints?
- Yes. NHTSA lists 32 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2018 Legacy, which is 27% of all 117 complaints filed for that model year, and most describe windshield cracking.
- Is there a recall for the 2018 Subaru Legacy windshield?
- There is a recall, campaign 18V935000, but it addresses a software issue causing the audio display and camera display to not initialize, not the windshield glass itself.
- At what mileage do these windshield problems happen?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 28,630 miles, though some owners reported cracks at much lower mileage.
- Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these visibility complaints?
- NHTSA data shows 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries reported for this problem area on the 2018 Legacy.
- How does the 2018 Legacy compare to other years for this issue?
- The 2018 Legacy's 32 complaints (27% share) is lower than 2019 (51 complaints, 41% share) and 2020 (66 complaints, 55% share), suggesting the pattern continued and worsened in later model years.