2018 Subaru Outback Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
80/100
#4 most-complained of 16 Outback years
The 2018 Subaru Outback has 811 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 80, and ranks 4th worst out of 16 model years, earning an Avoid verdict. Top problem areas are Visibility & Wipers (34%) and Electrical System (33%).
- Complaints
- 811
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes / fires
- 27 / 4
- Injuries / deaths
- 19 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 25
- 22.5 city / 29.5 hwy
Top 2018 Subaru Outback problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Visibility & Wipers272 (34%)
- Electrical System270 (33%)
- Other163 (20%)
- Engine57 (7%)
- Fuel System46 (6%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras35 (4%)
- Steering35 (4%)
- Structure & Body24 (3%)
- Brakes21 (3%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires16 (2%)
What owners report
- Brakes reportedly fail to respond when pressed, in one case causing the vehicle to overturn in a driveway and in another causing a multi-car collision at a traffic light.
- Owners report the engine losing power with warning lights on, in one instance followed by an engine fire that destroyed the vehicle.
- Some owners describe unintended acceleration or throttle response issues, with the vehicle surging forward despite braking and striking objects or other vehicles.
- Electrical shorts have been reported in a side mirror, producing smoke and burn marks from a blown fuse.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in frontal and side-impact crashes, including one involving a semi-truck at highway speed.
- Windshields have developed cracks near the driver-side bottom corner without any prior chip or impact.
2018 Subaru Outback recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Outback fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 22.5 MPG
- Highway
- 29.5 MPG
- Combined
- 25 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,625
- 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 Outback years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Subaru Outback reliable?
- NHTSA data shows the 2018 Outback has 811 complaints and a complaint index of 80, ranking 4th worst among 16 Outback model years, so it carries an Avoid verdict relative to other years.
- What problems does the 2018 Subaru Outback have?
- Owners most often report issues in Visibility & Wipers (34% of complaints) and Electrical System (33%), followed by Engine, Fuel System, and Collision Avoidance & Cameras problems.
- Does the 2018 Subaru Outback have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2018 Outback covering the fuel system (low-pressure fuel pump), a rearview camera display software issue, and a low fuel warning light software error.
- What is the median mileage for reported failures on the 2018 Outback?
- Across all reported problems the median mileage at failure is 16,793.5 miles, though this varies by system, from 4,700 miles for steering to 30,850 miles for collision avoidance and camera issues.
- How does the 2018 Outback compare to other Outback years?
- The 2018 model's complaint index of 80 is worse than most other years, including 2014 (7) and 2023 (0), but slightly better than 2017 (87) and 2019 (100).