NHTSA has received 814 owner complaints about the 2018 Subaru Outback, or 92.6 per year on the road — far more complaints than typical (complaint index 2.29, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 76 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #65 of 76 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Subaru models its rate is 155% higher; against other Midsize SUVs it is 76% higher.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2017-08-20 and 2026-10-11. Median delay from incident to filing: 9 days.
814Complaints
92.6Complaints per year on the road
2.29Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
3Recalls
3.8%Share involving a crash or fire
41Last 12 months
Analysis
The following model year (2019) drew 133.0 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2018 model collected 242 complaints, 182% higher than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Body & structure (33.9% of complaints), followed by Electrical (33.5%) and Unspecified or other (12.7%). Body & structure complaints are 3.7 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 31 reports (3.8%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 19 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 31 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (27% of incidents). In the last 12 months 41 new complaints were filed, versus 38 in the 12 months before — up 8%.
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls for this model year.
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles2.29
vs. other Subaru models2.55
vs. other 2018 models1.96
vs. other Midsize SUVs1.76
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (242)2.82
Report on Accident [XXX] 4TH DISTRICT wHEATON MARYLAND [XXX] [XXX] I was driving west on [XXX] at approximately [XXX]. As I approached the intersection at [XXX] the TRAFIC light cars were stopped .
Brakes · 2026-06-04 · ODI 11742069 · Crash
Driving slowly in a parking lot, I applied the brakes as I approached a parking space. Instead of slowing down, the car inexplicably accelerated quickly and did not respond to increased pressure on the brakes.
Brakes · 2026-04-29 · ODI 11734591 · Crash
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.
Steering · 2026-10-11 · ODI 11770420
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…
Electrical · 2026-10-03 · ODI 11768670
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.
Electrical · 2026-09-29 · ODI 11767919
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Summary: 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.
Summary: 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.
Summary: 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.
