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2018 Subaru Outback

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Outback years

Owner complaints for the 2018 Subaru Outback are substantially higher than the model-year median of 207.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

488 reports with mileage · 323 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 265 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 233 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

27 crash reports4 fire reports10 injury reports

Fuel/propulsion System complaints

43 reports
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5,000 miles · Dec 19, 2018
Fuel/propulsion System

CAR STALLED AND RAN OUT OF GAS WHEN THE SYSTEM SAID I HAD 20 MILES LEFT. I WAS 2 MILES FROM HOME/GAS STATION. THIS HAPPENED AT A STREET LIGHT ON A BUSY STREET. I HAD TO GET OUT AND PUSH THE CAR OUT OF THE WAY IN 5 LANES OF TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ODI #11162588

500 miles · Dec 5, 2018
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

RAN OUT OF GAS WHEN GAUGE SHOWED 40 MILES LEFT - CAR LOCKED UP ON A 70MPH FREEWAY - REPORTED TO SUBARU ALMOST A YEAR AGO AND RECENTLY SAW WHERE A RECALL HAD BEEN INITIATED BUT CALLED SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THIS WILL BE RESOLVED EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE KNOW ABOUT IT FOR A YEAR - WHY IS THIS NOT A SAFETY…

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RAN OUT OF GAS WHEN GAUGE SHOWED 40 MILES LEFT - CAR LOCKED UP ON A 70MPH FREEWAY - REPORTED TO SUBARU ALMOST A YEAR AGO AND RECENTLY SAW WHERE A RECALL HAD BEEN INITIATED BUT CALLED SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THIS WILL BE RESOLVED EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE KNOW ABOUT IT FOR A YEAR - WHY IS THIS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE THAT THE NHTSA IS FORCING THEM TO FIX

NHTSA ODI #11156350

8,000 miles · Dec 3, 2018
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED 40 MILES REMAINING, BUT THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,000.

NHTSA ODI #11155699

4,500 miles · Nov 28, 2018
Fuel/propulsion System

OUR SYSTEM SHOWED 40 MILES TO EMPTY. LUCKILY WE WERE IN A TURN LANE COMING UP TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE CAR SHUT OFF/STOPPED RUNNING. TRAFFIC HAD TO GO AROUND US TO TURN AT THE LIGHT. SOMEONE STOPPED AND GAVE US 5 GALLONS OF GAS. WE WERE ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND GO TO A SERVICE STATION AND FILL UP.

NHTSA ODI #11154612

4,450 miles · Nov 23, 2018
Fuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

30 MILES LEFT AS INDICATED ON FUEL TANK, CAR ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN LEFT SIDE OF HIGHWAY, MY FAMILY WERE PASSENGERS IN MY CAR AND THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL SITUATION. A GOOD SAMARITAN HELPED US MOVE OUR CAR OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD OUT OF HARMS WAY. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN SUBARU …

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30 MILES LEFT AS INDICATED ON FUEL TANK, CAR ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN LEFT SIDE OF HIGHWAY, MY FAMILY WERE PASSENGERS IN MY CAR AND THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL SITUATION. A GOOD SAMARITAN HELPED US MOVE OUR CAR OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD OUT OF HARMS WAY. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN SUBARU AND DO NOT TRUST THAT IT HAS THE BEST 'SAFETY' FEATURES IF IT IS THIS INACCURATE IN INFORMING ME OF MILEAGE! I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK WHAT WORSE OUTCOME COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY. THANK GOD WE ARE ALL OK. DO BETTER SUBARU, FOR THE LIVES OF YOUR CUSTOMERS DRIVING YOUR VEHICLES AND THE SAFETY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

NHTSA ODI #11153418

13,000 miles · Oct 9, 2018
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

** 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK ** THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES** DRIVING CAR WHEN CAR SHUTS OFF COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ENGINE TURNS OFF WITHOUT WARNING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS - SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN THE LOW FUEL WARNING SYSTEM TURNS ON AT 1/4 TANK OF GAS. THIS 3RD TIME ALMOST GOT ME KILLED TRAVELING AT 45MPG WHEN IT HAPPENED TODAY INSIDE A M…

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** 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK ** THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES** DRIVING CAR WHEN CAR SHUTS OFF COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ENGINE TURNS OFF WITHOUT WARNING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS - SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN THE LOW FUEL WARNING SYSTEM TURNS ON AT 1/4 TANK OF GAS. THIS 3RD TIME ALMOST GOT ME KILLED TRAVELING AT 45MPG WHEN IT HAPPENED TODAY INSIDE A MAJOR INTERSECTION. SOFTWARE / SENSOR FOR THE LOW FUEL SYSTEM? SOMETHING IS VERY SERIOUSLY WRONG. 1. IS THIS CAR SAFE TO DRIVE WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS? 2. HAS THERE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EXACT PROBLEM? 3. IS THERE A RECALL OR FIX ?

NHTSA ODI #11139365

4,000 miles · Oct 8, 2018
Fuel/propulsion System

NUMBER OF MILES SHOWED 40 UNTIL GAS WAS NEEDED- 8 MILES LATER WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF GAS ON MAJOR HIGHWAY- CONTACTED SUBARU SERVICE WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY ISSUES WITH THIS, HE SAID YES-- HE ACTUALLY SAID THE SAME EXACT SCENARIO-- WHERE SAID 40, AND APPROX. 8 MILES LATER COMPLETELY OUT OF GAS- HE T…

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NUMBER OF MILES SHOWED 40 UNTIL GAS WAS NEEDED- 8 MILES LATER WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF GAS ON MAJOR HIGHWAY- CONTACTED SUBARU SERVICE WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY ISSUES WITH THIS, HE SAID YES-- HE ACTUALLY SAID THE SAME EXACT SCENARIO-- WHERE SAID 40, AND APPROX. 8 MILES LATER COMPLETELY OUT OF GAS- HE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD FUEL ENGINEERS LOOK AT THE CAR THAT WAS BROUGHT IN AND SAID THE ONLY WAY TO GET GOOD INFORMATION IS TO RE-SET TRIP A AND RE-SET TRIP B AFTER YOU FILL YOUR TANK-- SO IT CAN CALIBRATE. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE- THEY SHOULD COMMUNICATE THIS TO THEIR CUSTOMERS TO AVOID THIS HUGE SAFETY RISK. POLICE WERE CALLED TO US BROKEN DOWN ON FREEWAY TO ALERT TRAFFIC WE WERE SITTING ON SHOULDER- VERY UNSAFE AREA TO "RUN OUT OF GAS"- SUBARU SHOULD GET THIS GLITCH FIXED-- AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, COMMUNICATE TO PEOPLE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED SUBARU AMERICA TO LET THEM KNOW AND I HAVE OPENED A CASE. THEY WILL CALL ME BACK NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, OCT 10TH, 2018 WITH AN UPDATE. I ALSO WANTED THIS TO BE BROUGHT TO NTSB ATTENTION SINCE SUBARU SOUNDED LIKE THEY KNEW ABOUT IT, BUT DIDN'T EVEN TELL US WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR. CAR HAS ROUGHLY 4K MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI #11139010

2,000 miles · Oct 5, 2018
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MCCURLEY INTEGRITY SUBARU (LOCATED AT 9620 SANDIFUR PKWY, PASCO, WA 99301, (509) 412-7100) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MCCURLEY INTEGRITY SUBARU (LOCATED AT 9620 SANDIFUR PKWY, PASCO, WA 99301, (509) 412-7100) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED 20 MILES TO EMPTY, THE FUEL TANK WAS ACTUALLY EMPTY. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS WORKING ON A REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT*JB

NHTSA ODI #11133530

7,000 miles · Sep 3, 2018
Fuel/propulsion System

MY GAS LIGHT WENT ON AND THE MONITOR SAID I HAD 60 MILES LEFT. WITHIN A COUPLE BLOCKS IT WENT TO 50 THEN 40 THEN 20 AND WAS OUT OF GAS. IT STILL SAID I HAD 20 MILES LEFT WHEN THE CAR WAS IN THE LEFT LANE OF A ROAD AND COMPLETELY WOULDN'T START. I WAS JUST GOING STRAIGHT ON A CITY ROAD. PEOPLE WERE HONKING AT ME AND I WAS SCARED …

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MY GAS LIGHT WENT ON AND THE MONITOR SAID I HAD 60 MILES LEFT. WITHIN A COUPLE BLOCKS IT WENT TO 50 THEN 40 THEN 20 AND WAS OUT OF GAS. IT STILL SAID I HAD 20 MILES LEFT WHEN THE CAR WAS IN THE LEFT LANE OF A ROAD AND COMPLETELY WOULDN'T START. I WAS JUST GOING STRAIGHT ON A CITY ROAD. PEOPLE WERE HONKING AT ME AND I WAS SCARED SOMEONE WOULD HIT ME. THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE. THEN SOME PEOPLE HELPED ME GET IT ACROSS THE 2 LANES AND ONTO THE SIDE. I LOCKED IT AND WENT FOR GAS. WHEN I CAME BACK. THE CAR WOULD NOT UNLOCK WITH THE KEYLESS ENTERY. I HAD TO TAKE OUT THE HIDDEN KEY AND OPEN IT. AND THEN WHEN I PUT GAS IN IT. IT STARTED NO PROBLEM. I WENT TO FILL UP AND IT FILLED UP AT 17 GALLONS. SO IT STILL HAD MORE THEN 2 GALLONS WHEN IT RAN OUT. I BROUGHT IT TO SUBARU, THEY LOOKED IT OVER FOR A FEW DAYS. CALLED THERE SPECIALISTS BUT SAID THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND I SHOULD JUST TRY TO KEEP THE GAS TANK AT FULL AND IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. I FEEL FOR A 2018 NEW CAR THIS IS SCARY.

NHTSA ODI #11124178

1,050 miles · Aug 26, 2018
Fuel/propulsion System

RAN OUT OF GAS WITH 12 MILES REMAINING ON INDICATOR. CAR WOULD NOT START. HAD WE BEEN ON THE ROAD DRIVING IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED US TO STOP WHILE IN MOTION. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE AT THE SUBARU DEALER WHEN IT HAPPENED TO OUR BRAND NEW SUV. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT IS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE FUEL CLUSTER THAT CALIBRA…

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RAN OUT OF GAS WITH 12 MILES REMAINING ON INDICATOR. CAR WOULD NOT START. HAD WE BEEN ON THE ROAD DRIVING IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED US TO STOP WHILE IN MOTION. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE AT THE SUBARU DEALER WHEN IT HAPPENED TO OUR BRAND NEW SUV. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT IS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE FUEL CLUSTER THAT CALIBRATES THE AMOUNT OF MILES ONE HAS REMAINING. WE WERE TOLD THAT SUBARU KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND IS MANUFACTURING/ REPLACING THE PART IF THEY ARE NOTIFIED THAT A PARTICULAR CAR HAS THE PROBLEM BUT IT WILL BE A MONTH BEFORE THE NEW PART IS SHIPPED TO OUR DEALER FOR INSTALLATION. UNFORTUNATELY, SUBARU HAS NOT NOTIFIED OWNERS OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND WE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING POSTED ON THEIR WEBSITE ABOUT THIS.

NHTSA ODI #11122377

Official recalls

3

21V587000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Jul 29, 2021

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

18V935000 · Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices

Dec 31, 2018

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."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

18V773000 · Electrical System:software; Fuel System, Gasoline

Nov 1, 2018

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Fuel System, Gasoline

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.

Consequence: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Subaru Outback problems