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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

Steering complaints

35 reports
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394 miles · Apr 30, 2018
Steering

MOSTLEY AT HIGHER SPEEDS.70 MPH.THE STEERING REACTS ERRATICALLY.MUTIPLE SYMPTIONS CONCERNS.ON A CONSISTENT BASIS,THE FEELING OF CONTROL LEAVES,IT FEELS AS THOUGH IT HYDROPLANING IN DEEP WATERWHEN YOUR TIRES TEMPORANILY LOSE CONTACT WITH PAVEMENT.THIS CAN HAPPEN DURING ANY CONDITION.ALL CONTROL SEEMS TO LEAVE ,THEN CONTROL COMES…

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MOSTLEY AT HIGHER SPEEDS.70 MPH.THE STEERING REACTS ERRATICALLY.MUTIPLE SYMPTIONS CONCERNS.ON A CONSISTENT BASIS,THE FEELING OF CONTROL LEAVES,IT FEELS AS THOUGH IT HYDROPLANING IN DEEP WATERWHEN YOUR TIRES TEMPORANILY LOSE CONTACT WITH PAVEMENT.THIS CAN HAPPEN DURING ANY CONDITION.ALL CONTROL SEEMS TO LEAVE ,THEN CONTROL COMES BACK.IN HIGH WINDS ,WHEN U NEED TO CORRECT THE STEEING ANGLE THIS SISATION HAPPENS A LOT.ANY MOVEMENT FROM A STRAIGHT LINE WILL CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN.SOMETIME STRAIGHT LINE DRIVING ,THE STEERING WHEEL JUST MOMENTARILY ATTEMPTS TO TURN ON ITS OWN.IN THE RAIN AFRAID TO DIVE OUTBACK 65 MPH BECAUSE THE THE STEERIN KEEPS LEAVING,AGAIN LIKE ITS HYDRO PLAINING,AND NO I WASENT HYDROPLANING AS EVERY OTHER CAR WAS PASSING ME 70+ MPH.THIS IS A CONSISTENT AND CONSTANT PROBLEM.ITS VEY SCAREY AND I QUITE ALARMNED AT TIS PROBLE.THERE IS SOMETHING MAJOR WRONG WITH THE 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK LIMITED.NEED HELP.AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR.BOUGHT CAR ON 4/24/2018,OWNED IT 8 DAYS.(394 MILS ON CAR.TAKING IT TO HOME TOWN SUBARU,BECKLEY FOR EVALUEATION(DRIVE CAR) ON STEERING. ISSUE.ILL NEED A SIGNED DOCKUMENT FROM SERVICE REP BEFORE I DRIVE CAR AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI #11091102

1,800 miles · Apr 22, 2018
Steering

MOSTLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS, 70+, THE STEERING REACTS ERRATICALLY. MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS OF MAJOR CONCERN. ON A CONSISTENT BASIS, THE FEELING OF CONTROL LEAVES, IT FEELS AS THOUGH YOU ARE HYDROPLANING INTO DEEP WATER WHEN YOUR TIRES TEMPORARILY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE PAVEMENT, THIS CAN HAPPEN DURING ANY DRIVING CONDITION. ALL CONTROL …

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MOSTLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS, 70+, THE STEERING REACTS ERRATICALLY. MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS OF MAJOR CONCERN. ON A CONSISTENT BASIS, THE FEELING OF CONTROL LEAVES, IT FEELS AS THOUGH YOU ARE HYDROPLANING INTO DEEP WATER WHEN YOUR TIRES TEMPORARILY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE PAVEMENT, THIS CAN HAPPEN DURING ANY DRIVING CONDITION. ALL CONTROL SEEMS TO LEAVE. THEN CONTROL COMES BACK. IN HIGH WIND, WHEN YOU NEED TO CORRECT THE STEERING ANGLE THIS SENSATION HAPPENS A LOT. ANY MOVEMENT AWAY FROM A STRAIGHT LINE WILL CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. SOMETIMES IN STRAIGHT LINE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL JUST MOMENTARILY ATTEMPTS TO TURN ON ITS OWN. LAST NIGHT IN RAIN, I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE OVER 65 MPH BECAUSE THE STEERING KEPT LEAVING, AGAIN LIKE IT WAS HYDRO PLANING, AND NO IT WASN'T HYDROPLANING AS EVERY OTHER CAR WAS PASSING ME AT 75+ MPH. THIS IS A CONSISTENT AND CONSTANT PROBLEM. IT IS VERY SCARY AND I AM QUITE ALARMED AT THIS PROBLEM. THERE IS SOMETHING MAJOR WRONG HERE.

NHTSA ODI #11089288

4,500 miles · Feb 7, 2018
Steering

MOST OCCURRENCES WERE AT HIGH SPEED ON INTERSTATES. I THOUGHT IT WAS WIND RELATED BUT PROBABLY WASN'T. CAR WOULD SEEM TO MOVE SLIGHTLY WITH NO STEERING EFFORT AND THEN THE STEERING WOULD PUSH BACK SEVERELY ON CURVES SOMETIMES IT WOULD PUSH FROM SIDE TO SIDE SETTING UP A SWERVING MOTION. NO WARNING LIGHTS EVER CAME ON THIS…

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MOST OCCURRENCES WERE AT HIGH SPEED ON INTERSTATES. I THOUGHT IT WAS WIND RELATED BUT PROBABLY WASN'T. CAR WOULD SEEM TO MOVE SLIGHTLY WITH NO STEERING EFFORT AND THEN THE STEERING WOULD PUSH BACK SEVERELY ON CURVES SOMETIMES IT WOULD PUSH FROM SIDE TO SIDE SETTING UP A SWERVING MOTION. NO WARNING LIGHTS EVER CAME ON THIS CONTINUED FOR FOUR DAYS AND THEN HAS NOT BEEN EXPERIENCED AGAIN. SERVICE COULD NOT DUPLICATE. I CONSIDER THIS SERIOUS ENOUGH THAT IF IT CONTINUES I WILL TRADE THE CAR. THE MOVEMENTS ARE SEVERE ENOUGH IN MY OPINION TO BE DANGEROUS. THESE EVENTS OCCURRED ON 1-27,28,29,30-2018.

NHTSA ODI #11071609

2,500 miles · Jan 16, 2018
Lane DepartureSteering

WHILE DRIVING 70 MILES PER HOUR: ON MOST CURVES TO THE LEFT THE CAR SEEMS TO "GRAB" TO THE LEFT AND THEN I CORRECT THE SWING. SOMETIMES IT SEEMS TO ALMOST OVER CORRECT. AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE WHILE ON THE STRAIGHT WAY AND THE CAR WILL SEEM TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. NOT ENOUGH THAT I AM IN DANGER OF CRASHING BUT IS …

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WHILE DRIVING 70 MILES PER HOUR: ON MOST CURVES TO THE LEFT THE CAR SEEMS TO "GRAB" TO THE LEFT AND THEN I CORRECT THE SWING. SOMETIMES IT SEEMS TO ALMOST OVER CORRECT. AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE WHILE ON THE STRAIGHT WAY AND THE CAR WILL SEEM TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. NOT ENOUGH THAT I AM IN DANGER OF CRASHING BUT IS UNSETTLING

NHTSA ODI #11063173

4,900 miles · Dec 20, 2017
Service BrakesSteering

THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. THE DEALER ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM TWICE IN TWO WEEKS BY DOING A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE VEHICLE IS STILL PULLING TO THE LEFT. A MORE CONCERNING ISSUE JUST STARTED. THE VEHICLE HAS APPLIED THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NOT HARD, JUST ENOUGH TO FEEL THE STEERING WHEEL JUMP TO THE RIG…

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THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. THE DEALER ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM TWICE IN TWO WEEKS BY DOING A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE VEHICLE IS STILL PULLING TO THE LEFT. A MORE CONCERNING ISSUE JUST STARTED. THE VEHICLE HAS APPLIED THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NOT HARD, JUST ENOUGH TO FEEL THE STEERING WHEEL JUMP TO THE RIGHT. I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65 TO 70 MPH ON A STRAIGHT INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ODI #11055701

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