IllustrationCAR PARKED IN DRIVEWAY IN MORNING AND WINDSHIELD WAS FINE. FEW HOURS LATER THERE WAS A TWO FOOT CRACK FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE TO THE MID POINT OF THE WINDSHIELD.
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Outback years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
3130–25K
13625–50K
2850–75K
875–100K
2100–150K
1150K+
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
Visibility/wiper complaints
233 reportsTHE WINDSHIELD CRACKED, STARTING AT THE BOTTOM MIDDLE, AND SPREADING UP AND THEN IN ALL DIRECTIONS. THERE IS NO POINT OF IMPACT AND THE CRACK STARTED WHILE PARKED INT THE DRIVEWAY, AWAY FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
I HEARD THE NOISE OF A PEBBLE HITTING THE WINDSHIELD ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING BETWEEN 60 AND 70 MPH. LESS THAN A MINUTE LATER, A CRACK APPEARED VERTICALLY FROM THE BOTTOM CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. LATER, THE CRACK BECAME A "T" AND GREW HORIZONTALLY. THE NEXT DAY WHEN THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER WAS ON, THE CRACK CONTINUED TO GROW T…
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I HEARD THE NOISE OF A PEBBLE HITTING THE WINDSHIELD ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING BETWEEN 60 AND 70 MPH. LESS THAN A MINUTE LATER, A CRACK APPEARED VERTICALLY FROM THE BOTTOM CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. LATER, THE CRACK BECAME A "T" AND GREW HORIZONTALLY. THE NEXT DAY WHEN THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER WAS ON, THE CRACK CONTINUED TO GROW TO ABOUT A FOOT AND A HALF. THE WINDSHIELD HAD TO BE REPLACED AT THIS POINT.
I HAVE EXPERIENCE CASE OF MULTIPLE SPONTANEOUS CRACKED WINDSHIELDS.
I HAVE OWNED MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK FOR 8 MONTHS. THE WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED IN THE SAME SPOT TWICE ALREADY. IT STARTS FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AND EXTENDS ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I NEVER HEARD A ROCK HITTING, NOR WAS THERE A DING IN THE WINDSHIELD. I GOT IT FIXED THE FIRST TIME AND WITHIN A WEEK IT CRACK…
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I HAVE OWNED MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK FOR 8 MONTHS. THE WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED IN THE SAME SPOT TWICE ALREADY. IT STARTS FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AND EXTENDS ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I NEVER HEARD A ROCK HITTING, NOR WAS THERE A DING IN THE WINDSHIELD. I GOT IT FIXED THE FIRST TIME AND WITHIN A WEEK IT CRACKED IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT. IT WAS PARKED BOTH TIMES WE NOTICED THE CRACK.
ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 AT ABOUT 1 PM MST I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON ARIZONA ROUTE 89, JUST NORTH OF THE RT 64 INTERSECTION. I WAS ON A DIVIDED SECTION OF PAVED HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT NO MORE THAN 40 MILES PER HOUR. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AHEAD OF ME AND NONE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WHEN I HEARD A POP IN MY FRONT WINDSHIELD A…
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ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 AT ABOUT 1 PM MST I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON ARIZONA ROUTE 89, JUST NORTH OF THE RT 64 INTERSECTION. I WAS ON A DIVIDED SECTION OF PAVED HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT NO MORE THAN 40 MILES PER HOUR. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AHEAD OF ME AND NONE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WHEN I HEARD A POP IN MY FRONT WINDSHIELD AND A CRACK APPEARED ABOUT A THIRD OF THE WAY UP ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. WHEN I STOPPED LATER TO EXAMINE THE WINDSHIELD I COULD SEE NO EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING STRIKING THE GLASS. THERE WAS NO DEBRIS ON THE HIGHWAY. THE PAVEMENT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. THE CRACK EXPANDED HORIZONTALLY ACROSS THE WINDOW. I HAD THE WINDOW REPLACED AT THE GREELEY SUBARU DEALER ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 27.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, A SMALL PEBBLE WAS KICKED UP FROM THE CAR IN FRONT OF US AND BOUNCED OFF OUR WINDSHIELD. IT LEFT A TINY CHIP THE SIZE OF A PINHEAD. WE REPORTED IT IMMEDIATELY AND TOOK IT FOR REPAIR WITHIN TWO HOURS OF THE INCIDENT AT SAFE LITE. TWO DAYS LATER, THERE WAS A GIANT CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. WE BROU…
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WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, A SMALL PEBBLE WAS KICKED UP FROM THE CAR IN FRONT OF US AND BOUNCED OFF OUR WINDSHIELD. IT LEFT A TINY CHIP THE SIZE OF A PINHEAD. WE REPORTED IT IMMEDIATELY AND TOOK IT FOR REPAIR WITHIN TWO HOURS OF THE INCIDENT AT SAFE LITE. TWO DAYS LATER, THERE WAS A GIANT CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. WE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF NEARLY $1000, $500 OUT OF POCKET.
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKS AND SHATTERS FOR NO REASON. I HAVE NOW REPLACED TWO WINDSHIELDS AND THEY CONTINUE TO BREAK, EVEN THOUGH NO IMPACTS WITH FLYING DEBRIS OCCURRED. MANY OUTBACK OWNERS REPORT SIMILAR THINGS HAPPENING. THERE IS SOMETHING DEFECTIVE WITH THE WINDSHIELD THAT CAUSE THEM TO BE FRAGILE.
VEHICLES WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED WHILE STATIONARY. DURING A ROAD TRIP WITH SEVERAL PASSENGERS, WE MADE A PIT STOP AND WHEN WE GOT BACK IN THE CAR A PASSENGER NOTED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED WHEN IT HAD NOT BEEN PRIOR TO THE STOP.
WINDSHIELD BROKE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY GOING ROUGHLY 30 MPH. THE CAR WAS PASSING KICKED UP A SMALL ROCK WHICH HIT MY WINDSHIELD CAUSING THE OUTER LAYER OF GLASS TO GET CHIPPED AND CRACK. THE ORIGINAL CRACK WAS 7 INCHES LONG BUT THE AFTERNOON IN THE SUN CAUSED THE CRACK TO PROPAGATED ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD SPANNING 3/4 …
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WINDSHIELD BROKE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY GOING ROUGHLY 30 MPH. THE CAR WAS PASSING KICKED UP A SMALL ROCK WHICH HIT MY WINDSHIELD CAUSING THE OUTER LAYER OF GLASS TO GET CHIPPED AND CRACK. THE ORIGINAL CRACK WAS 7 INCHES LONG BUT THE AFTERNOON IN THE SUN CAUSED THE CRACK TO PROPAGATED ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD SPANNING 3/4 OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE GLASS ENDED UP COSTING 1200 TO BE REPLACED AND HAVE THE EYESIGHT RE CALIBRATED. THE CAR WAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD AND HAD LESS THAN 12000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE WINDSHIELD BROKE.
Official recalls
321V587000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.