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
What owners actually said
811 reports
20,300 miles · Oct 21, 2019
Visibility/wiper
FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED BY ITSELF WHILE BEING STATIONARY IN A NEAR-EMPTY PARKING LOT (ONLY TWO CARS IN THE PARKING LOT INCLUDING MINE). HAPPENED ON OCT 10, 2019 BETWEEN 10-11:30AM. PARKED THE CAR IN THE LOT AND WENT INSIDE BUILDING FOR 90 MINUTES. WHEN I CAME OUT I NOTICED A LARGE CRACK IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD ORIGINATING AT TH…
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FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED BY ITSELF WHILE BEING STATIONARY IN A NEAR-EMPTY PARKING LOT (ONLY TWO CARS IN THE PARKING LOT INCLUDING MINE). HAPPENED ON OCT 10, 2019 BETWEEN 10-11:30AM. PARKED THE CAR IN THE LOT AND WENT INSIDE BUILDING FOR 90 MINUTES. WHEN I CAME OUT I NOTICED A LARGE CRACK IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD ORIGINATING AT THE DEICER AREA IN FRONT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE CRACK PATTERN SEEMS SIMILAR TO THE 2015/2016 OUTBACK/LEGACY CRACKED WINDSHIELD ISSUE (SUBARU BULLETIN #12-192-15R). OTHER SUBARU OUTBACK OWNERS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR ISSUES FOR RECENT OUTBACK YEAR MODELS BASED ON GOOGLE SEARCH OF SUBARU FORUMS. TOLD SUBARU DEALER ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THEY ASKED ME TO REPLACE WINDSHIELD USING AUTO-INSURANCE GLASS COVERAGE. I HAVE REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD USING MY INSURANCE AND ALSO PAID (VIA INSURANCE CLAIM) FOR EYESIGHT CALIBRATION AS REQUIRED BY SUBARU.
NHTSA ODI #11269979
47,000 miles · Oct 12, 2019
Power Train
CVT TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED. 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK, 47,000 MILES. CAR ONLY 18 MONTHS OLD. WIFE AND KIDS IN THE CAR IT WAS VERY SCARY MOMENT. THE CAR STARED TO SHUTTERED ACCELERATING FORM A STOP. THEN AT 40 TO 50 MPH, THE RPMS BECAME ERRATIC SHIFTING UP DOWN, TO MAINTAIN SPEED. IT LIKE IT WAS CONFUSED, WHICH GEAR TO BE IN. THEN CA…
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CVT TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED. 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK, 47,000 MILES. CAR ONLY 18 MONTHS OLD. WIFE AND KIDS IN THE CAR IT WAS VERY SCARY MOMENT. THE CAR STARED TO SHUTTERED ACCELERATING FORM A STOP. THEN AT 40 TO 50 MPH, THE RPMS BECAME ERRATIC SHIFTING UP DOWN, TO MAINTAIN SPEED. IT LIKE IT WAS CONFUSED, WHICH GEAR TO BE IN. THEN CAME TO A STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, CAR SHUTTERED AND LOUD BANG, NO GEARS. CAR WOULD NOT GO SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE. MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS, SUBARU NEED TO FIX THIS, IT DANGEROUS DEFECT AND EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR.
NHTSA ODI #11268127
25,000 miles · Oct 7, 2019
Visibility/wiper
CRACK DEVELOPED ON WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT IMPACT OF ANYTHING.
NHTSA ODI #11266778
21,000 miles · Oct 7, 2019
Unknown Or Other
TWO TIRE BLOW OUTS CAUSING IMMEDIATE LOSS OF AIR. CAR WAS TRAVELLING AT APPROX 35 MPH. EACH TIME ON A CITY STREET. FIRST AT 4000 MILES. SECOND AT 21000 MILES. TIRE HAD CIRCUMFERENTIAL CRACK AT BOTTOM OF TIRE GROOVE. ORIGINAL OEM TIRES. CAR PURCHASED NEW IN SEPT 2017.
NHTSA ODI #11266743
7 miles · Oct 3, 2019
SteeringSuspensionWheels
BOUGHT CAR NEW, 7 MILES ON ODOMETER. TOOK CAR INTO AUTONATION SUBARU - CENTENNIAL COLORADO FOR NOISE COMPLAINT IN DRIVER-SIDE FRONT WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. MISSING PARTS WERE NOTICED BY SHOP. SHOP SAID IT WAS COMPLETELY FIXED, BUT WE STILL HAD THIS NOISE, IT WAS JUST QUIETER. VEHICLE FELT LIKE ALIGNMENT WAS OFF, AS IT SHAKES …
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BOUGHT CAR NEW, 7 MILES ON ODOMETER. TOOK CAR INTO AUTONATION SUBARU - CENTENNIAL COLORADO FOR NOISE COMPLAINT IN DRIVER-SIDE FRONT WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. MISSING PARTS WERE NOTICED BY SHOP. SHOP SAID IT WAS COMPLETELY FIXED, BUT WE STILL HAD THIS NOISE, IT WAS JUST QUIETER. VEHICLE FELT LIKE ALIGNMENT WAS OFF, AS IT SHAKES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CAR MAKES TIRE SQUEALING NOISE WHEN TURNING IN AND OUT OF PARKING SPOTS AT LOW SPEEDS. TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALER SHOP MANY TIMES FOR OVER 1 YEAR. SHOP ALWAYS INSISTED NO ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED, FRONT-END WAS IN GOOD REPORT, TIRES WERE IN GOOD BALANCE, AND ROTATION WAS NOT NEEDED. SHAKING PERSISTS, 20K MILES LATER DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE IS WORN DOWN TO ALMOST STEEL ONLY ON IN-SIDE OF TIRE; ALL OTHER TIRES HAVE AT LEAST 6/32NDS ON TREAD (SEE ATTACHED PHOTO: OUT-SIDE OF TIRE IS THICK TREAT LIKE ALL OTHER TIRES, IN-SIDE TREAT IS GONE). ORIGINAL TIRES. NO MODIFICATIONS TO CAR. SERVICED ONLY AT SUBARU DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE SHAKES SO BAD NOW IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR MIGHT FALL APART. I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE HAVING MY PREGNANT WIFE DRIVE OUR ONLY VEHICLE. HELP! NOT FAIR TO BUY A NEW CAR WITH MISSING PARTS AND SAFETY ISSUES.
NHTSA ODI #11265954
13,000 miles · Sep 24, 2019
Steering
AT 13,000 MILES CAR STEERING PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT WITHOUT DRIVER PERFORMING THIS ACT. FEELS LIKE CAR IS HYDROPLANING OR AFFECTED BY HIGH WINDS WHEN NEITHER CONDITION IS PRESENT. PRESENTS DANGER AS DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL AS TO WHEN THIS HAPPENS OR WHAT DIRECTION IT WILL GO. OCCURS AT ALL SPEEDS BUT WORSENS AFTER 50MPH. …
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AT 13,000 MILES CAR STEERING PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT WITHOUT DRIVER PERFORMING THIS ACT. FEELS LIKE CAR IS HYDROPLANING OR AFFECTED BY HIGH WINDS WHEN NEITHER CONDITION IS PRESENT. PRESENTS DANGER AS DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL AS TO WHEN THIS HAPPENS OR WHAT DIRECTION IT WILL GO. OCCURS AT ALL SPEEDS BUT WORSENS AFTER 50MPH. RESEARCH SHOWS THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME SITUATION WITH OTHER SUBARU CARS. MY DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THE PROBLEM BUT SUGGESTED TO MANUAL TURN OFF LANE ASSIST. I PERFORMED THIS ACTION TO NO AVAIL - THE PROBLEM CONTINUES . HAPPENS ON CITY STREETS AT 25 MPH AS WELL AS ON HIGHWAYS. WHILE FIRST INCIDENT WAS AUGUST 5, 2019 IT NEVER STOPPED.
NHTSA ODI #11257727
22,000 miles · Sep 13, 2019
Visibility/wiper
WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. WAS NOT HOT BY ANY OBJECT. SUBARU OUTBACK 2018. CRACK INITIATED BELOW DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER.
NHTSA ODI #11255395
32,500 miles · Sep 5, 2019
Visibility/wiper
CAR DEVELOPED A CRACK ON WINDSHIELD OVERNIGHT WHILE PARKED IN AN INDOOR PARKING GARAGE. A FEW DAYS LATER CRACK GREW IN SIZE AGAIN WHILE PARKED IN A DIFFERENT INDOOR PARKING GARAGE. CAR HAS ~33,000 MILES AND WAS NOT HIT BY ANY ROAD DEBRIS.
NHTSA ODI #11253510
15,000 miles · Sep 5, 2019
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Engine
DIVING 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY WHEN CAR STARTED TO HARD SHUDDER, LOSE ACCELERATION. ENGINE LIGHT AND ALL OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. DIFFICULT TO STEER AND BRAKE. ABLE TO BARELY PULL OFF ROAD SAFELY AND AVOID GUARD RAIL. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS NOTED.
NHTSA ODI #11253464
7,000 miles · Sep 4, 2019
Steering
*TL THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN MAKING A SHARP TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS INTO THAT POSITION UNTIL MANUALLYMOVED OUT OF THAT POSITION AND THEN IT RETURNS TO NORMAL CENTER POSITION. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT COULD RUN INTO OTHER CARS OR OBJECTS. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO SANGERA SUBARU…
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*TL THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN MAKING A SHARP TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS INTO THAT POSITION UNTIL MANUALLYMOVED OUT OF THAT POSITION AND THEN IT RETURNS TO NORMAL CENTER POSITION. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT COULD RUN INTO OTHER CARS OR OBJECTS. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO SANGERA SUBARU (5500 GASOLINE ALLEY DR. BAKERSFIELD, CA 93313 PHONE #661-438-5588) TO BE CORRECTED. THE FAILURE WAS DUPLICATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT IS THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE POWER STEERING MILAGE AT THAT TIME WAS 7,000 MILES. *DT*JB
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.
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.
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 ↗