NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 816 owner complaints for the 2018 Subaru Outback.
Recalled components: fuel system, visibility, and electrical system. Most-described problem: a cracked or shattered windshield (258 complaints, 32%). Most-reported area: electrical system (267 complaints, 33%; median mileage when it happened: 16,200).
More complaints than a typical Outback year
The 2018 drew 406 owner complaints in its first three years, against 311 for a typical Outback year.
Years to avoid: 2020; best years: 2021 and 2023. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
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.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 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.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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 Legacy, Outback, and BRZ 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.
The fix and full notice
Fix: 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.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2018 Subaru Outback.
What owners report
Owners have filed 816 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Outback. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Cracked or shattered windshield258 · 32%
Median 22,500 miles at failure, from 194 reports with mileage
Dead battery or battery drain110 · 13%
Median 21,600 miles at failure, from 53 reports with mileage
Backup camera problems57 · 7%
Median 11,000 miles at failure, from 29 reports with mileage
Infotainment or touchscreen failures46 · 6%
Median 9,000 miles at failure, from 21 reports with mileage
Won't start35 · 4%
Median 18,000 miles at failure, from 23 reports with mileage
Stalling or shutting off26 · 3%
Median 12,200 miles at failure, from 18 reports with mileage
Most named: instrument panel, fuel gauge (6) · Median 16,200 miles at failure, from 140 reports with mileage
Visibility/wiper234 · 29%
Median 21,800 miles at failure, from 162 reports with mileage
Fuel and propulsion system43 · 5%
Median 5,600 miles at failure, from 28 reports with mileage
Visibility41 · 5%
Most named: windshield (36) · Median 34,900 miles at failure, from 38 reports with mileage
Engine37 · 5%
Median 6,000 miles at failure, from 15 reports with mileage
Steering36 · 4%
Median 4,700 miles at failure, from 31 reports with mileage
Speed control21 · 3%
Unknown or other162 · 20%
Median 12,000 miles at failure, from 78 reports with mileage
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Subaru Outback recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2018 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2020 Outback drew the most (720) and the 2018 drew 406.
Owner complaints
2018: 816 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Subaru Outback
Model year
Complaints
2010
360
2011
653
2012
295
2013
297
2014
208
2015
510
2016
644
2017
921
2018
816
2019
1,036
2020
906
2021
300
2022
467
2023
89
2024
106
2025
84
2026
21
Safety recalls
2018: 3 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Subaru Outback
Model year
Recalls
2010
18
2011
16
2012
16
2013
12
2014
10
2015
5
2016
4
2017
4
2018
3
2019
3
2020
6
2021
4
2022
4
2023
2
2024
0
2025
0
2026
0
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 816 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Subaru Outback, the problems described most are a cracked or shattered windshield (258), a dead battery or battery drain (110), and backup camera problems (57). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2018 Subaru Outback safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2018 Subaru Outback earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2018 Subaru Outback?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2018 Subaru Outback.
How do I check if my Outback has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Subaru dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: OUTBACK.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.