Subaru / Outback / 2018

2018 Subaru Outback problems

Owners have filed 1,001 complaints about the 2018 Subaru Outback with NHTSA. Electrical system accounts for 26.9% of them, narrowly the most common, ahead of visibility/wiper at 23.4%. A further 16.1% were filed without a specific system named.

Complaints1,001

Crashes48

Fires6

Injuries23

Deaths0

What owners report breaking

Electrical system 26.9% · 269

Visibility/wiper 23.4% · 234

Unknown or other 16.1% · 161

Fuel/propulsion system 4.3% · 43

Visibility 4.1% · 41

Engine 3.7% · 37

Steering 3.6% · 36

Forward collision avoidance 2.3% · 23

Severity

Of those complaints, 48 describe a crash, 6 describe a fire and 23 report an injury.

Reading the numbers

Across the 28 model years of the Subaru Outback in this data, 2018 sits 4th by complaint volume. 2019 draws the most.

Filings have fallen off, 158 in the last three years against 353 in the three before. The issues here may already have been addressed.

The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 15,000 miles.

In owners' own words

The battery continually drains due to some electrical leak in the system (particularly when the rear liftgate is left up and the interior lights are on for several hours), requiring jump starting of the vehicle on several occasions. I have had the battery serviced and checked several times, at my expense, with results being the battery was okay. Eventually, I had the battery replaced by a Subaru dealer at my expense. Electrical system

Vehicle has 17,000 miles, battery has died at least 6 times. Battery has been found drained in the am after being parked in garage. Dealer replaced battery at 16,000 miles. Battery problem still exists. Subaru tries to explain problem by stating interior lights are left on or key was left to close to car. Tests show there was no parasitic drain on battery. Subaru does not want to fix or admit the problem. Electrical system · reported at 17,000 miles

Battery died for no apparent reason. This left me stranded after dark in Baltimore City. I was able to get a jump start to get home but the car would not start even after the battery was placed on a charger. There are numerous internet news items describing similar stories. I contacted the dealer who refused to assist and therefore replaced the battery myself. There was no warning that this would happen. Electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Safety recalls

Checking NHTSA for open recalls…

Other Subaru Outback years

2015 650 complaints · 20.0% visibility/wiper 2016 775 complaints · 40.0% electrical system 2017 1,107 complaints · 35.4% electrical system 2019 1,293 complaints · 28.4% electrical system 2020 1,142 complaints · 27.4% visibility/wiper 2021 418 complaints · 23.2% visibility/wiper

Compare all 28 model years →