10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
16,728 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2018 Subaru Outback accessories - exterior problems

accessories - exterior problem

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2018 Subaru Outback Owner Comments (Page 11 of 12)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #28

Jun 282019

Outback

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Windshield spontaneously developed a crack while parked in a closed, private garage.

- Oakland, CA, USA

problem #27

Jun 112019

Outback

  • 17,000 miles
Windshield has cracked and required replacement 3 times in the last 1.5 years. I replaced the windshield a week ago and now have another crack!! these cracks were obtained while driving on the interstate. 2 were due to rocks. The others are unknown. I owned my Ford escape for 10 years and had the windshield replaced maybe 2 times.

- Metairie, LA, USA

problem #26

May 252019

Outback

  • 8,000 miles
Filed complaint with wrong year complaint #11210766 correct year is 2018 camera display do ES not always display the rear view image while backing up. First time it happened was 5/25/2019.

- Berlin, CT, USA

problem #25

May 212019

Outback

  • 10,400 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was traveling at about 35 mph with traffic when a rock hit my windshield and created two chips. These are the second and third chips in this window since I bought the vehicle in April 2019.

- Olive Branch, MS, USA

problem #24

Apr 152019

Outback

  • 8,500 miles
A rock hit my windshield and produced a significant divot and crack while the driver ahead of me and I were turning from a stop in the left turn lane.

- Olive Branch, MS, USA

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problem #23

May 212019

Outback

  • 8,000 miles
Can not see back up camera screen in daytime with bright sunlight shining through windshield

- Warrenton, VA, USA

problem #22

Sep 152018

Outback

  • 0 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Nothing has happened. The drivers side mirror will not adjust far enough out to comply with the current recommendation for side/rear vision leaving a blind spot. The Subaru Outback touring has electronic warning that may interfere with the mechanical capacity of the mirror. Safety issue. Not an event.

- West Linn, OR, USA

problem #21

Apr 042019

Outback

  • 15,000 miles
I have had 2 rock chip repairs and I windshield replacement within a span of 6 months. All these cracks were right on the line of sight. Since I am driving on a highway I cannot stop the vehicle immediately. It is really risky to drive with such a delicate winshield. What happens if the crack is large enough to cause life damage " the cost of a windshield replacement along with recalibration in 700$. if I keep doing this every 2 months, it will surpass the amount I used to purchase the car". it has been widely spoken that Outback has a windshield defect. Though they had some recalls in 2015, even the newer versions like mine 2018, has the same problem. It seems that the Outbacks winshield cannot withstand even small stones. You can literally hear the impact of even a raindrop falling on the glass while driving. I have gone to the point of making sure that my windesielf is not cracked when it rains with hail at times. Doing so make me stressful about my safety as well as financial burden while driving the car. It cannot be considered as external impact because there were other cars driving along side the highway and were exposed to the same rock chips from a truck, only my Outbacks winshield cracked. 2 of the cracks was while driving on the highway whereas the other one was while driving near my home (a very very rare scenario). I hope this issue is notices as there are a lot of complaints on this and suburu has so far ignored all these complaints and the taxpayer ends up paying the cost of the vehicle for its repairs due to a defect from Subaru's end

- Bellevue, WA, USA

problem #20

Feb 142019

Outback

  • miles
In less than a year on 2 occasions a small rock caused significant damage to the windshield causing the windshield to be replaced.

- Woodridge, IL, USA

problem #19

Mar 012018

Outback

  • miles
When it rains the water drops do not run off of the side mirrors we are unable to see. At night the drops of water magnifies the headlights of the cars behind us and this blinds us. This is very dangerous. We had to spend the night in a motel as we couldn't drive. We have tried to fix this, but nothing works

- Thousand Oaks, CA, USA

problem #18

Feb 222019

Outback

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The head unit went black and that means I do not have a back up camera. I live in a place where back up camera is a must. I purchased this unit because it have a big back up camera and all 2018 models must have back up camera. Subaru failed to comply with the safety compliance.

- Round Rock, TX, USA

problem #17

Feb 162019

Outback

  • 12,000 miles
Second cracked windshield in one week. First one was replaced 2/8/18. Both times traveled at low to moderate speed 25-40 mph on local fwy in los angeles, ca. Sunny mild, dry conditions, no wind. Small pebble hit windshield. Couldn't see hit, only heard a small crack sound. Damaged windshield, first time small pebble mark grew to long crack. Initial impact size about 1.5 - 2 mm. One week later another pebble hit windshield in slow traffic,35 mph, no trucks near by. Same size of mark. Subaru requires their windshield repair at customer cost of $930. Warranty does not cover any debris damage, but small pebbles should not cause this kind of damage and costs. Had a Grand Cherokee 184K miles and never a crack or ding, never issue for our 2005 Saab, or any orevious vehicle. Should not cost us $1860 month additional to maintain car, plus safety issue. According to Subaru corporate: Does not recommend us to drive it with I-site camera with a damaged windshield. They say that the glass is thinner/lighter in order to work with camera and be more fuel efficient/lighter. Cars should be able to withstand normal driving and road conditions.

- Calabasas, CA, USA

problem #16

Feb 012019

Outback

  • 3,000 miles
I got into my car, it parked, closed the door, heard something fall and when I checked to see what the noise was my entire rear window on the hatch was shattered. I called the dealership and they said they don't cover it under warranty and that I would need to fix it on my own, they also said any of the warranties I purchased also dont cover it. They also mentioned that 4 people also called this same week with this issue. I had a hatch back car for 15+ yrs before purchasing this Subaru and this never happened. Judy didnt seem right.

- Ridgewood, NY, USA

problem #15

Jan 172019

Outback

  • 8,300 miles
A tiny pebble struck the windshield on the interstate, but it suddenly grew to a crack approximately 6 inches long. Never had this problem before, and my car is fairly new on the road (less than 8,000 miles, bought in July, 2018). Deeply concerned that Subaru still has not figured out its notorious windshield-reliability problem that has frustrated so many drivers throughout the past 5 years.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #14

Dec 262018

Outback

  • 13,000 miles
Wtz85 - Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling 2018 model year legacy, Outback, and brz vehicles equipped with a certain combination of head unit hardware and software, due to the possibility of noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard type: Recall | service campaign: Wtz85 | NHTSA campaign: 18V-000000 open recall date: January 02, 2019 description 18 leg/out/brz V3 head unit reprogram safety risk due to a software issue, the head unit memory retrieval and assembly time may exceed the designed time to begin the boot-up cycle. If this occurs, the head unit display will not boot, causing the screen to remain blank. In this condition, while backing the vehicle, the rearview image may not be displayed. The failure to display the rearview image creates a non-compliance with the requirements of FMVSS 111 ' 'rear visibility, ' increasing the risk of a crash. There are 1000's of these on backorder causing us to drive around in unsafe vehicles because they do not know when replacment units will be available and they are not providing a loaner car in the meantime. This is unacceptable for a company that prides themselves on their safety!!!!!

- Menifee, CA, USA

problem #13

Dec 202018

Outback

  • 18,000 miles
2 windshield cracks in lower portion of windshield during 1st year of ownership. Both cracks occurred while driving around town ~35 mph, once during a 100 degf summer day, and the other during a 40 degf rainy winter morning. Inspection of crack after stopping showed possible origination from ~1mm chips. During the summer, the first chip, located in the de-icer area, grew rapidly to a crack across the windshield with a loud 'pop' sound after the air conditioner was turned on high using defroster air mode. Subaru of America (not the dealer) replaced the windshield and recalibrated the eyesight system as a 'goodwill' repair. During the winter, another chip between the VIN# display window and the perimeter of the lower windshield explosively grew to a crack when heated defroster air was activated. Repair pending. Main concern is the fragile nature and temperature dependance of this glass temper, especially near window boundary conditions and where defroster air is the strongest. Over 20 years of driving other vehicles on the same route have caused little chips on other windshields, but never has a chip grown into a crack, with or without hot or cold defroster air hitting it. I suspect that the thickness and temper of the latest generation of Outback carlex windshields will continue to cause issues similar to tsb# 12-192-15R.

- Oakland, CA, USA

problem #12

Nov 232018

Outback

  • 8,350 miles
Harman-kardon audio unit failure at 8,000 miles. Results in loss a basic back up camera function. Extensive safety features on this vehicle-basic back up camera not working.

- Columbia, SC, USA

problem #11

Dec 162018

Outback

  • 12,000 miles
My windshield is cracked for the 2nd time now in its first year of ownership. The first time it cracked it was because of a pebble strike from the road. Extremely small fragment struck the glass, made a pock mark, and the windshield was replaced. Today, less than a month later a new crack appeared while driving without any strike from an object. Subaru dealer claims it was struck but find a crack only without any point along it of an impact makes me very very suspicious. Now I have to wait for the insurance company to settle on charges and send a check before the next windshield can be applied. My wife and I were calmly driving on completely paved roads when we both watched the crack appear and grow during our drive. :-( I have driven for 50+ years, and owned 20+ cars. I've never had this happen.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #10

Aug 232018

Outback

  • miles
Rear view mirror too tightly attached to front window. Epoxy attaching window got hot in sun and cracked entire window and fell off.

- Lehi, UT, USA

problem #9

Jul 112018

Outback

  • 3,500 miles
Driving interstate, 65mph, small object thrown from another vehicle hit my windshield on the left edge. Short cracks appeared immediately. Two spread all the way to the rear view mirror area within days. Vehicle is only two months old.

- Gum Spring, VA, USA

Read the next 8 complaints »

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