NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

2018 Subaru Outback (Page 10 of 12)

CarComplaints.com Seal Of Pretty Good

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
11,229 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 electrical problems

electrical problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2018 Subaru Outback:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2018 Subaru Outback Owner Comments (Page 10 of 12)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #51

May 072020

Outback 4-cyl

  • 19,065 miles

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

The car has 19065 miles and will not start because the battery is dead. The car will start when jump started following the manual procedures. However the battery immediately discharges when engine is turned off. When the battery is disconnected from the car the voltage is $12.65 but when the battery is reconnected to the car the voltage drops to 5.75 indicating there is a load on the battery when the car is in the off mode. When running or driving the battery warning lite is not displayed.

- Kamuela, HI, USA

problem #50

Apr 202020

Outback

  • 27,425 miles
Car was not used for 5 days and had dead battery.

- Appleton, WI, USA

problem #49

Jan 012016

Outback

  • 0 miles
The volume of the phone ring: This is another problem going on for years, throughout different year models, and very well documented on the internet in several forums as well (https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/2018-w-nav-phone-ring-volume.497495/). every time my cellphone rings, it's ear piercingly loud. It makes one jump loud. I did try to get help at the dealership but sadly there is no remedy. The problem is twofold: 1. the phone connected via bluetooth to the car's native system. While in settings there is a mode where one is able to adjust the ring volume (which is for some reason set to '10' by default) and bring it down to '1-2', soon as one parks and leaves the car for even an hour the system resets to '10'. even worst, sometimes all one have to do without leaving the vehicle, to turn up the volume on the radio and that will reset the previously lowered ring volume. 2. the phone connected to airplay for which there are no settings whatsoever. Even if the phone in silent mode and there is no sound for text messages, it rings overwhelmingly loud.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #48

Jan 012016

Outback

  • 0 miles

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

These incidents are ongoing problems from purchasing my first Outback 4 years ago. The question/answer below (*when did this happen?) cannot be answered truthfully, pinpointed to an exact date. It was a brand new car purchased from the dealer and my current, second one with the same exact issues are also a new purchase from the same dealer. The hazard flashers: When the car is in parking and hazards are on, if one locks the car with the fob, they won't be able to unlock the car with the remote anymore. The tiny key from the fob needed to unlock, which is hard enough especially for someone with disabilities and consequently triggers the car's alarm. Weather warnings: This outrageous thing started just a few months ago (Nov. 2019), when I was prompted to update the firmware. Ever since at any weather phenomena (regardless of my phone being plugged in or not, bluetooth on or off) a warning appears on the screen and one has to interact with it. This warning pops up sometimes every 2-4 minutes while driving. Especially dangerous on the highway at high speed, at night and while using the navigation system in unfamiliar areas since one's been distracted by the blacked out screen. When I first reported this issue at the dealership they spent an entire day finding the problem, unsuccessfully. Which is a huge surprise because there are multiple websites and forums (https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/weather-alerts-on-the-head-unit-radio.449129/) discussing the problem with no solution, going beck for years. While I appreciate the effort, it's absolutely not my vehicle's job to tell me about the weather.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #47

Dec 222019

Outback

  • 21,000 miles
Information systems fail to rebooting. Backup camera fails etc

- Glasgow, KY, USA

problem #46

Dec 152019

Outback

  • 27,000 miles
I have replaced the battery twice and the battery is still dead if I don't drive the vehicle for more than 3 days. Obviously there is a parasitic drain. I don't have an options or accessories installed that did come with the vehicle when purchased.

- Thornton, CO, USA

problem #45

Jun 142018

Outback

  • 5 miles

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

Radio and maps went to a black screen several times at 5K miles. It was sent to the dealership for update. Still had issues, but not as many. Then the lighting went out on the radio buttons. Replaced main head which was covered under warranty w/a 100 dollar deductible. Automatic door locks work intermittently when put in gear, drivers window control panel does not work for any windows in the car other than the drivers window. Had transmission issues after 2 months of purchase. It idles high and does not smoothly glide into gear. Windshield was cracked by a small rock. It was replaced and two weeks later it cracked again.

- Paoli, OK, USA

problem #44

Sep 052018

Outback

  • 4,200 miles
The head unit in the sound system/electrical system broke resulting in no backup camera/ music/ apple car play/ etc. For over 2 months. The car was less than 6 months old and the unit was backordered at the time resulting no use of the head unit for 2 months.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #43

Apr 112019

Outback

  • 8,000 miles
The head unit in the sound system/electrical system keeps failing resulting in a loss of all sound functions. I don't get any warnings of problems as the sound system simply does not work. This is unsafe. To date, the dealer has replaced what he calls an amplifier twice. The new unit works for a few days or weeks and then fails again. So far, the other components connected to this system -- back up camera, for instance, still work. I don't know if this is related, but the rear hatch has opened by itself three times, each time when the car was parked. Once, this caused the battery to drain because we did not discover it for more than 12 hours. Once, there was damage to the rear hatch because we did not know it was open and it was damaged by the garage door when we opened it remotely from outside.

- Lawrenceville, NJ, USA

problem #42

Jul 122019

Outback

  • 13,432 miles
Headunit, including backup camera, has been unresponsive for over six weeks. A replacement has been on order with the local Subaru dealer for five weeks.

- Carthage, NC, USA

problem #41

May 112019

Outback

  • 20,000 miles

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

In Dec 2018 the fuel line of my 2018 Subaru Outback had to be replaced because it had been chewed through by a rodent and was leaking in the car. Total damage was over $2000. In May 2019 another $3500 damage was discovered from a rodent chewing on electrical harnesses in the dash. The dealer told me this is because Subaru is now using soy-based insulation for fuel lines, wiring, and electrical harnesses. Rodents are attracted to the soy because they think it is food. In both cases my damage was discovered while trying to start the car while it is parked. But what if I was driving down the road and a chewed wire came loose that shorted something out and impacted my ability to control the car" or what if the fuel line broke while driving down the highway and caused the car to suddenly stall" manufacturers should not be allowed to use materials (e.g. soy) that actually attract rodents. If anything, they should be using materials that deter rodents. Fuel lines and electrical harnesses are critical to the safe operation of a car and these systems are needlessly being put at risk by using soy to produce them. This is especially troubling for Subaru because part of their image encourages their owners to explore "the great outdoors." What happens why I go camping and park my car in the woods and chipmunks chew through my components and strand me in the middle of nowhere? or, worse, a critical system on the car fails as I'm driving home and I lose control of the vehicle and crash. The use of soy-based components should not be allowed. Or, if it is, oems should cover rodent damage to these systems under warranty. At the very least, oems should be required to disclose the use of soy in the car before a vehicle is purchased. I had no idea soy-based products were used in this car. Had I known, I would not have bought it. Fyi... Subaru denies using soy products.

- Wixom, MI, USA

problem #40

May 102019

Outback

  • 4,500 miles
Infotainment system would not boot up at start. Loss of navigation, backup camera, hands free phone, sirius radio.

- Chapel Hill, NC, USA

problem #39

May 142019

Outback

  • 32,000 miles
Smoke electrical short issue in driver side mirror. Diagnosed by Subaru mechanic to be a short in the approach light module. Significant smoke was emitted from mirror with burn marks on bottom inside middle of mirror. The car had just came to rest in a hospital parking deck. Car was removed from deck in order to prevent fire hazard. Note - a 10 amp fuse did blow which caused a failure of the TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) and the remote lock/unlock system.

- Canton, OH, USA

problem #38

Apr 202019

Outback

  • 11,250 miles
The entire "infotainment" system, central display console, and control panel does not work. It will not turn on. The screen is black. Nothing works. The rear view camera safety system does not work. The radio, bluetooth, and navigation system does not work. This symptom is constant. It occurs when stationary, in motion, in city, highway, turning - always. In reverse the rearview camera does not display an image. The hands free calling system/bluetooth does not work - again, this issue is constant regardless of conditions.

- Nanuet, NY, USA

problem #37

Apr 072019

Outback

  • 20,000 miles
Three items: When vehicle is switched-on - video display for reverse/backup camera is not working. Display components are responding to touch but no audio is heard for radio, phone, or navigation. Once vehicle is switched-off - display console and side lights (on center computer) remain illuminated pulling from the battery. Now my car is dead and requires a jump!

- Minturn, CO, USA

problem #36

Mar 292019

Outback

  • 7,228 miles
Video screen for the display of the backup camera view is not working.

- Cedar Rapids, IA, USA

problem #35

Mar 132019

Outback

  • 10,100 miles
Stereo output abruptly changed from all speakers at normal volume, to one speaker at increased volume. Vehicle was in motion in an urban setting. This kind of random volume change from the infotainment system while driving can be quite jarring and surprising.

- Everett, WA, USA

problem #34

Mar 182019

Outback

  • 50 miles
Head unit is malfunctioning multiple times per day. Intermittent phone muting, intermittent phone disconnect, no volume through apple car play while in park, speakers come through on weird channel extremely loudly all of a sudden, no volume on radio, channels on radio all of a sudden change, pulsating power signal through usb port(changed multiple cables)says its charging device but device dies, voice command button on steering wheel not working intermittently, phone connected on car play but car says no phone connected. Starlink will not start up and have to restart car. Intermittently squealing in the car. For all problems car may be moving or stationary. In park or drive or reverse. May be on any type of road condition going any direction. This intermittent behavior has been occurring since the onset of ownership.

- El Dorado Hills, CA, USA

problem #33

Feb 272019

Outback

  • 13,000 miles
The entire "infotainment" system, central display console, and control panel does not work. It will not turn on. The screen is black. Nothing works. The rear view camera safety system does not work. The radio, bluetooth, and navigation system does not work. This symptom is constant. It occurs when stationary, in motion, in city, highway, turning - always. In reverse the rearview camera does not display an image. The hands free calling system/bluetooth does not work - again, this issue is constant regardless of conditions.

- Healdsburg, CA, USA

problem #32

Feb 252019

Outback

  • 0 miles
The central display console where backup camera is went to black suddenly and will not turn on. This is a safety concern. Here is a link to many other 2018 2019 Subaru owners reporting same issue https://www.cargurus.com/cars/discussion-T75428_ds961674

- Bothell, WA, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?