10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
6 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
9,198 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 miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2018 Subaru Outback Owner Comments (Page 6 of 7)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #31

Jul 272019

Outback

  • 30,000 miles

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

Sunroof spontaneously shattered/exploded while driving without impact or other vehicles around. Outside temperature was 86 degrees at the time. Was at highway speed on an interstate. Nothing was overhead. Glass exploded up and out.

- Henrico, VA, USA

problem #30

Nov 122018

Outback

  • miles
The radio malfunctions, it crackles, static interference, other stations interfere with current station. This occurs during all weather conditions and all different roads and whether car is moving or stationary have been to the dealer several times.

- New Hyde Park, NY, USA

problem #29

May 012019

Outback

  • 6,000 miles
Windshield severely stress cracked and had to be replaced within 10 months of ownership. This was not covered by dealer warranty and I had to pay to have replaced. Windshield contractor told me that Subaru is using thinner glass now that stresses very easily. He had just replaced the same the day before mine. I've never had to replace a windshield from stress before. I don't know if this happened while in motion or stationary, but I did notice a small crack and then it went sideways across from driver to passenger side of window.

- Lancaster, CA, USA

problem #28

Jun 132019

Outback

  • 8,300 miles

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

Rear liftgate operates intermittent and when open intermittently will not close; I have had to drive the vehicle with the liftgate not fully closed or latched. I have had the vehicle in service seven times.

- Miamisburg, OH, USA

problem #27

May 272019

Outback

  • 12,000 miles
While parked in the sun and with a sunshade installed inside, we returned to our car and removed the sunshield and noticed a new windshield crack in the windshield. Sitting still. This car has the eyesight system and was told the windshield is very expensive and insurance and Subaru say not covered. Car has just turned 12,000 miles and is always garaged at home. Subaru has defective windshields and my dealership says so.

- Pueblo West, CO, USA

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problem #26

May 252019

Outback

  • 21,000 miles
The steering with lane departure warning will sometimes jerk the car from side to side, as if self correcting, even though the car is well within the lane. At times the car also feels like it is hydroplaning on dry ground with little steering feedback. Purchased used with a carfax report indicating no problems. It is a very scary feeling on dry surfaces to get no steering feedback or have the car self correct the even while in the middle of the lane. At 20,000 miles had an alignment performed, did not correct the problem. Online there are numerous reports for this occurrence with no viable solutions. Our family always wanted a Subaru for safety, but this feels very dangerous. When the lane departure self corrects there is little steering feedback and the vehicle seems to be guiding itself and steering during these times seems very loose.

- Midland, MI, USA

problem #25

May 202019

Outback

  • 12,000 miles

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

Windshield cracks. I have had the car since March 2018 and the windshield has cracked three times. The first two were the result of rocks hitting the windshield - the third was just a small crack on the passenger side right above the windshield..I have been driving for 45 years and have never had a windshield crack - this windhield cracks constantly. - the product should be recalled

- Green Village, NJ, USA

problem #24

Mar 172018

Outback 4-cyl

  • 100 miles
NAVIGATION SYSTEM SUCKS!!!!!!!!! THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND CAUSES ROAD RAGE !!!!! WHILE DRIVING THE SYSTEM USUALLY WILL NOT ACCEPT VOICE COMMANDS. SYSTEM SAYS "I'M SORRY I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. LET'S TRY AGAIN." I TRY AGAIN; SAME RESPONSE. I AM USING THE SYSTEM RECOMMENDED COMMANDS SUCH AS "FIND NEAREST" OR "NAVIGATE TO : " ALSO WHEN TRYING TO ENTER A STREET NUMBER, STREET, CITY, STATE; I GET THE SAME "I'M SORRY I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. LET'S TRY AGAIN." WHEN I TRY AGAIN SYSTEM REPEATS "I'M SORRY I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. LET'S TRY AGAIN." OR INTERRUPTS ME BEFORE I CAN TRY AGAIN. MY WIFE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SYSTEM. A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I SET A DESTINATION WITH THE KEYBOARD (NOT AVAILABLE WHEN MOVING); THE DIRECTIONS ARE WRONG WHEN YOU ARE NEAR THE DESTINATION, SUCH AS THE TURN DIRECTION OR LOCATION BEING TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT.THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND CAUSES ROAD RAGE !!!!! DEALER SAYS THE SYSTEM IS WORKING AS DESIGNED AND IS DIFFICULT TO USE. NO [XXX]! WE CONTACTED SUBARU. NO RESPONSE. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Hagerstown, MD, USA

problem #23

Mar 032019

Outback

  • 6,141 miles
Started car this morning and the unit that controls the radio, backup cameras, navigation and bluetooth is blank and unresponsive.. dead. Car in garage when starting. Car drives fine except for above deficits

- Asheville, NC, USA

problem #22

Feb 222019

Outback

  • 5,200 miles
On February 22, 2019, the plastic cover on the dash below the steering wheel on the driver's side came loose while I was driving. It was hanging down attached by wires and dangled over the accelerator and brake pedals, interfering with their safe operation. I was on a highway about a mile from my home when this happened. I carefully drove home. Subaru roadside assistance fixed the problem. The dealer confirmed the next day that the panel had been properly reattached.

- Smyrna, DE, USA

problem #21

Feb 262019

Outback

  • 12,000 miles

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

Driving approximately 50 mph on South us hwy 231 (left lane), without any incident rear passenger window popped and shattered and then broken glass fell into backseat of car. There was no car in right lane or in front of my car. There were no adverse road conditions. No other damage to car.

- Huntsville, AL, USA

problem #20

Feb 112019

Outback

  • 12,000 miles
Backup camera is black gps and radio dead

- Hastings, PA, USA

problem #19

Feb 122019

Outback

  • 19,818 miles
Exploding sunroof. The sunroof suddenly shattered into pieces while driving on a freeway offramp with no other cars or bridges nearby. It sounded like an explosion. The car wasn't damaged or scratched anywhere else, and there was no object or debris.

- South Jordan, UT, USA

problem #18

Jul 042018

Outback

  • 15 miles
On start up of vehicle the radio automatically comes on at a loud volume and cannot be adjusted or turned off for a couple of minutes. This is very dangerous when trying to backup or move out of a parking situation. I have been informed by Subaru mechanics that there is no way to keep the radio from automatically coming on when I start the car. Other owners have also complained about this feature. This has been a problem since I purchased the car 7/4/18

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #17

Oct 102018

Outback

  • 2,000 miles
Bluetooth will randomly disconnect. Sometimes it lasts a few minutes, sometimes a couple hours. Unable to re-connect once it does, so we have to mess with settings while driving to switch to aux cable, radio, etc or pull over and restart the car completely. We have verified the issue with 6 different devices. None of the devices demonstrate the same issue with any other bluetooth devices (we use a speaker for hours on end in the house with no issues). Combine that with the infotainment screen being incredibly slow, this is a frustrating issue.

- Reno, NV, USA

problem #16

Jan 202019

Outback

  • 15,000 miles
The screen has gone black and side lights blink, unable to use any item controlled by the screen. Appears the warning system for a vehicle stopping too closely is not working as well.

- El Paso, TX, USA

problem #15

Jan 192019

Outback

  • 7,200 miles
Sunroof exploded and shattered spontaneously while we were driving at highway speed

- San Francisco, CA, USA

problem #14

Dec 172018

Outback

  • 9,000 miles
Infotainment screen went black on December 17, 2018. Radio, navigation system, bluetooth and rear camera are all inoperable.

- Centennial, CO, USA

problem #13

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 #12

Dec 212018

Outback

  • 12,000 miles
The windshield cracked from a tiny chip that spread rapidly to about 2feet in length over 4 days. This is my second windshield replacement in less than 12 months. The Outback windshield design is weak, and in my opinion dangerous. Other Outback owners are having the same issue

- Dana Point, CA, USA

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