2018 SUBARU OUTBACK

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    glass and windshield

    248 unsafe, 2 broken, 9 annoyance

    259
    incidents
    Typical range: 11,500–34,500 mi

    Median 23,000 mi, based on 241 reports (25% had no usable mileage)

    • "WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY A ROCK OF PIECE OF GRAVEL HIT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WINDSHIELD APPROXIMATELY 1/8" FROM THE TOP EDGE OF THE GLASS IMMEDIATELY RESULTING IN A CRACK WHICH WITHIN HOURS SPREAD ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD."~562 mi, complaint #1632146
    • "LIKE OTHER LATE MODEL SUBARU OUTBACK OWNERS, A SPONTANEOUS CRACK DEVELOPED IN THE WINDSHIELD. THIS CRACK APPEARED AT APPROXIMATELY NOON ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29TH, 2019 IN THE PARKING LOT OF A RESTAURANT. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO ASSESS THE PROBLEM TOMORROW AT…"~11,599 mi, complaint #1632953
    • "WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED DURING THE NIGHT. VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT RESIDENCE WHEN IT CRACKED. THE LOW TEMPERATURE WAS AT OR JUST BELOW ZERO DEGREES FARENHEIT."~20,100 mi, complaint #1735641
    • "WHILE TRAVELING AT 70MPH ON A HIGHWAY, A ROCK STRUCK THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD FROM ANOTHER SUV IN THE LANE TO THE RIGHT OF OUR VEHICLE. THIS WAS A REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD INSTALLED BY JACK MORRIS AUTO GLASS."~31,600 mi, complaint #1717765
    • "MY FRONT WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A SPONTANEOUS CRACK BELOW THE WIPER BLADE. IT WAS STATIONERY."~100,000 mi, complaint #1632997
  2. #2

    battery and charging

    74 stranded, 72 unsafe, 6 broken, 2 annoyance

    154
    incidents
    Typical range: 12,000–37,000 mi

    Median 21,000 mi, based on 84 reports (54% had no usable mileage)

    • "PARASITIC BATTERY DRAIN - PREMATURE BATTERY FAILURE RENDERING VEHICLE INOPERABLE. VEHICLE CAN NOT SIT OR IDLE FOR LESS THAN DAY WITHOUT BATTERY FULLY DISCHARGING, REQUIRING JUMP START OR ROADSIDE ASSIST. BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS AN…"~1,500 mi, complaint #1668068
    • "THE BATTERY IS DRAINING AND HAS LEFT US STRANDED ONCE. THE DEALER SHIP REPLACED THE BATTERY ONCE WITH THE SAME SUBARU OEM BATTERY, BUT THE DRAINING PERSISTS."~14,000 mi, complaint #1734196
    • "BATTERY IS COMPLETELY DRAINING WITHOUT CAUSE AND REQUIRES JUMP START. CAR BATTERY DRAINS AFTER NOT DRIVING FOR A LITTLE AS 3 DAYS. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE AND ON THE STREET. SUBARU MAINTENANCE VERIFIED THAT NO LIGHTS WERE LEFT ON. STATES BATTERY IS GOOD…"~23,000 mi, complaint #1668846
    • "BATTERY DOESN'T HOLD CHARGED WHEN PARKED OVER NIGHT. CAN'T START THE ENGINE AFTER A FEW HOUR DRIVE AND PARK OVER NIGHT. NOW I HAVE TO LET THE CAR ENGINE RUNNING FOR A FEW HOUR EVERYDAY TO KEEP THE BATTERY CHARGED UP ENOUGH TO START THE ENGINE. HAS TO JUMP THE…"~37,500 mi, complaint #1686048
    • "BATTERY DOES NOT CHARGE AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT EVERY 200-300 MILES."~90,000 mi, complaint #1707537
  3. #3

    infotainment head unit

    48 unsafe, 2 broken, 42 annoyance

    92
    incidents
    Typical range: 4,500–13,000 mi

    Median 9,000 mi, based on 51 reports (59% had no usable mileage)

    • "WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNING THE OUTBACK I HAD TO HAVE THE INFOTAINMENT HEAD UNIT REPLACED TWICE. I AM STILL HAVING ISSUES WHERE THE RADIO WILL COME ON BUT THERE IS NO SOUND, THE RADIO WILL TURN ON FULL BLAST AFTER A HANGING UP FROM A CALL, BACK UP CAMERA…"~600 mi, complaint #1737832
    • "8" NAVIGATION/DISPLAY FROZEN. NO BACK-UP CAMERA WHEN IN REVERSE. DOES NOT RESPOND TO INPUTS EITHER ON THE DISPLAY OR FROM STEERING WHEEL. "POWER" SWITCH DID NOT POWER DOWN THE UNIT. STOPPING THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING DID NOT RESET THE UNIT. STOPPING THE ENGI…"~5,800 mi, complaint #1449210
    • "INFOTAINMENT SCREEN WENT BLACK ON DECEMBER 17, 2018. RADIO, NAVIGATION SYSTEM, BLUETOOTH AND REAR CAMERA ARE ALL INOPERABLE."~9,000 mi, complaint #1530736
    • "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 WOR…"~13,000 mi, complaint #1544576
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the infotainment system screen operated independently and an unknown notification alert sounded. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that t…"~77,000 mi, complaint #2036245
  4. #4

    unintended acceleration

    22 unsafe

    22
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=11, median 8,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. EACH TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WA…"~4,400 mi, complaint #1537419
    • "AFTER USING 'X-MODE' THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ENGAGING THE GAS PEDAL. IT CONTINUED EVEN AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING IT. I THEN PULLED OVER AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, AND IT AGAIN ACCELERATED FROM 0-40 MP…"~8,000 mi, complaint #1503382
    • "ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 I WAS DRIVING MY SUBARU OUTBACK THROUGH BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK. I WAS LEAVING THE CHISOS MOUNTAINS BASIN WITHIN THE PARK WHEN IT BEGAN LIGHTLY RAINING. I PRESSED THE X-MODE BUTTON HOPING IT WOULD INCREASE MY TRACTION ON THE WINDING ROAD…"~8,000 mi, complaint #1519472
    • "I WAS PARKING MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK PREMIUM NEXT TO MY HOUSE ON MY PARKING SPOT, MY FOOT WAS ON A BRAKE PEDAL, IT LEFT AROUND 50'' TO COMPLETE A PARKING, LIKE SUDDENLY MY CAR START MOVING FORWARD EVEN THAT I WAS STRONGLY PRESSING BRAKE PEDAL, CAR WENT OVER CU…"~30,850 mi, complaint #1744842
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, THE ENGINE REVVED, AND WITH THE DRIVER'S FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND WENT OVER THE PARKING CURB AND CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT…"~39,000 mi, complaint #1642519
  5. #5

    fuel tank and lines

    5 stranded, 8 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    14
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=20, median 4,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "RAN OUT OF GAS WITH 12 MILES REMAINING ON INDICATOR. CAR WOULD NOT START. HAD WE BEEN ON THE ROAD DRIVING IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED US TO STOP WHILE IN MOTION. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE AT THE SUBARU DEALER WHEN IT HAPPENED TO OUR BRAND NEW SUV. APPARENTLY THIS IS A…"~1,050 mi, complaint #1494281
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. WHILE PUSHING THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD, IT ROLLED OVER THE DRIVER'S LEGS. THE DRIVER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN…"~3,900 mi, complaint #1472134
    • "OUR SYSTEM SHOWED 40 MILES TO EMPTY. LUCKILY WE WERE IN A TURN LANE COMING UP TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE CAR SHUT OFF/STOPPED RUNNING. TRAFFIC HAD TO GO AROUND US TO TURN AT THE LIGHT. SOMEONE STOPPED AND GAVE US 5 GALLONS OF GAS. WE WERE ABLE TO RESTART THE C…"~4,500 mi, complaint #1519339
    • "MY GAS LIGHT WENT ON AND THE MONITOR SAID I HAD 60 MILES LEFT. WITHIN A COUPLE BLOCKS IT WENT TO 50 THEN 40 THEN 20 AND WAS OUT OF GAS. IT STILL SAID I HAD 20 MILES LEFT WHEN THE CAR WAS IN THE LEFT LANE OF A ROAD AND COMPLETELY WOULDN'T START. I WAS JUST GOIN…"~7,000 mi, complaint #1496412
    • "RAN OUT OF FUEL EVEN THOUGH THE GAUGE HAD ORIGINALLY SAID 30 MILES TO EMPTY. THEN GAUGE WENT FROM 30 TO ---- AND THEN STALLED ALL WITHIN A FEW MILES WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR."~30,000 mi, complaint #1536102
  6. #6

    steering electric assist

    13 unsafe

    13
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=12, median 4,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "DRIVING OUR NEW 2018 OUTBACK WE EXPERIENCE PERIODIC STEERING IRREGULARITIES THAT ARE FLAT SCARY. ESPECIALLY AT 65MPS AND ABOVE THE CAR SEEMS TO SELF CORRECT .BY EXAMPLE A LANE CHANGE THE CAR STARTS TO 'FLOAT" AND OVER COMPENSATES ON DIRECTIONAL CHANGE. TROUB…"~1,300 mi, complaint #1466794
    • "THE STEERING SOMETIMES LOCKS WHEN CAR IS OPERATING IN REVERSE, TURNING OUT OF A PARKED POSITION. EXACT CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM IN MID-MARCH AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETECT THE FAULT. TODAY I ENCOUNTERED THE SAME…"~3,000 mi, complaint #1679390
    • "*TL THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN MAKING A SHARP TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS INTO THAT POSITION UNTIL MANUALLYMOVED OUT OF THAT POSITION AND THEN IT RETURNS TO NORMAL CENTER POSITION. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT COULD RU…"~7,000 mi, complaint #1600010
    • "AT 13,000 MILES CAR STEERING PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT WITHOUT DRIVER PERFORMING THIS ACT. FEELS LIKE CAR IS HYDROPLANING OR AFFECTED BY HIGH WINDS WHEN NEITHER CONDITION IS PRESENT. PRESENTS DANGER AS DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL AS TO WHEN THIS HAPPENS OR WHAT…"~13,000 mi, complaint #1605995
    • "MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK DOES NOT HAVE STEERING ASSIST AND WAS PURCHASED NEW. AT ALL SPEEDS, THE STEERING FEELS VERY LOOSE WHEN TRAVELING RESULTING IN A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE ROAD/WHEELS AND THE STEERING WHEEL. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CAR OFTEN FEELS LIKE IT I…"~36,600 mi, complaint #1632111
  7. #7

    backup camera

    8 unsafe, 4 annoyance

    12
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=9)

    • "VIDEO SCREEN FOR THE DISPLAY OF THE BACKUP CAMERA VIEW IS NOT WORKING."~7,228 mi, complaint #1553433
    • "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."~8,000 mi, complaint #1570734
    • "BACKUP CAMERA IS BLACK GPS AND RADIO DEAD"~12,000 mi, complaint #1542513
    • "WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE SCREEN FOR THE BACKUP CAMERA, PERIODICALLY REMAINS DARK. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, I DO NOT HAVE THE USE OF THE BACK UP CAMERA."~15,600 mi, complaint #1718116
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while reversing, the rearview camera failed to display a rearview image, comprising the back over prevention system. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnos…"~39,000 mi, complaint #2108311
  8. #8

    engine stall or no start

    3 stranded, 9 unsafe

    12
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=14, median 14,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "VEHICLE IN MOTION APPROXIMATELY 30-[REDACTED ADDRESS] DRIVING. THE CAR HAS FELT AS IF THE ENGINE WAS ABOUT TO STALL OR AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS SEIZING UP. THIS OCCURRED A FEW TIMES. A BIT UNNERVING BECAUSE IT HAPPENED WITH MOVING TRAFFIC BEHIND, IN FRONT AN…"~666 mi, complaint #1513582
    • "DRIVING THE CAR ON I95 AT 60 M/H WITH THE GAS INDICATOR DISPLAYING 30 MILES RANGE, AND A 1/8 TANK LEFT, THE CAR GET TO A LOWER GEAR AND THE STALL. THE ENGINE GET A COMPLETE STOP, BUT I MANAGED TO GET TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER WITH NO HARM"~5,220 mi, complaint #1489650
    • "DIVING [REDACTED ADDRESS] WHEN CAR STARTED TO HARD SHUDDER, LOSE ACCELERATION. ENGINE LIGHT AND ALL OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. DIFFICULT TO STEER AND BRAKE. ABLE TO BARELY PULL OFF ROAD SAFELY AND AVOID GUARD RAIL. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS NOTED."~15,000 mi, complaint #1600280
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER DRIVING TO THE STORE AND PARKING THE VEHICLE, UPON RETURN, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND JUMP STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND DRIVEN TO THE R…"~16,660 mi, complaint #1740592
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle stalled intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer as well as Hudiburg Subaru ([REDACTED ADDRESS], Oklahoma City, OK 73149) on sever…"~65,000 mi, complaint #1776608
  9. #9

    sunroof

    1 stranded, 11 unsafe

    12
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=8)

    • "VEHICLE WAS PARKED. SUNROOF EXPLODED. THE GLASS WAS NOT DAMAGED PREVIOUSLY. IT COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS IF WE HAD BEEN DRIVING. I BELIEVE THAT THE GLASS WAS DEFECTIVE OR THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE THICKNESS OF THE GLASS/CAR STRUCTURAL STRESS."~2,400 mi, complaint #1468365
    • "MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE ON A COOL (45 DEGREES) DAY AT ABOUT 70 MPH, THE ONLY VEHICLE IN THE VICINITY. THERE WAS A SUDDDEN UNEXPLAINED NOISE OVERHEAD, THEN A LOUD EXPLOSION LIKE NOISE AND THEN A LOUD RUSH OF WIND AND THE SOUND OF SOMETHING…"~17,000 mi, complaint #1456920
    • "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."~19,818 mi, complaint #1539252
    • "WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE SUNROOF "EXPLODED" WITH A LOAD NOISE AND RAINED PIECES OF GLASS INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. NO ROCK OR OTHER PROJECTILE WAS SEEN COMING TOWARD THE CAR. IT SEEMED SPONTANEOUS. SPEED WAS [REDACTED ADDRESS] WAS STRAIGHT…"~21,000 mi, complaint #1739788
    • "IN A RURAL TOWN I WAS DRIVING 30MPH. WEATHER WAS OVERCAST 60 DEGREES WITH OCCASIONAL SHOWERS. I WAS MOVING STRAIGHT. ROAD WAS WELL PAVED. NO CLOSE CAR IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. CAR MAY HAVE APPROACHED FROM OTHER DIRECTION... UNSURE. HEARD A EXPLOSIVE SOUND…"~80,800 mi, complaint #1740061
  10. #10

    alignment and pull

    10 unsafe

    10
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=18, median 500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "TRADED IN A 2016 FOR A 2018 .THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. WHILE DRIVING , PARTICULARLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS, THE STEERING SEEMS TO HAVE A MIND OF IT'S OWN. THE CAR WILL SWAY OR VEER TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER. IT FEELS TO ME AS IF A GUST OF WIND HAS PUSHED…"~500 mi, complaint #1468137
    • "WHILE DRIVING 70 MILES PER HOUR: ON MOST CURVES TO THE LEFT THE CAR SEEMS TO "GRAB" TO THE LEFT AND THEN I CORRECT THE SWING. SOMETIMES IT SEEMS TO ALMOST OVER CORRECT. AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE WHILE ON THE STRAIGHT WAY AND THE CAR WILL SEEM TO…"~2,500 mi, complaint #1440752
    • "OUR OUTBACK STARTED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AT AROUND 3000 MILES. CURRENTLY (AT 9000 MILES) THE CAR STILL DOES THAT. IT FEELS AS IF THERE IS STRONG SIDE WIND PUSHING THE CAR. THE CAR ALSO STARTED MAKING KNOCKING SOUNDS WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL IN BOTH DIRECTIONS WH…"~3,000 mi, complaint #1531880
    • "WHEN DRIVING AT 43 MILES OR ABOVE THE STEERING HAS A FEEL OF THAT YOU HIT A GUST OF WIND OR YOU HIT A PATCH OF ICE ON HIGHWAY THE CAR DOES NOT FEEL STABLE"~12,000 mi, complaint #1586310
    • "SUBARU OUTBACK 2008 PULLS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT BY ITSELF INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN IT HAPPENS, CAR SPEED IS ALWAYS > 45 MPH AND THE ISSUE IS THE MOST OBVIOUS ON HIGHWAYS WITH A SPEED > 60 MPH. IT FEELS LIKE THE STEERING HAS ITS OWN IDEA. SOMETIMES WHEN I WANT TO…"~15,000 mi, complaint #1614079
  11. #11

    mirror

    9 unsafe

    9
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "DRIVERS SIDE VIEW MIRROR DOES NOT ADJUST FAIR ENOUGH TO SEE MY BLIND SPOT WELL. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. I'VE READ COUNTLESS FORUMS ON POPULAR SUBARU FORUM WEBSITES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE."complaint #1401911
    • "THE ABILITY TO ADJUST THE OUTSIDE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR IS SIGNIFICANTLY RESTRICTED IN COMPARISON TO THE PASSENGER OUTSIDE SIDE MIRROR. THIS INCREASES THE CHANCE OF AN OPERATOR BEING IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO REDUCED AWARENESS AND/OR NEEDED INCREASED REACTION TIME T…"complaint #1439921
    • "LEFT SIDEVIEW MIRROR DOES NOT ROTATE FAR ENOUGH TO LEFT: A PERSON OR VEHICLE WITHIN 3 FEET OR GREATER DISTANCE OF LEFT SIDE AND ADJACENT WITH AFT OF LEFT REAR DOOR (IE, PARALLEL TO THE BREAK LINE OF THE DOOR WHERE IT CLOSES) CANNOT BE SEEN IN SIDE VIEW MIRROR…"complaint #1461328
    • "THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS IN MY FIELD OF VIEW! I AM ONLY 5'4" AND I LIKE TO RAISE MY SEAT ALL THE WAY UP TO GIVE ME GOOD VISIBILITY. IF I DO THAT , THE REAR VIEW MIRROR GETS IN MY WAY, I HAVE TO DUCK DOWN TO LOOK UNDER THE MIRROR!! ONE OTHER THING, IF I DO RAISE…"complaint #1465477
    • "REAR VIEW MIRROR TOO TIGHTLY ATTACHED TO FRONT WINDOW. EPOXY ATTACHING WINDOW GOT HOT IN SUN AND CRACKED ENTIRE WINDOW AND FELL OFF."complaint #1498181
  12. #12

    airbag system

    8 unsafe

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WITH A PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE SRS OCCUPANCY DISPLAY INDICATED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG WAS NOW OFF EVEN THOUGH MY WIFE WAS STILL IN THAT SEAT. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON EVERY DRIVE WE TA…"~1,243 mi, complaint #1470106
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO MERGE INTO AN OPEN LANE AND WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURE…"~10,300 mi, complaint #1502064
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 mph, a semi-truck crashed into the vehicle causing severe front-end damage but no airbags were deployed. No injuries were reported and no police report was taken. Th…"~13,000 mi, complaint #1756037
  13. #13

    brake hydraulics

    8 unsafe

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE REVERSING IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, BUT FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE OVERTURNED AND CRASHED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED.…"~6,000 mi, complaint #1538031
    • "I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND FELT THE CAR ACCELERATE WHICH CAUSED ME TO HAVE A PANIC ATTACK, I QUICKLY RELEASED THE PEDAL BEFORE REAPPLYING PRESSURE AND IT SELF CORRECTED LUCKY JUST BEFORE LIGHT. THIS HAS HAPPEN BEFORE BUT I ERRONEOUSLY B…"~27,000 mi, complaint #1723042
    • "I WENT TO TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND MY BRAKES FAILED. I SWERVED TO MISS THE CAR DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. I HIT 5 OTHER CARS AND THE CAR FLIPPED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO CUT US OUT OF THE CAR.THIS WAS A BUSY STREET."~30,000 mi, complaint #1531733
    • "BRAKES ARE SOFT AND GO ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. ONE CANNOT PUMP UP TODAYS BRAKES. REAR BRAKES ALMOST NEW. FRONT BRAKE PADS NEW. BRAKES STOP VEHICLE IN NORMAL OPERATION. MY CONCERN IN EMERGENCY SITUATION. VERY HEAVY BRAKING GOES VERY CLOSE TO THE FLOOR."~35,800 mi, complaint #1641102
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal to park the vehicle, the brake lights failed to illuminate as designed. While returning to the vehicle after the vehicle was parked and attempting to start the veh…"~81,000 mi, complaint #2196060
  14. #14

    control module

    2 stranded, 6 unsafe

    8
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=15, median 12,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "FUEL SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING DEFECT - FUEL WARNING LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE NOR READ PROPERLY BELOW 50 MILES. I HAD 30 MILES LEFT IN THE TANK, PARKED THE CAR AND AFTER WORK (APPROX. 8 HOURS) I WENT TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. HAD TO UTILIZE ROADSIDE…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1553750
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING, THE AUTOMATED DRIVING SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING AND THE BACK-UP CAMERA DID NOT FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (STEVE MOYER SUBARU, [REDACTED ADDRESS], LEESPORT, PA 19533, [R…"~12,285 mi, complaint #1512334
    • "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."~15,000 mi, complaint #1533076
    • "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…"~20,000 mi, complaint #1556442
    • "ELECTRIC SYSTEM FAIL. REPEATEDLY THE WINDOWS WONT WORK, BLUE TOOTH GOES DOWN. BUT MORE CONCERNING WHEN SITTING WAITING IN A PARKING LOT THE WHOLE CAR WILL SHUT OFF. NOT A SIGN OF LIFE. CANT TURN CAR ON, NO RADIO NO LIGHTS, NO USE OF KEY FOB - NOTHING. CAR CAN…"~33,000 mi, complaint #1719205
  15. #15

    key fob and immobilizer

    6 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "THE CAR IS PARKED. THE FLASHERS ARE ACTIVATED. THE CAR IS THEN LOCKED FROM THE OUTSIDE WITH THE KEY FOB. AFTER RETURNING TO THE CAR A SHORT TIME LATER (MAYBE 5 MINUTES OR SO) THE KEY FOB IS TOTALLY UNUSABLE. LOCK, UNLOCK, REAR HATCH OR PANIC DO NOT WORK. MUST…"~950 mi, complaint #1420237
    • "WHEN I PARK MY CAR IN THE GARAGE ON THURSDAY JULY 2ND AND CLOSE THE GARAGE WITH NO PROBLEM. ON JULY 4TH MY WIFE OPEN THE GARAGE AND GOT A CHAIR FROM HER CAR ACURA RDX AND WATCH THE FIREWORKS ON THE DRIVE WAY. LATER ON PUT THE CHAIR BACK IN HER ACURA AND CLOS…"~5,800 mi, complaint #1675103
    • "WHEN I TURN ON THE HAZARD EMERGENCY FLASHING LIGHTS ON WHILE PARKED AND ENGINE OFF AND I LOCK THE CAR , BOTH KEYLESS REMOTES STOP WORKING WHEN I TRY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS TO ENTER. TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS CAR NEED TO USE THE MANUAL KEY, ALARM HORN GOES OFF AND THEN…"~7,000 mi, complaint #1469855
    • "KEYLESS ACCESS SYSTEM HAS ISSUES. SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE FOUND THE CAR UNLOCKED AND / OR WITH THE REAR HATCH DOOR APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY OPEN. I'VE NOTICED ALSO THAT SOMETIMES OTHER PERSON FOB INTERFERING WITH MY CAR. 2X WHEN I'VE BEEN PARKED WITH ENGINE OFF THE…"~12,000 mi, complaint #1653550
    • "DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK USING KEY IN KEY HOLE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FROM ALL THE ONLINE COMMENTS AND IS ON ALL SUBARU MODELS. BEING LOCKED OUT OF THE CAR FOR SAFETY OR WEATHER CONDITIONS CAN PUT ONE'S LIFE IN EXTREME DANGER. ARE IS STATIONARY…"~19,000 mi, complaint #1582460
  16. #16

    other

    4 unsafe, 4 annoyance

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "THE PASSENGER SIDE HOOD DOES NOT SHUT ALL THE WAY. A SERVICE BULLETIN CAME OUT BUT THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THE FIX BECAUSE IT INVOLVES USING A 2X4 TO BEND THE HOOD."~1,000 mi, complaint #1494897
    • "WE PURCHASED A NEW 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK IN JULY 2018. MY WIFE WAS THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE. BY APRIL 2019, MY WIFE WAS SUFFERING FROM SEVERE KNEE AND HIP PAIN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER BODY. DURING HER VISITS TO HER ORTHOPEDIC SPECIALIST (KNEE), SHE WA…"~15,000 mi, complaint #1636114
    • "TWO SEPARATE INSTANCES OF A CRACK HAVE FORMED WHILE DRIVING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A NOTABLE INCIDENT CONNECTED TO THE CRACKS. THE INITIAL CRACKS WERE NOTICED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY."~25,000 mi, complaint #1674789
    • "Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that at the time of the purchase, the contact was shown a fraudulent Carfax report that displayed that the vehicle mileage was 35,000 and a fraudulent title that displayed that the…"~166,000 mi, complaint #2101340
  17. #17

    instrument cluster

    4 unsafe, 3 annoyance

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=8)

    • "RAN OUT OF GAS WHEN GAUGE SHOWED 40 MILES LEFT - CAR LOCKED UP ON A 70MPH FREEWAY - REPORTED TO SUBARU ALMOST A YEAR AGO AND RECENTLY SAW WHERE A RECALL HAD BEEN INITIATED BUT CALLED SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THIS WILL BE RESOLVED EVE…"~500 mi, complaint #1521186
    • "SUBARU OUTBACKS HAVE DEFECTIVE DTE (DISTANCE TO EMPTY) COMPUTER CODE THAT WILL RUN YOU OUT OF GAS WITH READINGS LIKE "30 MILES TO EMPTY" OR "40 MILES TO EMPTY" I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE GENERAL EXPECTATION IS EVERY CAR OUT THERE GETS YOU TO 0 AND HA…"~1,400 mi, complaint #1458761
    • "DASHBOARD TOLD ME I HAD 20 MILES WORTH OF FUEL LEFT WHEN SUDDENLY THE INDICATOR CHANGED TO A DASH AND THE CAR RAN OUT OF GAS. OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON A BUSY EXPRESSWAY, THANKFULLY IN THE SLOW LANE."~6,100 mi, complaint #1526662
    • "WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WHILE FUEL RANGE INDICATED ON DASH JUST HIT 30 MILES TO EMPTY AND CAR RAN OUT OF GAS. WAS NEVER INFORMED BY SUBARU OF ANY RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE."~18,600 mi, complaint #1530086
    • "MY GAS GAUGE SAYS I HAVE 95 MILES BEFORE INEED GAS HOWEVER MY WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AT THAT TIME TELL ME TO GET GAS RIGHT AWAY"~21,000 mi, complaint #1629640
  18. #18

    wiring harness

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "I HAVE 6000 MILES ON MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK AND RODENTS ATE THE ELECTRICAL WIRES IN MY ENGINE WHICH CAUSED ME NOT TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE THE CAR AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I FOUND OUT MY WIRES ARE SOY BASED WHICH ATTRACTED THE RODENTS.I WAS DRIVIN…"~6,000 mi, complaint #1471949
    • "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…"~20,000 mi, complaint #1567750
    • "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 HOSP…"~32,000 mi, complaint #1566171
  19. #19

    acceleration loss or hesitation

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "FUEL DELIVERY PROBLEM. SOMETIMES WHEN STARTING UP FROM A STOP SIGN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE IS NO POWER AND YOU HAVE TO HIT THE ACCELERATOR A COUPLE OF TIMES TO GET THE CAR TO RESPOND. SOMETIMES THIS OCCURS AT LOW SPEED GOING LEFT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE…"~7,465 mi, complaint #1549150
    • "WHEN I COME TO A STOP AND WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE WILL STALL WHEN I START TO TURN. ENGINE IS STILL RUNNING, BUT THE CAR ESSENTIALLY STOPS IN MID TURN. THIS LEAVES ME EXPOSED TO A BROADSIDE COLLISION. DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT AND…"~22,000 mi, complaint #1558208
  20. #20

    trunk or liftgate

    5 unsafe, 1 broken

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "REAR TAIL GATE OPENS WITHOUT ACTIVATION AT 35 MPH WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. I HAVE A VIDEO BUT IT IS TOO BIG TO SEND. MY WIFE AND I WERE ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AFTER JUST PURCHASING FLOWERS AND PLANTS AT A LOCAL NURSERY WHEN THE TAILGATE JUST STARTED TO OPEN AL…"~5,500 mi, complaint #1466034
    • "PHANTOM LIFTGATE OPENING. THE LIFTGATE OPENS BY ITSELF WITH THE VEHICLE LOCKED, DRAINING THE BATTERY, AND DOES NOT SOUND AN ALARM. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, AT RANDOM TIMES OF THE DAY, WITH THE VEHICLE PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY. SUBARU HAS REPLACED THE…"~8,000 mi, complaint #1706307
    • "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."~8,300 mi, complaint #1576199
    • "REAR GATE MALFUNCTIONS SOMETIMES DOESN'T OPEN SOMETIMES DOESN'T CLOSE PROPERLY (THIS ALLOWS EXHAUST GASES TO BE DRAWN INTO THE VEHICLE) WHEN YOU DRIVE WITH THE GATE NOT COMPLETELY CLOSED. DEALER HAS NO SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENS ON A REGULAR BASES."~24,000 mi, complaint #1729254
  21. #21

    adas lane keeping

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "AT LEAST 10 TIMES IN THE PAST WEEK WE HAVE ALMOST CRASHED DUE TO THE STEERING. WE WENT OFF THE ROAD TWICE. THE CAR IS SERIOUSLY VEERING OFF TO THE RIGHT, ALMOST LIKE YOU ARE HYDROPLANING ON DRY LAND. YOU CAN'T EVEN STEER THE CAR BACK INTO THE LANE. IT JUST GO…"~4,700 mi, complaint #1510872
    • "SUBARU LANE ASSIST STEERING ISSUE. WHEN YOU HAVE LANE ASSIST ON THE CAR WILL TRY AND STEER FROM ONE LANE TO ANOTHER ON ITS OWN. THIS HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE ON THE FREEWAY AND STARTED AFTER 10,000 MILES WAS ON THE CAR."~10,000 mi, complaint #1554439
    • "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. PURCH…"~21,000 mi, complaint #1569457
  22. #22

    engine internal

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UPON INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE THE ENGINE HAD CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE GREW AND THE CAR WAS DEMOLISHED AS A RESULT OF AN ENGINE FIRE. THE VEHICLE…"~6,000 mi, complaint #1561595
  23. #23

    power windows and locks

    4 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, BOTH STATIONARY AND IN TRAFFIC, THE DRIVER WINDOW INTERMITTENTLY DOES NOT CLOSE NORMALLY. UPON ACTIVATION TO RAISE THE WINDOW WHEN IN OPEN POSITION, IT RISES ONLY PARTWAY, THEN BOUNCES BACK DOWN. ONLY AFTER REPEATED EFFORTS, USING MUL…"~33,000 mi, complaint #1681508
  24. #24

    steering rack mechanical

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "MOST OCCURRENCES WERE AT HIGH SPEED ON INTERSTATES. I THOUGHT IT WAS WIND RELATED BUT PROBABLY WASN'T. CAR WOULD SEEM TO MOVE SLIGHTLY WITH NO STEERING EFFORT AND THEN THE STEERING WOULD PUSH BACK SEVERELY ON CURVES SOMETIMES IT WOULD PUSH FROM SIDE TO SIDE…"~4,500 mi, complaint #1446215
    • "INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL JERK TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. HAS HAPPENED ON STRAIGHT ROADS AND ON CURVED EXITS. SPEEDS FROM 30-60MPH. DRY PAVEMENT, NO SAND/MUD/OTHER HAZARDS. HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY A DOZEN TIMES TOTAL. LANE ASSIST IS T…"~10,600 mi, complaint #1627378
    • "VEHICLE LOSES CONTROL AT 50 MPH AND HIGHER SPEEDS. STEERING FEELS VERY LOOSE AND LIKE VEHICLE IS HYDROPLANING ON DRY SURFACES. ON OCCASION IT FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE WAS HIT BY A GUST OF WIND AND FLOATS. VEHICLE FEELS VERY INSECURE ON HIGHWAY DRIVING CONDITION…"~19,000 mi, complaint #1554955
  25. #25

    transmission cvt

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "THE PROPRIETARY SUBARU LINEARTRONIC CVT ON MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE SINCE DELIVERY IN JUNE 2018. IT SHUDDERS, LURCHES, BALKS AND CREATES NEAR STALL CONDITIONS ON BOTH ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. I HAVE BROUGHT IT INTO THE SUBARU DEALER WHERE THE CAR W…"~11,500 mi, complaint #1582790
    • "CVT TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED. 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK, 47,000 MILES. CAR ONLY 18 MONTHS OLD. WIFE AND KIDS IN THE CAR IT WAS VERY SCARY MOMENT. THE CAR STARED TO SHUTTERED ACCELERATING FORM A STOP. THEN AT 40 TO 50 MPH, THE RPMS BECAME ERRATIC SHIFTING UP DOWN, TO…"~47,000 mi, complaint #1611663
  26. #26

    adas collision warning

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "I WAS DRIVING IN A 4 LANE (TWO ON EACH DIRECTION) PARKWAY TOWARD A RED STOPLIGHT WITH ONE CAR STOPPED AT MY LANE AT THE LIGHT, I WAS COASTING, SLOWING DOWN TOWARD THE CAR. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 30 FT AWAY THE LIGHT CHANGED, THE CAR IN FRONT STARTED DRIVING AND I AP…"~3,000 mi, complaint #1633910
    • "USING EYE-SIGHT CONTROLS THE AUTOMATIC STOPPING DISTANCE IS SET TOO STOP TOO CLOSE TO THE CAR IN FRONT. VARIES IN STOPPING DISTANCE ,CANNOT DEPEND ON THE SYSTEM THEREFOR CAN NOT USE THE SYSTEM."~28,000 mi, complaint #1543229
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brakes were inadvertently engaging. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle had not yet been taken to an independent mechanic or local dealer to be dia…"~32,100 mi, complaint #1880864
  27. #27

    fuel pump

    1 stranded, 3 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2018 OUTBACK. I WAS DRIVING IT GOING ABOUT [REDACTED ADDRESS] BY MY HOUSE AND IT SHUT DOWN OUT OF NOWHERE, DASH LIGHTS CAME ON, GAS PEDAL WOULDN'T WORK, THE ONLY WAY I GOT IT TO GO WAS SHUTTING IT OFF COMPLETELY AND RESTARTING IT. THE…"~3,800 mi, complaint #1502993
    • "The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while their wife was pulling into a parking space, uphill, when the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The vehicle jumped the curb and crashed into a sign. The vehicle continued accelerating approximat…"~41,000 mi, complaint #1922320
  28. #28

    lighting exterior

    2 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE AUTO SENSING LIGHTS WILL NOT TURN OFF ON SOME OCCASIONS EVEN WHEN IT IS 9AM AND SUNNY. PULLING THE CAR OVER AND TURNING OFF THE CAR AND BACK ON WILL FIX THE ISSUE UNTIL NEXT TIME."~12,000 mi, complaint #1494888
  29. #29

    tire failure

    1 stranded, 3 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH WHEN MY BRIDGESTONE TIRE, MODEL DUELER H/P SPORT AS, BLEW-OUT ON THE PASSENGER REAR SIDE. THE TIRE HAD ONLY 800 MILES ON IT."~800 mi, complaint #1489921
    • "TIRE TREAD BEGAN SEPARATING FROM SIDEWALL WITHIN 1100 MILES. THE TIRE IS A BRIDGESTONE DUELER H/P 225/60 R18. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM A A SUBARU DEALER ON 03/24/2018 WITH THIS TIRE INSTALLED AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT. I NOTICED THIS PROBLEM WHEN RETURNING T…"~1,122 mi, complaint #1466344
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK EQUIPPED WITH FOUR BRIDGESTONE DUELER HP SPORT AS TIRES, SIZE: 225/60/R18 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL POPPING NOISE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE T…"~16,927 mi, complaint #1591638
    • "TWO TIRE BLOW OUTS CAUSING IMMEDIATE LOSS OF AIR. CAR WAS TRAVELLING AT APPROX 35 MPH. EACH TIME ON A CITY STREET. FIRST AT 4000 MILES. SECOND AT 21000 MILES. TIRE HAD CIRCUMFERENTIAL CRACK AT BOTTOM OF TIRE GROOVE. ORIGINAL OEM TIRES. CAR PURCHASED NEW IN SE…"~21,000 mi, complaint #1609826
  30. #30

    engine cooling

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "VEHICLE USES COOLANT AT AN ALARMING RATE WHICH HAS NEARLY LEAD TO OVERHEATING AND STALLING WHILE DRIVING. TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN TRYING TO PASS MAKING THE MANEUVER UNSAFE. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO LOOK AT CAR AGAIN, ALREADY BEEN…"~2,000 mi, complaint #1541227
    • "SUBARU IS SELLING NEW VEHICLES WITH INADEQUATE AMOUNTS OF COOLANT IN THE ENGINES COOLING SYSTEM. THIS HAS CAUSED AN IMMEDIATE NEED FOR COOLANT BEING ADDED AS RESIDUAL AIR IN THE SYSTEM IN EXPELLED TO THE RESERVOIR. IF A CUSTOMER FOLLOWS SUBARUS GUIDANCE FOR…"~2,700 mi, complaint #1486526
    • "SINCE THE CAR HAS BEEN BRAND NEW, A HALF GALLON OF COOLANT HAS NEEDED TO BE ADDED TO THE CAR ON A MONTHLY BASIS. NO LEAKS HAVE BEEN DETECTED. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY STRONG ODOR OF BURNING COOLANT. DEALER STATES THIS IS NORMAL FOR THE 2.5L ENGINE, SO T…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1626737
  31. #31

    seat mechanism

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Driver seat is loose. Noise when travelling or even stopped. Bolts to the floor are tight but the seat is loose above them. Excess movement. Brought it in after 2 weeks of new purchase and they repaired bushings according to service. Noise recurs 2022. Dealer…"complaint #1866142
    • "I folded my rear seats down to gain more cargo area room, upon unloading my cargo, I proceeded to fold up my rear seats. Both rear seats folded up and locked, except the driver's side rear seat locked into position but would recline backwards and not stay lock…"complaint #2061503
    • "This is a Base model automobile with manual seats. The right front passenger seat unlocked without warning during a quick deceleration. The seat slid forward on mounting rails and caused the front passenger to be squished between forward motion of seat and…"complaint #2161877
  32. #32

    throttle and pedal

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN TRYING TO PASS OTHER VEHICLES OR MERGE LANES. THE CONTACT STAT…"~680 mi, complaint #1501598
    • "THE ACCELERATION RESPONSE IS DECOUPLED FROM THE THROTTLE. I HAD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP SIGN. I TRIED TO MOVE AHEAD WITH A SLIGHT ACCELERATION TO GET A VIEW OF CROSS TRAFFIC, UNFORTUNATELY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TOO HIGH AND T BONED INTO ANOTHER CAR…"~3,000 mi, complaint #1682198
  33. #33

    adas blind spot

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY REAR CROSS TRAFFIC ALERT FAILED TO PROVIDE AN ALERT OF THE VEHICLE APPROACHING ON THE STREET, COLLISION FOLLOWED. SECURITY CAMERA VIDEO OF THE ACCIDENT IS AVAILABLE HOWEVER SIZE EXCEEDS THE MAXIMUM SPECIFIED FOR THE UPLOAD. "~5,200 mi, complaint #1468051
  34. #34

    door latch and hinge

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "OUR 2018 OUTBACK ALMOST KILLED MY HUSBAND. HE WAS GETTING INTO THE CAR (IT WAS RUNNING) AND JUST OPENED THE DOOR, WHEN THE CAR ROLLED BACK. HE WAS PINNED BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE GARAGE FRAME AND FORTUNATELY THE HE WAS ABLE TO ROLL INTO THE GARAGE. HE HIT SO H…"~29,800 mi, complaint #1631453
  35. #35

    interior trim

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "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.…"~5,200 mi, complaint #1544312
    • "THE DRIVER'S SEAT CONTINUOUSLY SQUEAKS WHILE DRIVING. SUBARU DEALER SAYS I NEED A NEW SEAT BOTTOM. APPARENTLY, THERE ARE OTHER VEHICLES AND YEARS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE."~54,000 mi, complaint #1616322
  36. #36

    suspension struts shocks

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY JERKED FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND BECAME VERY UNSTABLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS…"~2,500 mi, complaint #1558741
  37. #37

    tpms

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "P225 65/R17 Multiple Sensor leaks, false TPM readings, on/off TPM signals."complaint #2052158
    • ""I own a 2018 Subaru Outback VIN [XXX] . I have experienced a recurring failure with the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) three times within the same year. In January 2026, I brought my vehicle to the dealership and had to replace the TPMS sensors. Short…"complaint #2208402
  38. #38

    transmission automatic

    1 stranded, 1 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "VEHICLE DEVELOPED DRIP FROM TRANSMISSION APPROXIMATELY MID JUNE 2018. TOOK TO DEALER & UNABLE TO FIND SOURCE AFTER 11 DAYS IN SHOP. THEY PUT DYE IN AND I DROVE UNTIL 7-30-18 WHEN DRIP RETURNED. CAR IN SHOP 6 DAYS FOR NEW TRANSMISSION. CAR RETURNED 8-9-18. 11 D…"~14,410 mi, complaint #1493996
  39. #39

    wiper and washer

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Windshield washer barely works, only one of the three nozzles will spray fluid. Pump sounds like it's working and fluid is full. For sure a safety issue in winter months. "complaint #1795246
    • "I was changing the passenger side wiper blade, and when the wiper was lowered to the windshield, the windshield cracked. The crack is now moving up towards the forward eyesight detection system."complaint #1842419
  40. #40

    abs module

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I was visiting my daughter's and after I pulled in the driveway, and I hit my brakes to stop the car, but they failed, and I ended up crashing into their brick garage. I was physically fine, but my car and their garage was damaged. There were no warning lights…"complaint #1971785
  41. #41

    adas adaptive cruise

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "When traveling on hwy at hwy speeds with cruise control on set for 70 mph and car in front is traveling 60 mph as am I. The road curves the car no longer identifies a car in front of me and accelerates to 70 mph, when the road becomes straight again and I am…"complaint #2015089
  42. #42

    brake pads and rotors

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Drove my wife car noticed more brake pedal travel. Replacing pads on front wheels found corrosion on inside outer upper edge of driver side rotor, pad has irregular wear reducing effective braking. I found same on passenger side rotor, but to a lesser extent. "complaint #1881123
  43. #43

    catalytic converter

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Flex joint connecting to catalytic convertor. For 3+ years, exhaust from engine coming directly into cab, coughing, nausea, burning eyes/nose/lungs/chest. Foul odor, difficulty breathing. The problem has been reproduced and diagnosed by two independent mechani…"complaint #1965176
  44. #44

    evap system

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The fuel tank evap system has stopped working and is not venting the fuel tank properly. When I take the gas cap off there is a lot of pressure released. Filling the tank is slow (0.5 gallon per pump click) and leads to some (very small amounts) fuel spillin…"complaint #1762034
  45. #45

    fuel injector

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Fuel injector fuel delivery line rupture and leaking. Left on vacation in this 2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R Touring on 07/23/2021, noticed the strong smell of gasoline when stopped, less so when interstate driving, with the fuel gauge declining more rapidly than i…"complaint #1760826
  46. #46

    noise or vibration unspecified

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "BOUGHT VEHICLE USED ONE OWNER NO PREVIOUS OCCURANCES, 8000 MILES RECORDED. GRADUALLY, A RUMBLING SOUND COMES FROM FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEN TURNING WHEEL ON FLAT DIRT DRIVEWAY PREDOMINANTELY. CONCURRENT NOISE FROM DASH. AT 10,000 MILES THE CAR NOW MAKES RUMBLI…"~8,200 mi, complaint #1628955
  47. #47

    parking brake

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Reported to local Subaru Dealer there was a problem with the Parking Brake. While parked at red light, when I attempted to release the parking brake, it would NOT release, and had great difficulty getting to release and proceed. (This is in Traffic). They test…"complaint #2005291
  48. #48

    phone connectivity

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "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/). EVER…"complaint #1640981
  49. #49

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The passenger seat belt is not staying buckled in, it take about 3 tries before it clicks."complaint #1754953
  50. #50

    stability and traction control

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The Brake, ABS, and traction control (VDC) lights all came on a couple of weeks ago. I brought the vehicle into the Subaru dealership and they diagnosed a failed Vehicle Dynamics Control board as the problem. I've requested to receive the old VDC board. That…"complaint #1821386
  51. #51

    suspension arms and bushings

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "REAR TRAILING ARM SNAPPED RENDERING VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE - THE REAR TRAILING ARM SNAPPED. IT LOOKS APPARENT IT WAS SLOWLY FAILING AS SOME PARTS OF THE FRACTURE ARE RUSTED OUT. THE PART NUMBER IS 20250AL02A. THESE PARTS WERE DESIGNED WITH VERY THIN WALLS AND…"~40,200 mi, complaint #1644777
  52. #52

    wheel bearing

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT'S WIFE OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT'S WIFE HAD NOTICED AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HUGHES SUBARU ([REDACTED ADDRESS], ATHENS, GA 30606) TO HAVE THE BRAKE…"~26,000 mi, complaint #1687125
  53. #53

    wheel or rim

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated upon inspecting the vehicle, he noticed all 4 wheels showed signs of cracks on the rims and spokes. The low-pressure tire warning light had illuminated. In addition, all tires required air frequently.…"~84,000 mi, complaint #2009929

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for SUBARU OUTBACK directly.