2018 Subaru Outback: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 962 complaints
962
Total Complaints
15,000mi
Median Mileage
Electrical System
Top Issue
42
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

6,100 25th Percentile
15,000 Median Mileage
30,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Electrical System
253
Visibility/Wiper
233
Unknown Or Other
150
Fuel/Propulsion System
42
Windshield
36
Engine
34
Steering
34
Vehicle Speed Control
21
Service Brakes
16
Power Train
14

Severity Assessment

42
Crashes
6
Fires
20
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"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."
"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 THEN USE THE KEY IN THE DOOR LOCK, TO U..."
"AFTER PUTTING ON HAZARD SWITCH AND LEAVING VEHICLE, I CAME BACK TO VEHICLE AND THE KEYLESS ENTRY WOULD NOT FUNCTION. SYSTEM DID NOT SEEM TO RECOGNIZE MY SMARTKEY AS THE DOOR HANDLE SENSOR DID NOT OPERATE. I TRIED THE BUTTONS ON THE SMARTLY FOB AND THEY TOO DID NOT FUNCTION. ALSO TRIED THE MOBILE R..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Electrical System 253 complaints
25th: 9,000 mi Median: 16,580 mi 75th: 30,000 mi
Visibility/Wiper 233 complaints
25th: 12,000 mi Median: 21,775 mi 75th: 31,900 mi
Unknown Or Other 150 complaints
25th: 5,200 mi Median: 12,000 mi 75th: 21,000 mi
Fuel/Propulsion System 42 complaints
25th: 2,637 mi Median: 5,585 mi 75th: 12,625 mi
Windshield 36 complaints
25th: 25,000 mi Median: 35,822 mi 75th: 50,000 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

CA: 168 NY: 55 TX: 49 FL: 45 VA: 41 WA: 41 NJ: 35 PA: 35 NC: 35 CO: 33

Who Files Complaints?

0.9%
Original Owners
99.1%
Second+ Owners

Subaru Outback — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

YearComplaintsCrashes
19965719
1997947
199816513
199915022
200024722
200120718
200217114
20031167
200410816
200535320
200640412
200718217
200827712
20091412
201046620
201185135
201236718
201340334
201427526
201563336
201675737
2017109155
2019127748
2020112237
202139416
202252118
202311815
20241119
2025879

Active Recalls (3)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Rearview Mirrors/Devices
Campaign 18V935000 | 31/12/2018
Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.
Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the audio system display software, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTZ-85.
Software
Campaign 18V773000 | 01/11/2018
The inaccurate fuel display may cause a driver to unexpectedly run out of fuel and the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the combination meter software, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTW-82.
Fuel Pump
Campaign 21V587000 | 29/07/2021
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.

Maintain Your Electrical System

Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.

  • Clean battery terminals annually with baking soda and water
  • Replace the battery every 3-5 years before it leaves you stranded
  • Don't leave accessories running with the engine off
  • Check for corroded ground connections if you have intermittent electrical issues
  • Replace dim headlights promptly — they're a safety issue and a wiring symptom

Compare Subaru Outback

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Vehicle Rankings

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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28