IllustrationWINDSHIELD BEGAN TO CRACK FROM THE RIGHT SIDE LOWER PORTION WITHOUT ANY IMPACT TO THE GLASS FROM ANY SOURCE WHILE DRIVING AROUND 35MPH. THE CRACK CONTINUED ACROSS THE GLASS TO THE DRIVERS SIDE AND GLASS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO APPARENT REASON FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AND THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE OR IMPACT TO THE GLASS.
2018 Subaru Outback
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Outback years
Owner complaints for the 2018 Subaru Outback are substantially higher than the model-year median of 207.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Outback years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
3130–25K
13625–50K
2850–75K
875–100K
2100–150K
1150K+
488 reports with mileage · 323 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 265 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility/wiper. Review the 233 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
27 crash reports4 fire reports10 injury reports
Visibility/wiper complaints
233 reportsTHE WINDSHIELD KEPT CRACKING MULTIPLE TIMES
I WAS ON AN ON RAMP ABOUT TO ENTER HIGHWAY NEAR WHERE I LIVE. I WASN'T YET AT HIGHWAY SPEED. SUDDENLY NOT SURE IF A ROCK OR ROCK SALT HIT MY WINDSHIELD. IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE A LARGE PIECE, AND I DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT. WHAT SEEMED LIKE NORMAL ROAD DEBRIS THAT FROM MY EXPERIENCE WOULD NEVER AFFECT A WINDSHIELD AND HASN'T WITH OTHE…
Read full complaint
I WAS ON AN ON RAMP ABOUT TO ENTER HIGHWAY NEAR WHERE I LIVE. I WASN'T YET AT HIGHWAY SPEED. SUDDENLY NOT SURE IF A ROCK OR ROCK SALT HIT MY WINDSHIELD. IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE A LARGE PIECE, AND I DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT. WHAT SEEMED LIKE NORMAL ROAD DEBRIS THAT FROM MY EXPERIENCE WOULD NEVER AFFECT A WINDSHIELD AND HASN'T WITH OTHER CAR MAKES I'VE OWNED ACTUALLY IMPACTED MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. A SMALL CHIP/CHUNK OF GLASS APPEARED ON MY WINDSHIELD. WAS VERY SURPRISED AND APPALLED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.
CRACKED WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING, POSSIBLY FROM A ROCK. I HAVE NO PICTORAL EVIDENCE BUT I HAVE THE REPAIR RECEIPTS.
WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND CREATED A VERY LARGE SPIDERING CRACK.
CRACKED WINDSHIELD ON UPPER PASSENGER SIDE
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, WINDSHIELD STARRED THEN CRACKED ACROSS MOST OF WINDSHIELD WIDTH QUICKLY. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE NEAR AND THERE WAS NO DEBRIS IN ROADWAY. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO; WINDSHIELD HAS LONG SINCE BEEN REPLACED.
I HAVE A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK (LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD). DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A GLASS CRACK. THEN I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LARGE WINDOW CRACK STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD (DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER) AND CURVING UPWARDS TOWARDS THE CENTER. PULLED OVER TO CHECK, AND THERE WAS NO SIGNS OF OBVIOUS ROC…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK (LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD). DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A GLASS CRACK. THEN I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LARGE WINDOW CRACK STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD (DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER) AND CURVING UPWARDS TOWARDS THE CENTER. PULLED OVER TO CHECK, AND THERE WAS NO SIGNS OF OBVIOUS ROCKS HITTING THE WINDSHIELD WHERE THE CRACK APPEARED. I RECALL DRIVING IN THE MORNING AND AS THE WEATHER WARMED UP THE WINDOW CRACK OCCURRED. NOT SURE IF TEMPERATURE MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS, BUT IN ANY CASE THE WINDSHIELD SHOULD NOT BE CRACKING ON ITS OWN WITHOUT OBVIOUS SIGNS OF IMPACT BY OBJECTS. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD ISSUE.
I WAS DRIVING ON A 2 LANE HWY GOING ABOUT 50MPH WHEN I SPOTTED A SMALL STAR CRACK IN THE BOTTOM, MIDDLE OF MY WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK HAS CONTINUED TO GROW, MOSTLY HORIZONTAL OVER THE NEXT 2 WEEKS. THE WEATHER WAS MILD, ABOUT 55 DEGREES AND THERE WAS NO ONE DRIVING IN FRONT OF ME.
ON RETURNING TO PARKED CAR MID-DAY ON 2/2/2020 (A MILD WINTER DAY, PARKED IN SHADE AT SKI RESORT), I SAW A T SHAPED CRACK ON LOWER PART OF WINDSHIELD JUST ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CENTER. THERE WAS NO CHIP OR DENT OR CRACK IN THE CENTRAL WINDSHIELD WHEN I PARKED THE CAR. I DIDN'T SEE OR HEAR AN IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVE …
Read full complaint
ON RETURNING TO PARKED CAR MID-DAY ON 2/2/2020 (A MILD WINTER DAY, PARKED IN SHADE AT SKI RESORT), I SAW A T SHAPED CRACK ON LOWER PART OF WINDSHIELD JUST ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CENTER. THERE WAS NO CHIP OR DENT OR CRACK IN THE CENTRAL WINDSHIELD WHEN I PARKED THE CAR. I DIDN'T SEE OR HEAR AN IMPACT TO THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVE THAT MORNING. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 10 DAYS, THIS HAS GROWN, EXTENDING TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD AND ACROSS ABOUT HALF THE WIDTH OF THE WINDSHIELD.
Official recalls
321V587000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump
Jul 29, 2021
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
18V935000 · Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices
Dec 31, 2018
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Legacy, Outback, and BRZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, a software issue may cause the audio display system to not initialize, resulting in the camera display remaining blank. If this occurs, the rearview image will not display while backing up the vehicle. As a result, the vehicles fail to comply with requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.
Remedy: 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.
18V773000 · Electrical System:software; Fuel System, Gasoline
Nov 1, 2018
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System:software
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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 System, Gasoline
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.