2018 Subaru Outback Complaint Log

The head unit of the stereo/info system is malfunctioning. The screen is delaminating from the face of the LED touchscreen panel, which causes the unit to experience "phantom touches." These cause the screen to constantly change displays, zoom in/out of navigation software, and change audio settings & inputs, and disconnects phone calls or switches them from my speaker to my phone (forcing me to pick up the phone to correct the problem). It has rendered my hands-free interface with the entire vehicle essentially useless, which is a safety concern as now my attention is pulled away from driving to attempt to correct the problem. Additionally, the screen is constantly shifting & changing displays which is quite a visual distraction. This is a known problem & has been reported numerous times to Subaru. I've taken the vehicle to the dealer for them to inspect. Their suggestion was that I replace the unit for a cost of $2,526.16. At this point, it is very difficult to operate the vehicle safely, without near constant distractions from the problem with the unit.

Ghost touches on the radio making radio inoperable. Prevent rear view camera from activating.

Subaru has a known “ghost touch” radio head unit issue that they failed to recall. My 2018 Subaru Outback has an unstable head unit that affects GPS, hands free technology, and back up camera assistance.

When I bought my car I had issues with the Head unit the screen would got out and I would have no backup camera or radio.The dealer had the car for Two months before I called Subaru to see if they could get my me unit.It was taken care of.Now the problem has come back the screen freezes, jumps goes dark (I have video) I can’t use the bluetooth to call anyone. I call Subaru of America about this and they say make an appointment with the dealership and we will go there when they know what’s happening…..

The infotainment system screen has delaminated causing the screen to jump between sources, the backup camera to randomly not display . The problem started last month and is worsening

The touchscreen is completely malfunctioning and unusable. It started off as a one off incident during a very hot streak in the summer of 2024. I wrote it off and a fluke because of the temperature. 9 months later and the screen is constantly going haywire with ghost touches. Every feature that is controlled through that screen fails. Even using the controls on the steering wheel fail to work when the touchscreen is nonoperational. This system is so integrated into the systems of the vehicle that it is a safety concern. Subaru is aware of this issue and offered an extended warranty. However, if the system didn’t fail during that extended time, you are out of luck.

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. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

Sterio and Navigation screen has formed bubbles and what appears to be a film under the screen and has also started delaminating. The screen is now rarely usable as it appears to have a mind and hands of its own as it makes its own selections on the screen and no longer allows me to control it. This is very dangerous as the Subaru touch screen offers setting adjustments that are being changed while on the road, without my control. It is my understanding that Subaru will not replace this unless you pay $2k+ out of pocket even though SEVERAL incidents are reported. Unfortunately, I am not in good standing to purchase another car right now so I will have to continue driving this car and praying that whatever settings that car adjusts during that drive won't have a negative impact.

My 2018 Subaru Outback has an infotainment display that has a Delaminating Screen issue, where the screen that controls so many aspects of the car's functionality (to include safety) is now becoming increasingly harder to see.

The screen that controls everything in the car is delaminating and it prevents the driver from being able to see the back up camera properly and is a distraction to drivers. This is a known issue with this year vehicle. Subaru won’t replace and only offered me 750 to get it fixed which means I would still have to come out of pocket $900 for a known defect. They are aware of the issue and have replaced some vehicles at no charge.

We have replaced the battery 3 times now in less than a year. The battery keeps dying, which is so bad it is ruining the battery such that it has to be replaced. My pregnant wife and child have been stranded several times. Subaru sent a class action lawsuit notice, but when we went to the dealer they claimed they knew nothing about it. They tested the battery and said nothing was wrong. Doing some digging it seems that numerous others have had this same issue. It is an issue with the alternator and the DCM causing parasitic battery drain. Subaru is doing nothing to fix the issue.

The driver's side daytime running light has failed. This light is an LED designed to last the life of the car and cannot be repaired. Unfortunately, there is no indicator light inside the car to notify the driver of the failure. In hazardous weather conditions, it may appear as though the light is functioning based on the dashboard lights, but it is not. Regrettably, replacing the bulb is not an option and this poses a potential risk to the driver and others during inclement weather or low visibility situations. The dealership has inspected the vehicle and confirmed that it cannot be repaired. To resolve the issue, the entire unit must be replaced, which will cost over $1000. This model has experienced numerous instances of failure with the driver side daytime running lights, indicating a widespread safety concern that the manufacturer has yet to address in this particular year. Previous years have been recalled for the same issue.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the windshield cracked without impact. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer to have the windshield replaced; however, the failure recurred soon after the replacement. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

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 getting close the system slams on the brakes. When I'm going 70 mph and approach a car going 60 mph the car slows to keep a safe distance. As I change lanes the car begins to accelerate. As I am passing the slower car, if on a curve and the car identifies a car in another lane and slams on the brakes. This has caused road rage from drivers approaching from the rear in the passing lane thinking I'm braking to slow them down for no reason. The Dealership told me to turn my cruise control off on roads nort straight! This has happened since the car was new. This occurred on a recent trip across country on hwy US 40.

CVT Transmission failed and shut off engine. 2018 Subaru Outback Limited with only 56,500 miles. On 5/19/24 at approximately 11:30PM, my family and I (5 members) were driving northbound on an interstate highway, when all of a sudden, the engine and transmission completely shut off with all warning lights flashing on the dashboard, while travelling at speeds of 65 miles per hour. When pressing on the accelerator, vehicle would not accelerate, rather the vehicle was decelerating. Fortunately, not many vehicles were on the highway at that time and our vehicle had enough momentum to move right towards the shoulder of the highway and came to a complete stop. When engine turned on and shift to D or R, vehicle does not move. Vehicle is at Subaru dealership being inspected and hopefully being repaired under warranty, which was extended by Subaru of America. SUBARU NEED TO FIX THIS, IT IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT.

Driver side mirror was affected. Went to an automatic car wash. Shortly afterwards, we noticed smoke coming out of the mirror. Possible fire hazard. What was affected by this: The remote access (keyless entry) Garage door opener Tire Pressure Monitoring System light showed low pressure Driver window opened but needed continuous pressing to close Component parts not available for inspection because my extended warranty covered the cost. Dealership has the parts, but I did take some pictures. No risk to us in this instance. Mechanic said it's caused by the illuminating light in the upper left side of the mirror. He's seen about 3 instances as this. No warning messages or symptoms prior to this and we've been coming to this car wash on a weekly basis for about 3 years.

I purchased my car used from dealership in Temecula,CA [XXX]. My first windshield cracked and was replaced [XXX] at dealership after a small rock hit my car on the freeway, I paid for this replacement. My 2nd windshield cracked for no reason and was replaced [XXX] at dealership Subaru paid for only 1/2 the price to replace. Had contacted the advocacy department and Subaru and filed a case. Now the 3rd windshield has cracked 5/2024 for no apparent reason (meaning no point of impact) and I have filed another case with Subaru. I have an advocate and case number. Logan at Subaru of America case #[XXX]. Something is wrong with these windshields. This is my first time owning a Subaru and I never had these problems with any of my other cars owned. I think there’s something wrong with these windshields. They are cracking to easily and I feel like it’s a huge safety issue as well as expense to replace. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The cam tower seal on modern Subaru Outbacks fail at an incredibly high rate and the repair cost is typically higher than $3000. Subaru's standard warranty covers the repair up until 60,000 miles but a quick search on user forum's shows that this issues consistently pops up somewhere between 60 and 90 thousand miles.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle, she observed that the front windshield had a crack from the bottom leading upwards. The contact stated that the windshield had been replaced the week before. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the windshield needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 44,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked in the garage unattended, the contact noticed that the front windshield was cracked without impact. The vehicle was taken to a glass center, where the glass was replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 52,470.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the cruise control was inoperable. The contact was unable to connect to the radio or Bluetooth. The failure had progressed over time. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that another unknown local dealer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The contact stated that the failure was due to a previous crash. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 26,000.

I slowed down to approximately 5 MPH to pull into a parking space in front of a building. Without warning, the car suddenly accelerated toward the building. The car jumped over the parking block and onto the sidewalk in front of the building. I attempted to stop the car but the brakes did not function at that point. The car stopped when it hit a pole. There was damage to the front of the car and the pole. No people were injured. There was no warning before this happened.

Audio system does not work which does not allow - hands-free use of phone - sound alert when nearing railroad crossing - voiced directions when using Waze

We have experienced 3 cracked windshields within 4 months due to small rock debris kicked-up from passing vehicles. Each crack originated at the edge of the glass; 2 from outside edge passenger side and 1 from center bottom edge passenger side. Driving conditions were different for each incident, as each incident occurred during highway driving during light, medium, and heavy traffic flow. Passenger safety was not compromised. The dates for each incident were 15 February 2024, 28 April 2024, and 21 May 2024.

Touchscreen is sticking or not working, I understand this is a standard problem with Subaru. I also wanted to report issues with Touchscreen on my 2018 Subaru Outback.

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 of failure. I had Autozone check the car computer today, and they came up with an ABS failure code of C1411. I've discussed the situation with a Subaru mechanic on [XXX] , and he says that ABS module has failed and should not happen on 2018 Subaru, that only has @44,000 miles on it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My car’s windshield is cracked for the fifth time since I purchased it new in December. This crack was spontaneous, nothing struck the windshield, though it was during a blizzard. Only one if the broken windshields was due to a significant rock strike. The other 3 happened after the most insignificant “click” was heard on the windshield, nothing that would have damaged any other car. Each time I have replace with Subaru glass. I have seen multiple complaints online about the Subaru windshield fragility. The cost of this and safety hazard needs to be addressed. I will be scheduling this 5th windshield glass replacement shortly. My deductible is $250 so this 5th repair will add up to $1250 in just over 6 years. If repair receipts are needed, please contact me so I can obtain all of them from Glass America.

Touchscreen on radio system is delamination causing the system to cycle through sources, ie: fm, am, sxm, and Bluetooth. This causes distractions while driving. Dealership is aware of issue and stated it was common. No warnings before malfunction. Malfunctions started a few months ago.

On 12/28/2023 my 2018 Subaru Outback without warning suddenly accelerated on its own, causing my vehicle to hit the curb and ran into a building.

My sunroof spontaneously combusted while driving, without anything hitting the vehicle or any pre-existing damage. The glass shattered everywhere while going down the highway.

The new (replaced in Sept of 2023) OEM glass installed by Subaru cracked due to weather change while the vehicle was stopped. There was no prior damage to the windshield nor warning this would happen.

Two incidents of unprovoked acceleration 1st incident: approximately March 2021 Slowly backing up at a gas station and experienced sudden acceleration causing the car to hit a metal guard at the fuel pump. This resulted in damage to the vehicle requiring repair. 2nd incident: 12/2023 Slowly entering a parking space when there was sudden acceleration causing the vehicle to to go over a concrete curb across a grassy median to hit an unoccupied car parked directly across. This resulted in damage to the bumper and damage to the car it hit. Police were called but they were busy and this happened in a parking lot so an incident number was obtained and insurance information was exchanged between driver and other vehicle owner.

On three different occasions after starting the car in the cold weather and putting in drive it accelerated by it self. All three times it lasted about 5 to 7 seconds. Once I stepped on the brake and then the accelerator pedal it was back to normal. It’s been about a month with this issue.

While pulling into a parking spot with my foot on the brake and preparing to stop, the car continued to move up over the curb and then began to accelerate even after I applied both of my feet pushing down on the brakes until I hit our condo building. The car and building received extensive damage, and although the car was not totaled it will cost over 7,000 dollars to repair. Personally I was not injured. The air bags did not imploy at impact. There were no warning messages or prior failures with the vehicle before this day. The car was taken to a body shop and not the dealer so we have not had the dealer look at the systems that broke down, but our insurance adjuster will be.

After driving for approximately 10 min from cold start, attempted to pass another car at WOT (wide open throttle) at approx 40-50 mph. The car began to accelerate normally, then abruptly stopped accelerating while the engine revved up to the rev limiter and bounced off it for 3-4 seconds. It seemed as though the CVT had been shifted into neutral (though it was still in drive), and almost caused an accident. I had to quickly move back out of the passing lane. The car operated normally after this singular incident - I was not able to reproduce the issue. The car was immediately brought into the Subaru dealer we originally purchased it from. After performing diagnostics, they told me that since the issue could not be duplicated, there was nothing they could do. I filed a case with Subaru of America, and they had the same response. We have only put about 5,000 miles on the car since purchasing it used in 3/2023 with 69k. We also found out that the CVT had been replaced under warranty just prior to our purchase of the car, though that was not disclosed at the time of purchase. Subaru of America confirmed that this CVT is still covered by the 10yr/100k extended warranty per [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

On 9/28/23 I was driving in a 2-lane construction zone with my daughter. While going through the construction zone, my car lost all power and just shut off completely. No warning signs just went completely dead. I almost got rear ended, thankfully the car behind me went to the left of the center, but almost had a head on collision into oncoming traffic. Thankfully, no wrecks were involved. It did eventually start back up and has yet to happen again. However, back in July/August of 2021, I received a recall notice on my vehicle NHTSA Campaign #21V587000. When I called to check on the recall it was stated that my vehicle did not have a current recall. I believe this is inaccurate to the fullest. When I bought the vehicle, I took my outback in several times to the dealership with what I thought was transmission and some electrical issues. They could find nothing wrong, how convenient for them, they weren't the ones almost killed because the vehicle would stall at intermittent times during acceleration. I took it in on 1/24/19, 4/26/19, 10/24/19, and 7/27/20. The mileage range was from 1K to 55K, now at 111K my car just has a complete system failure. Honestly, they didn't seem enough to care and treated me like I didn't know what I was talking about. I drove it 7 days a week and they drove it for 15 minutes and said there were no issues. That is not a fair assessment. I would like to resolve this matter before someone gets killed because of a defective issue on Subaru's part that was documented several times. I have the receipts and work orders to support the evidence. I have notified my family of the issues in case something does happen because of the vehicle, and I am, or others are injured or killed in an accident. Like I said, I have all the documentation to support any claim henceforth. I bought a Subaru because of its safety ratings. Now, I'm afraid to have passengers or my grandkids ride with me out of fear for their safety and others.

Sunroof drainage blocked causing water to enter dashboard and fuse box area causing electrical damage. Unable To drive vehicle.

The back lift gate is closed according to the dash display, but the computer detects that the lift gate is NOT closed resulting in a battery drain. The computer needs to be adjusted to detect when the lift gate is actually closed. Having the lift gate not closed but no indication for the drive is a safety problem. Items may fall out and the drive would have no indication that the lift gate is open.

The touch screen display, which is used for many vehicle functions, is failing - forming internal "bubbles" causing random ghost touch events. The display is constantly changing and making noises on its own, and not responding to any user entries. There is no way to turn of the display or the sounds. The frequent, unstoppable sounds are a distraction. The loss of features, including reliable backup camera, is also a safety issue. This issue has been well documented in this vehicle, resulting in a class action settlement, but that settlement has ended and this issue continues to occur in this model vehicle. Subaru is refusing to repair the screen under warranty.

This vehicle has less than 65,000 miles and has had 3 genuine Subaru windshields crack as a result of road hazards. We live in Los Angeles County and the windshields have cracked as a result of unseen freeway debris/objects (i.e., not a large object such as a chunk of a truck tire). In 45 years of driving, I have never experienced this many windshield failures. I am not sure if this is a repeated part failure or systemic safety hazard.

the radio malfunctions. it beeps constantly. it randomly changes inputs it won’t tune. the screen is severely dirty on inside so can’t clean it; thus making back up camera look smudged.

Vehicle had valve replacement after finding an oil leak in January 2023 at around 135,000 mi. August 2023, around 159,000 mi, mechanic found that valve needed to be replaced again as vehicle was leaking oil. System warning message came on to indicate low oil and upon checking, mechanic found that there was no oil on the dipstick. No dashboard light came on to indicate low/no oil at any point.

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 approximately a car length of distance causing it to jump another curb onto grass and eventually come to a stop. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle had damage to the front end and bumper of the vehicle. The contact had no injuries and medical attention was not needed. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was able to be driven away from the scene. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who had not diagnosed the vehicle and it had not been repaired. The contact stated they found an article regarding the year/make/model experiencing the same failure due to a failure of the low-pressure fuel pump. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 41,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle briefly lost Electric Power Steering assist before returning to normal functionality. The failure had since become a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 25,000.

MMy wife got into the car and as she was removing the sun shield, she lightly bumped the rear view mirror. It imploded covering her and the passenger seat with small sharp glass shards. I was just opening the passenger door to get inside and did not get covered with the glass shards. The windshield shattered in August, 2023. At that time, we checked and there were many other similar instances recorded on line. The inner glass broke and the mirror fell down, however the outter glass did not shatter or crack. I filed a complaint with [XXX] on December 8th, as well. They suggested that I report it to SaferCar.gov Thank you Sincerely [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My vehicle just dies and leaves me stranded after turning off the car and leaving it overnight. This has happened many times, and I worry everytime I go camping or to some remote place where I may not have cell signal to get a tow truck to jump me. If I don't carry water and food, medicine, at all times, I fear what will happen to me if I am stranded and cannot get help on time. My car is 5 years old, I am on my 3rd battery. In every case, the battery should have been very well charged because it happens after highway driving for several hours. Suburu and the dealers try to deny that anything is wrong; but one of the rescue mechanics told me that the alternator seems to overcharge. Yes , I took the vehicle in for all inspection while it was under warranty. I reported these events to no avail. NO WARNING LIGHTS COME ON. I need to be able to get this fixed. How do I do that?

Driver experienced an unexpected uncommanded sudden acceleration upon application of the braking system in the driveway, which caused a collision with the garage/house. The safety of the driver and other were put at risk. Significant damage to the house/garage occurred. This is a first time occurrence. Owner has not yet had the opportunity to have the vehicle inspected by dealer, independent service center, manufacturer, police or insurance rep due to timing of the accident. No warning lights message were displayed. Driver slowed the vehicle in anticipation of putting the vehicle in park when uncommanded brake release occurred, vehicle accelerated and struck the house. Reason for incident is unknown. Vehicle remains parked pending further inspection.

Burning oil in the engine drastically

The infotainment head unit in my 2018 Subaru Outback has experienced internal adhesive delamination, resulting in frequent "ghost touches" and unpredictable system malfunctions that pose a severe safety hazard. Most critically, the backup camera display intermittently disappears or freezes while the vehicle is in reverse, causing a total loss of rear visibility during low-speed maneuvering. While the vehicle is in motion, the unit executes unauthorized commands without driver input, including making random outgoing phone calls to my contacts, switching screens away from the GPS navigation during active routing, and cycling through radio stations and apps at high volumes. These uncommanded actions create extreme driver distraction and a loss of access to essential vehicle safety interfaces. The failure is persistent and prevents the reliable use of mandated safety equipment and navigation.

I was driving at 40 MPH in the left lane approaching the left hand turn lane. Once I tturned into the turn lane my car started to accelerate very hard. I hit the brake and the car kept acelerating, I pushed the gear shift into neutral and with both feet hard on the brake I was able to stop completely without cutting into oncoming traffic. I have been driving over 50 years and never had an incident like this happen. I do not drive carelessly. However, now I am affraid to drive this Subaru Outback and I will not let my wife or family even ride in it.