2018 Subaru Outback Fuel System Problems

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.

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.

Car stalled in a busy intersection. No warning lights occurred when this happened Diagnosed as a faulty fuel pump

2 incidences where the car accelerated on its own. 1st time pulling into a parking Space, Slammed on brakes barely got it to stop otherwise I would have gone through a store front. 2nd time same night in heavy traffic going to the George Washington bridge crawling in traffic while keeping at least a car length Between me and the car in front of me it did it again and I had to pull up on the parking brake and again I hit the brakes as hard as I could otherwise I would have slammed into the back end of a tractor trailer. I have owned this car for about a year and nothing like this has ever happened. Absolutely terrifying To the point where I don't Even want to keep the car. Called Subaru told them what was happening and they said they never heard of this before but they Don't have any appointments with loaner car until October 10th.

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 (210 E Interstate 240 Service Rd, Oklahoma City, OK 73149) on several occasions. However, both dealers could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V587000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

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 spilling from the fill hole. Also, the check engine light/code for this disables the cruise control (traction control I assume) and possibly the ABS. (The first time the check engine light came on, the ABS and Brake light also came on.)

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 it should. Stopped by Wheeling Volkswagen/Subaru Dealership just before their daily closing. They inspected and found the above ruptured fuel line, leaking onto the pavement under the engine compartment. They determined it was unsafe to drive, but did not have a replacement part. They found there were less than 10 of these fuel injector fuel delivery lines available in the whole U.S. Had to leave the vehicle with them, and the repair was completed 4 day later. The faulty component was observed by the service department personel, and by myself. I have no photos to submit, but have the repair invoice covered under Subaru's drive train warranty. This component failure could have easily resulted in a vehicle fire or explosion, and I feel very fortunate that did not happen! This fuel line is flexible rubber, not metal, and I think is made of faulty materials. I have never heard of such a failure personally. There were no warning lamps, messages or symptoms, other than the strong smell of gasoline.

WHILE IN MY DRIVEWAY UPON STARTING MY 2018 OUTBACK I SMELLED STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. POPPED THE HOOD AND SAW THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE SPRAYING THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH GAS MIST/DROPLETS IN A FULL BLOWN SHOWER. I TURNED THE CAR OFF,VISUALLY INSPECTED THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE AND SAW THAT IT HAD RUPTURED NEAR THE ENGINE PLENUM INTAKE, APPROXIMATE SIZE 1/8"1/4" (PHOTO ATTACHED). CAR HAS LESS THAN 2900 MILES ON IT. POTENTIALLY VIBRATION FROM BRACKET MOUNT/INAPPROPRIATE MATERIALS USED FOR FUEL SUPPLY LINE. FUEL SUPPLY LINE APPEARS TO BE POLYETHYLENE PLASTIC INSIDE NON-REINFORCED RUBBER OUTER SHELL. HOSE USES FRICTION CLAMPS TO ATTACH TO FIREWALL AND ENGINE PLENUM.

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 IT DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME. IN THE LAST 1000 MILES IT HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES. AFTER THE HESITATION, ABOUT 3 -5 SECONDS, IT STARTS TO MOVE. IT HAS ALSO OCCURRED WHEN MOVING FROM ONE LANE TO ANOTHER AFTER COMING TO A NEAR STOP DUE TO A CLOSED LANE IN THE ROAD.

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 IS NO POWER AND YOU HAVE TO HIT THE ACCELERATOR A COUPLE OF TIMES TO GET IT TO RESPOND. THE ENGINE NEVER STALLS OUT. ON THE EXPRESSWAY IT DROPPED OUT OF CRUSE TWICE. I PULLED UP TO A STOP SIGN TO CROSS INTO TRAFFIC AND IT HAD POWER AT FIRST AND THEN NO POWER. I WAS THEN IN A PANIC MODE PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR AND FINALLY IT RESPONDED. THIS IS WHY I THINK IT IS SERIOUS.

GAS INDICATOR SAYS I HAVE MORE GAS THEN I DO. WHEN EMPTY IT STILL REGISTERS GAS. THERE IS A RECALL BUT NO FIX IS PRESENT.

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.

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.

CAR STALLED AND RAN OUT OF GAS WHEN THE SYSTEM SAID I HAD 20 MILES LEFT. I WAS 2 MILES FROM HOME/GAS STATION. THIS HAPPENED AT A STREET LIGHT ON A BUSY STREET. I HAD TO GET OUT AND PUSH THE CAR OUT OF THE WAY IN 5 LANES OF TRAFFIC.

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V773000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. THE DEALER (SUBARU OF SANTA CRUZ, 4100 AUTO PLAZA DRIVE, CAPITOLA, CA 95010) CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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 CAR AND GO TO A SERVICE STATION AND FILL UP.

NUMBER OF MILES SHOWED 40 UNTIL GAS WAS NEEDED- 8 MILES LATER WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF GAS ON MAJOR HIGHWAY- CONTACTED SUBARU SERVICE WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY ISSUES WITH THIS, HE SAID YES-- HE ACTUALLY SAID THE SAME EXACT SCENARIO-- WHERE SAID 40, AND APPROX. 8 MILES LATER COMPLETELY OUT OF GAS- HE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD FUEL ENGINEERS LOOK AT THE CAR THAT WAS BROUGHT IN AND SAID THE ONLY WAY TO GET GOOD INFORMATION IS TO RE-SET TRIP A AND RE-SET TRIP B AFTER YOU FILL YOUR TANK-- SO IT CAN CALIBRATE. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE- THEY SHOULD COMMUNICATE THIS TO THEIR CUSTOMERS TO AVOID THIS HUGE SAFETY RISK. POLICE WERE CALLED TO US BROKEN DOWN ON FREEWAY TO ALERT TRAFFIC WE WERE SITTING ON SHOULDER- VERY UNSAFE AREA TO "RUN OUT OF GAS"- SUBARU SHOULD GET THIS GLITCH FIXED-- AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, COMMUNICATE TO PEOPLE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED SUBARU AMERICA TO LET THEM KNOW AND I HAVE OPENED A CASE. THEY WILL CALL ME BACK NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, OCT 10TH, 2018 WITH AN UPDATE. I ALSO WANTED THIS TO BE BROUGHT TO NTSB ATTENTION SINCE SUBARU SOUNDED LIKE THEY KNEW ABOUT IT, BUT DIDN'T EVEN TELL US WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR. CAR HAS ROUGHLY 4K MILES ON IT.

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 ASSISTANCE - THANK GOODNESS THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION OR ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. BRAND NEW CAR RUNS WORSE THAN MY 1988 HONDA CRX.

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 KNOWN PROBLEM THAT IS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE FUEL CLUSTER THAT CALIBRATES THE AMOUNT OF MILES ONE HAS REMAINING. WE WERE TOLD THAT SUBARU KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND IS MANUFACTURING/ REPLACING THE PART IF THEY ARE NOTIFIED THAT A PARTICULAR CAR HAS THE PROBLEM BUT IT WILL BE A MONTH BEFORE THE NEW PART IS SHIPPED TO OUR DEALER FOR INSTALLATION. UNFORTUNATELY, SUBARU HAS NOT NOTIFIED OWNERS OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND WE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING POSTED ON THEIR WEBSITE ABOUT THIS.