Model year record

2018 Subaru Outback

3 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 1,085 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 21V587000

Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump

Component
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
Manufacturer
Subaru of America, Inc.
Vehicles affected
175,968
Reported to NHTSA
2021-07-29
Owners notified
2021-09-24

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 18V935000

Visibility: rearview mirrors/devices

Component
Visibility: rearview mirrors/devices
Manufacturer
Subaru of America, Inc.
Vehicles affected
71,190
Reported to NHTSA
2018-12-31
Owners notified
2019-02-05

Defect description

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."

Safety risk

Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 18V773000

Electrical system: software

Component
Electrical system: software
Manufacturer
Subaru of America, Inc.
Vehicles affected
228,648
Reported to NHTSA
2018-11-01
Owners notified
2019-02-20

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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.

Manufacturer 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.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Electrical system27716,000 mi
Visibility/wiper23721,200 mi
Unknown or other18512,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system455,220 mi
Engine416,000 mi
Visibility: windshield3635,822 mi
Steering354,500 mi
Vehicle speed control218,000 mi
Service brakes206,000 mi
Structure: body1815,000 mi
Power train152,000 mi
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera1412,285 mi
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking14
Exterior lighting1332,000 mi
Seats1024,000 mi
Wheels101,122 mi
Air bags910,300 mi
Forward collision avoidance: warnings82,000 mi
Suspension82,500 mi
Back over prevention739,000 mi
Back over prevention: warnings6
Electrical system: instrument panel: fuel gauge6500 mi
Forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control530,850 mi
Electrical system: instrument panel: speedometer/odometer4148,234 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)410,000 mi
Visibility49,790 mi
Back over prevention: rearview system braking3
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel326,000 mi
Equipment: electrical: infotainment374,000 mi
Lane departure: assist312,000 mi
Lane departure: warning350,000 mi
Seat belts3
Fuel system, gasoline265,000 mi
Lane departure: blind spot detection2
Latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch2
Carry handle, shell, base1
Fuel system, other: storage: fuel gauge system13,900 mi
Lane departure12,500 mi
Steering: electric power assist system125,000 mi
Tires: bead116,927 mi
Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems1
Visibility: rearview mirrors/devices: exterior160 mi
Wheels: rim184,000 mi
Wheels: spokes184,000 mi

The 2017 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. The 2019 model has about half as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.