The 2018 Subaru Outback has 803 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are electrical system and visibility/wiper. Owners most often flag cvt transmission concerns: long-term reliability doubts, specific reports of torque converter and clutch pack failures requiring replacement under warranty, fluid migration issues in turbo models (tr690 transmission). "lifetime fluid" claim is disputed. frequency: very frequent.
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2018 Subaru Outback vehicles (US, public record).
Across the 12 Outback model years we track, complaint volume runs from 95 (2003) to 1,028 (2019). With 803 complaints, the 2018 Outback sits abovethe model's median of 290.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
visibility:rearview mirrors/devices
Campaign 18V935000Subaru 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 displ…
electrical system:software
Campaign 18V773000Subaru 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-…
fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Campaign 21V587000Subaru 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 f…
Mixed sentiment with a strong generational divide. Long-term reliability is a core positive, with many owners reporting vehicles reaching 200,000+ miles with proper maintenance, particularly for non-turbo models.
Owner insights cover all generations of the Outback. See the full Outback owner picture and every model year.
Used Outback listings typically run $18,424–$29,686 across 2013 to 2026 model years.
Compare every Outback year side by side to see how 2018 ranks against the rest.