Is the 2018 Subaru Outback a bad year?
816 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Outback years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2018 Subaru Outback are in line with other Outback years. Visibility and wipers and electrical system stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2018 Outback owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 24,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility and wipersSTANDS OUT | 273 (33%) | 12k–36k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 267 (33%) | 9k–30k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Engine | 37 (5%) | 6k–32k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Speed control | 21 (3%) | 3k–30k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 18 (2%) | 5k–32k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Collision avoidance | 18 (2%) | 14k–31k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Body structure | 15 (2%) | 6k–29k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 14 (2%) | 5k–42k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Fuel system | 46 (6%) | 3k–13k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Steering | 36 (4%) | 2k–11k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Backup camera | 19 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Wheels | 11 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 10 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 9 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 24,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 816 complaints: 27 mention a crash · 4 mention a fire · 10 report an injury · 19 say the car was towed.
42 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2018 Subaru Outback: 3
The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.
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. 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.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Subaru: 193
Repair instructions Subaru sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2018 Subaru Outback. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Diagnostic procedures along with availability of new Engine Control Module (ECM) reprogramming files to address DTC P2404…
Step-by-step diagnostic procedure for resolving Remote Engine Start (RES) failures for both Telematics and remote engine start equipped vehicles
Diagnostic procedures to follow and a brief questionnaire to complete when diagnosing an alleged Chain Slip condition on the TR580 and TR690 model CVT…
When diagnosing chain slip, judder, shudder, and hesitation concerns on the TR580 model CVT transmissions used in the models listed
Neighbouring years
2017 Outback: 921 complaints, keep it · 2019 Outback: 1,036 complaints, keep it.
Every Subaru Outback year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Outback years side by side
Other Subaru models: Subaru Ascent · Subaru Crosstrek · Subaru Forester · Subaru Impreza · Subaru Legacy · Subaru WRX · Subaru XV Crosstrek. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2018 Subaru Outback a bad year?
816 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Outback years. At 24,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Subaru Outback?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: visibility and wipers (273), electrical system (267), engine (37), speed control (21), brakes (18).
How many recalls does the 2018 Subaru Outback have?
3 recall campaigns list this model year: Fuel system (NHTSA 21V-587), Visibility and wipers (NHTSA 18V-935), Fuel system (NHTSA 18V-773). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.