Model year
2018 Subaru Outback
NHTSA lists 3 recalls and 816 complaints for the 2018 Subaru Outback (recall file dated Oct 23, 2026; complaint file dated Oct 23, 2026). The components listed on the most complaints are ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (259), VISIBILITY/WIPER (234), UNKNOWN OR OTHER (162). NHTSA rated the SW AWD 5 stars overall. EPA rates it 22–28 mpg combined depending on configuration (fuel economy file dated Sep 29, 2026). EPA's annual fuel-cost figures for these configurations are $2,400–$3,050, based on 15,000 miles and 55% city driving.
- 2018 816 complaints
- 2019 1,036 complaints
- 2020 901 complaints
- 2021 298 complaints
- 2022 465 complaints
- 2023 89 complaints
- 2024 104 complaints
- 2025 83 complaints
- 2026 20 complaints
- 2027 0 complaints
Recalls
21V587000 · Jul 29, 2021
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
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.
18V935000 · Dec 31, 2018
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES
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…
18V773000 · Nov 1, 2018
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
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…
Complaints
816 distinct complaints. Crash flag on 27, fire flag on 4, injury field 19, deaths field 0. A complaint can be counted under more than one component. The injury and death figures are the file's numbers (the highest value on each complaint, then added), not a separate verified count of people.
Investigations
No investigations are matched to this name.
Safety ratings
| Variant | Overall | Front | Side | Pole | Rollover | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SW AWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 · possibility 0.174 | NHTSA photo |
Fuel economy
| Configuration | Fuel | City | Hwy | Comb | kWh/100 mi | Range | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outback AWD · 2.5L · Automatic (AV-S7) · All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 25 | 32 | 28 | — | — | $2,400 |
| Outback AWD · 3.6L · Automatic (AV-S6) · All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 20 | 27 | 22 | — | — | $3,050 |
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Check a vehicle
This page is not a VIN lookup. NHTSA's recall tool checks a specific vehicle: nhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA's page for this model year is 2018 Subaru Outback at NHTSA. Complaint narratives stay on NHTSA's site and are not copied here.