2018 Subaru Outback Problems, complaints & recalls

warning indicators on the car to indicate that the DRL is not functioning properly. The repair cost is unreasonable and subjects any 2018 Subaru Outback Owner with a factory defective DRL to spend over $1,000 to essentially "change a light bulb" to have the DRL system work as designed by Subaru itself. Not only does the failed DRL compromise the engineered and manufactured safety of the Subaru, the remedy to fix the Subaru DRL is cost prohibitive for most owners.

on the screen, stations changing irradically, BEEP BOP BOOP BOP tones, irritation and distrtaction! I believe it could be caused by the heat of summer and the angle of the screen on the dashboard... but cars are out in the sun all the time, how often does this happen to other vehicles? I now just try to ignore it. Even with turning the radio off, it comes back on somehow, so it's volume knob is always kept turned down. I still have access to the map and back-up camera, but for how long? This safety equipment is undependable, and, although I knew how to drive before such conveniences were available, it is a distraction when driving.

rack, and lower control arms. Severe corrosion and rot in this area create an imminent risk of structural failure, specifically the potential separation of the lower control arms while driving. Such a failure directly impacts steering stability and vehicle tracking, creating a catastrophic hazard that could result in a sudden loss of vehicle control, an inability to steer, and an increased risk of a severe motor vehicle accident. The dealership has issued an itemized repair estimate of $2,900.00 to replace the structurally compromised subframe assembly.

maps or destinations. 95% of the time the screen does not respond to my touch. I can not get the screen to do what I need it to do. I am at the mercy of the 'ghost' and what it selects. I find this dangerous while driving because you need to look at the screen and try to stop the ghost from touching selections. This is distracting, and I can't stop whatever the ghost is selecting on my screen. The radio/screen will not shut off - I have no choice but to put up with the problem. My dealer said 'when I can't stand it anymore, I should consider having it replaced at my expense." It is currently around 13 months that I have put up with this nonsense, because of a delamination issue that is a known issue. Shame on Subaru for allowing this to go on.

covered to 8 years/150,000 miles on 2019-2023 models. No crash or injury has resulted. These issues began many years ago (at least as early as 2020), when the car still belonged to my mother. Since the car was transferred to me last year, it has only gotten worse and the phantom inputs are sometimes constant and are an extreme distraction.

13,487 miles, I reported the radio was still blacking out after that update; the dealer found the radio inoperative, physically replaced the audio unit, and filed a failure report with the vendor. On 3/18/2019, the dealer performed Service Campaign WUA86 (head unit software reprogram) and completed Recall WTW82. On 3/16/2020, I returned with the same failure, the service record states my complaint verbatim: "the speakers will buzz and the infotainment center go black and reset itself", and the dealer performed another head unit software reprogram. This visit fell within the active HK Gen 3.0 Warranty Extension coverage window (1/1/2020-2/27/2023), a warranty extension tied to a related class action settlement (Udeen v. Subaru of America, Case No. 1:18-cv-17334) covering this exact head unit generation. Subaru also issued Technical Service Bulletin 15-228-18R specifically for "Display Screen Freeze-Up or Black (Blank) Concerns" on this head unit, confirming the defect was known and documented internally. Despite one full hardware replacement and multiple software reprogramming attempts across four documented visits from 2018-2020, the defect was never permanently resolved. The infotainment screen now has delamination, continued freezing, unresponsive/phantom touch input ("ghost touch"), Bluetooth failure, and navigation failure. Because this system controls the backup camera display and interacts with EyeSight, an unpredictable freeze or blackout is unsafe.

Change radio stations - Rapidly cycle through menus and settings - Trigger Bluetooth phone functions - Attempt to call contacts from my phone when connected via Bluetooth This creates a significant driver distraction and safety hazard. The screen behavior is unpredictable and often continuous while driving, forcing me to repeatedly look away from the road to determine what the system is doing. The issue is especially concerning because the system can initiate phone calls or rapidly switch screens while the vehicle is in motion, making it difficult to safely operate the vehicle without distraction. Based on online research, this appears to be a widespread issue affecting multiple Subaru vehicles with similar infotainment systems, suggesting a possible design or manufacturing defect rather than isolated wear and tear. I believe this defect presents an unreasonable safety risk because it creates repeated and unavoidable distractions for the driver while the vehicle is in operation. This is my fist Subaru, I cannot believe how many times I have heard that this is a "common issue" and yet Subaru will not admit fault. This is a worse distraction than texting and driving and should be approached with the same respect when it comes to safety.

camera activates, but the defective, delaminated display and make the image unusable. Subaru previously extended warranty coverage for the Harman Gen. 3 head unit under Service Bulletin 15-263-20, but Subaru has denied my request for replacement. This creates a risk of a backing collision because the driver cannot reliably use the rearview image. It also creates continuing driver distraction from uncontrolled navigation, audio, and telephone activity. No collision has occurred to date, but the system has caused repeated distracting incidents and can no longer be relied upon for rear visibility.

- Rapidly cycle through menus and settings - Trigger Bluetooth phone functions - Attempt to call contacts from my phone when connected via Bluetooth This creates a significant driver distraction and safety hazard. The screen behavior is unpredictable and often continuous while driving, forcing me to repeatedly look away from the road to determine what the system is doing. The issue is especially concerning because the system can initiate phone calls or rapidly switch screens while the vehicle is in motion, making it difficult to safely operate the vehicle without distraction. I have attached video evidence showing the touchscreen activating controls on its own without user input. Based on online research, this appears to be a widespread issue affecting multiple Subaru vehicles with similar infotainment systems, suggesting a possible design or manufacturing defect rather than isolated wear and tear. I believe this defect presents an unreasonable safety risk because it creates repeated and unavoidable distractions for the driver while the vehicle is in operation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

vehicle was outside of its standard warranty coverage period. Since then, the defect has degenerated significantly. The system now suffers from continuous, uncontrollable phantom inputs ("ghost touching"). Even when I manually power the radio off, the system overrides my command, turns itself back on, and initiates constant, rapid beep sequences. This continuous, high-volume auditory glitch creates a dangerous critical safety failure: the nonstop beeping totally masks and completely drowns out the vehicle's actual auditory collision avoidance and driver-assist safety alerts. Because of this defect, I am entirely unable to hear the safety tones meant to warn me of immediate hazards, including blind-spot detection alerts, lane-departure warnings, and cross-traffic alerts. This vehicle has become an active hazard to drive, as I am deprived of the core safety features I rely on to protect my family. I contacted Subaru of America to resolve this dangerous equipment failure, but they refused to offer any financial assistance or repair support. Subaru Corporate documented this refusal under Subaru Case #260603-1600711. Because Subaru refuses to address a known component failure that actively disables crash-avoidance warning systems, I am petitioning the NHTSA to investigate this defect as a systemic safety hazard before it results in severe injuries or a fatal accident. I can share video, but it won't allow me to upload down below. Thank you.

alert To try and slow the vehicle ran the wheel against the curb of the median which slowed the car down a little . I pressed the parking brake button with no effect. The collision avoidance system did not engage. I clipped the rear of the Toyota Corolla as I jumped the curb to avoid cars using the friction against the curb and move further left when oncoming cars were clear and was able to stop the car. (The car may have stopped because the front control arm bent which made the car drag. ) I am unsure whether the master cylinder failure or ABS overrode braking, but the car would not stop. I do not know if the black box captured the data as the there was no airbag deployment. The collision avoidance system did not engage to slow the car any time. I did not see any lights light on the dashboard did not check specifically as I was busy avoiding a collision other cars . Basically, pedal went down not all the way to the floor but car was not slowing down. I checked the master cylinder reservoir, and it still had fluid. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

vehicle. Upon researching this online, it is caused by delamination of the head unit and has plagued this vehicle. The issue started happening outside of warranty. I feel like this is a well documented problem and Subaru refuses to do a recall on it.

the same system failure within 2026. I have open case with Subaru of America regarding this matter (Case Number: [[redacted]]). Despite multiple repairs, the root cause has not been resolved. I am concerned this is a safety issue as a malfunctioning TPMS system can fail to alert the driver to dangerous tire pressure conditions while driving. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this is a widespread defect in 2018 Subaru Outback vehicles. I have spent over $2,000 out of pocket costs to date. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

prior to the incident and no reproduction of the incident was possible due to damage. The car has been relinquished to the insurance company. This was the first such incident occurring during 8 years of driving this vehicle.