10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
11,157 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #8

Oct 232018

Outback

  • 7,800 miles
The radio display head unit failed. The rear back-up camera and and warning signals are inoperable. I have been without the systems for three weeks and Subaru customer service can not provide a date when this repair can be made. This is a safety concern as they aid in backing up the vehicle in parking lots at night when visibility is poor.

- Sicklerville, NJ, USA

problem #7

Aug 252018

Outback

  • 3,800 miles
I recently purchased a 2018 Outback. I was driving it going about 25 mph on road by my house and it shut down out of nowhere, dash lights came on, gas pedal wouldn't work, the only way I got it to go was shutting it off completely and restarting it. They car has 3500 miles, I dropped it off at the dealership on 8/25 and they have had it since. They replaced the fuel pump saying it was the cause of it shutting down on me. I received the car back on 9/21 and drove it for 180 miles, this time at 65 mph the car shutdown again while I was trying to pass someone on a 2 lane road, power steering lost and all lights came on dashboard like it had some type of electrical problem. Very similar to the first time but I was driving much faster this time.after about 30 seconds the car just kind of started up by itself without me having to push the start button I believe this issue is a huge safety issue and could possibly get me killed or someone else killed while driving this car. Subaru service facility has no clue whats going on since the car is not throwing codes. I have started the lemon law process but Subaru is not being very helpful thus far. Also having a problem with passenger seat not sensing if someone is sitting in the seat and not enabling the airbags. This problem came up on the scan on 8/25 analysis. I was unaware of the issue, nothing in the car told me passenger side airbag was not working. Subaru replaced the seat but I am still concerned that the problem is going on since I have no way to tell if it works or not.

- Saint Augustine, FL, USA

problem #6

Aug 082018

Outback

  • 800 miles
I was driving about 25 mph when my Bridgestone tire, model dueler H/P sport as, blew-out on the passenger rear side. The tire had only 800 miles on it.

- Thurmont, MD, USA

problem #5

May 122018

Outback

  • 2,400 miles
Vehicle was parked. Sunroof exploded. The glass was not damaged previously. It could have been serious if we had been driving. I believe that the glass was defective or there is a design problem with the thickness of the glass/car structural stress.

- Wichita, KS, USA

problem #4

May 092018

Outback

  • 5,200 miles
While backing out of the driveway rear cross traffic alert failed to provide an alert of the vehicle approaching on the street, collision followed. Security camera video of the accident is available however size exceeds the maximum specified for the upload.

- Rockaway Park, NY, USA

problem #3

Feb 212018

Outback

  • 2,980 miles
A crack developed in the lower left corner of the front passenger window. The crack is about 7 inches in length, running from the bottom of the window - where it meets the rubber gasket of the door - up and to the right. It obscures the right side mirror. This crack appeared suddenly on 2/21/18. Prior to this, we noticed a bubbling or warping of the window in the top left area that distorted the view - this has been previously reported on the NHTSA site.

- San Francisco, CA, USA

problem #2

Jan 272018

Outback

  • 988 miles
I purchased my 2018 Subaru Outback on Dec. 29, 2017. Three weeks later, the windshield began to show a crack creeping up from the upper right side of the vehicle. Mind you, the car was stationary in my driveway. I never witnessed the windshield sustain any impact that would cause such a crack. I brought the vehicle to my local Subaru dealer where the car was purchased for repair or replacement and the dealer refused to cover the repair under the vehicle's warranty. There have been multiple complaints lodged with the national highway transportation safety authority, describing the Subaru windshield defect issue. Additionally, on occasion and while in motion, the head unit (navigation display, radio, etc.) in my 2018 Outback limited w/eyesight, will freeze up and no hard or soft buttons will reactivate the system. I had to shut my car down for a few minutes before a "reboot" took place.

- Hudson, OH, USA

problem #1

Dec 272017

Outback

  • 5,040 miles
Starlink radio in touring model with 8"screen unreliable. Had issues with touchscreen freezing and cd loading error from purchase date in August to Dec. 18, 2017. Dealer tried to perform software update and fried radio. Radio was replaced. Issues worse with new radio. Took 2500 mile trip and had complete failure of radio, navigation, bluetooth, backup camera. Letting car sit cleared some errors but later similar problems reoccurred. Also have issue with doors do not always lock when shifting into gear or unlocking when shifting into park. The radio controls these settings and all doors are to unlock when shifted to reverse or drive and unlock when shifted to park. Sometimes no doors lock when shifting into reverse or drive. Sometimes only the front doors unlock when shifting to park sometimes no doors unlock when shifting to park. During one period when radio was out the car would not start until the drivers door was opened and closed 3 times. Issue with loss of radio and other components occurs when starting the car. It has never occurred while driving. Extremely concerned about doors not locking and unlocking serious safety issue. Subaru appears to know about the issue but dealers have have little information and Subaru has not notified owners of the issues but numerous posts in Subaru Outback forum indicate numerous other owners with the 8" screen are having similar issues.

- Clinton, IA, USA