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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2018 Subaru Outback is associated with 807 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 3 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Visibility & Wipers, accounting for 210 reports (26% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2.5l 4-cyl and 3.6l 6-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 22 to 28 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 807 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 3 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Visibility & Wipers (210 / 26%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 27 crash / 4 fire / 10 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 22–28 MPG across 2 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2018 Subaru Outback?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Outback AWD 2.5L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S7) 25 MPG 32 MPG 28 MPG — $2,200 / yr
Outback AWD 3.6L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S6) 20 MPG 27 MPG 22 MPG — $2,800 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2018 Subaru Outback?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SW AWD 17.4%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2018 Subaru Outback models.
View complete 2018 Subaru Outback crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2018 Subaru Outback?

Summary of 807 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
807
Crash Reports
27
Fire Reports
4
Complaints w/ Injury
10
Total Injuries
19

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Visibility & Wipers 210 complaints (1 crash)
Electrical System 197 complaints
Visibility / Glass 37 complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 23 complaints
Steering 22 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2018 Subaru Outback problems & component breakdown (98 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2018 Subaru Outback?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #21V587000 Active Recall
Affected Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
NHTSA Campaign #18V935000 Active Recall
Affected Component: VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES

Defect Summary: 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 will not display while backing up the vehicle. As a result, the vehicles fail to comply with requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the audio system display software, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTZ-85.
NHTSA Campaign #18V773000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Defect Summary: 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 despite the tank being empty.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the combination meter software, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTW-82.
View all 2018 Subaru Outback recalls & campaign history (3 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2018 Subaru Outback

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2018 Subaru Outback

How many safety recalls does the 2018 Subaru Outback have?

The 2018 Subaru Outback is associated with 3 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 3 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2018 Subaru Outback?

NHTSA records list 807 consumer defect complaints for the 2018 Subaru Outback. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Visibility & Wipers, appearing in 210 filings (26% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2018 Subaru Outback defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2018 Subaru Outback?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2018 Subaru Outback earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 1 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2018 Subaru Outback get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2018 Subaru Outback range from 22 to 28 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.