2018 Subaru Outback: engine and transmission complaints
NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
10%
81 of 809 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2018 Subaru Outback. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 10% of relevant complaints.
Better than 97% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
What owners reported
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION 04/29/2026CRASH1 INJURED
Driving slowly in a parking lot, I applied the brakes as I approached a parking space. Instead of slowing down, the car inexplicably accelerated quickly and did not respond to increased pressure on the brakes. The car was propelled into a metal post, resulting in my glasses flying off and a seat belt bruise, although t…
ENGINE07/14/2026
Engine cam carrier seals are leaking. Repair cost is $5,700 plus tax. Vehicle is well cared for and well maintained with only 96,000 miles The Subaru Manufacturer was contacted and will do nothing to fix and does not admit engineer defect nor manufacturing defect. Basically, 96,000 and needs a new engine. Please pu…
ENGINE06/15/2026
Acceleration was very sluggish and un-responsive Gears would strangely slip on the highway resulting in engine racing up Rotating sound would come and go
Three of 81 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (3)
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 syst…
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
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 …
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. Th…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2018 Subaru Outback
No elevated drivetrain pattern for this model year. That describes the model, not the car in front of you.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose.
3 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A fuel system already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.
