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2018 Subaru Outback Wilderness
Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.
805 owner complaints · 3 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Buy-rated alternatives from this era
Other 2016–2020 cars in the same rough price bracket with a clean, matured Buy verdict — worth cross-shopping before you commit to the 2018 Subaru Outback Wilderness.
Why caution?
Visibility & wipers problems dominate (34% of complaints, typically reported near 21k miles).
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#258 of 407Among the 2018 models with a matured record, the 2018 Subaru Outback Wilderness ranks #258, scoring higher than 19% of them. See the 2018 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2018 Subaru Outback SW AWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 17%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2018 Subaru Outback Wilderness, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Speed control (21)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Visibility & wipers
34%272 complaints · typically near 21k mi · 5 in the last 2 years
“This is the third time my windshield has cracked in the last three years.”
Electrical system
33%265 complaints · typically near 18k mi · 32 in the last 2 years
“The car screens are delaminating and bubbling due to fault of the manufacturer. This is a widespread issue and causes safety issues due to the screen moving erraticall…”
Fuel system
6%45 complaints · typically near 3k mi · 3 in the last 2 years
“In heavy traffic, we were rolling slowly along, when all of a sudden the engine began revving on its own, against the brake. I quickly moved the shifter into neutral, …”
Engine
4%36 complaints · typically near 47k mi · 4 in the last 2 years
“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”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 2 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 805 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 34 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (3)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Fuel System, Gasoline · 21V587000
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.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Visibility · 18V935000
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."
Risk: Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.
Fix: 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.
Electrical System · 18V773000
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.
Risk: The inaccurate fuel display may cause a driver to unexpectedly run out of fuel and the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Subaru before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Subaru Outback Wilderness. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report visibility & wipers problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 21k miles). Has this car shown any visibility & wipers symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 18k miles). Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2018 Subaru OUTBACK WILDERNESS beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2018? See how every Outback Wilderness model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 Subaru Outback Wilderness against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.