What 805 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Subaru Outback Wilderness

Windshield has been replaced 4 times. 7/21/2018, 7/24/2019, 4/8/2022, 06/01/2022 Replaced at Subaru Dealership with Subaru glass all four times. Last time the glass broke (5/2022) there was no impact which was confirmed by Subaru staff. I went to the car and noticed two cracks which had suddenly appeared and could not be fixed. It is a safety hazard because the glass can't be replaced expediently because car eyesight also needs to be done/scheduled and ordered. 7/21/2018, 7/24/2019, 4/8/2022 Windshield replaced on these dates at the Subaru Dealership -----Glass cracks and spreads quickly once a small rock hits the glass while on highway. Impairs clear vision while driving. Safety hazard.

NHTSA ODI 11467227

The windshield got cracked again from almost the same place as last time in 2019. Again, I found out the incident the morning when I just started driving. The crack originates from bottom of the glass without any chips. The very similar thing happened in 2019. I have not driven much since COVID. Looks like a manufacturing defect.

NHTSA ODI 11462039

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while approaching her parked vehicle, she noticed that the driver’s side windshield was cracked. The contact stated that there was no impact to the windshield to cause the crack to occur. The contact stated that the crack occurred overnight. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11461671

The windshield cracked while driving at 45mph on a normal street. Nothing hit the windshield, it just popped and cracked. This is the second time this has happened to this vehicle. The previous cracks occurred while it was parked.

NHTSA ODI 11459139

A crack has developed from the base of the windshield and has grown to about 9 inches so far as it crosses along the windshield. The only thing that has hit the windshield was a small bug as we traveled along the highway. The sound of the bug hitting the windshield was so tiny neither my wife or I could believe that was what caused the crack. This needs to be looked into as it could create a huge problem if the windshield suddenly shatters due to this defect.

NHTSA ODI 11458505

Windshield cracked for no good reason!

NHTSA ODI 11457520

My husband, son, and I got into our parked 2018 Subaru Outback and closed our doors. My husband started the car and we immediately heard a loud “pop” and saw a crack spread in several directions from the driver’s side edge of the windshield across the driver’s line of vision. Upon closer inspection, we were able to see 3 tiny chips in the glass, one of which was incorporated into the crack. As the driver of this vehicle at least 5/7 days a week, these chips in the driver’s side windshield were small enough that I had not noticed them before (see pictures). This crack impairs my ability to operate this vehicle safely because it obstructs my line of vision. Had we been driving when it happened, the cracking may have caused an accident. I am also concerned that the windshield is not appropriately tempered to provide adequate protection and structural integrity in the event of a collision. This is the third spontaneously cracked windshield I have experienced with this vehicle since I purchased it brand new in Nov 2017. The first cracked windshield occurred within months of my purchasing the vehicle. The dealership where I purchased it replaced the windshield with no cost to me at that time. I was given the impression that the original windshield was faulty and the replacement would not be, though no fault was admitted by Subaru. The second incident occurred about one year ago, a little over 3 years after we purchased the Outback. This being the third windshield to spontaneously crack, I would like to try replacing it with an after market windshield. However, I have been informed by both the Subaru dealership and the local windshield replacement business that has worked closely with my dealership the two previous times I needed replacement, that an after market windshield can not be calibrated for my vehicle’s EyeSight system. If I use an after market windshield, I will have to forgo the added safety features provided by the EyeSight system.

NHTSA ODI 11457531

My windshield has cracked twice already. Both times a fine line started at the bottom of the windshield during the cold weather in March 2020 and March 2022. The incident was dismissed by the local Subaru dealer in 2020 claiming the cracked was caused due to something hitting it. I took it to my insurance for repair. I hae not replaced the windshield foe the 2022 incident. I strongly believe that both incident have been caused due to manufacturing defect.

NHTSA ODI 11456232

Windshield has a long crack in it that begins under the passenger side windshield wiper. There are no signs of impact whatsoever. First noticed the crack in early January of 2022. Initially, it was a small crack, however, within hours it grew to the driver side. I noticed the initial crack when I was parking and the crack grew without me moving my vehicle or driving it.

NHTSA ODI 11455081

This is the second windshield on my 2018 Subaru Outback that has cracked near the A-pillar without any evidence of being caused by an impact.

NHTSA ODI 11453029

Windshield washer barely works, only one of the three nozzles will spray fluid. Pump sounds like it's working and fluid is full. For sure a safety issue in winter months.

NHTSA ODI 11452316

Windshield has cracked twice with no dings. The crack starts at the top and goes down and then horizontal. The car only has 18,500 miles on it. There is currently a class action law suit against Subaru on this subject. Subaru requires a special type of glass because of the cameras that look thru the windshield. It is very expensive to replace.

NHTSA ODI 11446496

We have had 4 windshields on this vehicle and now the current one that was just replaced last October ( 3 months ago) just broke too. If we have this replaced it will be the 5th windshield in 4 years. It is unsafe because visibility is reduced. This is a common problem with Subarus, as evidenced by the many online discussions regarding the faulty windshields. Subaru did lose a lawsuit for 2015-2016 windshields but the newer models have not been included as yet.

NHTSA ODI 11446226

The windshield has had 3 different pressure cracks (there's never been any evidence of a chip or impact) and the cracks have all appeared spontaneously. The cracks spread quickly and end up having to be replaced. The first crack was in May 2018, the second was in March 2020, and the 3rd (most recent) happened December 30, 2021.

NHTSA ODI 11445648

My husband and I were driving on the freeway at 10:05 am on 12/23/21. Suddenly we heard a slight noise that emanated from the windshield. I 13 1/2 inch crack appeared on the passenger side windshield. Upon closer inspection there is a minute ding mark near the bottom of the windshield that may have been caused by a very small pebble, causing the windshiedl to crack upon impact. The vehicle is available for inspection. Safety concerns are visibility of the road, other vehicles, and possible Eyesight system failure that is embedded in the windshield. I am reporting this prior to any inspection. I will now call the insurance and the manufacturer for repair. There was no warning system of any kind.

NHTSA ODI 11444845

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while approaching her parked vehicle, she noticed a crack on the middle of the passenger’s side windshield. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

NHTSA ODI 11441013

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked overnight and as he sat in the vehicle the next morning, he noticed a foot-long crack starting from the top of the windshield going down on the driver’s side. The contact looked around but could not determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and advised the contact that he would be responsible for the cost of the repair because the warranty only covered minor cracks. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 32,000.

NHTSA ODI 11440712

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact noticed that the windshield was cracked from the bottom of the passenger’s side going upward. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 18,130.

NHTSA ODI 11439296

Windshields crack for no reason. We are on the fourth windshield. One was a stone hit. So while weak, that is not the main issue. But we then had the windshield suddenly crack from no contact driving slowly through a cemetery. We replaced that windshield at Subaru then again the next day it cracked. Again, nothing hit it and the speed was slow. Not cemetery slow. But about 40 miles an hour. This is a real problem!

NHTSA ODI 11438372

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the next morning a large S-shaped crack was present in the middle of the front windshield. The contact indicated that the crack was not present after parking the night before and no object had contacted the windshield to cause the failure. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The contact stated that the failure had previously occurred and was repaired. The failure mileage was 29,000.

NHTSA ODI 11433849

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the windshield cracked without impact. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer nor independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched the failure online and found a class action lawsuit that stated a complaint had to be filed with NHTSA. The contact felt unsafe driving the vehicle and feared that the windshield might shatter while driving. The manufacturer had not been notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 10,100.

NHTSA ODI 11433652

The windshield on my Subaru developed a crack across the length of windshield after a minor rock impact. A few weeks later a second crack developed randomly. The new crack crosses infront of the eyesight system. I am concerned the cracks interfere with the vehicles eye sight system. I believe the windshield is defective and creates safety hazard as the cracks blocks visibility and also affect the eyesight system. I contacted Subaru and the dealer advised the defect was not covered under my warranty and would cost more than $1000 to repair.

NHTSA ODI 11432674

Windshield cracked when flicking my finger to kill a mosquito that for in the car. This was the replacement windshield which was installed only 6 months ago!

NHTSA ODI 11432217

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, she noticed there was a crack on the windshield. There was no impact to the windshield that could have caused the crack. The contact stated that the Eyesight system of the vehicle later failed when it did not alert the contact that there was another vehicle behind while the contact was reversing out of a parking space. The contact's vehicle was scratched on the rear driver side bumper. The dealer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the Eyesight system would fail if the windshield was damaged. An upcoming appointment was scheduled for the repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 52,390.

NHTSA ODI 11432025

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that since purchasing the vehicle, the windshield had to be replaced five times. The contact stated that each failure had occurred either without incident or upon a minor object hitting the windshield. Each time prior to the latest failure, the contact had an independent mechanic replace and recalibrate the windshield as well as apply all windshield safety features to the new windshield. The dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11431214