general problems of the 2018 Subaru Outback - part 1

Head unit / radio has delamination and causing buttons to randomly press and cycle until it freezes. This is a know. Issue and Subaru has extended the warranty for a but , but if issue occurs after this the owner is on their own. It is a safety issue when electrical systems just randomly start going off. Should be covered.

My 2018 Outback experienced a driver side smoking mirror a few days ago. While parked at the gas station, a large amount of smoke suddenly began emanating from the driver side mirror. As a result I no longer see my tpms, the ability to lock/unlock the car with the remote, interior lights no longer work.

The head unit on the vehicle has delaminated. The touchscreen display no longer works, it has false touches. This affects navigational safety of the vehicle, as navigation no longer works. This also affects sounds of the vehicle, not being able to change volume for adas alerts. This also affects the backup camera, which is a big safety concern. The problem has been confirmed and inspected by a dealer, it costs $2300. 00 to replace. Warning symptoms were bubbles on the screen and the screen stopped working/became jittery.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the rearview camera became inoperable. The contact stated that the rearview camera image was blank. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the radio system display had failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.

My 2018 Subaru Outback has a defective head unit that poses a serious safety hazard. Subaru has already acknowledged this defect in this exact make/model/year and issued an extended warranty, but my vehicle was denied full coverage because the warranty window expired. The defect causes the head unit -power on/off by itself. -force phone connections even when bluetooth is disabled. -place dozens of calls on its own while I am driving (call random number, hang up, call number, hang up, etc). -randomly connect to nearby devices. -emit loud, unexpected noises. During a recent 4-hour family trip with my [xxx] son, the head unit repeatedly dialed contacts and hung up on them uncontrollably, forcing me to pull over on the highway. This is a clear safety risk, as it distracts the driver and requires emergency stops. At Subaru customer advocacy’s request, I took the vehicle to a Subaru dealership twice and paid nearly $200 for a formal diagnosis, which confirmed the known delamination defect and the need for replacement. Despite this, Subaru refuses full coverage and is offering only partial cost assistance, while other owners with the same defect have received full coverage. This is not normal wear-and-tear. It is an acknowledged manufacturer defect that is creating dangerous driving conditions. I request NHTSA’s investigation into Subaru’s inconsistent response and the safety risks of this defect. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The radio has cracks or striations on the screen that are causing the panel to make calls, dial a phone, change the radio station. . . Etc. Complete random beeping and it is distracting when driving, the touch screen has become defunct and the comp[uter does all random things, it does what it wants, when it wantys! I am afraid it is a danger! and please lookl into this, there are many Subaru owners complaining of the same thing. They are saying that the screen is :dellaminating" that is what they are calling it. That I why I am making a formal complaint. Thank you! ps. . . By the way, I was not calling mom, it did it on its own!!.

The navigation screen that controls apps, radio, navigation and phone has delamanated and now has a mind of its own. If my phone is connected it will actually start making random calls while driving, radio sound changes, screens will switch on tjeir own while driving. It started a a year ago. I just thought it was a periodic glitch. It has progressly gotten worse. I saw there was a class action suit and didn't inform?.

The upper portion of the information touch screen appears to have delaminated resulting in the information system to randomly change settings on its own. For example, if an iphone has been connected to the system, it will randomly initiate a call from the phone’s contact list. If a hands free call has been initiated, if will randomly disconnect and switch the call back to the iphone. It will change radio stations, increase / decrease the volume. The issues present a distraction to the driver as the information system failure mode is erratic resulting in the driver to take intervention to correct the issue. Researching online Subaru forums, customers have reported similar failure modes. In some cases, it appears Subaru has covered the repair costs via an extended warranty. In many cases, it appears the owner bore the full cost of replacing the entire information system. I have reached out to Subaru’s customer support about the issue on January 12th, 2025. As of today, have not received a response. The attached photo shows the delamination. The bubbles in the upper third are between the overlay and the touchscreen.

1. Unable to remove key from ignition switch while vehicle is in park. 2. Infotainment system turns itself on when car is started; playback skips on pandora app. 3. Circular windshield crack appeared spontaneously.

The head unit on my 2018 Subaru Outback is pressing random buttons all over the screen by itself. It would constantly make the button noise as I drive leading me to lose track of the directions that was being provided from my apple maps. It would also disconnect me from carplay leaving me with no sense of direction as to where I should be going. I have gotten this fixed before at a Subaru dealership and they ended up replacing the head unit for me, however this is the second time it’s happening and there is obviously a serious problem with the all the units.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback the contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the infotainment system was displaying a blank screen. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken a dealer where it diagnosed and determined that the infotainment system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.

Dsm drawing too much power from battery when car is parked. Dsm drawing 0. 151k ohms to 0. 017. Have complained to Subaru of santa cruz about this 3x. First they said it was the battery under recall and replaced the battery. Second time they thought I was leaving the key fob in the car (the fob is kept with me not in the car ). Third time they said the dsm is pulling too much power from the battery. Subaru has an extended warranty for the dsm for 2016-2018 Outbacks but does not include my VIN number. This power draw and dead battery has put me in san francisco late at night without a functional car. I did not have this independently evaluated before Subaru did a "jump box replacement" for $775. 73.

Ghost touches on the radio making radio inoperable. Prevent rear view camera from activating.

When I bought my car I had issues with the head unit the screen would got out and I would have no backup camera or radio. The dealer had the car for two months before I called Subaru to see if they could get my me unit. It was taken care of. Now the problem has come back the screen freezes, jumps goes dark (I have video) I can’t use the bluetooth to call anyone. I call Subaru of America about this and they say make an appointment with the dealership and we will go there when they know what’s happening…. .

The touchscreen is completely malfunctioning and unusable. It started off as a one off incident during a very hot streak in the summer of 2024. I wrote it off and a fluke because of the temperature. 9 months later and the screen is constantly going haywire with ghost touches. Every feature that is controlled through that screen fails. Even using the controls on the steering wheel fail to work when the touchscreen is nonoperational. This system is so integrated into the systems of the vehicle that it is a safety concern. Subaru is aware of this issue and offered an extended warranty. However, if the system didn’t fail during that extended time, you are out of luck.

Sterio and navigation screen has formed bubbles and what appears to be a film under the screen and has also started delaminating. The screen is now rarely usable as it appears to have a mind and hands of its own as it makes its own selections on the screen and no longer allows me to control it. This is very dangerous as the Subaru touch screen offers setting adjustments that are being changed while on the road, without my control. It is my understanding that Subaru will not replace this unless you pay $2k+ out of pocket even though several incidents are reported. Unfortunately, I am not in good standing to purchase another car right now so I will have to continue driving this car and praying that whatever settings that car adjusts during that drive won't have a negative impact.

My 2018 Subaru Outback has an infotainment display that has a delaminating screen issue, where the screen that controls so many aspects of the car's functionality (to include safety) is now becoming increasingly harder to see.

We have replaced the battery 3 times now in less than a year. The battery keeps dying, which is so bad it is ruining the battery such that it has to be replaced. My pregnant wife and child have been stranded several times. Subaru sent a class action lawsuit notice, but when we went to the dealer they claimed they knew nothing about it. They tested the battery and said nothing was wrong. Doing some digging it seems that numerous others have had this same issue. It is an issue with the alternator and the dcm causing parasitic battery drain. Subaru is doing nothing to fix the issue.

Driver side mirror was affected. Went to an automatic car wash. Shortly afterwards, we noticed smoke coming out of the mirror. Possible fire hazard. What was affected by this: the remote access (keyless entry) garage door opener tire pressure monitoring system light showed low pressure driver window opened but needed continuous pressing to close component parts not available for inspection because my extended warranty covered the cost. Dealership has the parts, but I did take some pictures. No risk to us in this instance. Mechanic said it's caused by the illuminating light in the upper left side of the mirror. He's seen about 3 instances as this. No warning messages or symptoms prior to this and we've been coming to this car wash on a weekly basis for about 3 years.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the cruise control was inoperable. The contact was unable to connect to the radio or bluetooth. The failure had progressed over time. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that another unknown local dealer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The contact stated that the failure was due to a previous crash. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 26,000.

Audio system does not work which does not allow - hands-free use of phone - sound alert when nearing railroad crossing - voiced directions when using waze.

On 9/28/23 I was driving in a 2-lane construction zone with my daughter. While going through the construction zone, my car lost all power and just shut off completely. No warning signs just went completely dead. I almost got rear ended, thankfully the car behind me went to the left of the center, but almost had a head on collision into oncoming traffic. Thankfully, no wrecks were involved. It did eventually start back up and has yet to happen again. However, back in July/August of 2021, I received a recall notice on my vehicle NHTSA campaign #21v587000. When I called to check on the recall it was stated that my vehicle did not have a current recall. I believe this is inaccurate to the fullest. When I bought the vehicle, I took my Outback in several times to the dealership with what I thought was transmission and some electrical issues. They could find nothing wrong, how convenient for them, they weren't the ones almost killed because the vehicle would stall at intermittent times during acceleration. I took it in on 1/24/19, 4/26/19, 10/24/19, and 7/27/20. The mileage range was from 1k to 55k, now at 111k my car just has a complete system failure. Honestly, they didn't seem enough to care and treated me like I didn't know what I was talking about. I drove it 7 days a week and they drove it for 15 minutes and said there were no issues. That is not a fair assessment. I would like to resolve this matter before someone gets killed because of a defective issue on Subaru's part that was documented several times. I have the receipts and work orders to support the evidence. I have notified my family of the issues in case something does happen because of the vehicle, and I am, or others are injured or killed in an accident. Like I said, I have all the documentation to support any claim henceforth. I bought a Subaru because of its safety ratings. Now, I'm afraid to have passengers or my grandkids ride with me out of fear for their safety and others.

Sunroof drainage blocked causing water to enter dashboard and fuse box area causing electrical damage. Unable to drive vehicle.

The back lift gate is closed according to the dash display, but the computer detects that the lift gate is not closed resulting in a battery drain. The computer needs to be adjusted to detect when the lift gate is actually closed. Having the lift gate not closed but no indication for the drive is a safety problem. Items may fall out and the drive would have no indication that the lift gate is open.

The touch screen display, which is used for many vehicle functions, is failing - forming internal "bubbles" causing random ghost touch events. The display is constantly changing and making noises on its own, and not responding to any user entries. There is no way to turn of the display or the sounds. The frequent, unstoppable sounds are a distraction. The loss of features, including reliable backup camera, is also a safety issue. This issue has been well documented in this vehicle, resulting in a class action settlement, but that settlement has ended and this issue continues to occur in this model vehicle. Subaru is refusing to repair the screen under warranty.

The radio malfunctions. It beeps constantly. It randomly changes inputs it won’t tune. The screen is severely dirty on inside so can’t clean it; thus making back up camera look smudged.

My vehicle just dies and leaves me stranded after turning off the car and leaving it overnight. This has happened many times, and I worry everytime I go camping or to some remote place where I may not have cell signal to get a tow truck to jump me. If I don't carry water and food, medicine, at all times, I fear what will happen to me if I am stranded and cannot get help on time. My car is 5 years old, I am on my 3rd battery. In every case, the battery should have been very well charged because it happens after highway driving for several hours. Suburu and the dealers try to deny that anything is wrong; but one of the rescue mechanics told me that the alternator seems to overcharge. Yes , I took the vehicle in for all inspection while it was under warranty. I reported these events to no avail. No warning lights come on. I need to be able to get this fixed. How do I do that?.

2018 Subaru Outback headunit is "delaminated" causing phantom touches on the headunit's touch screen. While driving, the headunit will act as if something is pressing random buttons, changing radio stations, opening/closing maps, going through settings panel and changing car settings, ultimately distracting the driver usually at highway speeds. . Read more...

The touchscreen on the starlink head unit is delaminated and there is a “ghost touch” whenever the screen is on. You can visibly see bubbles under the screen. While I was driving my kids to daycare the other day, the navigation system activated and said that “you cannot change the volume at this time” repeatedly for no reason. It also changes driving directions mid-trip. It’s very distracting while driving and makes the car information system and radio unusable. My dealer said that this is a known problem and that they would fix it; however, the part is back for months. They said they could not turn the screen off without disabling other safety features such as the back-up camera.

The starlink multimedia touchscreen system screen started delaminating July-2022; April-2023 it developed a ghost glitch & changes all settings/info on its own - it doesn’t recognize any true touch on the screen & after multiple hard resets (holding down sound/tuner/cd buttons all at once), it rarely ever actually resets the touchscreen; however, it may pause the glitching for 5-10mins.

In the past 6 months, the electrical system of my 2018 Outback has completely shut down on at least 4 occasions. I required several jump starts with the car parked in the garage, no doors left open, and no lights left on. I took it to the dealership where I was basically accused of lying because I “must have left something on”. I tried to assure the staff that I did not. They gave me a new battery and 4 weeks later I walked out to a dead car again today. I started searching online and found that Subaru is well aware that this problem has been a frequent occurrence with Outbacks dated 2016-2020, and there is a class action lawsuit against the company because they have failed to issue a recall. After my husband figured out that something must be pulling on the battery, we turned off all the safety features of the car. Within 7 days of turning them back on, the battery was dead. I specifically bought this car for safety reasons. What good is it if I can’t use the safety features?.

The touchscreen is delaminated. The delamination makes the backup camera useless. This is a possible danger to me and anyone behind me- turning to look reputedly behind and at the sides doesn't help when cars are moving parallel to me. The 'media' switches between radio and cd, fm and am, and switches into hd mode at random. There's no way to turn it off, so the beeping is a distraction while driving. The Subaru dealership is well aware of this issue. A replacement part was ordered in September 2023 but the part is yet to be replaced.

My 2018 Subaru Outback battery is draining practically every day now. There must be something in the car that drains the battery constantly so in the morning I am unable to start. I needed to jump start the battery on multiple occasions now.

There is a known issue with certain Subarus where it is phantom draining the battery. I replaced battery in 2021 with autozone after being stranded. It too doed in June of 2022. I replaced it again. In Dec 2022 it started to die and found out about the class action lawsuit. I went to Subaru and they said since I already replaced the oem battery, they couldnt help me. This should be a recall. I called Subaru of America who told me they couldnt help me and there is no fix as of today for the draining of the battery. They know about the issue. Why isnt there a recall?.

In early September 2022, my friend, who owned a 2019 Subaru Outback, needed a aaa tow because the battery died. He told me that battery failure is a common problem with Subaru 2016 - 2020 Outbacks. I researched that assertion and found it well documented. Because my Outback was 4 years old and my family was planning a trip, I decided to replace the battery at my mechanic's shop (sept. 14, 2022). On the night of December 29, 2022, upon exiting a restaurant with my wife, my car would not start. A patron of the restaurant came to my aid, and we jump started my car. My car ran for 30 minutes but would not start the next morning (December 30, 2022). I then jump started my car using my wife's car battery, and let the car run for an hour. It would not start immediately after shutting it off. My wife called Subaru, and the representative she spoke with gave her a case number to use at the Subaru dealership. The dealership gave me a January 2, 2023 appointment, and after jumping my car again, I brought it to the dealer. Later that day, by telephone, I was informed: 1- there is no fix for the problem in the 2018 Outback; 2- I was not due any compensation for the 3 month old dead battery because I did not purchase it at Subaru, and 3- that battery was barely holding a charge after a few hours on Subaru's charger. I was advised to go back to my mechanic to see if the battery is under warranty. It is, but that is not the issue. Whatever is causing the battery drain in the Outback will drain the next battery. I was lucky this time-- I was not stranded. But who knows the next time? who knows how many people are paying for new batteries only to have them ruined by the Subaru electric system malfunction? who knows what kind of dangerous predicaments this malfunction might cause? Subaru is aware of this widespread problem, yet they are unwilling to publicly recognize it and issue a recall. There is something unscrupulous about this situation.