general problems of the 2018 Subaru Outback - part 1

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 the airbag did not deploy. I was examined by ambulance personnel at the scene. The car was towed, inspected by an insurance adjuster and eventually declared a total loss. There were no warning lamps prior to the incident and no reproduction of the incident was possible due to damage. The car has been relinquished to the insurance company. This was the first such incident occurring during 8 years of driving this vehicle.

Our Subaru backup camera screen is suffering from a factory defect delamination issue which has caused the screen to become hazy and difficult to see. In daylight, the screen is often completely obscured by the defect. Subaru issued a warranty extension from 2020 to 2023 due to class action litigation regarding this issue, but we were never made aware of the extension. Subaru has refused to repair this factory safety defect simply claiming it is out of warranty.

Hood flew open at 70 mph on smooth highway. Visibility was restricted to narrow field below open hood and front windshield was cracked through force of impact of hood on front windshield.

The infotainment touchscreen in my 2018 Subaru Outback has developed severe screen delamination and now generates persistent “ghost touch” inputs. The screen registers touches without any driver interaction. While the vehicle is in motion, the system frequently activates functions on its own, including changing audio sources, adjusting settings, and opening menus. This occurs repeatedly and unpredictably. Because many vehicle functions are controlled through the touchscreen interface, the malfunction creates a significant driver distraction. The system may rapidly change screens or activate controls while I am driving, which forces me to divert my attention from the road to attempt to correct or override the inputs. The problem appears to be related to failure of the touchscreen hardware rather than normal wear. Numerous other Subaru owners have reported similar issues with delamination and ghost inputs in vehicles equipped with the starlink infotainment system. Given that this malfunction results in unintended electronic inputs affecting vehicle controls and creates a driver distraction while the vehicle is in motion, I believe it represents a potential safety concern that warrants investigation. The manufacturer has been contacted but declined goodwill repair assistance for the defective infotainment unit. I am submitting this report so the issue can be documented and evaluated as a potential safety defect affecting Subaru vehicles equipped with this infotainment system.

While driving my 2018 Subaru Outback on the freeway, the sunroof spontaneously shattered without warning. At the time of the incident, there were no nearby vehicles, road debris, or external factors that could explain the failure. This appears to be a dangerous and unexpected defect.

The starlink touchscreen display on my 2018 Subaru Outback has experienced progressive delamination — a separation of the screen's protective layer from the display panel — resulting in large, spreading opaque blotches that obscure significant portions of the screen. This is a known manufacturing defect that Subaru of America acknowledged through the issuance of a technical service bulletin and an extended warranty for 2018 model year vehicles. That extended warranty has since expired, and Subaru has declined goodwill coverage despite the defect being documented by an authorized Subaru dealership (soa case no. 260106-1800881). The screen serves as the primary interface for the backup camera, navigation, and climate controls. Obscured visibility of this screen while driving creates a distraction hazard. I am requesting NHTSA investigate this defect and take appropriate action.

My vehicle launches forward even when I do apply the break. I may be cruising, doing the speed limit, 25 mph and my car will try to accelerate to go faster.

Touch screen has delamination that causes false control of functions controlled by the touch screen. Due to delamination of the screen it can make false phone calls, change the radio station or modify system settings, causing dangerous distractions for the driver.

Arriving at my childhood home, I followed the driveway to the left to park in front of the garage door. With my foot on the brake and slowly rolling to a stop, the car suddenly accelerated and jolted forward making contact with the garage door and the frame of the garage. This caused damage to the house, garage door and the front of the car. Thankfully there was no other car in the way or a pedestrian! only the house and car were damaged. This was sudden and there was no warning or prior occurrence to make me aware of the problem. We spoke to the dealer service manager and at first he said he never heard of anything like that. After further conversation he admitted that another car had a similar issue. They kept the car for two weeks and couldn't repeat the issue. We then went on line and found there are several class action lawsuits against Subaru for the same thing - unexpected and sudden forward acceleration! but when contacting Subaru corporate for assistance in resolving this, they claimed they never heard of any class action lawsuits or problems such as this. We need help dealing with Subaru. They are playing with us.

I have recently experienced an issue touchscreen delamination, which I understand has affected other Subaru owners as well. While my vehicle is no longer under the standard warranty, I believe this issue stems from a known defect and not normal wear and tear. More importantly, it has created a significant safety concern. Calling people on accident and in my case call 911 by mistake. The touchscreen issue is interfering with my ability to safely use backup camera and vehicle settings.

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 infotainment system in the car has suffered from screen delamination, which is apparently common with these models. This has left the touchscreen both non-responsive to touch as well as randomly selecting items on the screen, rendering it unusable. This is a safety issue because the only way to deactivate reverse automatic braking and the rear parking sensors is through the touchscreen. Being able to do this is essential when connecting a trailer or attempting to reverse with one attached. Subaru is aware of the problem and was subject to class action litigation related to it, ultimately being required to extend the warranty on the units as a result. However, the warranty extension was inadequate and left several thousand units in the field which would eventually require replacement. Note that a similar issue on the 2019 models resulted in an 8-year / 150,000-mile warranty extension on the units, yet prior models were only required to have a 4-year / 80,000-mile extension.

Star system is malfunctioning. I cannot access the control panel because of delamination. This causes difficulty viewing backup camera and driver distraction.

My sunroof on my Subaru Outback 2018 exploded while going north on the 5 from sea world drive to balboa exit. Thankfully my cover was on and debris didnt fall on my while driving. Saw online many Subaru Outback owners have had similar issues. I want to file a claim and have the manufacturer pay for the damages.

Summary of problem: the infotainment screen on my 2018 Subaru Outback has delaminated and is malfunctioning, causing multiple safety issues. This is a known manufacturer defect previously addressed in a class-action lawsuit (starlink infotainment system litigation, settled 2021). However, my vehicle’s screen failed shortly after the extended warranty expired. Detailed description of safety hazards: the malfunctioning screen creates the following safety risks: 1. Backup camera obstruction – the screen dims erratically, sometimes going completely dark, rendering the rearview camera unusable. This poses a serious safety hazard and appears to violate fmvss 111 requirements for rear visibility systems. 2. Unintended screen inputs – the screen exhibits “ghost touches” that result in random phone calls, volume changes, and navigation menu disruptions, all without user input. This creates an unsafe level of driver distraction. 3. Driver distraction and interference – the system's erratic behavior pulls my attention away from the road, as I must manage or override its malfunctions, increasing the risk of an accident. Manufacturer response: I contacted Subaru of America, who acknowledged the issue but only offered to cover half of the $1,200 repair cost. They declined full assistance, citing the expiration of the class-action extended warranty (5 years/100,000 miles), despite this being a latent defect with safety implications. Known precedent: many other Outback owners have received full coverage from Subaru for this exact issue, even outside of the warranty, suggesting inconsistent application of goodwill support. This is clearly a systemic defect. Requested action: I am reporting this because the defect affects safety-critical features. I am requesting NHTSA to investigate whether this issue warrants a broader recall or compliance action. The unpredictable failure of the rearview camera and screen functionality poses a clear risk to driver and public safety.

Radio intermittently switches channels, touch screen does not comply with commands. Radio has not responded to reset commands.

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 car's display panel which I use to carplay to navigate google map randomly calling people on my contact list and randomly make commends such as play media or search maps as if I touched the panel screen to commend. The incidents happened while I was driving which caused me lost google map and almost lost control of the car since I tried to cancel the phone calls I didn't make. This is safety concern, please require Subaru to fix the panel. Thanks.

The head unit of the stereo/info system is malfunctioning. The screen is delaminating from the face of the led touchscreen panel, which causes the unit to experience "phantom touches. " these cause the screen to constantly change displays, zoom in/out of navigation software, and change audio settings & inputs, and disconnects phone calls or switches them from my speaker to my phone (forcing me to pick up the phone to correct the problem). It has rendered my hands-free interface with the entire vehicle essentially useless, which is a safety concern as now my attention is pulled away from driving to attempt to correct the problem. Additionally, the screen is constantly shifting & changing displays which is quite a visual distraction. This is a known problem & has been reported numerous times to Subaru. I've taken the vehicle to the dealer for them to inspect. Their suggestion was that I replace the unit for a cost of $2,526. 16. At this point, it is very difficult to operate the vehicle safely, without near constant distractions from the problem with the unit.

The infotainment system screen has delaminated causing the screen to jump between sources, the backup camera to randomly not display . The problem started last month and is worsening.

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.

The screen that controls everything in the car is delaminating and it prevents the driver from being able to see the back up camera properly and is a distraction to drivers. This is a known issue with this year vehicle. Subaru won’t replace and only offered me 750 to get it fixed which means I would still have to come out of pocket $900 for a known defect. They are aware of the issue and have replaced some vehicles at no charge.

I purchased my car used from dealership in temecula,CA 11/28/2020. My first windshield cracked and was replaced 3/15/2021 at dealership after a small rock hit my car on the freeway, I paid for this replacement. My 2nd windshield cracked for no reason and was replaced 9/30/2022 at dealership Subaru paid for only 1/2 the price to replace. Had contacted the advocacy department and Subaru and filed a case. Now the 3rd windshield has cracked 5/2024 for no apparent reason (meaning no point of impact) and I have filed another case with Subaru. I have an advocate and case number. Logan at Subaru of America case #240429-1600633 800-782-2783 ext 119194. Something is wrong with these windshields. This is my first time owning a Subaru and I never had these problems with any of my other cars owned. I think there’s something wrong with these windshields. They are cracking to easily and I feel like it’s a huge safety issue as well as expense to replace.

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.

Touchscreen is sticking or not working, I understand this is a standard problem with Subaru. I also wanted to report issues with touchscreen on my 2018 Subaru Outback.

Touchscreen on radio system is delamination causing the system to cycle through sources, fm, am, sxm, and bluetooth. This causes distractions while driving. Dealership is aware of issue and stated it was common. No warnings before malfunction. Malfunctions started a few months ago.

My sunroof spontaneously combusted while driving, without anything hitting the vehicle or any pre-existing damage. The glass shattered everywhere while going down the highway.

Two incidents of unprovoked acceleration 1st incident: approximately March 2021 slowly backing up at a gas station and experienced sudden acceleration causing the car to hit a metal guard at the fuel pump. This resulted in damage to the vehicle requiring repair. 2nd incident: 12/2023 slowly entering a parking space when there was sudden acceleration causing the vehicle to to go over a concrete curb across a grassy median to hit an unoccupied car parked directly across. This resulted in damage to the bumper and damage to the car it hit. Police were called but they were busy and this happened in a parking lot so an incident number was obtained and insurance information was exchanged between driver and other vehicle owner.

My wife got into the car and as she was removing the sun shield, she lightly bumped the rear view mirror. It imploded covering her and the passenger seat with small sharp glass shards. I was just opening the passenger door to get inside and did not get covered with the glass shards. The windshield shattered in August, 2023. At that time, we checked and there were many other similar instances recorded on line. The inner glass broke and the mirror fell down, however the outter glass did not shatter or crack. I filed a complaint with carcomplaints. Com on December 8th, as well. They suggested that I report it to safercar. Gov thank you sincerely david kalinowski "dwkalinowski@gmail. Com.

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?.

Driver experienced an unexpected uncommanded sudden acceleration upon application of the braking system in the driveway, which caused a collision with the garage/house. The safety of the driver and other were put at risk. Significant damage to the house/garage occurred. This is a first time occurrence. Owner has not yet had the opportunity to have the vehicle inspected by dealer, independent service center, manufacturer, police or insurance rep due to timing of the accident. No warning lights message were displayed. Driver slowed the vehicle in anticipation of putting the vehicle in park when uncommanded brake release occurred, vehicle accelerated and struck the house. Reason for incident is unknown. Vehicle remains parked pending further inspection.

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...

This vehicle has a malfunctioning infotainment system that causes it to continuously select menu options while driving. It is a safety issue as it is very distracting, and the entire unit is unable to be used even when parked. The Subaru dealership in huntington beach and santa ana CA informed me that it is a manufacturing issue, an I am on a waitlist for the part. It is worth flagging here because of the safety issue.

The display screen has spots and fog like symptoms on the screen. Certain angles when the sun hits the screen it is not visible to see what is on the screen like the map or other settings.