Nine problems related to radio/tape cd player have been reported for the 2018 Subaru Outback. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2018 Subaru Outback based on all problems reported for the 2018 Outback.
The key got stuck in the ignition, and the visor on passenger does not swing correctly, the radio turns on when I start the car even after the radio was turned off.
Started car this morning and the unit that controls the radio, backup cameras, navigation and bluetooth is blank and unresponsive. . Dead. Car in garage when starting. Car drives fine except for above deficits.
Entire center radio cluster has failed. Car was parked in a garage and got into the car and started car and entire unit was black. This impacts radio, hands free cellular phone use, navigation, back up camera and warning system, vehicle notifications, star link program. This may sound just like a minor thing but this has significant safe operation impacts in regards to traffic and driving, cell phone use and navigation of the vehicle.
Infotainment screen went black on December 17, 2018. Radio, navigation system, bluetooth and rear camera are all inoperable.
The radio display head unit failed. The rear back-up camera and and warning signals are inoperable. I have been without the systems for three weeks and Subaru customer service can not provide a date when this repair can be made. This is a safety concern as they aid in backing up the vehicle in parking lots at night when visibility is poor.
Bluetooth will randomly disconnect. Sometimes it lasts a few minutes, sometimes a couple hours. Unable to re-connect once it does, so we have to mess with settings while driving to switch to aux cable, radio, etc or pull over and restart the car completely. We have verified the issue with 6 different devices. None of the devices demonstrate the same issue with any other bluetooth devices (we use a speaker for hours on end in the house with no issues). Combine that with the infotainment screen being incredibly slow, this is a frustrating issue.
On start up of vehicle the radio automatically comes on at a loud volume and cannot be adjusted or turned off for a couple of minutes. This is very dangerous when trying to backup or move out of a parking situation. I have been informed by Subaru mechanics that there is no way to keep the radio from automatically coming on when I start the car. Other owners have also complained about this feature. This has been a problem since I purchased the car 7/4/18.
On infrequent yet multiple occasions since purchasing the car in spring 2018, after hanging up from a bluetooth phone call, the radio would blast at full decibels and be unresponsive to attempted adjustments with the volume control. On all occasions except for today's event, I was driving on major highways, becoming startled, then having to immediately try to rectify the ear-blasting sound. Today, I was in a parking lot, having turned off the engine--the radio continues to play and the bluetooth remains live in an Outback for 5 more minutes, until the door is opened--I made a call, hung up, and the radio volume was fine; I immediately made another call, hung up, and the radio blasted at full decibels again. This time, I was unable to elicit a response by turning the volume knob, with the radio stopping shortly thereafter because it had reached the 5-minute limit. This event occurred whether I hung up first or the other person hung up first. I have had the car back to rafferty Subaru on multiple occasions, with a variety of fixes attempted, most recently by swapping out my amp with one from a loaner vehicle. I have found identical complaints on the Subaruoutback. Org forum, with others achieving no resolution as well, and with other being concerned about this uncontrollable condition occurring while driving at high speed on highways. This appears to be a problem in the 2019 and 2020 models as well.
Starlink radio in touring model with 8"screen unreliable. Had issues with touchscreen freezing and cd loading error from purchase date in August to Dec. 18, 2017. Dealer tried to perform software update and fried radio. Radio was replaced. Issues worse with new radio. Took 2500 mile trip and had complete failure of radio, navigation, bluetooth, backup camera. Letting car sit cleared some errors but later similar problems reoccurred. Also have issue with doors do not always lock when shifting into gear or unlocking when shifting into park. The radio controls these settings and all doors are to unlock when shifted to reverse or drive and unlock when shifted to park. Sometimes no doors lock when shifting into reverse or drive. Sometimes only the front doors unlock when shifting to park sometimes no doors unlock when shifting to park. During one period when radio was out the car would not start until the drivers door was opened and closed 3 times. Issue with loss of radio and other components occurs when starting the car. It has never occurred while driving. Extremely concerned about doors not locking and unlocking serious safety issue. Subaru appears to know about the issue but dealers have have little information and Subaru has not notified owners of the issues but numerous posts in Subaru Outback forum indicate numerous other owners with the 8" screen are having similar issues.