2018 Subaru Outback Fuel System Problems

Which parts fail

• Storage › Fuel gauge system
  1

Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  2790%
• 25k–50k
  27%
• 50k–75k
  13%
• 75k–100k
  00%
• 100k–150k
  00%
• 150k+
  00%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2018 Subaru Outback owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

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.

While pulling into a parking spot with my foot on the brake and preparing to stop, the car continued to move up over the curb and then began to accelerate even after I applied both of my feet pushing down on the brakes until I hit our condo building. The car and building received extensive damage, and although the car was not totaled it will cost over 7,000 dollars to repair. Personally I was not injured. The air bags did not imploy at impact. There were no warning messages or prior failures with the vehicle before this day. The car was taken to a body shop and not the dealer so we have not had the dealer look at the systems that broke down, but our insurance adjuster will be.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle stalled intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer as well as Hudiburg Subaru (210 E Interstate 240 Service Rd, Oklahoma City, OK 73149) on several occasions. However, both dealers could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V587000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Fuel injector fuel delivery line rupture and leaking. Left on vacation in this 2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R Touring on 07/23/2021, noticed the strong smell of gasoline when stopped, less so when interstate driving, with the fuel gauge declining more rapidly than it should. Stopped by Wheeling Volkswagen/Subaru Dealership just before their daily closing. They inspected and found the above ruptured fuel line, leaking onto the pavement under the engine compartment. They determined it was unsafe to drive, but did not have a replacement part. They found there were less than 10 of these fuel injector fuel delivery lines available in the whole U.S. Had to leave the vehicle with them, and the repair was completed 4 day later. The faulty component was observed by the service department personel, and by myself. …

2 incidences where the car accelerated on its own. 1st time pulling into a parking Space, Slammed on brakes barely got it to stop otherwise I would have gone through a store front. 2nd time same night in heavy traffic going to the George Washington bridge crawling in traffic while keeping at least a car length Between me and the car in front of me it did it again and I had to pull up on the parking brake and again I hit the brakes as hard as I could otherwise I would have slammed into the back end of a tractor trailer. I have owned this car for about a year and nothing like this has ever happened. Absolutely terrifying To the point where I don't Even want to keep the car. Called Subaru told them what was happening and they said they never heard of this before but they Don't have any appointments with loaner car until October 10th.

Had my recalls completed and started having jerking on my way home from the dealership. Didn't have any issues prior and I drove 2 hours to the closest Subaru dealership. Had transmission serviced and still doing it. Read the fuel update and head unit updated could take a bit longer to learn and could cause jerking but still happening 3 weeks later. Transmission was serviced last week. The shop to do it stated didn't notice metal shavings nor sounds in the transmission or the oil and suggested it be the computer problem with the recall fixes.

The fuel tank evap system has stopped working and is not venting the fuel tank properly. When I take the gas cap off there is a lot of pressure released. Filling the tank is slow (0.5 gallon per pump click) and leads to some (very small amounts) fuel spilling from the fill hole. Also, the check engine light/code for this disables the cruise control (traction control I assume) and possibly the ABS. (The first time the check engine light came on, the ABS and Brake light also came on.)

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, and the engine revved wildly without my pressing on the accelerator. We couls have easily slammed into the car in front of us had I not moved the selector to neutral.

On three different occasions after starting the car in the cold weather and putting in drive it accelerated by it self. All three times it lasted about 5 to 7 seconds. Once I stepped on the brake and then the accelerator pedal it was back to normal. It's been about a month with this issue.

To: Subaru Motors Consumer Reports NHtSA I, Richard McNitt, am the very unhappy owner of a 2018 Subaru Outback (4 cylinder "Touring" model with 33,900 miles), VIN 4S4 BSATCT J3362742. Primarily on the basis of "glowing" Consumer Reports Reviews I chose this model....sad to say this was an unfortunate choice. I list some of the troubles endured: Shortly after delivery the "radio-GPS" failed, replacement was in short supply(!), Did without several weeks and the re-installation had a glitch. We were informed that the radio would always "come on" when the car was started, My wife finds this very annoying, We find the road noise to be excessive, especially at around 25 mph, We were left sitting twice with a "dead" battery, once at the end of a two hour trip when the radio was on after for less than 15 minutes. …

Related recalls

Fuel System complaints in other Outback years