2018 Subaru Outback visibility and wiper problems
275 of the 812 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Subaru Outback name the wipers, glass and mirrors (NHTSA’s “Visibility/Wiper” heading — windshields, wipers, washers, mirrors and defrosters). Filed under the same heading: 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the wipers, glass and mirrors
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 275 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2017: 1 · 2018: 14 · 2019: 69 · 2020: 89 · 2021: 63 · 2022: 18 · 2023: 10 · 2024: 6 · 2025: 4 · 2026: 1
Half of the 197 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the visibility and wiper problem between 12,000 and 36,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
812 complaints in all about the 2018 Subaru Outback, 1 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Visibility/Wiper” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Subaru Outback visibility and wiper problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the wipers, glass and mirrors. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Rear view mirror too tightly attached to front window. Epoxy attaching window got hot in sun and cracked entire window and fell off
Driving interstate, 65mph, small object thrown from another vehicle hit my windshield on the left edge. Short cracks appeared immediately. Two spread all the way to the rear view mirror area within days. Vehicle is only two months old
Windshield easily cracks - we have had our 2018 Outback for less than 6 months and less than 5000 miles and have had 3 windshields develop severe cracking. The first two were replaced with factory windshields by professional installers. The slightest impact, the last two being barely perceivable, results in an elongated crack forming.
The rear view mirror is in my field of view! I AM only 5'4" and I like to raise my seat all the way up to give me good visibility. If I do that , the rear view mirror gets in my way, I have to duck down to look under the mirror!!
Windshield developed cracked, lower mid area extended upward about 12 inches. Vehicle was stationary, parked. Was not hit by any road debris. Noticed defect when starting car
What is on file about the wipers, glass and mirrors
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 18V935000 ModerateDec 31, 2018 · 71,190 vehicles
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Legacy, Outback, and BRZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, a software issue may cause the audio display system to not initialize, resulting in the camera display remaining blank. If this occurs, the rearview image will not display while backing up the vehicle. As a result, the vehicles fail to comply with requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Other systems with a record on the 2018 Subaru Outback
Source: the same files- electrical problems 268 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre visibility and wiper problems common on the 2018 Subaru Outback?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 275 owner complaints naming the wipers, glass and mirrors on this model year (34% of everything owners filed about it), and 1 recall is filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the wipers, glass and mirrors on the 2018 Subaru Outback?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 18V935000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do visibility and wiper problems show up on the 2018 Subaru Outback?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 24,000 miles; half of them between 12,000 and 36,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Visibility/Wiper" heading cover?
Windshields, wipers, washers, mirrors and defrosters. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.