2018 Subaru Legacy: problems, recalls and what it’s worth
3 recall campaigns to confirm with a dealer.
Ask for the VIN and check it, then get a pre-purchase inspection.
Known problems on the 2018 Subaru Legacy
No generation-wide weak spot is flagged in GarageIntel’s research for this year and model. A specific car can still have its own problems, so get it inspected.
2018 Subaru Legacy recalls
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Subaru Legacy. Repairs are free at a dealer for the brand, and a dealer can confirm by VIN which were already done.
- Fuel system
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Details 21V587000
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Fix: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
- Electrical
The inaccurate fuel display may cause a driver to unexpectedly run out of fuel and the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Details 18V773000
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the combination meter software, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTW-82.
- Visibility & wipers
Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.
Details 18V935000
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."
Fix: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the audio system display software, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTZ-85.
2018 Subaru Legacy safety investigations and free repairs
No open safety investigations.
Free repairs to ask about (warranty extensions):
- Warranty extension: This letter provides information regarding the warranty extension for the Telematics Data Communications Module (DCM).
- Battery: Battery Drain Class Action Settlement- Warranty Extension Training.
A dealer for the brand can check these by VIN.
Source: NHTSA, Sep 24, 2026.
2018 Subaru Legacy safety and fuel
From NHTSA’s crash tests and the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov.
What owners complain about
117 complaints filed with NHTSA for this year and model, about average.
Share of complaints that mention each area. One complaint can mention several.
Other Subaru Legacy years
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
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