2018 Subaru Impreza Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe windshield and other glass cracking, frequently with no visible impact point, and dim headlights tied to an open headlight reflector recall that many say had no remedy available for an extended period. A smaller but consistent group reports repeated battery failures, engine stalling or power loss, and cold-weather glass breakage, with many complaints filed in the first few years and under 30,000 miles.

1. 1
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield cracks without a clear impact

   • 32 complaints (21%)
   • median 25,250 mi at 2.9 yrs old (24 state mileage)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Complaints describe windshield cracks appearing while the car sat parked, overnight, or shortly after a wiper or washer use, often with no chip or impact point found. Several owners say the crack spread into a long spider-web within days and impaired visibility; some had the glass replaced once or twice, including with OEM glass, only for it to crack again. Dealers are reported to have replaced glass under warranty in some cases and to have attributed the damage to road debris in others. Mostly reported under about 35,000 miles, in a wide range of weather from sub-freezing nights to hot summer days.

   What to check: Inspect the windshield closely in low-angle light for hairline cracks, especially near the top center, wiper base and passenger side, and ask whether any glass has been replaced and whether the EyeSight cameras were recalibrated afterward.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I entered my car in my driveway at a rural home to see that my windshield had a hairline crack starting at the top by the rearview mirror and curving to the left (looking at the car). The car had not been driven in the past two days. The last time the car was driven, there was no crack in the windshield. The crack is not from a vehicle accident. It is possible it is from environmental issues, but there is no entry point of a foreign object.”

   NHTSA complaint #11325181, filed 2020-05, 23,000 miles

   “I got in my car in the morning and first noticed a small crack in my windshield. Nothing had hit the windshield when I was driving the day before to cause the crack. Since then it continues to spider web and impair my visibility while driving.”

   NHTSA complaint #11349023, filed 2020-08, 30,000 miles
2. 2
   Exterior lighting

   Dim headlights / headlight reflector recall

   • 54 complaints (36%)
   • median 21,000 mi at 4.5 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2022–2024

   Complaints describe headlights that are too dim for comfortable night driving, which owners link to the headlamp reflector recall; many report being told parts were not yet available and waiting a long time for a remedy letter. A few also describe lights flickering with the car running. Owners say the recall repair itself had not been completed at the time of filing. Reported across a range of mileages, from around 17,000 to 25,000 miles and higher, and often raised months to years after the recall notice.

   Recall 22V624000

   What to check: Check the recall status by VIN and ask for written confirmation that the headlamp remedy has been performed; drive the car at night before buying to judge actual low-beam brightness.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2017-2019 model year Impreza vehicles, which may contain non-compliant headlamp assemblies. It has been almost 2 years with no solution to this problem. it is stated that the dealership will replace the recalled headlights, but they are doing nothing. No timeline on a solution is given and risk only increases as the car gets older. i just want what i paid for a safe vehicle that works.”

   NHTSA complaint #11590255, filed 2024-05

   “There is a known recall for this vehicle. Our vehicle in particular is affected as nighttime visibility with the headlights on is terrible. Despite the recall, 9 months have passed and subaru is still without a remedy. Every day is dangerous as I commute prior to sunrise. Please address.”

   NHTSA complaint #11521935, filed 2023-05
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine stalling or intermittent power loss

   • 6 complaints (4%)
   • median 567 mi at 1.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Complaints describe the engine quitting at stop signs, lights or low-speed stops, sometimes refusing to restart for a few minutes, and intermittent loss of power in the 2,000-3,000 rpm range. Owners report repeated dealer visits where the problem could not be reproduced; some say a software update or control module replacement was attempted without a lasting fix, and one describes an engine replacement after continued symptoms. Reported from very low mileage (a few hundred miles) up to around 26,000 miles, with some complaints noting the behavior is worse in hot weather.

   Recall 21V264000Recall 19V743000Recall 19V744000

   What to check: Ask whether the ECM software recalls and the PCV valve recall have been completed, and take a test drive that includes repeated stops and a light-throttle acceleration to watch for hesitation or stalling.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Intermittent loss of power at 2000 to 3000 RPM is getting worse and worse. I've taken it to my local Subaru dealer 8 times to address this issue and they have denied anything I've reported. They've had technicians on rides with me but I can't recreate something that is so intermittent. It seems to happen more in hot weather but I can safely say AC isn't the cause. Although my car isn't a crosstrek, the motor in one is exactly the same as mine. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11299666, filed 2020-01, 26,000 miles

   “The engine died while coming to a rapid stop from about 35-40 MPH. All the lights on the instrument panel turned yellow. After putting the transmission park the engine would not restart. After numerous attempts, removing and replacing the key, and about 2 to 3 minutes the engine did start. I was unable, after a few attempts, to reproduce the problem. We took the car to the dealer. They stated that they had not seen this problem. They did, however, perform a software update in the hope that it would solve the problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #11130767, filed 2018-09, 250 miles
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Cold-weather glass breakage and cowl gaps

   • 5 complaints (3%)
   • median 3,435 mi at 1.1 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2018–2023

   Complaints describe door glass shattering in sub-freezing temperatures when a door was closed, and windshield cowl covers lifting away from the glass and leaving a gap that lets water and debris in. Owners report the cowl gap recurring after being pressed back or replaced under warranty. Reported at very low mileage, mostly under 7,000 miles, and in cold or wet conditions.

   What to check: Inspect the plastic cowl panel along the base of the windshield for lifting or uneven gaps, and check the cabin and under-carpet areas for signs of water entry.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “About two weeks ago when the first frost hit I noticed there was a windshield crack but it looked unrelated to an impact crack as it came from the side of the windshield and extended towards the center. After getting the windshield replaced one week later while sitting in my car and it is warming up another crack appears in my windshield. It seems as though the windshields and crack but it looked unrelated to an impact crack as it came from the side of the windshield and extended towards the center. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11163197, filed 2018-12, 9,000 miles

   “2018 sport model noticed front windshield cowl panel warped at 4770 miles and again at 6880 miles after warranty placement. Cowl panel pops up at the center of the panel leaving a 1/8 gap between the rubber seal and the base of the windshield. Upon pressing it down, the gap will return in a few days leaving a larger 1/4 gap. Over time the panel pulls itself completely off the windshield exposing the plastic clips that holds the cowl behind the windshield. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11193248, filed 2019-04, 4,770 miles

Buying note. Check windshield and headlamp condition carefully and confirm recall status by VIN, since both are common talking points in owner complaints for this year. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a battery and charging-system test and a stop-and-go test drive is worthwhile.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.