2018 Subaru Outback: jerking or lurching

Filed Nov 4, 2025 · Driver assistance, Electrical · MI

While the lane keeping assistance is on the car will follow the exit lane beside the lane I’m in and jerk over into it. There has been a car beside me when has happened but I caught the steering wheel before a crash. Also if a car is turning in front of me sometimes, not always, the brakes will jam on when I’m not even close to the car that is turning but I would be going around the car after it has turned almost all the way. There has been no crashes or injuries yet.

Filed Feb 19, 2025 · Fuel system, Transmission · NV

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.

Filed Jan 11, 2024 · Acceleration, Electrical · MI

PROBLEMS & FAILURES include: 1. Repeated battery failures, towed over 12 times since car was purchased in 2017. Left [XXX] and [XXX] stranded and/or stranded in the dark on more than once occasion. Repeated (6+ attempts) to repair and/or replace the battery (local Subaru dealership) with no success- DRIVER SAFETY RISK. Two ADULTS (seniors) should not be repeatedly stranded in the middle of nowhere. Subaru issued battery recalls and was engaged in a lawsuit regarding this matter. 2. Cracks in windshield giving "spackle" pattern/ indicating weakness: DRIVER SAFETY RISK; multiple recalls. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, and if the windshield is thinner than industry standard poses risk of death. 3. Gas Tank door not opening & leakage 4. Subaru Radio Always on/ Comes on when car has started, no way to stop it or turn off. Was informed that "this is normal" which is outright false. DISTRACTING AND DRIVER SAFETY RISK 5. Acceleration Issue: Subaru Outback speeds up (lurches) sporadically on its own with no way for driver to control- DRIVER SAFETY RISK 6. Transmission Engine (Red Switch) Light always on- EVEN WHEN VEHICLE IS OFF 7. Steering Wheel Issues (Inclusive of) Self Correcting Feature Impeding Driver Discretion: DRIVER SAFETY RISK if the DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL OR HAS TO FIGHT THE CAR 8: Electric System MALFUNCTION (inclusive of but not limited to) **Control area network*** (Electric features remain on even though car is “off” and the battery continually drains) It has been shown online that Subaru needed to do a network patch to resolve issues). ** Dealership did not disclose if a new battery was installed if battery tests were done with copies of reports 9. Vehicle still dead in garage (after numerous repairs allegedly took place nov/dec 2023) All problems have been inspected and/or tested and/or replaced on a multitude of occasions with ZERO success. With the exception of the gas tank door all items pose AN ONGOING SERIOUS SAFTEY RISK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

Filed Aug 30, 2022 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · GA · crash

Car jerked back and suddenly accelerated without warning as driver had foot on brake and was slowly pulling into parking spot. Car hit wall of parking garage causing front end damage. Parking collision warning did not sound at any point. Car was going 1-2 MPH and was 5 feet from end of parking spot when incident occurred. Sudden acceleration when driver has foot on brake can cause injury to driver, passengers or others in the path of the car. No hazards in parking garage were present that could have caused accident, which was witnessed by driver's work colleague. No police report filed. Incident was reported to Subaru, which ran diagnostic and could not replicate issue. No warning messages were present prior to the incident. It appears there are 2 current class action lawsuits filed against Subaru reporting similar issues with 2018 Outback. I am unsure what component failed to cause this issue; car is available for inspection on request.

Filed Jul 13, 2021 · Electrical, Engine · PA

To: Subaru Motors Consumer Reports the federal safety agency 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. ••But the worst situation was this…..My daughter, granddaughter, and I were 500 miles into a 600 hundred mile trip to a North Carolina Beach when we exited the Interstate at Laurenburg NC at about 3PM on a very hot day. At the first intersection stop sign when the accelerator was pushed at first nothing happened…that is the car did not accelerate, then abruptly the car lurched forward. Alarmed we drove it around a large parking parking lot, stopping, then trying to start again..we found the hesitating, then lurching forward to continue, so we changed drivers with the same result. As it was now late on a Saturday afternoon in this small town with no local garages open, we had the car “Roll-Backed” to the nearest Subaru Dealer in Fayetteville, NC and as there were no local car rentals available, we had a family member drive 108 miles (each way) to get us and take us to the beach. The Fayetteville Subaru Dealer called on Monday morning and said “they could find nothing wrong”, and to pick up the car (another 100+ miles each way). Needless to say, I was very nervous the whole way home from the beach ..but the trip was without incident.

Filed Dec 9, 2019 · Steering · 10,600 miles · OR

Intermittently while driving, the steering wheel will jerk to the right or left. Has happened on straight roads and on curved exits. Speeds from 30-60mph. Dry pavement, no sand/mud/other hazards. Has happened approximately a dozen times total. Lane assist is turned off.

Filed Jul 10, 2019 · Transmission · 11,500 miles · VA

The proprietary subaru lineartronic CVT on my vehicle has been defective since delivery in june 2018. It shudders, lurches, balks and creates near stall conditions on both acceleration and deceleration. I have brought it into the subaru dealer where the car was purchased new four + times since june 2018. They have been unable to fix the issue and now subaru of america tells me that the vehicle is performing as designed. I consider this a safety issue and know that many other subaru owners have complained to the federal safety agency as well.

Filed May 25, 2019 · 21,000 miles · MI

The steering with lane departure warning will sometimes jerk the car from side to side, as if self correcting, even though the car is well within the lane. At times the car also feels like it is hydroplaning on dry ground with little steering feedback. Purchased used with a carfax report indicating no problems. It is a very scary feeling on dry surfaces to get no steering feedback or have the car self correct the even while in the middle of the lane. At 20,000 miles had an alignment performed, did not correct the problem. Online there are numerous reports for this occurrence with no viable solutions. Our family always wanted a subaru for safety, but this feels very dangerous. When the lane departure self corrects there is little steering feedback and the vehicle seems to be guiding itself and steering during these times seems very loose.

Filed Apr 17, 2019 · Suspension · 2,500 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2018 subaru outback. While driving various speeds, the vehicle suddenly jerked from side to side and became very unstable. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 2,500. *bf

Filed Oct 2, 2018 · Steering · 6,000 miles · CA

Steering was great until 6000 miles. The car now has a definite problem with either the front end or steering. The steering is irregular and feels as though you will not be able to control the vehicle. While turning the steering feels stuck and there is not road defect to be stuck in. While driving forward the car will jerk the front end and it feels like you will loose control of the vehicle.