2018 Subaru Forester Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Forester years
- Far more complaints than other years 5th of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 498 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Subaru Forester. That ranks 5th out of 29 Forester model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is visibility/wiper (135 complaints, 27%), typically at around 18,000 miles. Complaints mention 26 crashes, 1 fire, 9 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 498owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 26complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Subaru Forester problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper problems | 135 | 27% | 18,000 | “windshield cracked” (24%) | $1,350 |
| Air Bags problems | 99 | 20% | 13,280 | “passenger seat” (39%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 84 | 17% | 10,001 | — | — |
| Electrical System problems | 71 | 14% | 9,418 | “battery dead” (11%) | — |
| Engine | 32 | 6% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 30 | 6% | 14,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 30 | 6% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 25 | 5% | 7,900 | — | — |
| Power Train | 23 | 5% | 4,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 21 | 4% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 19 | 4% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 15 | 3% | 14,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 14 | 3% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 13 | 3% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 10 | 2% | 9,830 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 8 | 2% | 4,150 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 7 | 1% | 3,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 6 | 1% | 3,080 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 1% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 0% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 0% | 53,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 0% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Carry Handle, Shell, Base | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 0% | 3,800 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Subaru Forester recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: 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.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.
Risk: If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.
Equipment:other:labels; tires
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. The Certification Label may indicate the incorrect wheel size, tire size, and air pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: Installing incorrect tires or applying incorrect tire air pressure may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected label, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTS-78.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure (PE19009) — opened Aug 6, 2019, closed Jan 22, 2020, led to recall 19V701000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My SRS Airbag System warning light illuminated on the dashboard while driving. Subaru dealership service department informed me that the passenger airbag system occupant detection technology failed and the airbag function was disabled. The repair required replacement of the entire seat bottom.
The air conditioning system began blowing warm or hot air. Determined that the compressor failed and required replacement. Vehicle was purchased new from the dealership in Oct. 2018, with this issue arising at approximately 50k miles. This is apparently a common and known issue for 2018 Subaru…
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving, the passenger's side air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with ODS failure. The contact was informed that the ODS needed to be replaced. The manufacturer had…
The front passenger airbag of my Subaru Forester 2018 is deactivated, I brought my car to the Subaru dealer in white Plains, NY to check because I found out that there was a recall for malfunction of the airbag and I was told that I have to pay for it since the repair was already done, then, I have…
On July 31, 2026, I was driving with my daughter when the a/c compressor clutch seized up and experienced a catastrophic compressor failure that also blew out the expansion valve o-rings. The failure led to a total loss of engine power and control of the vehicle. The car would not start back up…
Other Subaru Forester years
← 2017 Forester · 2019 Forester →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Forester | 28 | 3 |
| 2025 Forester | 97 | 3 |
| 2024 Forester | 30 | 2 |
| 2023 Forester | 74 | 1 |
| 2022 Forester | 98 | 1 |
| 2021 Forester | 210 | 0 |
| 2020 Forester | 602 | 0 |
| 2019 Forester | 834 | 3 |
| 2018 | 498 | 3 |
| 2017 Forester | 590 | 1 |
| 2016 Forester | 415 | 3 |
| 2015 Forester | 615 | 3 |
| 2014 Forester | 403 | 2 |
| 2013 Forester | 78 | 12 |
| 2012 Forester | 105 | 15 |
| 2011 Forester | 147 | 16 |
| 2010 Forester | 262 | 17 |
| 2009 Forester | 178 | 17 |
| 2008 Forester | 50 | 1 |
| 2007 Forester | 74 | 1 |
| 2006 Forester | 88 | 2 |
| 2005 Forester | 93 | 1 |
| 2004 Forester | 219 | 2 |
| 2003 Forester | 189 | 3 |
| 2002 Forester | 88 | 1 |
| 2001 Forester | 139 | 0 |
| 2000 Forester | 75 | 0 |
| 1999 Forester | 131 | 1 |
| 1998 Forester | 101 | 1 |
See all Subaru Forester problems by year, every Subaru model, or the Subaru VIN decoder.
Similar Subaru models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Subaru Forester?
Owners most often report visibility/wiper, air bags, unknown or other problems. The top one, visibility/wiper, accounts for 135 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Subaru Forester?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Subaru Forester a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Forester model years, the 2018 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.