Vehicle report

2018 Subaru Forester

Recalls, consumer complaints, safety ratings, fuel cost estimate, and next steps from official public data sources.

View complaints Check another year
2018 Subaru Forester
3 Total recalls
Jul 29, 2021 Latest recall date
482 Complaint reports
$2,218 Estimated fuel cost
Quick answer: The 2018 Subaru Forester has 3 official recalls and 482 consumer complaints in our database. The latest recall date is Jul 29, 2021. The most common complaint categories include visibility/wiper, air bags, unknown or other. Estimated annual fuel cost is $2,218 based on the current calculator assumptions.

Buyer interpretation

What this record means before you buy

The useful question is not just whether this page has records. It is what those records should make you verify before money changes hands.

Recall homework

There are 3 official recalls listed for this model year. Before buying, use the VIN to confirm which campaigns are still open and ask for dealer repair records on completed work.

Owner complaint pattern

Owner complaints most often mention visibility/wiper, air bags, unknown or other. Scan those categories before the test drive so you know what symptoms, warning lights, or service history to ask about.

Service bulletin signal

383 manufacturer communications are listed. These are not recalls, but they can reveal repair instructions, warranty extensions, software notices, or known service patterns.

Ownership-cost check

The fuel-cost estimate is based on a representative EPA match, not every trim. Confirm the actual engine, drivetrain, and tire setup before comparing this listing with another year or model.

Questions to ask the seller

  • Can you show the current VIN recall status for this 2018 Subaru Forester?
  • Do you have dealer invoices or campaign paperwork for the listed recall repairs?
  • Have you noticed any issues related to visibility/wiper, air bags, unknown or other?
  • Can I review recent maintenance records before the test drive?
Used-car checklist

Thinking of buying this vehicle?

Use our buyer checklist to know what to inspect, ask, and verify before the test drive.

2018 Subaru Forester Regular Gasoline
Create checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.

Safety ratings

Official safety ratings were found for 1 tested variant of the 2018 Subaru Forester.

Overall 5/5 stars
Frontal crash 4/5 stars
Side crash 5/5 stars
Rollover 4/5 stars

Displayed variant: 2018 Subaru Forester SUV AWD ; rollover risk 16.9%

Safety ratings can vary by tested body style, trim, drivetrain, or variant. Do not assume every trim has the same rating unless the official record says so.

How many recalls does the 2018 Subaru Forester have?

Verify with official VIN lookup

3 official recalls on record for the 2018 Subaru Forester. 20 matched quarterly completion reports are available.

Latest recall: July 29, 2021

Recall data is based on official records. This page is not an official VIN recall check. Always confirm open recalls with an official VIN lookup, the manufacturer, or an authorized dealer. Completion reports are campaign-level, delayed, and not VIN-specific.
Campaign Component Summary Consequence Remedy Date Completion
21V587000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 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. Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. 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. Jul 2021 2023-2
159,453 remedied / 175,968 involved (90.6%)
19V701000 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION 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. 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. 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. Oct 2019 2021-2
318,456 remedied / 366,282 involved (86.9%)
18V455000 TIRES 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." Installing incorrect tires or applying incorrect tire air pressure may increase the risk of a crash. 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. Jul 2018 2019-4
2,816 remedied / 3,654 involved (77.1%)

Are there federal defect investigations for the 2018 Subaru Forester?

Official records show 4 federal defect investigations matched to the 2018 Subaru Forester.

0 open 4 closed
Investigations are not recalls. They show official defect reviews and may close without a recall, or may reference a related campaign when one exists.
Action Status Component Subject Opened Related recall
PE19009 Closed AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full-sized, small stature, a child seat or other object. The complaints reported the ODS failed to operate properly, the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning light illuminated, and/or the ODS incorrectly suppressed (turned off) the front passenger air bag when the seat was occupied by a full-sized passenger. In a frontal crash that is sufficient to warrant deployment, a suppressed air bag may increase the risk of injury to the occupant of the seat.On August 14, 2019 ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Subaru requesting information on the subject vehicles and MY 2014-2015 Subaru Forester vehicles.On October 3, 2019, Subaru submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect in the passenger-side front airbag Occupant Detection System (ODS) harness of 366,282 MY 2015-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with seat heaters.The DIR stated that over time, due to a decrease in contact pressure between the terminals in the ODS sensor mat harness, a temporarily unstable electrical connection may be possible. If the connection is temporarily unstable, the ODS may not properly determine the status of the right front seat occupant. If the ODS is unable to correctly determine the status of the front occupant, the airbag warning light may illuminate, and 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.Using vehicle production data and field occurrence frequency, Subaru determined the potentially affected vehicle production range to be between January 20, 2015 ?and August 1, 2017.In addition, Subaru indicated that over 99 percent of the related MY 2015-2018 field reports with vehicles in the production range involved vehicles with seat heaters.NHTSA's analysis of complaint and warranty claim data showed 1,440 of the complaints and 11,672 of the claims involve vehicles with seat heaters that were built within the production range covered by Subaru's recall.In addition, NHTSA's analysis showed a complaint rate of 393.1 per hundred thousand vehicles for the recalled population and 89.0 for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall. Analysis of warranty claim data found a claim rate of 3.2 percent for the recalled population and 0.3 percent for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall.Subaru will instruct owners with Subaru Forester vehicles produced in the affected vehicle production range, to bring their vehicles to a dealer to have the sensor mat harness, inspected and replaced with a new part, including the seat cushion assembly, if necessary.Based on ODI's analysis, the actions taken by Subaru mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by ODS sensor mat failures in the subject vehicles. For subject and peer vehicles outside the recall population and those equipped without seat heaters, ODI's analysis indicates that there is currently no safety-related defect trend. Given these circumstances, further use of the agency resources in this matter does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed. 		Aug 2019
Closed Jan 2020 		19V701000
PE19009 Closed AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full-sized, small stature, a child seat or other object. The complaints reported the ODS failed to operate properly, the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning light illuminated, and/or the ODS incorrectly suppressed (turned off) the front passenger air bag when the seat was occupied by a full-sized passenger. In a frontal crash that is sufficient to warrant deployment, a suppressed air bag may increase the risk of injury to the occupant of the seat.On August 14, 2019 ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Subaru requesting information on the subject vehicles and MY 2014-2015 Subaru Forester vehicles.On October 3, 2019, Subaru submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect in the passenger-side front airbag Occupant Detection System (ODS) harness of 366,282 MY 2015-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with seat heaters.The DIR stated that over time, due to a decrease in contact pressure between the terminals in the ODS sensor mat harness, a temporarily unstable electrical connection may be possible. If the connection is temporarily unstable, the ODS may not properly determine the status of the right front seat occupant. If the ODS is unable to correctly determine the status of the front occupant, the airbag warning light may illuminate, and 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.Using vehicle production data and field occurrence frequency, Subaru determined the potentially affected vehicle production range to be between January 20, 2015 ?and August 1, 2017.In addition, Subaru indicated that over 99 percent of the related MY 2015-2018 field reports with vehicles in the production range involved vehicles with seat heaters.NHTSA's analysis of complaint and warranty claim data showed 1,440 of the complaints and 11,672 of the claims involve vehicles with seat heaters that were built within the production range covered by Subaru's recall.In addition, NHTSA's analysis showed a complaint rate of 393.1 per hundred thousand vehicles for the recalled population and 89.0 for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall. Analysis of warranty claim data found a claim rate of 3.2 percent for the recalled population and 0.3 percent for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall.Subaru will instruct owners with Subaru Forester vehicles produced in the affected vehicle production range, to bring their vehicles to a dealer to have the sensor mat harness, inspected and replaced with a new part, including the seat cushion assembly, if necessary.Based on ODI's analysis, the actions taken by Subaru mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by ODS sensor mat failures in the subject vehicles. For subject and peer vehicles outside the recall population and those equipped without seat heaters, ODI's analysis indicates that there is currently no safety-related defect trend. Given these circumstances, further use of the agency resources in this matter does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed. 		Aug 2019
Closed Jan 2020 		19V701000
PE19009 Closed AIR BAGS Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full-sized, small stature, a child seat or other object. The complaints reported the ODS failed to operate properly, the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning light illuminated, and/or the ODS incorrectly suppressed (turned off) the front passenger air bag when the seat was occupied by a full-sized passenger. In a frontal crash that is sufficient to warrant deployment, a suppressed air bag may increase the risk of injury to the occupant of the seat.On August 14, 2019 ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Subaru requesting information on the subject vehicles and MY 2014-2015 Subaru Forester vehicles.On October 3, 2019, Subaru submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect in the passenger-side front airbag Occupant Detection System (ODS) harness of 366,282 MY 2015-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with seat heaters.The DIR stated that over time, due to a decrease in contact pressure between the terminals in the ODS sensor mat harness, a temporarily unstable electrical connection may be possible. If the connection is temporarily unstable, the ODS may not properly determine the status of the right front seat occupant. If the ODS is unable to correctly determine the status of the front occupant, the airbag warning light may illuminate, and 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.Using vehicle production data and field occurrence frequency, Subaru determined the potentially affected vehicle production range to be between January 20, 2015 ?and August 1, 2017.In addition, Subaru indicated that over 99 percent of the related MY 2015-2018 field reports with vehicles in the production range involved vehicles with seat heaters.NHTSA's analysis of complaint and warranty claim data showed 1,440 of the complaints and 11,672 of the claims involve vehicles with seat heaters that were built within the production range covered by Subaru's recall.In addition, NHTSA's analysis showed a complaint rate of 393.1 per hundred thousand vehicles for the recalled population and 89.0 for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall. Analysis of warranty claim data found a claim rate of 3.2 percent for the recalled population and 0.3 percent for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall.Subaru will instruct owners with Subaru Forester vehicles produced in the affected vehicle production range, to bring their vehicles to a dealer to have the sensor mat harness, inspected and replaced with a new part, including the seat cushion assembly, if necessary.Based on ODI's analysis, the actions taken by Subaru mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by ODS sensor mat failures in the subject vehicles. For subject and peer vehicles outside the recall population and those equipped without seat heaters, ODI's analysis indicates that there is currently no safety-related defect trend. Given these circumstances, further use of the agency resources in this matter does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed. 		Aug 2019
Closed Jan 2020 		19V701000
PE19009 Closed AIR BAGS:FRONTAL Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full-sized, small stature, a child seat or other object. The complaints reported the ODS failed to operate properly, the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning light illuminated, and/or the ODS incorrectly suppressed (turned off) the front passenger air bag when the seat was occupied by a full-sized passenger. In a frontal crash that is sufficient to warrant deployment, a suppressed air bag may increase the risk of injury to the occupant of the seat.On August 14, 2019 ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Subaru requesting information on the subject vehicles and MY 2014-2015 Subaru Forester vehicles.On October 3, 2019, Subaru submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect in the passenger-side front airbag Occupant Detection System (ODS) harness of 366,282 MY 2015-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with seat heaters.The DIR stated that over time, due to a decrease in contact pressure between the terminals in the ODS sensor mat harness, a temporarily unstable electrical connection may be possible. If the connection is temporarily unstable, the ODS may not properly determine the status of the right front seat occupant. If the ODS is unable to correctly determine the status of the front occupant, the airbag warning light may illuminate, and 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.Using vehicle production data and field occurrence frequency, Subaru determined the potentially affected vehicle production range to be between January 20, 2015 ?and August 1, 2017.In addition, Subaru indicated that over 99 percent of the related MY 2015-2018 field reports with vehicles in the production range involved vehicles with seat heaters.NHTSA's analysis of complaint and warranty claim data showed 1,440 of the complaints and 11,672 of the claims involve vehicles with seat heaters that were built within the production range covered by Subaru's recall.In addition, NHTSA's analysis showed a complaint rate of 393.1 per hundred thousand vehicles for the recalled population and 89.0 for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall. Analysis of warranty claim data found a claim rate of 3.2 percent for the recalled population and 0.3 percent for MY 2014 through 2018 vehicles that are not included in the recall.Subaru will instruct owners with Subaru Forester vehicles produced in the affected vehicle production range, to bring their vehicles to a dealer to have the sensor mat harness, inspected and replaced with a new part, including the seat cushion assembly, if necessary.Based on ODI's analysis, the actions taken by Subaru mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by ODS sensor mat failures in the subject vehicles. For subject and peer vehicles outside the recall population and those equipped without seat heaters, ODI's analysis indicates that there is currently no safety-related defect trend. Given these circumstances, further use of the agency resources in this matter does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed. 		Aug 2019
Closed Jan 2020 		19V701000

Are there manufacturer notices for the 2018 Subaru Forester?

Official records show 383 manufacturer communications on record for the 2018 Subaru Forester.

0 warranty 0 service campaigns 0 software/OTA

Common components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (161), EQUIPMENT (110), ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (40), POWER TRAIN (31), ENGINE (23)

Manufacturer communications are not recalls. They can include service bulletins, repair instructions, warranty extensions, software updates, service campaigns, and other notices.
Date Type Component Summary ID / document
Apr 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions UNKNOWN OR OTHER This Service Information Bulletin was developed to provide interim guidance for vehicles exhibiting DTC B2A20. 11032034
07-240-26R
Apr 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions UNKNOWN OR OTHER This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models. 11032039
01-167-08R
Apr 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions POWER TRAIN This bulletin announces the service manual correction regarding clutch master cylinder reservoir service procedures. 11032040
03-97-26
Apr 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions STEERING This Bulletin provides the diagnostic procedures to be followed when addressing customer concerns of steering wheel/vehicle body vibration when driving at highway speeds when tire/wheel balance is suspected. 11032035
05-97-26
Mar 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions UNKNOWN OR OTHER This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models. 11030557
01-167-08R
Mar 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions ELECTRICAL SYSTEM This bulletin announces the new procedure and Warranty Fail Code for FirstTime air conditioning (A/C) performance concerns possibly resulting from an undetected A/C refrigerant leak. 11030560
10-105-25R
Mar 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions ENGINE In the interest of customer satisfaction, Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is initiating a new voluntary emissions recall for certain 2018 model year WRX and Forester vehicles and certain 2019 MY WRX equipped with a 2.0L turbo engine. 11030577
WRA-26
Mar 2026 Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions ELECTRICAL SYSTEM This bulletin contains information to help when attempting to complete the STARLINK Telematics subscription process, an Error Code 202 and / or 204 may occur preventing the process from completing successfully 11030567
15-219-18R
Mar 2026 Other ENGINE This announcement provides information on the voluntary emissions recall WRA-26 for the rear catalyst non-compliance. 11030564
SubaruNet Announcement (W
Mar 2026 Other ELECTRICAL SYSTEM This announcement provides information on the use of aftermarket services or tools for programming immobilizer keys/fobs. 11030561
SubaruNet Announcement (A

What are the most common 2018 Subaru Forester complaints?

482 total complaints on record

How much does the 2018 Subaru Forester cost in fuel?

Estimated annual cost $2,218 $185/month at 12,000 miles/year
Effective efficiency 24.3 MPG
Energy used 493 gal/yr
Price assumption $4.50 $/gal

Assumptions: 22 city / 28 highway / 24 combined MPG · Regular Gasoline · efficiency ratings from official public data when available · fuel price default: official public data (U.S. average, Jun 3, 2026)

368 g/mi CO2Fuel score 5/10Smog 7/10

Model-year comparison

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022