Complaint volume
482 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2018 Subaru Forester Complaints
482 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Subaru Forester, grouped by component category.
482 Total complaints
26 Crash reports
1 Fire reports
6 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are visibility/wiper, air bags, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 26 crash reports, 1 fire report, 6 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 240 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 20,699 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to visibility/wiper, air bags, unknown or other?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2018 Subaru Forester?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2018 Subaru Forester
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2018 Subaru Forester complaints?
26 Crash
1 Fire
6 Injury
0 Fatality
21 Towed
3 Medical attention
What are the most common 2018 Subaru Forester complaint categories?
VISIBILITY/WIPER 123
AIR BAGS 55
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 51
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 47
VISIBILITY 19
AIR BAGS,SEATS 17
ENGINE 12
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 11
POWER TRAIN 10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 7
482 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2021 | ENGINE | EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKS AT BOTH 30,0000 AND 65,000 MILES. CAR WAS MAKING WHISTLING SOUNDS WHEN STARTING THAT ARE EXCEPTIONALLY NOTABLY ONLY IN COLD WEATHER. UNKNOWN HOW LONG LEAKS WERE THERE AS THEY ONLY LOUD DURING THE COLD MONTHS. NOISE WOULD GO AWAY ONCE ENGINE WAS WARMED UP. | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Apr 2021 | SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I HAVE AC PROBLEMS, REFRIGERANT LEAK, ACTUATOR PROBLEMS, BAD COMPRESSOR. I HAVE SERIOUS CVT SURGING AND SUSPENSION PROBLEMS THAT MAKE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE CAR LITERALLY BEGINS TO HOP LIKE YOU ARE STOMPING THE GAS AND BREAKS BACK AND FORTH AND CAN EASILY MAKE YOU LOSE CONTROL. IT SOMETIMES DOES NOTHING WHEN PRESSING ACCELERATOR FOR WAY TOO LONG MAKING IT DANGEROUS PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. WINDOWS ROLL DOWN WITHOUT PRESSING BUTTON AND WON'T ROLL BACK UP UNLESS YOU ROLL THEM ALL THE WAY DOWN FIRST AND USUALLY IT JUST ROLLS RIGHT BACK DOWN AGAIN. AWEFUL TRYING TO DRIVE WHILE FIGHTING WITH WINDOWS THAT WON'T STAY UP. SUSPENSION IS SO DESTROYED FROM THE SURGING AND HOPPING THAT IT CANNOT BE ALIGNED. THE VEHICLE DESTROYS TIRES RAPIDLY AND UNEVENLY. GAS MPG IS TERRIBLE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU RUN AC. STEERING ASSIST IS DANGEROUS AND WILL SOMETIMES JERK WHEEL AWAY FOR NO REASON CAUSING YOU TO SCRAPE CURBS AND NEARLY HIT A POLE ONCE.. BREAKING ASSIST IS ALSO DANGEROUS AS IT WILL SLAM BREAKS FOR NO REASON. LANE DEPARTURE BEEPS A LOT FOR NO REASON. WIPERS ARE GARBAGE. WINDSHIELD GLASS IS TOO SOFT AND ALL DUST SCRATCHES IT MAKING VISIBILITY POOR THE TRUNK OFTEN WILL NOT OPEN NO MATTER IF YOU PUSH BUTTON ON KEY, INSIDE CAR OR ON TRUNK. THE DOOR SEALS FELL OFF, CHEAP CLIPS FALL OFF THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO HOLD IMPORTANT THINGS IN PLACE, GLOVE BOX SHOCK BROKE. I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES TOO. SUSPENSION IS A BIG ISSUE HOWEVER, COMPLETELY SHOT FROM SURGING. FAR TOO EXPENSIVE TO GET WHOLE NEW SUSPENSION. DEALERSHIP IGNORED ALL COMPLAINTS AND PURGED ALL RECORDS OF VISITS SO I COULDN'T FILE LEMON LAW. SUBARU IS VERY DISHONEST. SO MANY THINGS NEED RECALL THAT IT IS A LEMON PURE AND SIMPLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Apr 2021 | SERVICE BRAKES,VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITH NO CAUSING DAMAGE. SHORT CRACK IN MOTION THAT GREW OVER SEVERAL NIGHTS WHILE PARKED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT. HAD TOWED TO THE DEALER | Crash: No Fire: No | 51,356 |
| Apr 2021 | AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS DEACTIVATED. THE SEAT BELT ALERT WAS ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBARU OF KENNESAW (905 ERNEST W BARRETT PKWY NW, KENNESAW, GA 30144) HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER DIAGNOSED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A WIRING HARNESS CONNECTION FAILURE, BRAKE PEDAL SENSOR AND THAT THE SEAT BOTTOM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE FELT UNSAFE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AND REQUESTED THAT THE MANUFACTURER BUY BACK THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE LEAVING FOR WORK THIS MORNING, I NOTICED A CRACK ON MY WINDSHIELD ON THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE, RIGHT ABOVE THE FRONT SPEAKER. IT APPEARS THE CRACK IS ONLY ON THE INSIDE AND IS NOT CAUSED BY ANY OUTSIDE DAMAGE OR FORCE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 29,750 |
| Apr 2021 | STRUCTURE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | I TURNED INTO A PARKING SPACE COVERING THE BRAKE AND CAME TO A STOP. I WENT TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND WHEN THE GEARSHIFT LEVER STARTED TO MOVE THE CAR ACCELERATED UNCOMMANDED AND RAN INTO THE BUILDING. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | 40,000 |
| Apr 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD UPPER PASSENGER SIDE IS CRACKED APPROX 12" OVERNIGHT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT WAS PARKED STATIONARY IN A COVERED GARAGE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 38,369 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD HAS NUMEROUS CRACKS AND CHIPS FROM SEVERAL EVENTS. IT CHIPS AND CRACKS TOO EASILY. ALL EVENTS HAPPENED WHILE IN MOTION WITH SPEEDS BETWEEN 35 AND 70 MPH. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,567 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | A CRACK STARTED IN THE LOWER PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND HAS CONTINUED TO MOVE ACROSS TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD OBSTRUCTING VIEW. I NOTICED IT WHILE DRIVING BACK FROM VICKSBURG, MS. IT WAS UNDER A LEASE AND THEN I PURCHASED IT IN MARCH OF 2021. | Crash: No Fire: No | 19,000 |
| Mar 2021 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 8 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE CRASHING INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (SUBARU WHITE PLAINS 258 E MAIN ST, ELMSFORD, NY 10523, (844) 338-8731) WHERE IT'S AWAITING DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | 18,000 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD HAS TWO CRACKS ON OPPOSITE SIDES EXTENDING FROM BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD UPWARDS. ONE APPEARS TO BE IMPACT-RELATED. THE OTHER DOES NOT. CRACKS ARE EXTENDING TOWARD THE LOCATION OF THE SUBARU EYESIGHT SAFETY SYSTEM CAMERAS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 24,000 |
| Mar 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE WINDSHIELD IS PITTED AND CRACKED I FIRST NOTICED THE PITTING IN 03/2018 AND IT IS CONTINUALLY GETTING WORSE. THE WINDSHIELD NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AS IT HAS A HUGE CRACK IN IT! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2021 | STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | VEHICLE HAS 50K MILES. WINDOW MOTOR ON DRIVER WINDOW REPLACED TWICE. KEEPS FAILING. ALSO UNEVEN TREAD WEAR ON BRAND NEW TIRES INDICATING SOMETHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 50 |
| Mar 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER LEAVING THE VEHICLE PARKED AND UNDRIVEN FOR SEVERAL DAYS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START-UP. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE JUMP STARTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SMITH CAIRNS SUBARU - YONKERS (900 CENTRAL PARK AVE, YONKERS, NY 10704, (914) 377-8100) WHO REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,000 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE OF A CRACK TO THE LOWER WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HERITAGE SUBARU CATONSVILLE (6624 BALTIMORE NATIONAL PIKE SUITE A, BALTIMORE, MD 21228, (844) 224-1954) WHO STATED THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | HAVE HAD MY 2018 SUBARU FORESTER FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS NOW AND IT HAS APPROX. 29855 MILES. BEFORE THE CRACK APPEARED I HAD NO DAMAGE TO MY WINDSHIELD. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, I HEARD A A SLIGHT POP ALMOST LIKE A BOTTLE DENT POPPING OUT BECAUSE OF CARBONATION AT THE TIME THEIR WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES TRAVELING IN MY VICINITY, SHORTLY AFTER HEARING THE NOISE MY PASSENGER NOTICED THE CRACK. | Crash: No Fire: No | 29,855 |
| Mar 2021 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED TWICE WITHIN A WEEK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, A HORIZONTAL CRACK DEVELOPED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD WITHOUT IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD. FOUR DAYS LATER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS HE WAS MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CRACK AND SAW A SPIDER WEB CRACK HAD FORMED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRACKS OBSTRUCTED THE DRIVER'S VISION TO SAFELY OPERATE THE VEHICLE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,500. | Crash: No Fire: No | 25,500 |
| Mar 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WHILE IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY, OUR WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWICE IN UNDER 24,000 MILES. THESE WERE TWO SEPARATE WINDSHIELDS - THE ORIGINAL AND THE REPLACEMENT FROM A SUBARU DEALERSHIP. WE CAN ASSUME A TINY ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD SINCE WE WERE ON A HIGHWAY - HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT IT DOES NOT TAKE MUCH FOR THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK. THIS SAME SCENARIO HAS HAPPENED TO OUR WINDSHIELD TWICE. OUR CAR WAS NOT FOLLOWING CLOSELY BEHIND ANOTHER CAR OR LARGE VEHICLE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN KICKING UP DEBRIS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 24,000 |
| Mar 2021 | POWER TRAIN,BACK OVER PREVENTION | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FOSTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKING HER VEHICLE SHE SHIFTED INTO PARK, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND NO STRANGE SOUND HAPPENED BEFORE THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED WHIPLASH AND NECK PAIN BUT NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. EMERGENCY OFFICIALS WERE CONTACTED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE 'S FRONT BUMPER AND HEADLIGHT WAS DAMAGED AND THE BUILDING DOOR WAS BROKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | 65,000 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | A CRACK APPEAR ON MY SUBARU FORESTER 2018 WINDSHIELD IT WAS NOT CAUSE BY A ROCK IT JUST APPEAR | Crash: No Fire: No | 42,000 |
| Feb 2021 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | UPON ENTERING A PARKING SPACE, WITH BREAK PEDDLE ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AT EXTREME SPEED HITTING A PROTECTIVE BARRIER. AFTER A REST PERIOD, THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN REVERSE AND WITH BREAK PEDDLE ENGAGED LURCHED BACKWARD AT THE SAME EXCESSIVE SPEED HITTING ANOTHER OBJECT. AFTER A LONG PERIOD WITH ENGINE TURNED OFF, THE OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR SLOWLY. THE VEHICLE IS TO BE EXAMINED TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | 19,000 |
| Feb 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD HAS A CRACK STEMMING FROM THE BOTTOM LEFT (DRIVER SIDE) GOING ACROSS TO THE RIGHT (PASSENGER SIDE) AND THERE ISN'T ANY SIGNS OF IT BEING CAUSED BY ROAD DEBRIS. IT JUST APPEARED AS I WAS GETTING HOME. | Crash: No Fire: No | 31,000 |
| Feb 2021 | SUSPENSION,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | FRONT WHEEL DRIVE BARRING'S LT SIDE, WORN OUT UNDER 19,000 MILES, REAR GATE LIFT MOTOR REPLACED TWICE-IN MOTION! LT BACK INTERIOR FRAME POPPING OUT! | Crash: No Fire: No | 18,000 |
| Feb 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | SUBARU FORESTER BATTERY DIES REPEATEDLY AFTER SITTING FOR VERY SHORT PERIODS OF TIME. THREE TIMES WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNING THE VEHICLE (BOUGHT IT NEW). FIRST TIME, DEALER TOLD ME IT MUST BE MY FAULT BECAUSE IT TESTED FINE, 2ND TIME THEY SAID IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH A START STOP FUSE (CAR DOESN'T HAVE THAT FEATURE) DRAINING THE BATTERY, 3RD TIME THEY SAID IT WAS STARLINK ELECTRICAL ISSUE DRAINING THE BATTERY. I CANNOT RECALL IF THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY EACH TIME, BUT I KNOW I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS REPLACED AT LEAST TWICE. WORKED FINE FOR ANOTHER YEAR AFTER THE STARLINK SOLUTION AND HAS AGAIN BEEN ACTING UP. CAR DOESN'T WANT TO START AND LEFT ME STRANDED IN A REMOTE MOUNTAIN LOCATION IN THE DEAD OF WINTER. | Crash: No Fire: No | 27,000 |
| Jan 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY CRACKED IN MY FIELD OF VIEW, CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. ONCE STOPPED, I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A TINY CHIP NEAR THE BOTTOM CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD, NEAR THE HEATING ELEMENT BENEATH THE WIPERS, SO SMALL THAT I WAS UNAWARE OF ANYTHING EVER HITTING IT WHILE DRIVING. SOMETHING SO SMALL SHOULD NOT HAVE COMPROMISED THE WINDSHIELD IN SUCH A MAJOR WAY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SEE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 19,500 |