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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CHIP REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY AT APPROXIMATELY 30K MILES. CRACKED ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Nov 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS SCRAPING ICE OFF THE WINDSHIELD WITH A PLASTIC/TYPICAL ICE SCRAPER AND IT SHATTERED AT THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER SIDE, WHICH THEN CAUSED A 5" CRACK WHICH HAS CONTINUED TO LENGTHEN. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN MY DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME. | Crash: No Fire: No | 58,000 |
| Nov 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2018 SUBARU FORESTER HAS A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD, PASSENGER SIDE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. FIRST NOTICED IN AUGUST 2018. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Nov 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | CRACKED/DENTS IN WINDSHIELD | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Nov 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | IKEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH AFTER THE CAR IS STOPPED, PUT IN PARK, BRAKE [PEDDLE DEPRESSED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 49,000 |
| Nov 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | ON RANDOM AND UNPREDICTABLE OCCASIONS THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION TO START THE VEHICLE APPARENTLY AS AN ISSUE WITH THE ANTI-THEFT MECHANISM. WHEN THIS OCCURS, NOTHING WORKS TO TRY TO RESOLVE EXCEPT TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND WAIT FOR 10-15 MINUTES AND THE MECHANISM WILL RESET ITSELF AND THEN WORK NORMALLY. THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,204 |
| Oct 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN 2018, IN 2019 A SMALL PIECE OF GRAVEL HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND A HUGE CRACK APPEARED A FEW WEEKS LATER. HAD IT REPLACED. NOW 10//27/2020 THERE IS A CRACK THAT JUST APPEARED IN THE WINDSHIELD AGAIN. NO ROCKS HAVE HIT THE WINDSHIELD. .I DROVE THE CAR AND DID NOT SEE A CRACK. PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR AN HOUR AND WENT OUTSIDE TO CLEAN THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND THERE WAS A CRACK. THEY APPEAR WHEN THE CAR IS JUST SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY..THE FIRST CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND CLAIM WERE FROM 9/19 CLAIM 06-B531-7M4 WITH STATE FARM. | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,175 |
| Oct 2020 | SERVICE BRAKES | TL* THE CONTACT LEASED A 2018 A SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH UP A HILL, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED BUT FAILED TO RESPOND AND VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE DOOR FAILED TO OPEN. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBARU SHERMAN OAKS (5747 VAN NUYS BLVD, VAN NUYS, CA 91401 (818) 670-7450) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | 35,000 |
| Oct 2020 | POWER TRAIN | FIRST, DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING. SECOND, THE VERY NEXT DAY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE NOISES (SQUEALING) WHEN DRIVING IT ANYWHERE. STREETS, TURNS, HILLS ETC. THEN IT BEGAN RACE AND IT FELT AS IF THE BACK TIRES WERE RACING TO CATCH UP TO THE FRONT TIRES. THERE WAS LURCHING FORWARD. SHUDDERING. NO DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THEN TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS SCARY TO DRIVE IT THERE. I FELT LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING UP. THIRD, THE TAILGATE, ( IN OR OUT) RELEASE BUTTONS WERE NOT WORKING CONSISTENTLY (REPEAT COMPLAINT). I LEFT THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALERSHIP AND TELEPHONED SUBARU OF AMERICA. THIS 2018; I HAD OWNED FOR EXACTLY TWO MONTHS. I HAD ONLY DRIVEN THE CAR APPROX 1200 MILES TOTAL. MILEAGE 47,000. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE AC AND CVT TRANSMISSION. THE AC IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND IT WAS THE CONDENSER THAT WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED REPLACED. THE CVT IS ALSO A KNOWN PROBLEM. THE SERVICE TECH TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND ABLE TO DUPLICATE CONCERN. HE FOUND THE RPM INCREASED AND THE SQUEALING COULD BE HEARD. VEHICLE WOULD SHUDDER. WHEN HE REMOVED THE PAN HE FOUND METAL IN THE OIL. CONFIRMING THE CVT (TRANSMISSION) NEEDED REPLACED. REPAIRS WERE MADE UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. GIVEN THE INFORMATION FOUND ON THE WEB REGARDING THESE PROBLEMS IT WAS IMPORTANT TO REPORT THAT THESE PROBLEMS CONTINUE. SAFETY IS CONCERN. | Crash: No Fire: No | 47,000 |
| Oct 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | ON JULY 5, 2019, I HAD MY WINDSHIELD REPLACED AFTER MULTIPLE CRACKS APPEARED ON BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE TOP-MIDDLE PART. THE DRIVER'S SIDE CRACK WAS FROM DEBRIS THAT IMPACTED IT DIRECTLY WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. THE ADDITIONAL CRACK AT THE TOP-MIDDLE PART WAS UNEXPLAINED AS THERE WAS NO IMPACT ON IT BY ROCKS OR DEBRIS WHILE DRIVING. A YEAR LATER ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2020, I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED A SECOND TIME AFTER A ROCK IMPACTED THE SIDE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND FRAME OF THE CAR SENDING SPIDER CRACKS INTO THE MIDDLE LAYER OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS HAPPENED IN MID-AUGUST. A THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 18, 2020, WHEN A SMALL ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD IN THE MIDDLE CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK IN THE MIDDLE LAYER AND IS NOW BEING SEALED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 43,000 |
| Oct 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD BROKEN TOO EASILY | Crash: No Fire: No | 35,000 |
| Oct 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | AS IT STANDS IN P (PARK) IT HAS A REALLY HIGH IDLE EVEN IN NEUTRAL AS IF IT WANTS TO GO. THEN IN DRIVE IT WILL LURCH REALLY FAST. OR I HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BREAK AND IT STARTS TO REV HIGH THEN AFTER 3-5SEC OF SEEING REV CYCLE IN THE 2000-3000S IT CALMS DOWN. I ALMOST REAR-ENDED A CAR YESTERDAY. IF YOU SLIGHTLY PULL OFF THE BRAKE THE CAR WILL WANT TO JOLT FORWARD. WHEN IT REVS HIGH AND I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE IT JOLTS FORWARD THEN SLOWS AS IF IT RECOGNIZES I NEVER HAD MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. IN ALL OF THESE TIMES I NEVER HAD MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. I DON'T HAVE PICTURES BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S SCARY AND I'D RATHER FOCUS ON THE DRIVING THEN MY CAR ACTING STRANGE. BUT I REALISED THAT WHEN THIS WAS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY MY BRAKES COMPLETELY WORE OUT. I WENT FROM A 7/10 TO A 1/10 IN BETWEEN A 3000 MILE SERVICE! IT ALL BECAME MORE APPARENT AFTER THE 30,000 MILE MARK | Crash: No Fire: No | 34,000 |
| Sep 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK WHILE I WAS SITTING IN A PARKING LOT. IT EMANATES FROM RIGHT ABOVE THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ROCK STRIKE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,000 |
| Sep 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BREAK (RIDING THE BREAK AND WAS SLOWING DOWN TO TAKE A LEFT TURN ONTO A RESIDENTIAL ROAD, AND AS I LEFT OFF THE BREAK TO START TURNING BECAUSE I WAS NOW GOING SLOW ENOUGH, THE CAR ACCELERATED FOR A SECOND. RPM RANDOMLY SHOT UP AND THE CAR JUMPED FORWARD. IT HAPPENED QUICKLY AND SUBSIDED JUST AS QUICKLY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 26,000 |
| Sep 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I JOIN COMPLAINANTS WITH A SUBARU WINDSHIELD CRACK. A CRACK MYSTERIOUSLY STARTED AT THE BASE OF MY WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I DON'T RECALL ANYTHING HITTING IT, AND THERE'S NO SIGN OF ANY IMPACT (DING, CHIP, NOTHING!). I CAN'T DETERMINE WHERE OR HOW IT MAY HAVE STARTED (CRACK RUNS TO BASE OF WINDSHIELD). SINCE APPEARING, IT'S GROWN ABOUT HALFWAY UP, AND NOW HALFWAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I UNDERSTAND FROM A NEWS ARTICLE A CLASS ACTION SUIT IS PENDING WHICH INCLUDES A VAST NUMBER OF SUBARU VEHICLES - MULTIPLE MODELS & YEARS - EXPERIENCING WINDSHIELD CRACKS. MY MODEL AND YEAR IS INCLUDED IN THE CLASS. I FILE MY COMPLAINT AS A RESULT OF FINDING THE NEWS STORY, WHICH SUGGESTS A COMPLAINT BE FILED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 19,600 |
| Sep 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | WINDOWS GET LOCKED AND I'M NOT ABLE TO USE THE SWITCH TO UNLOCK THE WINDOWS AND EITHER SIDE. ISSUE WAS REPORTED. SUBARU CORRECTED THE ISSUE BUT IT STILL HAPPENS. ONCE SUBARU DEALER HELPED VIA PHONE CONVERSATION TO RESET BUT THIS IS A CONSTANT ISSUE. I FEEL TRAPPED IN MY CAR AND I HAVE TO OPEN MY DOOR TO REACH FOR A TICKET WHILE AT A PARKING LOT. CAN'T ROLE DOWN MY WINDOW AT THE GAS STATION. THIS CAN HAPPEN STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING THE MUSIC GOES TO A HIGH TO LOW VOLUME AND VISE VERSA EITHER ON IT'S OWN OR WHEN I HIT A BUMP. VERY DISTURBING AND SCARY AT TIMES ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M ON THE HIGHWAY. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2020 | AIR BAGS | WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH A FRONT SIDE PASSENGER, INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE PAST THREE WEEKS, THE DISPLAY SCREEN INDICATES "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF", THE DISPLAY BRIEFLY GIVES A MESSAGE TO HAVE THE SRS CHECKED, AND THE RED AIRBAG DASHBOARD LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND REMAINS ILLUMINATED FOR THE DURATION OF THE TRIP. (THESE TRIPS INCLUDED BOTH CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING.) THE DEALER (ADVENTURE SUBARU OF MENTOR, OHIO) WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THIS PROBLEM. MORE TROUBLING THOUGH, THE DEALER STATED THAT A SCAN REVEALED NO ACTIVE OR RETAINED ALARM CODES. THIS CAR WAS BUILT AFTER THE END DATE OF RECENT NHTSA CAMPAIGN 19V-701, BUT THIS PROBLEM IS EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN THAT CAMPAIGN. | Crash: No Fire: No | 29,670 |
| Sep 2020 | AIR BAGS | SUBARU FORESTER 2018 AIR BAG WON'T TURN ON WITH ADULT IN FRONT PASSENGERS SEAT. I HAVE SEVERAL PHOTOS TO SHOW THAT IT IS OFF FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED BUT THE FIRST TIME I WAS ABLE TO DOCUMENT IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10 |
| Sep 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | DRIVING IN A HIGHWAY AT AROUND 45-50 MPH, HEARD A SOUND, AND WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED FOR MORE THAN 12 INCHES LONG. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | SPONTANEOUS CRACK IN WINDSHIELD. BEGAN AS SMALL CRACK CENTER OF WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER SIDE. SPREAD TO THE LEFT. NO APPARENT DAMAGE AT START OF CRACK..CRACK INITIALLY VERY SMALL AND NOTICED BY PASSENGER WHILE DRIVING. | Crash: No Fire: No | 28,000 |
| Aug 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE DRIVING MY 2018 SUBARU FORESTER ON A HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, AN 11.5" CRACK APPEARED IN THE WINDSHIELD WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE. THE CRACK EXTENDS FROM THE EDGE OF THE GLASS HORIZONTALLY. CLOSE INSPECTION REVEALED A CHIP ABOUT 3/8" FROM THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD MEASURING NO WIDER THAN 1/16". GIVEN THE IMMEDIACY AND THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE, I BELIEVE THIS IS A SIGN OF DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD MATERIAL. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT THIS CRACK WILL GROW VERY QUICKLY BEFORE I AM ABLE TO GET IT REPAIRED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 29,000 |
| Aug 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STREET. NOTHING HIT IT. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS NEAR ME. THE CRACK STARTED AT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 43,000 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | OUR 2018 SUBARU FORESTER HAS BEEN SITTING IN OUR DRIVEWAY EVERY DAY SINCE MARCH 2020 WHEN THE COVID CRISIS KEPT US HOUSEBOUND. WE MAKE A FEW SHORT TRIPS AROUND TOWN PER WEEK. JUST TODAY (JULY 28, 2020) MY WIFE NOTICED A BIG CRACK IN THE LOWER WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THEN SHE NOTICED THE SAME TYPE OF CRACK IN THE MOONROOF GLASS. WE HAVE BARELY BEEN DRIVING THE CAR AND WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE NOTICED IF A PEBBLE OR OTHER DEBRIS HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND MOONROOF SO HARD THAT THE TWO CRACKS DEVELOPED. (ALSO THERE'S NO CHANCE THAT A TREE FELL ON IT AND WE SIMPLY FAILED TO NOTICE.) WE WERE ABOUT TO TAKE THE CAR ON A 9-HOUR ROAD TRIP IN TWO DAYS BUT ARE CONCERNED THAT FURTHER DAMAGE WILL OCCUR AND WE WILL BE STRANDED. VERY DISAPPOINTING. | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG AND IMMEDIATELY SAW THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC OR VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME ON THE LOCAL HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT 55 MPH. THE BANG STARTLED ME SO BAD I STARTED TO SWERVE INTO THE OTHER LANE. WHEN I REACHED MY DESTINATION I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE HOW LONG THE CRACK EXTENDED. I TOOK THE CAMERA OFF THE WINDSHIELD TO GET PICTURES OF THE FULL EXTENT OF THE CRACK. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | HAVE HAD TO REPLACE WINDSHIELD FULL REPLACEMENTS 3 TIMES IN 2 1/2 YEARS. USUALLY A SMALL ROCK KICKED UP FROM HIGHWAY STARTS THE CHIP AND IT SPREADS VERY QUICKLY. I HAVE HAD CHIP FILLED BUT IT STILL CRACKS ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD SO THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD HAS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |