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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. CAR WAS SITTING IN DRIVEWAY WHEN I CAM OUT IN THE MORNING A LARGE CRACK FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE BODY WENT ACROSS TO THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE MY THE REAR VIEW MIRROR | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,502 |
| Jun 2020 | AIR BAGS | PASSENGER AIRBAG OCCASIONALLY SHOWS AS 'OFF' EVEN THOUGH AN OCCUPANT IS IN THE SEAT. THE INFO CENTER (AS SHOWN IN THE ATTACHED PICTURES) ALSO INDICATES AN ISSUE WITH AN AIRBAG AND TO CHECK THE OWNER'S MANUAL. A SIMILAR AIRBAG DEFECT WAS REPORTED IN NHTSA BULLETIN - 19V701000 - SUBARU WUM-98, HOWEVER FOR WHATEVER REASON MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED EVEN THOUGH IT HAS SIMILAR SYMPTONS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 21,236 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND BROKE WITHOUT ANY NOTICEABLE OTHER DAMAGE AND WITHOUT HAVING BEEN STRUCK WHILE IN OPERATION. THERE IS NOW A LARGE CRACK ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I WOULD HAVE JUST REPLACED THE GLASS WITHOUT FURTHER ISSUE, BUT A FRIEND WHO IS ALSO A SUBARU OWNER EXPERIENCED A STRANGELY SIMILAR CRACK OCCURRING WITHOUT ANY OTHER DAMAGE, AND WITHOUT ANY ISSUES WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. IT SEEMS ODD THAT THE SAME ISSUE WOULD OCCUR TWICE IN A SHORT SPAN. I AM WONDERING HOW MANY OF THE EXACT SAME ISSUES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO SUBARU AND WHETHER THEY SHOULD HAVE LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION AT THIS POINT. THE CAR HAS HAD NUMEROUS OTHER (SMALLER) QUALITY ISSUES FOR THE DURATION OF THE TIME I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT SO I WOULD ALSO EXPECT THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME SUBARU HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. I DO NOT HAVE A PHOTO OF THE CRACK WITH ME PRESENTLY BUT AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE ONE IF IT WILL AID IN THIS REVIEW. THANK YOU. | Crash: No Fire: No | 36,000 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN ONE SPOT, THEN THE CRACK SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. HAD TO GET THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD REPLACED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,000 |
| Jun 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN "SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE CHECKED" WARNING APPEARED ON CONSOLE. PASSENGER WAS PRESENT IN PASSENGER SEAT. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND TURNED OFF. AFTER RESTARTING VEHICLE, ERROR MESSAGE APPEARED AGAIN WHEN CAR WAS STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. MESSAGE WAS PRESENT BOTH WHEN PASSENGER WAS PRESENT AND NO PASSENGER. SYMPTOM MATCHES EXISTING NHTSA CAMPAIGN 19V701000. PERFORMED INSPECTION PER HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/RCL/2019/RCRIT-19V701-0743.PDF, FOUND PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT AIRBAG OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (ODS) HARNESS THAT MATCHES DEFECTIVE PART DESCRIPTION PROVIDED BY SUBARU (DATE CODE IS BEFORE 18074, SUPPLIER CODE IS 6578). OWNER CONCERN IS THAT THE VEHICLE VIN DOES NOT APPEAR LISTED UNDER RECALL PROVIDED ON NHTSA OR SUBARU WEBSITE, EVEN THOUGH THE DEFECTIVE, RECALLED PART IS PRESENT IN THIS VEHICLE. OWNER BELIEVES THAT SCOPE OF RECALL IS INCORRECT AND DID NOT INCLUDE ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,000 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD GLASS SUDDENLY CRACKED ON RIGHT SIDE FROM THE EDGE TOWARD THE LEFT SIDE. CRACK IS ABOUT 12" LONG. WINDSHIELD WAS NOT STRUCK FROM ROCK OR ROAD DEBRIS. I NOTICED WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR WHEN STATIONARY IN THE GARAGE. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,243 |
| Jun 2020 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE WINDOW PROVIDED THROUGH THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE DEALER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 50,000 |
| Jun 2020 | AIR BAGS | THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL AFFECTING 2018 SUBARU FORESTER'S (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V701000). I CURRENTLY OWN A 2018 FORESTER THAT THE VIN NUMBER DOES NOT MATCH THE RECALL. HOWEVER MY VEHICLE I DOING THE EXACT THING THAT THE RECALL IS FOR, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG TURNS OFF, LIGHT COMES ON AND AN SRS AIRBAG WARNING MESSAGE COMES ON. TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY, THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A TROUBLE CODE FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG THAT THEY JUST CLEARED. SIX MONTHS LATER AND NOW NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, VEHICLE IS DOING THE SAME THING, TURNING THE AIRBAG OFF, ERROR MESSAGE COMING ON. I FEEL AS THOUGH SUBARU DIDN'T INCLUDE ALL OF THE CORRECT VIN NUMBER OF VEHICLES THAT WERE AFFECTED. IT CREATES A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE PASSENGER, BEING THAT THE AIRBAG TURNS OFF AND WILL NOT WORK IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. I ALSO DON'T FEEL LIKE I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM WITH OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR MODEL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM JUST CAUSE MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED. THEY SHOULD EXTEND THE VIN'S TO ALL 2018 MODELS. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 35,000 |
| May 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD HAS EASILY CRACKED MULTIPLE TIMES AND IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,345 |
| May 2020 | VISIBILITY,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I HEARD A LOUD POP WHEN DRIVING ON A MAJOR ROAD. JUST DRIVING. I LOOKED UP AT THE REAR VIEW AND SAW THE WINDSHIELD HAD A VERY LARGE / LONG CRACK IN IT. I CALLED SUBARU DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME TO CALL MY INSURANCE COMPANY. NO MENTION OF PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELDS. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 21,000 |
| May 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS BEFORE RESUMING NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MARK MILLER SUBARU (3535 STATE ST, SOUTH SALT LAKE, UT 84115) AND AN UNKNOWN DEALER IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, HOWEVER, NEITHER DEALER WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE A CONCLUSIVE DIAGNOSIS OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 31,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 31,000 |
| May 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I PURCHASE A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER AND 5 MONTH LATER THE SIDE/BACK RADAR WARNING SYSTEMS WENT DEAD. I RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD BECAUSE OF A SCRATCH ON THE BUMPER THE CAR WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE PART WAS NOT WARRANTED AND WOULD COST OVER $2K TO REPAIR. THIS PART WARNS ME FROM GOING BACK OR CHANGING LANES BECAUSE OF BLIND SPOTS OR EXCESSIVE SPEED OF OTHERS DRIVERS AND PREVENTS ACCIDENTS. I BROUGHT IT TO SEVERAL REPAIR SHOPS AND HAD THE PART REPLACED AND PAID OUT OF POCKET. RECENTLY I FOUND IN MY PAPERS THAT THE DEALER HAD INCLUDED IN MY PRICE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE SAME PERIOD AS THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY AND CHARGED ME OVER $300 FOR IT. I RE-APPLIED TO HAVE THE REPAIR COVERED BY THE NEW WARRANTY AND AGAIN DENIED. I REPORTED THIS TO CONSUMER REPORTS IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO TEST THE ORIGINAL DEFECTIVE PART TO SHOW IT WAS NOT MADE DEFECTIVE BY A SCRATCH/BUMP TO THE BUMPER. BECAUSE THIS PIECE IS SUCH AN INTEGRAL SAFELY PIECE OF THE CAR, LIKE A COMPUTER OR TV ELECTRONIC PARTS DON;T GO DEFECTIVE IN SUCH SHORT PERIODS AND WITH NO REAL PHYSICAL DAMAGE. I NOTICED THE DEFECTIVE DEVICE WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND WHEN ON THE STREETS AND VEHICLES WERE PASSING AND DEVICE NOT WARNING ME. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,985 |
| May 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | AFTER NOT DRIVING MY VEHICLE FOR 2 MONTHS DUE TO COVID I NOTICED I HAVE A HUGE CRACK THAT GREW BY AT LEAST AN INCH A DAY WHILST THE CAR WAS IN MY GARAGE. THE CRACK STARTED ON THE BOTTOM BLACK PORTION WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE IT CHIPPED (SEE PHOTO) THE WINDSHIELD AND HAS SPIDERED FROM THERE. I HAVE MEASURED THE CRACK DAILY WITH A CHALK MARKER AND THE CRACK WILL SOON BE ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| May 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD ON MY 2018 SUBARU FORESTER HAD TO BE REPLACED ON APRIL 16, 2019 AND AUGUST 13, 2019 DUE TO ROCK STRIKES IN THE BOTTOM OR SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD (THE BLACK SECTION OF THE WINDSHIELD CLOSEST TO THE METAL. TODAY, MAY 3, 2020 A CRACK LARGER THAN 12 INCHES APPEARED. THE CRACK BEGAN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD (AGAIN IN THE BLACK SECTION). I CHECKED CLOSELY AND THERE WASN'T A ROCK STRIKE. THE CRACK SPONTANEOUSLY APPEARED. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | 2018 SUBARU FORESTER, SITTING AT HOUSE UNDRIVEN (STATIONARY) FOR OVER A MONTH DUE TO STAY AT HOME ORDER, DEVELOPED A CRACKED WINDSHIELD FOR NO REASON. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Apr 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WE HAVE NOW HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD TWICE. BOTH TIMES, THERE WAS A CRACK ORIGINATING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS AND COMING UP INTO THE LINE OF SITE. BOTH TIMES, THE CRACK OCCURRED WITHOUT AN APPARENT ROCK HIT OR OTHER ISSUE. BOTH TIMES, THE CRACK WAS NOTICED AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN STATIONARY WITH NO APPARENT ISSUES. THE FIRST TIME WE TOOK IT TO SUBARU, WHO SAID IT WAS PROBABLY A ROCK. I SAW NO EVIDENCE OF A ROCK. | Crash: No Fire: No | 34,500 |
| Apr 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | FORESTER WAS PARKED IN UNDER GROUND PARKING GARAGE FOR BETWEEN ONE AND TWO WEEKS. THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD, NO SOUND AT ALL WHEN I TRIED TO START IT. THE ONLY DOOR THAT WAS LOCKED WAS THE REAR HATCH DOOR. NEIGHBOR BROUGHT A BATTERY CHARGER AND GOT THE FORESTER STARTED. FOLLOWING THAT, I DROVE IT TO THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER AND ASK THEM TO CHECK AND SEE IF ANYTHING WAS DRAINING THE BATTERY. THEY CHECK EVERYTHING AND DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. THE FELLOW AT THE SERVICE DESK SAID THAT STARTING A CAR IS THE BIGGEST DRAIN ON A BATTERY AND IF THE CAR ISN'T DRIVEN ENOUGH BETWEEN STARTUPS, IT TENDS TO BRING THE BATTERY DOWN. HE RECOMMENDED PARTICULAR BATTERY CHARGER WHICH HE SAID I COULD PURCHASE AT WALMART. SINCE I ONLY HAVE A LITTLE OVER ELEVEN THOUSAND MILES ON MY FORESTER, AND I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS SITUATION OCCUR WITH ANY OF MY OTHER AUTOMOBILES IN THE PAST. I DO WORRY ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN SHOULD I LEAVE MY CAR PARKED AT THE AIRPORT FOR A COUPLE WEEKS AND THERE IS NO PLACE TO PLUG IN A CHARGER. I STILL LOVE MY FORESTER. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,735 |
| Apr 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | MY CAR WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND OVERNIGHT A WINDSHIELD CRACK OF 8-12 INCHES APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,990 |
| Apr 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED, THE CRACK IS GROWING FROM BOTTOM PASSENGER SIDE AND UP, HEADING MID SHIELD TOWARDS DRIVER. NO LOGICAL REASON FOR CRACK. NO ROCK CHIP MARKET, NO ACCIDENT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 27,000 |
| Apr 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED DUE TO AN UNKNOWN REASON. 13" CRACK IN THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD STARTING AT THE BASE. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. MY ONLY SPECULATION IS THAT SNOW COVERED THE WINDSHIELD DURING THE NIGHT AND THE SUN HEATED THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING CAUSING AN ABRUPT TEMPERATURE STRESS ON THE GLASS. DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 31,200 |
| Apr 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, A SMALL ROCK HIT MY WINDSHIELD IN THE LEFT CORNER (FROM THE DRIVER'S PERSPECTIVE) OF THE WINDSHIELD. ALTHOUGH THE INITIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD WAS A SMALL DENT IN THE WINDSHIELD (PICTURED BELOW) THE CRACK STARTED SPREADING AS WE DROVE AND REACHED OVER 2/3 OF THE WINDSHIELD IN LENGTH (ALSO PICTURED BELOW). IT SEEMS UNREASONABLE THAT SUCH A SMALL DENT SHOULD CAUSE MORE THAN HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK. AS A RESULT, I THINK THAT THE WEAK CONSTRUCTION OF THE WINDSHIELD IS WHAT CAUSED THIS LARGE DAMAGE TO IT. ALTHOUGH THE CRACK ISN'T SEEMING TO SPREAD PAST ITS CURRENT LENGTH, IT IS STILL A CONCERN THAT THE WINDSHIELD MIGHT BREAK IN HALF AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER OR IF ANOTHER SMALL ROCK WERE TO HIT IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 18,402 |
| Apr 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | EXHAUST GETTING INTO THE CAR COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE WHILE CAR IS STATIONARY OR AROUND OTHER CARS. ONLY STOPS SUCKING EXHAUST IN IF WE CHANGE THE AIR VENTILATION MODE TO INSIDE THE CAR ONLY. IT MAKES IT VERY HARD TO DRIVE AROUND BECAUSE THE CAR GETS HUMID FAST AND THE WINDOWS FOG UP AND IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH DECREASED VISIBILITY BECAUSE WE CANNOT CHANGE THE VENTILATION SYSTEM TO THE BUTTON THAT TAKES AIR FROM OUTSIDE. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED ABOUT 1130 PM ON 29 MARCH 2020 WHEN IT WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. NOTHING WAS AROUND, NOTHING HIT IT. NO ONE OR ANIMAL WAS IN THE VEHICLE NOR ANYWHERE NEAR THE VEHICLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,001 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED REALLY QUICKLY. NOT NORMAL. | Crash: No Fire: No | 25,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CRACKED WINDSHIELD APPEAR OUT OF NOWHERE DURING THE MONTH OF JULY 2019. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN MY GARAGE. NOTICED IT NEXT MORNING WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE IN MY GARAGE. CAR NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD. NO ROCK OR HAIL WAS IN CONTACT WITH WINDSHIELD PRIOR DAY OR EVEN UP TO THIS DAY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 29,000 |