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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | THE WINDSHIELD OF MY 2018 FORESTER SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED EIGHT MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE WHILE DRIVING ON I-25 EIGHT MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. THERE WAS NO COLLISION OR IMPACT THAT CAUSED THE CRACK. I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED BY SAFELITE AUTOGLASS ON MARCH 26, 2019. THE COST FOR REPLACEMENT AFTER INSURANCE WAS $200. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WITHIN THE FIRST SEVERAL MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP THE WINDSHEILD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IS WAS DUE TO A SMALL CHIP. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WE RECENTLY BOUGHT THE CAR CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED AND LESS THAN A WEEK LATER THERE WAS A MYSTERIOUS CHIP OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD. NOTHING HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE DRIVING TO CAUSE THIS CHIP, SO I BELIEVE IT HAPPENED WHILE STATIONARY. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I PURCHASED A 3 MONTH USED CERTIFIED 2018 SUBARU FORESTER XT FROM A DEALER. AFTER DRIVING FOR COMMUTING FOR A MONTH OR SO, I REALIZED THERE WAS A CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD. I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT OR HOW IT HAPPENED BUT ONE DAY I SAW THE CRACK OUT OF NO WHERE. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2020 | STRUCTURE | SPONTANEOUS CRACK IN WINDSHIELD | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CRACKED WINDSHIELD WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE | Crash: No Fire: No | 14,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | DRIVING DOWN THE STREET IN THE CITY MY WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY BROKE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,000 |
| Mar 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | STRONG FUEL ODOR IS DETECTED IN GARAGE AFTER PARKING AS WELL AS WITHIN THE CABIN WHILE DRIVING. BELIEVE FUEL IS ENTERING OIL FROM UNDETERMINED LOCATION AS ODOR IS ESPECIALLY PRONOUNCED AROUND DIP STICK. IF OIL IS CHANGED THE ISSUE DISSIPATES BUT RETURNS WITHIN 1000 MILES. THERE ARE PLENTY OF ONLINE REPORTS FROM OTHER 2015 - 2018 FORRESTER XT (TURBO) OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE AND IN MOST CASES THEIR DEALER IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE AN ISSUE OR PROVIDE A SOLUTION. IN ONE REPORT, HOWEVER, THE OWNER INDICATED THEIR DEALER FINALLY RESOLVED THEIR ISSUE BY REPLACING A FAULTY INJECTOR SEAL. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CRACKED WINDSHIELD FROM A TINY ROCK. CAME FROM A CAR GOING OPPOSITE DIRECTION. HIT DRIVERS SIDE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER AND RAN ALL OFF THE WAY ACROSS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,200 |
| Mar 2020 | AIR BAGS | DEALER IS UNABLE TO GET PARTS FOR THE RECALL. SAFETY RECALL: WUM98|NHTSA CAMPAIGN: 19V701000 AUTONATION SUBARU IS SAYING IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT 2 MONTHS FOR THEM TO GET PARTS. THIS RECALL HAS BEEN ACTIVE SINCE OCTOBER 2019. ADDRESS. 9955 E ARAPAHOE RD CENTENNIAL, CO 80112 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2020 | STRUCTURE | PARKED THE CAR IN A PROTECTED LOT. WHEN I RETURNED THERE WAS A 2-FOOT LONG CRACK DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT WITH NO HELP OR COVERAGE FROM SUBARU. THIS WAS WITH 12000 MILES ON THE CAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,000 |
| Mar 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACK/CHIP. I NOTICED THIS WHILE AT A STOPLIGHT AND NOT IN MOTION. CHIP SEEMED TO APPEAR ON IT'S OWN. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE ON THESE MODEL FORESTERS, GLASS ISN'T UP TO PAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 29,000 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ENTERING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE NO ROCKS OR ANY FOREIGN OBJECTS THAT CAUSED THE CRACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED ONCE FOR A SIMILAR FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE INSPECTED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ENTERING THE VEHICLE SHE NOTICED A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | UNKNOWN. I DROVE MY CAR BACK FROM A WEEKEND TRIP AND SAW NO DAMAGE DURING THAT TIME. I THEN PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND DID NOT DRIVE MY CAR AGAIN FOR 3 DAYS. WHEN I RETURNED TO DRIVE MY CAR, THERE WAS A LARGE CRACK ACROSS THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE PROPAGATED FROM DAMAGE FROM A PROJECTILE AND WAS NOT PRESENT WHEN I HAD DRIVEN MY CAR 3 DAYS EARLIER. BASED ON THE SIZE AND LOCATION OF THE CRACK, I HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY NO ONE WAS AROUND ME. I HEARD A SMALL PING. THE NEXT MORNING THERE WAS A LARGE CRACK ACROSS THE DRIVER SIDE. I HAVE NEVER HAD A WINDSHIELD CRACK EVEN WITH MUCH MORE FORCE. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THE WINDSHIELD IS DEFECTIVE. THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY SISTER WHO BOUGHT A NEW CROSSTREK. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,350 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO OBSERVABLE REASON AND WAS REPLACED | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITH NO REASON, DROVE TO WORK WINDSHIELD FINE. FOUND BROKE AFTER LEAVING WORK WHILE PARKED. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN REPLACED. DATE OF THE BREAK WAS APPROX. 6/2019 | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | CRACKED AND CHIPPED WINDSHIELD FOR NO APPARENT REASON. REPLACED 2-14-20 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM PASSENGER EDGE TO MIDDLE OF DRIVERS SIDE. NOTHING HIT IT, IT JUST CRACKED WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN MY CARPORT | Crash: No Fire: No | 18,000 |
| Feb 2020 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MARK MILLER SUBARU SOUTH TOWNE SERVICE LOCATED AT 10920 STATE ST, SANDY, UT 84070, (888) 791-4530, TO BE DIAGNOSED WHICH WAS STILL PENDING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED NOR INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,457. | Crash: No Fire: No | 26,457 |
| Feb 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD. NO STONES OR ROCKS HIT IT. JUST STARTED CRACKING IN NUMEROUS LOCATIONS FROM COLD WEATHER. SEEMED LIKE IT CRACKED WHEN THE DEFROSTER WAS PUT ON IN COLD WEATHER. CRACKS EVERYWHERE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Jan 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | LARGE WINDSHIELD CRACK FOR NO APPARENT REASON. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN OUR GARAGE AT THE TIME. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AS I WENT OVER A SPEED BUMP. | Crash: No Fire: No | 9,000 |
| Jan 2020 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I BOUGHT MY 2018 SUBARU FORESTER IN DECEMBER OF 2018. IN AUGUST OF 2019, A SMALL PEBBLE HIT THE LOWER LEFT SIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON A CITY STREET. THE NEXT AFTERNOON, I NOTICED AN APPROXIMATE 2 FOOT CRACK ACROSS THE LEFT SIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD WHEN I GOT IN MY CAR, AND IT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPAIRED MY ABILITY TO SEE AS IT WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY LINE OF VISION. I HAD TO WAIT ABOUT A MONTH UNTIL A REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD WAS APPROVED BY MY INSURANCE, ORDERED BY A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, AND FINALLY INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE. LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS AFTER REPLACING MY WINDSHIELD, A TINY PEBBLE THE SIZE OF A PINHEAD HIT THE LOWER LEFT SIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD AGAIN. I COULDN'T EVEN SEE A MARK, IT WAS SO SMALL. ONE DAY WHEN I WAS GETTING IN MY CAR, I NOTICED A FOOT LONG CRACK IN ALMOST THE EXACT SAME PLACE AS LAST TIME. ONCE AGAIN, IT IS IMPAIRING MY ABILITY TO SEE WELL. MY CAR HAS 10,000 MILES ON IT AND I RARELY DRIVE OTHER THAN TO WORK AND BACK HOME. I'VE HAD SEVERAL OTHER CARS IN THE PAST 18 YEARS AND HAVE DRIVEN THEM MUCH MORE THAN THIS VEHICLE AND NEVER ONCE DID MY PREVIOUS WINDSHIELDS EVER CRACK. IT SEEMS LIKE SUBARU MUST HAVE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELDS AS THEY CRACK FAR TOO EASILY. THIS SEEMS LIKE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,000 |