Complaint volume
489 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
489 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Subaru Forester, grouped by component category.
489 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 241 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 21,173 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 60
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 52
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 47
VISIBILITY 19
AIR BAGS,SEATS 17
ENGINE 12
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 11
POWER TRAIN 10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 7
489 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED. LARGE CRACK APPEARED DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD WHEN CAR WAS PARKED/STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,775 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED PREMATURELY AT FIRST FEW MONTHS OF CAR BEING PURCHASED NEW. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I JUST READ OF A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST SUBARU FOR DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELDS IN LATE MODEL FORESTERS. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD ON OUR 2018 SUBARU FORESTER IN AUGUST OF 2018. WE CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE ONE DAY AND NOTICED THE CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. WE DID NOT KNOW THERE WAS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS ISSUE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 976 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | FRONT WINDSHIELD GLASS WAS CRACKED UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN PARKED, WHEN THE REPLACEMENT WAS INSTALLED, IT CRACKED AGAIN. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WAS DRIVING ALONG ON THE FREEWAY ON MY WAY TO WORK, HEARD A CRACK, BUT DID NOT PAY MUCH ATTENTION. WHEN I GOT TO WORK, I SAW A CRACK IN THE BOTTOM PART OF THE WINDSHIELD APPROX 2INCHES IN LENGTH. WHEN I GOT BACK FROM WORK AND LOOKED AT THE CRACK THE NEXT DAY, IT APPEARS THAT'S THE CRACK GREW ANOTHER 2 INCHES. CALLED MY DEALER SHIP AND SOA (SUBARU OF AMERICA AND FILLED A REPORT AND ASKED IF MY LESS THAT 1 YEAR OLD CAR THAT HAD ITS WINDSHIELD CRACK SPONTANEOUSLY IS COVERED , I WAS TOLD NOT AND THAT REPLACEMENT PARTS WILL COST EST $750. | Crash: No Fire: No | 14,000 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKS AFTER NO APPARENT REASON. NO IMPACT OR ANYTHING TO CAUSE CRACKS. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND A CRACK APPEARED ON THE WINDSHIELD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,000 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WHILE DRIVING ON A PAVED ROAD(NO GRAVEL OR ROCKS PRESENT), MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN THE LOWER PASSENGER SIDE. I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED AND THE SAFETY SYSTEM RECALIBRATED AT A COST OF ALMOST $900.I WAS DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT ROAD AT ABOUT 45 MPH AT THE TIME. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,000 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE PARKED | Crash: No Fire: No | 23,000 |
| Oct 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SEATS | THE AIRBAG SYSTEM BECAME DISARMED AND SEATBELT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHEN SMARTPHONE WEIGHING 3LBS WAS ON FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT SENSOR IS SUPPOSED TO BECOME ARMED WHEN A 40LB PASSENGER SITS IN PASSENGER FRONT SEAT ONLY. READING THROUGH THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY WHICH PUTS DRIVER AND PASSENGERS AT RISK FOR INJURY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,500 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | BEFORE ENTERING FREEWAY, AT LOW SPEED, A CRACK APPEARED ON THE WINDSHIELD. SEEMS TO STEM FROM THE LOWER BLACK STRIP ON THE WINDSHIELD. THERE IS A SMALL IMPACT POINT STEMMING FROM THE BLACK STRIP ALONG THE LOWER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND THE CRACK IMMEDIATELY GREW TO ABOUT 10'' VERTICALLY UPWARD FROM THAT. THE NEXT DAY, THE CRACK CURVED AND GREW ANOTHER 10-15'' IN LENGTH ACROSS THE PASSENGER SIDE. I DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING IMPACT THE WINDSHIELD. A CAR WAS AHEAD OF ME BUT WAS ABOUT 2-3 CAR LENGTHS AHEAD AT LOW SPEED AS IT WAS A FRONTAGE ROAD BEFORE ENTERING THE FREEWAY RAMP. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,000 |
| Oct 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A LINEAR CRACK AFTER BEING STRUCK BY AN EMPTY WIPER ARM DURING THE CHANGING OF A WIPER BLADE. THE CRACK GREW FROM 6 INCHES ON THE FIRST DAY TO 14 INCHES ON THE SECOND DAY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,220 |
| Sep 2019 | AIR BAGS | FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY ON AND OFF, WITH AND WITHOUT A PASSENGER, WITH AND WITHOUT ITEMS ON THE SEAT. THIS IS THE THIRD OR MAYBE FOURTH OCCASION VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALER. ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THEY INSPECTED THE CAR, AND THEIR SOLUTION WAS TO RELOCATE THE "MODULE" (WHATEVER THE MODULE IS) FOR THAT SEAT. THEY STATED IT WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM. A MONTH LATER THE CAR STARTED TO DO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON AND OFF AGAIN. CAR BACK AGAIN TO DEALER BUT THEN LIGHT WAS GONE OFF. YESTERDAY, SEP 23, 2019 CAR WAS DROPPED AGAIN AT DEALER WITH LIGHT ON AND THE CAR STILL ON, IN ORDER NOT TO LOSE THE SITUATION AT RESTART. THEY JUST CALLED ME AND STATE THE SEAT AIRBAG WAS REPLACED $1,100 UNDER WARRANTY, CAR IS 6500 MILES OR SO. THAT WE COULD NOT LOCATE ANYTHING OTHER THAN A PASSENGER ON THAT SEAT. ANY ITEM, CELLULAR, TABLET, COMPUTER, BATTERY, BAGS, PURSUES, SHOPPING ITEMS, PAPERS, DOCUMENTS ON THAT SEAT WILL POSSIBLY CAUSE THE SITUATION AGAIN AND THEY WONT COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. ALSO NOTHING IN FRONT OF THAT SEAT BY THE FLOOR..??? NOT POSSIBLE TO RECLINE THE BACK OF THE SEAT.... WHAT? THIS IS MY FIRST CAR DOING THAT. I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY SAY TO US, IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND A DEADLY RISK DRIVE THIS CAR WITH THE PASSENGER LIGHT ON AND A PASSENGER IN IT AND BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAPPENS WITH THE CAR ON, BUT PARKED, STOPPED WAITING FOR A LIGHT TO CHANGE, MOVING, GOING FORWARD, GOING REVERSE, AND IS INTERMITTENT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,000 |
| Sep 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE READINGS ARE BETWEEN 3-7 DEGREES OFF. DEALER SAYS THAT IS NORMAL. AN I TO ASSUME THE TIRE PRESSURE, ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND OIL PRESSURE GAUGES ARE ALSO OFF ? | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Sep 2019 | AIR BAGS | EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT HAS SHOWN 'OFF.' THE NHTSA SITE SHOWS NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE ADVISED BY SUBARU SERVICE TECHNICIANS THAT THEY MUST HAVE SPILLED SOMETHING ON THE SEAT, AFFECTING THE SENSOR. I WAS TOLD THE SAME WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN. SUBARU TECHS RAN A DIAGNOSTIC THAT INDICATED NO ERROR CODES. I DISCOVERED ON MY OWN THE APPARENT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. I HAVE DOGS AND CUSTOMARILY PLACE A TOWEL ON ALL SEATS TO KEEP THEM CLEAN. WHEN I REMOVED THE TOWEL MY HUMAN PASSENGER WAS SEATED ON, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR SHOWED 'ON.' IF YOU LOOK AT THE 2018 SUBARU MANUAL, THIS IS MENTIONED IN SECTION 1-56. IN ADDITION TO NOT USING SEAT COVERS, CUSHIONS, ETC., THE PASSENGER IS ADVISED TO TAKE OFF 'UNNECESSARY ITEMS' OR SIT IN THE BACK SEAT TO ENSURE THE AIR BAG WILL ACTIVATE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW, ONE WHICH SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO SUBARU SERVICE TECHS AND CUSTOMERS' ATTENTION. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2019 | AIR BAGS | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANNAPOLIS SUBARU (149 OLD SOLOMONS ISLAND RD, ANNAPOLIS, MD 21401, 888-409-1189) BECAUSE THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED AT THE DEALER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, THE PRECEDING VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. DURING THIS INCIDENT, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT BOTH THE SIDE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD CALL HIM BACK. THE CONTACT HAD NOT HEARD BACK FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECENT FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,300. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,300 |
| Sep 2019 | AIR BAGS | SRS WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHILE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION AT RANDOM INTERVALS. BASED ON MY KNOWLEDGE THIS MEANS THE SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY DEACTIVATED. WHEN BRINGING IT TO SUBARU'S ATTENTION THEY BLAMED MOISTURE ON THE SEATS MESSING WITH THE SENSORS, BUT THE SEATS HAVE NEVER HAD A SPILL ON THEM. | Crash: No Fire: No | 20,000 |
| Sep 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | WHILE IN REVERSE, AUDIO CONTROL IS LOST. ALTERATION TO CHANNEL OR VOLUME OR TURNING OFF AUDIO IS DISABLED - WHICH CAN BE HIGHLY DISTRACTING IF THE SETTING WERE LEFT EXTREMELY LOUD SINCE THE AUDIO WILL INITIALIZE SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER STARTING AND REVERSING IS ALREADY IN PROGRESS AT THAT TIME. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Sep 2019 | AIR BAGS | I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH A CAR T-BONED MY PASSENGER SIDE. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND WE SUFFERED INJURY AS A RESULT. THE OTHER CAR THAT HIT US HAD ALL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THIS WAS A MALFUNCTION IN THE SUBARU I DRIVE. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS IN MOTION GOING 40MPH AND A CAR HIT ME AFTER RUNNING A RED LIGHT GOING 45MPH | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 2 Towed Medical attention | 28,000 |
| Aug 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | I HAVE HAD THIS CAR SINCE APRIL 2018. DURING MY FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP A SMALL ROCK HIT MY WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND PUT A CRACK IN IT I GOT REPAIRED. I'M CONSTANTLY GETTING CHIPS. I AVOID DRIVING BEHIND SEMIS AND OTHER LARGE TRUCKS.I HAVE BEEN READING THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH LATE YEAR SUBARU'S. I FEEL SUBARU NEEDS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF GLASS THEY USE. I WANT MY EXPERIENCE WITH SUBARU DOCUMENTED. HOPE SOMETHING CAN BE DONE. I'VE NEVER HAD SUCH A BRITTLE WINDSHIELD BEFORE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 300 |
| Aug 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | NOTICED SMALL CRACK IN WINDSHIELD LAST TUESDAY, STARTING JUST ABOVE A CLIP ON WIPER. ASSUMED, AT FIRST IT WAS DIRTY WINDSHIELD FROM LIGHT RAIN & WIPER USE, BUT THEN SATURDAY IT MOVED ABOUT 6 INCHES MID DAY PARKED THEN HALFWAY ACROSS DRIVER SIDE A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER PARKED. I HAVE NOT BEEN HIT BY ANYTHING BIG OR SMALL. I HAVE READ THAT THIS WINDSHIELD ISSUE HAS BEEN IN EVERY SUBARU MODELS. I WANT SUBARU TO PAY FOR THIS! | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,300 |
| Aug 2019 | AIR BAGS | AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON, PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SAYS 'OFF' ON PANEL WHEN PERSON IS ON SEAT. STARLINK EMAILS ME THAT THERE IS AN AIRBAG ISSUE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 40,000 |
| Aug 2019 | AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR BEGAN NOT RECOGNIZING PASSENGERS SITTING IN THE SEAT SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING MY BRAND NEW 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THIS STARTED OCCURING WHILE DRIVING, TURNING OFF AND ON. AFTER A WHILE, IT COMPLETELY STOPPED RECOGNIZING ANY PERSON SITTING IN THE SEAT EVEN AFTER ONLY JUST TURNING THE CAR ON. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED IT SINCE IT WAS IN THE WARRANTY PERIOD BUT BLAMED US FOR IT MALFUNCTIONING SAYING THAT WE MUST HAVE GOTTEN THE SEAT WET, CAUSING THE SENSOR TO FAIL. WE TOLD THEM THAT WE HADN'T EVER GOTTEN THE SEAT WET. ONE YEAR AND 3 MONTHS AFTER WE'D GOTTEN OUR FORESTER BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP AFTER THE AIRBAG SENSOR REPAIR, A PASSENGER THAT SAT IN THE SEAT BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THE FACT THAT THE PART OF THE SEATBELT THAT SITS TO THE LEFT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS LOOSE. WE TOOK IT TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND THEY TOLD US THAT THE TECHNICIAN HAD REINSTALLED THE SEAT BELT INCORRECTLY AFTER THE AIRBAG SENSOR REPAIR AND THAT IT WAS MISSING A PART AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS LOOSE AND NOT ANCHORED PROPERLY. THEY WERE ORDERING THE PART AND IT WOULD ARRIVE WITHIN A WEEK. WHEN WE RETURNED A WEEK LATER THEY INFORMED US THAT THEY ORDERED THE WRONG PART AND NOW WE'D HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER WEEK FOR THE SEAT BELT TO BE ANCHORED PROPERLY. STILL WAITING FOR THE CORRECT PART TO ARRIVE FOR THE SEAT BELT TO BE ANCHORED PROPERLY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,559 |
| Aug 2019 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | AS I WAS EASING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN MY TOWNHOME COMMUNITY IN FRONT OF MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND JUMPED THE CURB, LANDING ON THE SIDEWALK AND PUSHING IN THE WALL OF THE HOUSE. AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF AND LUCKILY NOBODY WAS HOME OR STANDING ON THE SIDEWALK. I WAS NOT INJURED. THE CAR SUSTAINED MINIMAL DAMAGE (BUMPER WAS ASKEW) BUT THE HOUSE WALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE TENANTS WERE UNABLE TO LIVE THERE FOR TWO WEEKS. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | 11,490 |
| Aug 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BRAKING ISSUE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME SPONGY/MUSHY AFTER DRIVING SEVERAL MILES. THE PEDAL WOULD CONTINUE TO TRAVEL TO THE FLOOR AFTER BEING DEPRESSED. *JS THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOTIFIED. THE DEALER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE CONSUMER WAS UNSATISFIED WITH THIS RESPONSE. *JS | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2019 | AIR BAGS | THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM INTERMITTENTLY TURNS OFF EVEN IF SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. IT CAN BE WHILE PARKED OR DURING DRIVING. THERE'S NO SET CAUSE OR CIRCUMSTANCES THAT TRIGGER THIS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,000 |