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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2018 | AIR BAGS | TAKATA RECALL PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG INDICATOR SHOWED A PROBLEM WITHIN FIRST 200 MILES OF DRIVING THE NEW FORESTER. | Crash: No Fire: No | 200 |
| Jun 2018 | POWER TRAIN | I HAVE TROUBLE MAKING TURNS FOR IT HESITATES BEFORE IT WILL KICK IN,YESTERDAY I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A POLICE CAR GOING ON A CALL, LIGHTS/SIREN ON . I JUST MADE A TURN AND IT HESITATED ICOULDN'T GET OUT OF HIS WAY. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,945 |
| May 2018 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | I WAS DRIVING ON I-95 IN FAIRFIELD CT AND STARTED TO ACCELERATE TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC WHEN MY CAR STARTED TO RACE. I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO BRAKE, I NEEDED TO PRESS VERY HARD ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE FOR THE CAR TO STOP ACCELERATING. AS SOON AS I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR ACCELERATED AGAIN AT A VERY HIGH SPEED. WHEN I WAS BRAKING, I COULD NOT CONTROL THE BRAKE SPEED, IT SEEMED LIKE THE CAR WAS SHUTTING OFF SO I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE. THIS HAPPENED FOUR MORE TIMES UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO GET OVER TO AN OFF RAMP AND SHUT THE CAR DOWN. THE CAR SMELLED LIKE SOMETHING BURNING. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO SUBARU DEALER. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,100 |
| May 2018 | ENGINE | 2018 SUBARU FORESTER 2.5I AUTOMATIC CVT: DEFECTIVE LOW GEAR - SAFETY ISSUE. 21 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE TOOK IT TO DURANGO COLORADO MOUNTAINS, PUT IT IN LOW GEAR BEFORE DESCENDING AND THE LOW GEAR NEVER KICKED IN TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. STOPPED MULTIPLE TIMES TO RE-ATTEMPT AND LOW GEAR FAILED EACH TIME. I DARED ONLY 40MPH ON THE GRAVELLY SWITCHBACKS. MANUFACTURER & DEALER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE DEFECT EVEN THOUGH I RECORDED ANOTHER INSTANCE ON TEXAS HILLS. MECHANIC SHOP IN THE AREA SAID THAT THE CAR HAS NO LOW GEAR FAILURE LIGHT SO DIAGNOSTIC MACHINES WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PICK UP A CODE THAT DOES NOT EXIST. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO FIX ISSUE AND DEALER SAID DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. I GAVE BOTH THE VIDEO OF LOW GEAR FAILURE AND A JAPANESE & USA ARTICLE ON HOW LOW GEAR WORKS. I OFFERED EVEN EXCHANGE FOR A MANUAL PREMIUM. NO RESOLUTION. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,600 |
| May 2018 | STEERING | WHEN DRIVING FORWARD ON LEVEL ROAD, THE VEHICLE DRIFTS OR GOES TO THE RIGHT. I MUST KEEP TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. I NOTICE WHEN THE VEHICLE DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT SIDE, STEERING WHEEL MAINTAINS A CENTERED POSITION. | Crash: No Fire: No | 200 |
| May 2018 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | SUN GLARE THAT BLINDS THE DRIVER WHEN SUN REFLECTS OFF THE SOUND SYSTEM SCREEN WHILE DRIVING. | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,000 |
| May 2018 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | PAGE 9-6 FIGURE 8 OF THE OWNERS MANUAL SHOWS HOW TO PLACE THE JACK ON THE FRAME TO RAISE THE CAR TO CHANGE A TIRE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN YOU REEF DOWN ON EITHER LOOSENING OR TIGHTENING THE TIRE, THE CAR WILL ROCK EITHER FORWARD OF BACKWARDS AND SLIDE OFF OF THE JACK. THE CAR WILL THEN FALL FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS DROPPING THE CAR TO THE GROUND, POTENTIALLY INJURING THE PERSON CHANGING THE TIRE. THE CAR FELL TWICE WHEN I WAS TRYING TO CHANGE THE TIRE. THIS CAN BE EASILY RESOLVED BY HAVING A JACK THAT FITS SNUGLY WITH THE MOUNT POINTS ON THE CAR SO THAT THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF THE CAR MOVING AS THE PERSON IS TIGHTENING OR LOOSING THE LIRE LUG BOLTS. THE CAR WAS IN PARK WITH THE HAND BRAKE SET, YET WILL STILL MOVE SLIGHTLY AS THE PERSON PRESSES HARD ON THE LUG WRENCH. THE CAR COULD FALL ONTO THE PERSON EITHER INJURING THEM OR TRAPPING THEM UNDER THE CAR. THE CAR NEEDS TO COME WITH THE CORRECT JACK, WHICH WOULD SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. PHOTO 109 SHOWS HOW THE JACK IS TOO NARROW FOR THE SLOTS ON THE FRAME, THE JACK HEAD SHOULD BE ABOUT A HALF INCH WIDER TO FIT SNUGLY WITH THE CAR FRAME. FILE 105 SHOWS HOW CLOSE THE JACK HEAD WHEN CENTERED IS NEXT TO THE FRAME SLOTS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 400 |
| Apr 2018 | VISIBILITY | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORSTER. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, A CRACK SUDDENLY APPEARED IN THE WINDSHIELD. AFTER HAVING THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED WEEKS LATER, ANOTHER CRACK WAS PRESENT AFTER A SMALL PEBBLE MADE CONTACT WITH THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER (DAY APOLLO SUBARU IN MOON TOWNSHIP, PA) WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,000 |
| Apr 2018 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | SUNDAY APRIL8 2018, THE 'EYESIGHT' WHICH IS A SAFETY DEVICE WAS POSSIBLY TURNED OFF REMOTELY, THUS RENDERING THIS SAFETY DEVICE INOPERABLE AND COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE SAFETY DEVICE WARNS YOU IF YOU CROSS OVER THE CENTER OR SHOULDER TRAFFIC LINE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED AND WAS REPORTED TO FCC, SUBARU AND THEIR DEALERSHIP. I HAVE AN IDEA WHO'S BEHIND THIS DANGEROUS MANIPULATION BUT I DON'T HAVE THE TALENT OR RESOURCE TO PROVE IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 300 |
| Mar 2018 | POWER TRAIN | THE CAR WILL PERIODICALLY STALL FOR A SECOND OR TWO ON OCCASSIONS WHEN STARTING OUT AND THEN ACCELERATE WITH A JOLT. WHEN IN TRAFFIC THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I UNDERSTAND THIS MAY BE COMMON WITH CVT TRANSMISSIONS. IF THAT IS THE CASE I QUESTION WHY THEY ARE ALLOWED ON THE ROAD. I WLL NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER SUBARU OR ANY OTHER CAR WITH A CVT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 200 |
| Jan 2018 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE TO MAKE A LEFT-HAND TURN THE CAR STOPPED - THE ENGINE WOULD NOT GET ABOVE IDLE, EVEN WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED TO THE FLOOR. THE CAR STOPPED IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT DID ACCELERATE AFTER COMPLETELY REMOVING PRESSURE FROM THE PEDAL AND PUSHING IT PARTIALLY DOWN AGAIN IT BEGAN TO PICK UP SPEED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 750 |
| Dec 2017 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | BRAND NEW VEHICLE. DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE AT 55MPH AND MADE A SLIGHT LEFT TURN AT A BEND IN THE ROAD, WELL WITHIN THE CLEARLY PAINTED LANE MARKERS. CLEAR WEATHER, TEMP ABOUT 50 DEGREES F. HEARD ONE BEEP AND LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING FOR A SECOND WHILE THE CAR STEERED ITSELF SLIGHTLY LEFT. MY HANDS WERE ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND I WAS ACTIVE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. STARTLING! HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES. TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND HE EXPLAINED THAT I MIGHT NOT BE USED TO ELECTRONIC STEERING. THE SAME DAY, ON A TWO LANE ROAD AT 35 MPH, AT A SLIGHT LEFT BEND IN THE ROAD, ONE BEEP AND LOST STEERING FOR ABOUT A SECOND BUT ENOUGH TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE EDGE OF THE SHOULDER. I WAS STARTLED AGAIN AND TURNED SHARP LEFT, CROSSING THE DOUBLE YELLOW LINE INTO THE ONCOMING LANE. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO VEHICLES IN THE LANE. THE CULPRIT SEEMS TO BE THE "LANE KEEP ASSIST" FEATURE OF THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM WHERE THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER TAKES OVER CONTROL IF IT DETECTS A LANE DEPARTURE UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. OBVIOUSLY, IT IS NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR WORSE. TURNED LKA OFF. | Crash: No Fire: No | 160 |
| Sep 2017 | ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MILES AN HOUR ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY, I WAS GOING AROUND A SLIGHT CURVE WHEN THE LANE ASSIST CAME ON. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE AND NOT NEAR THE LEFT LINE IN ROAD, BUT CENTERED IN THE MIDDLE OF LANE. I HEARD ONE BEEP AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY LOOSE IN MY HAND AND IT TOOK ME A FEW SECONDS TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE GOING ON A SLIGHTLY CURVED CITY STREET GOING ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR. IT SCARED THE DICKENS OUT OF ME AS IT WAS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED THE LANE ASSIST TO DO. I WENT BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE STEERING AND THEY SAID I JUST NEEDED TO GET USED TO HOW THE ELECTRIC STEERING WORKED. AFTER IT HAPPENED A COUPLE MORE TIME I MADE APPOINTMENT FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE A TEST DRIVE. THE TECHNICIAN FELT A SLIGHT SWAYING BUT SAID IT WAS THE TYPE OF STEERING OF THE LANE ASSIST. HE SUGGESTED I TURN IT OFF AND NOT USE IT FOR A WHILE AND SEE HOW CAR THEN HANDLED. THE TECHNICIAN FILED CASE # 26296330423, NO PROBLEM FOUND WITH VEHICLE, SYSTEM IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED, NO REPAIR ATTEMPT PERFORMED. (EQMR WAS ALSO FILLED OUT AND SUBMITTED.) I HAVE NOT DRIVEN MY FORESTER WITH THE ASSIST ON SINCE THIS HAPPENED. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS LOOSE WHEEL STEERING HAPPEN AGAIN. I AM CONVINCED IT IS THE LANE ASSIST AND FEEL IT IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY IN MY VEHICLE. I WILL PROBABLY NEVER USE IT AGAIN. LANE DEPARTURE IS FINE, DOES WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO. I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS WITH THE DEALERSHIP OR THEIR TECHNICIAN, THEY WERE VERY THOROUGH AND KIND. THIS LANE ASSIST IS JUST AN ASPECT OF THIS SAFETY TECHNOLOGY THAT I DON NOT LIKE HOW IT WORKS. OR IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT IN MY CAR THAT THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED TO OTHERS YET? I DO UNDERSTAND HOW LANE ASSIST WORKS, I DID TEST DRIVES HAVING IT ON AND IT WOULD BRING ME BACK TO MY LANE IF I WENT OVER THE LINE WITHOUT A BLINKER ON. | Crash: No Fire: No | 100 |
| Sep 2017 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE SUBARU (NAV) NAVIGATION SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD NOT BE USED. IT GIVES YOU NO ADVANCE WARNING OF UPCOMING HIGHWAY EXITS OR UPCOMING TURNS. THE NAV SYSTEM WILL EASILY BE THE CAUSE OF SEVER LIFE THREATENING ACCIDENTS DUE TO ITS POOR OPERATIONAL ABILITY TO SAFELY GIVE CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS IN ADVANCE OF THE ACTUAL DIRECTION. I AM AN EXPERIENCED USER OF OTHER NAV SYSTEMS AND CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU THAT THE ONE IN THE SUBARU IS WORTHLESS.I LOVE THE CAR BUT HATE THE NAV SYSTEM! | Crash: No Fire: No | 650 |