Complaint volume
488 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
488 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Subaru Forester, grouped by component category.
488 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
488 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2021 | WHEELS | The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear wheels. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the wheel bearings replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the parts would be replaced free of charge. The failure mileage was approximately 77,409. | Crash: No Fire: No | 77,409 |
| Dec 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | On 10/9/2021the front windshield was hit by a small rock on the lower left driver's side and a crack developed within a few minutes. The crack grew and obstructed the driver's field of vision. This required the entire windshield being replaced. This was done by Safelite AutoGlass on 9/13/2021 at my residence. It was paid by my insurance and I paid a $100 deductible. In addition the replacement windshield was damaged by another small rock hitting it on I71 north near Louisville KY. This time the damage was limited to a bulls eye fracture. This was repaired by myself using a Rainx windshield repair kit. The windshield seems very fragile and prone to be damaged easily as both "rock his" did not seem that bad and should not have caused damage. I found after this repair that there are additional complaints and a class action lawsuit for similar problems with this vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Purchased this certified pre-owned, with warranty on 4/30/21. Required jumpstarts for dead battery five + times over the first 4 months, in moderate weather. Dealership confirmed that a new battery was installed at the time of my purchase. The vehicle has been towed to the dealership several times, they can find no issues. They then replaced the battery on 8/4/21 as the 3-month old battery failed testing per fail code JRGKF50-328J0D1. The car required a jump start on 11/21, again on 11/26, and I am currently waiting (12/2/21) for Subaru Roadside assistance, for yet another jump start. The car was last driven (commute home from work) yesterday. External temperatures have not been overly cold - yet. It should be noted that I turn off the radio and heat/air before shutting off the ignition. I have also disconnected my phone from the car's system in order to prevent any further battery drain. This is completely unacceptable. Roadside assistance takes a minimum of 60-90 minutes to respond. I work in Trenton NJ, where it is dangerous to be with a disabled vehicle for possibly hours awaiting service. I've owned over a dozen cars through the years, and have never experienced battery drain issues. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Windshield crack. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | My windshield appeared to crack for no reason. The crack randomly appeared one day without a corresponding incident (no previous chips/crack in that area and nothing hitting my windshield). The crack began on the edge of the windshield in the upper corner on the passenger side and has continued to spread. There is no mark or indication in that area that the windshield was hit. The dealership mentioned when I purchased the car that I should get the windshield warranty due to an excessive amount of windshield cracking in my area. They claimed Subaru even did an investigation into Subaru vehicles in Michigan due to the high windshield replacement rate. It appears to be a defective windshield that the company is aware of and not recalling. The crack has spread across 80% of the windshield at eye level. It must be replaced for safety reasons but Subaru says this is over $1,000 as they have to calibrate it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | My battery keeps draining for some unknown reason. It's parked in the garage and locked but it is always dead when I need to use it. I need a reliable transportation and I have never had this problem before. I have had 4 - 5 jumps from my insurance company in the last few weeks. And it's dead again today after a jump a few days ago. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | I left my car for 19 days while on vacation in my garage and the battery was dead when I returned. I charged the battery after jumping it with our other car. Now, 14 days later, the car would not start again and needed to be jumped. I have read about the battery drain. My care only has 21K miles. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | There seems to be a fast battery drain on my car. After using the car and letting it stay parked (with all the interior lights off and checked to make sure everything was completely off) for 36hours, the car would not start. This has happened multiple times. It was not dead winter cold, it was approx 70º or hotter. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2021 | AIR BAGS,SEATS | Repeatedly the passenger air bag turns off even when car is in motion (warning lights turn on) with passenger in front seat. We have heated seats but apparently are not part of the recall that covers other Foresters with the exact same problem. Anytime we are in the car and it is deactivated it puts the passenger at risk if an accident would occur. This is extremely dangerous and can lead to death from a problem that the company appears to be aware of. It used to be we could turn the car off, have the passenger get out, restart the car, and the sensor will work, but now that does not happen. We would love to get rid of this vehicle but that is not an option at this time. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2021 | AIR BAGS | NHTSA Recall No. : 19V-701 Manufacturer Recall No. : WUM-98 The issue in this recall is affecting my car and it fits the description in the recall and the exact issue is happening in my car but dealership is charging me $1087.58 to fix it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Second time windshield had to be replaced from cracking after sustaining small rock chip. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WINDOWSHIELD GLASS (FRONT) HAS A CRACK (ABOUT A FOOT LONG) JUST BY ITSELF. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | AIR BAGS | Repeatedly the passenger air bag turns off during road trips (warning lights turn on) with passenger in front seat. This will be my second complaint because I felt you all needed time to add my cars VIN to your recall list. Anytime we are in the car and it is deactivated it puts the passenger at risk if an accident would occur. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | Sudden unexplained acceleration incident. Car accelerated without input from driver and rear-ended a parked vehicle in front of the vehicle Eyesight system did not engage to warn or prevent impact with rear end of car in front. The vehicle was travelling at low speed and suddenly accelerated. This is dangerous because it does not provide enough time to prevent from hitting an object in front of the vehicle like a car or person. The problem has not been reproduced by by the manufacturer who sent a technician who inspected the vehicle and could not find any saved info in the event data recorder or saved diagnostics codes. Complaints were filed with the dealership before the incident that the eyesight system did not appear to be functioning correctly. The first time this has happened was 6/02/2021 in the afternoon on a clear day on a clear pathway without any obstructions. The second time this happened was 9/06/2021. The second incident the vehicle accelerated while travelling at lo speed with the eyesight system briefly warning tone beeping. The brakes were applied quickly and the carr seemed almost to stall. The engine made a noise as the stalling conditions ended and the car went back to normal. Subaru filed a service request previously. SR# 1-70302162357. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | Sudden unexplained acceleration incident. Car accelerated without input from driver and rear-ended a parked vehicle in front of the vehicle Eyesight system did not engage to warn or prevent impact with rear end of car in front. The vehicle was travelling at low speed and suddenly accelerated. This is dangerous because it does not provide enough time to prevent from hitting an object in front of the vehicle like a car or person. The problem has not been reproduced by by the manufacturer who sent a technician who inspected the vehicle and could not find any saved info in the event data recorder or saved diagnostics codes. Complaints were filed with the dealership before the incident that the eyesight system did not appear to be functioning correctly. The first time this has happened was 6/02/2021 in the afternoon on a clear day on a clear pathway without any obstructions. The second time this happened was 9/06/2021. The second incident the vehicle accelerated while travelling at low speed with the eyesight system briefly warning tone beeping. The brakes were applied quickly and the car seemed almost to stall. The engine made a noise as the stalling conditions ended and the car went back to normal. Subaru filed a service report SR# 1-70302162357. State Farm opened a claim 3620R756C. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Battery was dead when we tried to leave, no reason as the car had been fully turned off. Left myself and my daughter stranded for 90 minutes in the heat without viable cell service, until I was able to find someone with jumper cables. Went to car parts store and bought a new $176 battery- as I wasn’t able to make it the 45 minutes to the dealer. Want reimbursement for battery and repair/explanation so it doesn’t occur again. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | With car in park key will not turn to the off position and can not be removed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2021 | AIR BAGS | Passenger air bag light came on two weeks after the 3 year warranty expired. Vehicle was purchased on August 4th 2018 and light came on last week on Tuesday August 24th. No previous issues. Passenger air bag is deactivated even with passenger in the seat. Resetting ECU and other basic troubleshooting did not solve the issue. Wiggled wires and connectors under seat and light went off but came back on during driving. Upon research, this is a known issue with my car that has heated front seats, which mine does. However, for whatever reason, my car VIN is not associated with the recall. ODS issue. The NHTSA campaign number is 19V701 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | When putting the car in park and attempting to turn the car off and take the key out of the ignition, the key is stuck. I typically have to shift back into R or N and then back in park a few times before the key is able to be released. This has been happening off and on for about 6 months and seems to get worse in the heat. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2021 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | During the winter of 2019 I was driving during a heavy wet snow storm. I had to stop every 5 -10 minutes to wipe off my headlights as they were covered in heavy wet snow. This was a safety issue as I needed to get out of my car on the side of the interstate near Hardin MT, where often many vehicles would pass near the car. For an all weather SUV, this is a safety issue. The lights did not produce any heat to melt the snow so that I could continue to drive in a safe manner. Have never run into this issue before with any vehicle. I have written Subaru about this issue after this occurred, but have never received any response. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | WINDSHEILD CRACKED ON PASSENGER SIDE FOR NO REASON | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2021 | AIR BAGS | Passenger side airbag sensor malfunctioning, vehicle has heated seats. Sometimes when passenger is seated the passenger airbag does not turn on and the airbag malfunction light comes on. There is a recall for the same issue for the same year model Subaru Recall #19V701000. However, my particular Subaru does not fall within the date range listed on original recall, though it appears to be the exact same problem based on the description. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WENT INTO THE DOCTORS OFFICE YESTERDAY AND WHEN I CAME OUT THE REAR HACH WAS OPEN. THE CAR WAS LOCKED AND SECURE WHEN WE WENT IN. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2021 | POWER TRAIN | The CVT transmission is begining to fail, the car has come near stalling several times and has a very rough/lurching shift while accelerating onto highways and merging. Subaru dealership says it does not qualify for a warranty replacement even though Subaru extended the warranty specifically for this problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The AC System has failed, most likely the compressor at 76,000 miles. This problem is widespread across Subaru models 2017 & 2018 and repairs cost at around $1,500.00. For a less than 3 year old, very maintained car components should not be failing this soon. Having no working AC is a safety hazard to be in while driving in 100+ degree weather and also the windshield will fog over because moisture is not being taken out of the air now. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |