2018 Subaru Forester: raw data

Every record we hold for this vehicle, as plain tables, with nothing added. The consumer page shows the same records with the maintenance schedule, price ranges and nearby shops around them.

vehicle	2018 / subaru / forester
known issues	7 clusters (reviewed 2026-07-08)
complaints	494 on file (2017-09-08 → 2026-09-17)
recalls	3
investigations	1
fars	45 occupant deaths, crash years 2010-2024 (legacy-code)
indexed	yes
license	CC BY 4.0 (derived)

Known Issues clusters all years →

AC compressor and condenser failureUNKNOWN OR OTHER14 complaints2022-08 -> 2026-06 (200 most-recent of 487 total)forester-2018-ac-compressor-failure

11710521 The AC compressor needs replaced and I see a lot of complaints on-line about this specific model- 2018 Forester so I am reporting in case it may help with a recall. Cost to repair is $2,000+. Right now it may only be covered under warranty or through a TSB goodwill...
11683935 While driving the vehicle I began to hear a loud grinding noise from the engine compartment when the A/C was engaged. I pulled over to look under the hood and it sounded like the noise was coming from the serpentine belt. Upon inspection by a Subaru dealership it...

Battery parasitic drain and no-startELECTRICAL SYSTEM30 complaints2021-12 -> 2026-05 (200 most-recent of 487 total)forester-2018-battery-parasitic-drain

11505156 My car is a 2018 with only 28100 miles on it. I have now had to replace the battery three times. Subaru tells me I need to drive it every two days in order to keep it from discharging the battery. This is unacceptable. Clearly there is a parasitic drain. My issue...
11456315 Battery continues to drain when car is parked/off causing a required jump start and then recharging of the battery. Dealer replaced battery one time in 2019 (with expense to owner) and recommended driving car every couple of days to ensure it does not draw down...

Windshield cracking without impactVISIBILITY/WIPER30 complaints2021-12 -> 2026-05 (200 most-recent of 487 total)forester-2018-windshield-cracking

11505559 Windshield crack developed in July of 2022 on the passenger side of the vehicle. The small crack grew large within a day, covering half the windshield. This crack developed out of nowhere - no items had hit the windshield. In January of 2023, less than a year...
11448115 I bought my 2018 Subaru Forester in may of 2020 it is now January of 2022 and I have replaced the entire windshield THREE TIMES. If requested, my vehicle can be inspected. It is clear that this windshield is too fragile and poses a safety risk for myself and...

Front lower control arm bushing wearSUSPENSION12 complaints2022-01 -> 2025-11 (200 most-recent of 487 total)forester-2018-control-arm-bushing

11544285 What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Lower control arm bushings are worn out. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The vehicle starts to wobble and vibrate violently when driving...
11585233 Lower control arm bushing initial stages of premature failure. Issue is a known common defect. No safety incident yet, but potential for steering and control issues while driving. Bushing crack was discovered during brake inspection at 45k miles.

Passenger airbag occupant detection deactivationAIR BAGS40 complaints2021-12 -> 2026-06 (200 most-recent of 487 total)forester-2018-passenger-airbag-ods

11695780 The passenger airbag light in my 2018 Subaru Forester intermittently turns off and on, even when the seat is occupied. The vehicle has never been in a crash, and the airbags have not deployed. This issue raises serious safety concerns, especially since it may prevent...
11487009 Air bag sensor in passenger seat doesn't recognize when someone is in it therefore keeping it from activating in the event of an accident. There was a recall (Subaru # WUM98R, NHTSA campaign # 19V701) for that problem for 2015-2018 model years which mine is and with...

Unintended acceleration during low-speed maneuversVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL14 complaints2022-01 -> 2025-06 (200 most-recent of 487 total)forester-2018-unintended-acceleration

11453186 Unknown system that failed but vehicle equiped with EyeSight and all of Subaru safety features. Air bag did not deploy. Pulling into curbed parking space at city park. Speed <10 mph while in parking lot. Applied brake while pulling in space to park and car...
11455220 The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 2 MPH while pulling into a parking spot, the vehicle lurched forward. The contact stated that she heard the engine revving but did not notice any warning lights. The contact...

Fuel pump stalling and power lossFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM11 complaints2021-12 -> 2025-06 (200 most-recent of 487 total)forester-2018-fuel-pump-stall

11661980 Fuel Pump. Stalled in intersection in middle lane at expressway entrance. Car stalled 3 x before I could move out of intersection to safety. Kept pressing gas peddle but car would not move then sputtered going a few feet before stopping again. 3x Cars were going...
11651173 The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After...

NHTSA complaints (summary) all years →

count	earliest_date	latest_date	crash_flagged	fire_flagged	top_components
494	2017-09-08	2026-09-17	26	1	VISIBILITY/WIPER:135; AIR BAGS:96; UNKNOWN OR OTHER:82; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:71; ENGINE:32

Recalls all years →

campaign_number	report_received_date	component	summary	consequence	remedy
21V587000	29/07/2021	FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP	Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.	Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.	Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
19V701000	03/10/2019	AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION	Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen.	If the connection loosens, the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger in the event of a crash.	Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.
18V455000	10/07/2018	TIRES	Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. The Certification Label may indicate the incorrect wheel size, tire size, and air pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."	Installing incorrect tires or applying incorrect tire air pressure may increase the risk of a crash.	Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected label, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTS-78.

Investigations all years →

action_number	status	subject	components	opened	closed	recall_campaign	summary
PE19009	closed	Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE	2019-08-06	2020-01-22	19V701000	The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19-009 to investigate 51 complaints and additional Early Warning Report (EWR) data related to allegations of front passenger seat Occupant Detection System (ODS) malfunctions in model year (MY) 2016 through 2018 Subaru Forester vehicles. These vehicles use a capacitive type ODS, which is intended to classify the occupant of the passenger seat as either full-sized, small stature, a child seat or other object. The complaints reported the ODS failed to operate properly, the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning light illuminated, and/or the

FARS occupant deaths all years →

crash_years	occupant_deaths	match_type	vpic_recovered
2010-2024	45	legacy-code	0

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road.

Cite this

Derived data is CC BY 4.0. Link back to the page you used. Text and BibTeX below.

Wrench.Pro (2026). 2018 Subaru Forester vehicle data [dataset]. https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2018/subaru/forester

@misc{wrenchpro_2018_subaru_forester_2026,
  author = {Wrench.Pro},
  title = {Wrench.Pro vehicle data: 2018 Subaru Forester},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2018/subaru/forester}},
  note = {Derived from NHTSA public records. CC BY 4.0.}
}

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