NHTSA data · free2018 Subaru ForesterProblems: Top Complaints, Recalls & Failures (NHTSA)
Every owner complaint and safety recall the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has on file for the 2018 Subaru Forester, ranked by the component that failed most.
Complaints on file
498
Recalls issued
3
Crashes reported
26
Fires reported
1
What breaks most
- Visibility/Wiper135 complaints · 27.1%
- Air Bags99 complaints · 19.9%
- Electrical System71 complaints · 14.3%
- Engine32 complaints · 6.4%
- Seats30 complaints · 6%
Recalls on this model year
- 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.
Campaign 21V587000 · reported 29/07/2021 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
- 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.
Campaign 19V701000 · reported 03/10/2019 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
- 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,
Campaign 18V455000 · reported 10/07/2018 · recall work is free at any franchised dealer
What owners report
Visibility/Wiper
- Unknown
- Windshield cracked sitting parked matching Subaru TSB 12-192-15R except model of vehicle and Subaru stating not covered under the class action warranty extension
- Windshield cracked starting in the black area under the driver's windshield wiper. Car was idling at a drive through, wipers were on. NOTE: car had fewer than 22,500k miles at the time, was likely ar
Air Bags
- My SRS Airbag System warning light illuminated on the dashboard while driving. Subaru dealership service department informed me that the passenger airbag system occupant detection technology failed an
- The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving, the passenger's side air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with
- The front passenger airbag of my Subaru Forester 2018 is deactivated, I brought my car to the Subaru dealer in white Plains, NY to check because I found out that there was a recall for malfunction of
Electrical System
- On July 31, 2026, I was driving with my daughter when the a/c compressor clutch seized up and experienced a catastrophic compressor failure that also blew out the expansion valve o-rings. The failure
- Airbag light came on - dealership confirmed it is an occupant detection system failure - wiring harness has gone bad. No history of moisture exposure, which would leave faulty part as the problem. Sim
- I brought my vehicle to an authorized Subaru dealership (Byers Imports, LLC in Columbus, Ohio) to diagnose the reason for the airbag warning lamp illuminating. The dealer had the manufacturer's WUM-98
Engine
- On July 31, 2026, I was driving with my daughter when the a/c compressor clutch seized up and experienced a catastrophic compressor failure that also blew out the expansion valve o-rings. The failure
- The A/c compressor seized up causing the belt to break. Looked up online and it seems it's a common occurrence with this year and model.
- The AC compressor/condesor needs replaced and I see a lot of complaints on-line about this specific model- 2018 Forester. My kids and I were on a road trip in August 2025 when it stopped working. It w
Seats
- Airbag light came on - dealership confirmed it is an occupant detection system failure - wiring harness has gone bad. No history of moisture exposure, which would leave faulty part as the problem. Sim
- I brought my vehicle to an authorized Subaru dealership (Byers Imports, LLC in Columbus, Ohio) to diagnose the reason for the airbag warning lamp illuminating. The dealer had the manufacturer's WUM-98
- Passenger front seat. Airbag light is on when someone is sitting in the seat and seatbelt indicator dings when nothing is in the seat.
Excerpts are anonymized owner complaints as filed with NHTSA, trimmed to 200 characters.
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