Your vehicle report
2018 Subaru Forester
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 498
- Received Sep 2017 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Glass shatters or cracks without impact168 complaints · 34% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off46 complaints · 9.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Battery drains and dies when parked38 complaints · 7.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #21V587000Subaru 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.
- Recall #19V701000Subaru 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Airbag warning light stays onFirst signal: Sep 2019
- Air conditioner blows hot air or failsFirst signal: Apr 2023
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 26 crashes, 1 fire, 9 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Check engine light comes on repeatedly
1 more problem
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
- Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off
- Airbag warning light stays on
- Airbags fail to deploy in crashes
1 more problem
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 34 |
| 2019 | 69 |
| 2020 | 89 |
| 2021 | 96 |
| 2022 | 71 |
| 2023 | 46 |
| 2024 | 34 |
| 2025 | 29 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 27 |
| Total | 498 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 168 | 34% | – | |
| Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off | 46 | 9.2% | 48.4× | NHTSA recall #19V701000 |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 38 | 7.6% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 25 | 5.0% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 16 | 3.2% | 21.4× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Sep 2019 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.7% |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 13 | 2.6% | 28× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Apr 2023 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.2% |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 8 | 1.6% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 8 | 1.6% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 7 | 1.4% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 6 | 1.2% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 1.2% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 5 | 1.0% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 4 | 0.8% | – | |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 4 | 0.8% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 4 | 0.8% | 2.8× | |
| Wheel bearings fail prematurely | 4 | 0.8% | – | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 4 | 0.8% | – | |
| TPMS valve stems break or leak | 3 | 0.6% | – | |
| Alloy wheel rims crack and lose air | 3 | 0.6% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 3 | 0.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #21V587000July 29, 2021175,968 vehicles affected
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.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #19V701000October 3, 2019366,282 vehicles affected
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.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #18V455000July 10, 20183,654 vehicles affected
equipment: other: labels; 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.
Remedy
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2018 Subaru Forester.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN