2018 Subaru Forester recalls and problems

The 2018 Subaru Forester has 3 recalls and 499 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is visibility.

How the 2018 compares

High

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 27 Forester model years — 5th most.

3recalls

499complaints

26crashes

1fires

9injuries

16,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

3 recalls

Fuel System

Jul 29, 2021 · NHTSA campaign 21V587000 · 175,968 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

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.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Air Bags

Oct 3, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V701000 · 366,282 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: 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 & notes

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.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Equipment

Jul 10, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V455000 · 3,654 vehicles

Problem: 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."

Risk: Installing incorrect tires or applying incorrect tire air pressure may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

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.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Visibility156

Air Bags99

Unknown or other85

Electrical System71

Engine32

Seats30

Vehicle Speed Control30

Steering25

Power Train23

Fuel System21

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure

PE19009 · opened Aug 6, 2019 · closed Jan 22, 2020 · led to recall 19V701000

Summary

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 ODS incorrectly suppressed (turned off) the front passenger air bag when the seat was occupied by a full-sized passenger. In a frontal crash that is sufficient to warrant deployment, a suppressed air bag may increase the risk of injury to the occupant of the seat.On August 14, 2019 ODI sent an Information Request (IR) to Subaru requesting information on the subject vehicles and MY 2014-2015 Subaru Forester vehicles.On October 3, 2019, Subaru submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect in the passenger-side front airbag Occupant Detection System (ODS) harness of 366,282 MY 2015-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles equipped with seat heaters.The DIR stated that over time, due to a decrease in contact pressure between the terminals in the ODS sensor mat harness, a temporarily unstable electrical connection may be possible. If the connection is temporarily unsta…

2018 vs. other Subaru Forester years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2018. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2018 Subaru Forester have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns covering the 2018 Subaru Forester, the latest from Jul 29, 2021 (fuel system). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2018 Subaru Forester?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention visibility (156), air bags (99), unknown or other (85). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.