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The 2018 Subaru Forester has 489 NHTSA owner complaints and 2 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2018 Subaru Forester has 489 NHTSA owner complaints and 2 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). The most-reported system is visibility at 146 complaints, typically surfacing around 23,063 miles (~$350 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Forester | 613 | 0 |
| 2016 Forester | 405 | 1 |
| 2017 Forester | 579 | 0 |
| 2018 Forester (this page) | 489 | 2 |
| 2019 Forester | 831 | 3 |
| 2020 Forester | 593 | 0 |
| 2021 Forester | 207 | 0 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2018 Subaru Forester SUV AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: airbags is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 26,312 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 2 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.6/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
When owners report each system failing, in actual miles — so you can see what's likely behind you, what's due around now, and what to budget for next. Enter your mileage to mark where you are.
"Typical" = median owner-reported failure mileage from the NHTSA complaint record for this exact year and model. Not a maintenance schedule — a heads-up on where this model's failures cluster.
NHTSA recall 19v-701 (Subaru recall wum-98) includes only foresters with seat heaters manufactured from 1/20/15 - 8/1/17. My forester was manufactured on 6/6/18 and is not currently included. Page 3 of product campaign bulletin wum-98r revised 11/20/19 (copy attached) states…
Vehicle was stationary, parked, engine was off, no one was in the car. Crack spontaneously appeared from base of windshield up about 5 inches. There was no crack in the windshield when I parked the car. There was no rock chip on the way up. I looked closely at the crack…
We were driving at 70mph on the freeway, left lane, and suddenly the car lost power as if the fuel pump went out. We had to suddenly get over to the shoulder of the freeway, almost got hit, then limped along the shoulder until we called a tow truck which towed us 40 miles to…
Multiple cracks on the windshield. Some cracks are from very small rocks and my insurance covered it . The most recent crack is very large and didnt appear to start from any rock. This windshield feels very unsafe.the vehicle was stationary .
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
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.
Installing incorrect tires or applying incorrect tire air pressure may increase the risk of a crash.
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.6 out of 10 based on 489 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Subaru Forester has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2018 Subaru Forester is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 6.6/10 — around the segment average; 2 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the visibility first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 146 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 23,063 miles. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.6 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 489 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is visibility. Typical failure occurs around 23,063 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is visibility, with 146 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 23,063 miles. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop.
The visibility is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $350 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 23,063 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 489 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $350, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.