How many recalls does the 2018 Subaru Forester have?

NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2018 Subaru Forester model year. Whether one car had the recall work done depends on that car, so check its VIN with NHTSA.

1998: 112 owner complaints, Maybe

Our take: worth a look. Owners filed more complaints than in a typical year of this model, not enough to mark it down.

Year verdict

Worthy

1.4× a typical year

More owner complaints than a typical year, not enough to mark it down. Still get it inspected.

Confidence: Medium

Close to the Maybe line, so a few complaints either way could tip it.

NHTSA did not answer for 2 years, so this may change.

Past 100,000 miles

Not judged

Only 2 complaints in its first 9 years and 10 months give a mileage past 100,000 miles. Too few to judge.

How the dial was counted

Year verdict: Typical year: 307 complaints, the median of 8 nearby years. Each counted over its first 8 years from January 2017; this one had 442.

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WhipWorthy sticker

2018 Subaru Forester

Complaints498From owners
Loading owner complaints
Recalls3On file
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NHTSA did not answer just now, so we cannot show crash ratings. Try again in a minute. You can also check it on their site.
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MPG24 to 28Combined, EPA
Loading fuel economy

Complaints are unverified owner reports, not adjusted for how many were sold.

Compare this car Every Forester year

Car report

Park this car in My Garage and see its recalls at a glance.Car Hunt Pass or Pro

Value signals

We do not price cars.

These help you judge whether this one is worth its price.

Costly problem zones ahead at your miles come with a Car Hunt Pass or Pro. See plans
Fuel: $2,300 to $3,200 a year.The EPA’s estimate for 15,000 miles a year, 55% in town, at its fuel prices. Each version
Loading the EPA's yearly fuel cost
Have the VIN? Check it is this car, and see its open recalls at NHTSA.
VIN
On the dash at the base of the windshield, or on the driver’s door sticker.

What about the price? Check the asking price on two listing sites. Buying from a dealer? Run its offer through the offer X ray.

Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.

The full record

Tap to open

What owners complain about

498 complaints; the part named most is the windows, wipers and visibility

Unverified reports, not adjusted for sales. One complaint can name several parts, so shares add up past 100%. Filed Sep 8, 2017 to Oct 2, 2026. 13% name a part that is usually costly to fix.

Owners reported 26 crashes, 1 fire and 9 injuries in these complaints.

Windows, wipers and visibility156 · 31%
Air bags99 · 20%
Other or unknown85 · 17%

What one owner wrote about the windows, wipers and visibility

The air conditioning system of my 2017 Subaru Forrester suddenly went out without warning. I noticed a defect when the A/C started buzzing with a high pitched sound and blowing semi-warm air instead of cool. I took my auto to a car repair shop. He provided this diagnostic analysis: Normal coolant level in the system. Performed Leak Detection Test- no…

Filed Apr 14, 2026NHTSA complaint 117311541 of 18 owner quotes

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14 more parts, and 18 owner quotes

Every part owners name for the 2018 Subaru Forester, with their own words about what went wrong. Usually costly to fix among them: Engine, Transmission and drivetrain, Body and frame.

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SourceOwner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Subaru Forester. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Seller kit

Questions for the seller, test drive checks and price points

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Walk up to the seller ready

Questions to ask the seller of a 2018 Subaru Forester, built from this year's owner complaints and recalls. What to feel, hear and look at on the test drive, with boxes to tick at the car. Honest points to raise on price, from the records and never from guesses. Copy the questions to your phone in one tap.

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Write your offer

A ready to send offer for the seller, by text or email

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Send the seller a fair offer

Type the asking price and your own offer for the 2018 Subaru Forester, tick what you found, and get a polite message ready to text or email. Its reasons come from this year's owner complaints, recalls and crash ratings, and never from made up repair prices.

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When problems show up

Windows, wipers and visibility: the middle complaint around 30,000 miles

The bar holds the middle half of the complaints that gave a mileage; the dark mark is the middle one. 95 complaints of 498 gave one. Owners file when something fails, so this shows when problems were reported, not how long the cars last.

Windows, wipers and visibility20,000 to 40,000 mi
Half of these 28 complaints came between about 20,000 and 40,000 miles, the middle one around 30,000.

SourceMileage from owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Subaru Forester. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Will it outlast the loan?

The month of your loan each problem zone lands in

Not enough owner complaints for the 2018 Subaru Forester mention a mileage to lay against a loan. Have a mechanic look it over all the same.

Recalls

3 recalls on file

Not every car needs every fix. Run the VIN at NHTSA to see which are still open. Repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand; ask before any work.

Fuel system
Jul 29, 2021 · Recall 21V587000
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.
What can happen
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix
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.
Air bags
Oct 3, 2019 · Recall 19V701000
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.
What can happen
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.
The fix
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.
Wheels and tires
Jul 10, 2018 · Recall 18V455000
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."
What can happen
Installing incorrect tires or applying incorrect tire air pressure may increase the risk of a crash.
The fix
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.

SourceRecalls listed by NHTSA for the 2018 Subaru Forester. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Crash ratings

NHTSA did not answer

NHTSA's stars out of five, for each version it tested. Front crash stars only compare cars of about the same size and weight.

NHTSA did not answer just now, so we cannot show crash ratings for this car. Try again in a minute. You can also check it on their site.

Fuel economy

24 to 28 mpg combined, across 3 versions

The EPA's estimates for each engine and transmission, and its own yearly fuel cost. Yours depends on how you drive and the shape the car is in.

Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
Forester AWD · All wheel drive · Regular gas
City
26 mpg
Highway
32 mpg
Combined
28 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$2,300
This one on fueleconomy.gov
Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo
Forester AWD · All wheel drive · Premium gas
City
23 mpg
Highway
27 mpg
Combined
25 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$3,200
This one on fueleconomy.gov
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L
Forester AWD · All wheel drive · Regular gas
City
22 mpg
Highway
28 mpg
Combined
24 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$2,700
This one on fueleconomy.gov

SourceEPA fuel economy data, fueleconomy.gov. EPA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

True cost to own

The loan, fuel, insurance and upkeep, a month and over 5 years

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What it really costs to own

What the 2018 Subaru Forester costs a month and over 5 years: the loan and its interest, fuel worked out from the EPA's figures for the version you pick, and your own insurance, registration and upkeep. A cost a mile, a link that reopens your numbers, and the breakdown copied to your phone in one tap.

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Every year of the Forester

16 Worthy, 9 Maybe, 1 Pass, of 28 years on file, 1 with no answer

Owner complaints for each model year, this one outlined. Tap a year to open it. The newest 2 are not judged yet. Bars are totals, so older years stand taller; the verdict compares every year at the same age.

Best and worst years of the Forester

NHTSA did not answer for 11 years, so the chart may be missing some.

SourceNHTSA owner complaints and recalls for the Forester. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Before you buy this one

5 checks, with a close look at the windows, wipers and visibility

Built from this year's numbers. Whatever the data says, the car in front of you is the one that counts.

Run the VIN at NHTSA to confirm every recall was fixed.
This year has 3 recalls on file. Recall repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand. Ask the dealer to confirm before any work is done. Look up a VIN at NHTSA.
Ask the seller for the service records.
Look closely for any work on the windows, wipers and visibility. It is the part owners complain about most for this year.
Have a mechanic you trust inspect it before you pay.
Ask them to look at the windows, wipers and visibility first.
Look at a vehicle history report.
It can show reported crashes, flood or salvage titles, and mileage that does not add up.
On the test drive, pay attention to the windows, wipers and visibility.
Run the wipers, washers, defrost and every window.

Going to see it? Take the checklist52 checks with the bad signs to look for, saved on your phone.

Check this exact car

The verdict is about the model year. These checks are about the one in front of you. Most are free or a few dollars.

VIN for these checks

Copy it, then paste it into each check. Nothing is sent until you open one.

Official checks on this VIN

Open recallsFree
NHTSA
Safety recalls on this VIN that are not fixed yet, from the last 15 years.
A recall already fixed does not show.
Check recalls at NHTSAnhtsa.gov (opens in a new tab)
Theft and total lossFree
NICB VINCheck
Whether an insurer reported it stolen and not found, or wrote it off as a total loss.
Only insurer records. Five checks a day.
Open NICB VINChecknicb.org (opens in a new tab)
Title brandsA few dollars
NMVTIS, the federal title system
Salvage, flood, junk and rebuilt brands from any state, and the last miles on the title.
No repairs, service or recalls. Sold by approved sellers listed on the site.
See the approved sellersvehiclehistory.bja.ojp.gov (opens in a new tab)
Title statusVaries by state
The state motor vehicle office
Whether the title is branded in that state and, where the state offers it, whether a lender still has a lien.
It will not name the owner. Each state asks its own way, and some only by mail. Ask to see the seller’s title too.
Find your state’s officeusa.gov (opens in a new tab)

What a paid report adds

A history report such as Carfax or AutoCheck pulls in more of the car’s past than these checks can:

Crashes and damage reported by police, insurers or shops, even when it was fixed.
Service visits that shops reported, with the miles each time.
How many owners, for how long, and the states it was registered in.
Whether it was a rental, fleet or lease car, when that was reported.

It only knows what was reported to it. A clean report is not proof of a clean car. Ask the seller first: many dealers hand one over for free.

Red flags in a history

Salvage title
Usually an insurer called it a total loss. In most states it cannot be driven on the road until it is rebuilt and inspected.
Rebuilt title
A salvage car that was fixed and passed a state check. It can be fine, but it is worth less, can be harder to insure, and needs a careful inspection.
Flood damage
Water can ruin wiring and sensors months later. Be wary of a flood brand that vanished after a move to another state.
Lemon or maker buyback
The maker bought it back over a defect it could not fix. Ask what the defect was and how it was fixed.
Odometer rollback
A mileage reading lower than an earlier one, or a title marked not actual miles.
Many owners, fast
Three owners in two years can mean a problem each one passed along.
Gaps in the records
Years with no service or registration. Ask why: it may have sat, been off the road, or been rebuilt.

Title words and rules differ by state. Not legal advice.

Before you pay

Pre purchase inspection
Have a mechanic you choose, not the seller, put it on a lift and look it over before you pay.
Insurance quote
Get a quote on this exact car before you sign. Ask your own insurer and one or two others.

Model year	Owner complaints	Verdict
1998	112	Maybe
1999	141	Maybe
2000	79	Worthy
2001	146	Maybe
2002	93	Worthy
2003	191	Worthy
2004	219	Worthy
2005	93	Worthy
2006	88	Worthy
2007	74	Worthy
2008	50	Worthy
2009	178	Maybe
2010	262	Maybe
2011	No answer	Not judged
2012	106	Worthy
2013	78	Worthy
2014	403	Worthy
2015	616	Maybe
2016	416	Worthy
2017	592	Maybe
2018	498	Worthy
2019	834	Pass
2020	603	Maybe
2022	100	Worthy
2023	74	Worthy
2024	31	Worthy
2025	99	Maybe
2026	34	Not judged

The verdict on the 2018 Subaru Forester

Value signals

What owners complain about

Seller kit

Write your offer

When problems show up

Will it outlast the loan?

Recalls

Fuel system

What can happen

The fix

Air bags

What can happen

The fix

Wheels and tires

What can happen

The fix

Crash ratings

Fuel economy

Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L

Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo

Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L

True cost to own

Every year of the Forester

Before you buy this one

Check this exact car

Official checks on this VIN

What a paid report adds

Before you pay

Pre purchase inspection

Insurance quote

Fuel system

What can happen

The fix

Air bags

What can happen

The fix

Wheels and tires

What can happen

The fix

Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L

Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo

Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.5 L