Is the 2018 Subaru Forester a bad year?
497 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Forester years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2018 Subaru Forester are in line with other Forester years. Visibility and wipers and air bags stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2018 Forester owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 20,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility and wipersSTANDS OUT | 155 (31%) | 11k–30k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 99 (20%) | 8k–31k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 71 (14%) | 6k–41k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Engine | 32 (6%) | 10k–48k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Seats | 30 (6%) | 8k–30k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Speed control | 30 (6%) | 2k–28k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Steering | 25 (5%) | 3k–25k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 23 (5%) | 6k–46k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Body structure | 14 (3%) | 2k–22k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 14 (3%) | 17k–34k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Stability control | 6 (1%) | 0k–18k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Fuel system | 21 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 15 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 10 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 20,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 497 complaints: 26 mention a crash · 1 mentions a fire · 6 report an injury · 21 say the car was towed.
29 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2018 Subaru Forester: 3
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.
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.
The Certification Label may indicate the incorrect wheel size, tire size, and air pressure. Installing incorrect tires or applying incorrect tire air pressure may increase the risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Subaru: 197
Repair instructions Subaru sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2018 Subaru Forester. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Diagnostic procedures and availability of new Engine Control Module (ECM) reprogramming files to address DTC P2404…
Step-by-step diagnostic procedure for resolving Remote Engine Start (RES) failures for both Telematics and remote engine start equipped vehicles
Some customers regarding an odor or a rattle-type noise/fluttering sound coming from the undercarriage, during acceleration
Diagnostic procedures to be used when DTCs B1571(REFERENCE CODE INCOMPATIBILITY IMMOBILIZER CM TO ECM) and B1572(IMM CIRCUIT EXCEPT ANTENNA CIRCUIT)…
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
Neighbouring years
2017 Forester: 594 complaints, keep it · 2019 Forester: 834 complaints, keep it.
Every Subaru Forester year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Forester years side by side
Other Subaru models: Subaru Ascent · Subaru Crosstrek · Subaru Impreza · Subaru Legacy · Subaru Outback · Subaru WRX · Subaru XV Crosstrek. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2018 Subaru Forester a bad year?
497 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Forester years. At 20,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Subaru Forester?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: visibility and wipers (155), air bags (99), electrical system (71), engine (32), seats (30).
How many recalls does the 2018 Subaru Forester have?
3 recall campaigns list this model year: Fuel system (NHTSA 21V-587), Air bags (NHTSA 19V-701), Tires (NHTSA 18V-455). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.