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2018 Subaru Forester

Verified July 23, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
3
on record
MPG
combined

Open recalls on record

3 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.

Vehicle Summary

2018 Subaru Forester

3 recalls
489 complaints
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Check all recalls are completed
Review consumer complaints
Verify no crash-related complaints
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
3
Owner complaints
489
Complaints citing a crash
26

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalised by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

3 Recalls on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

3 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 21V587000high

    Fuel pump may fail

    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.

  • 19V701000high

    Airbag system issue

    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.

  • 18V455000high

    Tire/wheel issue

    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."

Consumer complaints

489 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

489
Total
26
Crashes
1
Fires
9
Injuries

Most reported components

  • VISIBILITY151
  • AIR BAGS93
  • OTHER71
  • ELECTRICAL58
  • ENGINE48

Notable Issues

489 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 9 reports involve injuries. 26 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

visibility issues (wipers, defrost, mirrors)151
airbag concerns (warning light, deployment issues)93
miscellaneous issues71

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Unknown
Drive type
Unknown
Engine
0L 0-cyl
Fuel type
Unknown
Transmission
Unknown
Seats
0

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Explore related

Adjacent model years

All Subaru Forester years

Common problems

Subaru Forester problems

3,993 owner complaints analysed

Systems recalled

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 21V587000

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

  2. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation PE19009

    Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure

  3. Recall

    Recall 19V701000

    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.

  4. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation PE19009

    Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure

  5. Recall

    Recall 18V455000

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