Model year
2018 Subaru Forester
NHTSA lists 3 recalls and 498 complaints for the 2018 Subaru Forester (recall file dated Oct 23, 2026; complaint file dated Oct 23, 2026). The components listed on the most complaints are VISIBILITY/WIPER (135), AIR BAGS (98), UNKNOWN OR OTHER (84). NHTSA lists 1 investigation. NHTSA rated the SUV AWD 5 stars overall. EPA rates it 24–28 mpg combined depending on configuration (fuel economy file dated Sep 29, 2026). EPA's annual fuel-cost figures for these configurations are $2,400–$3,300, based on 15,000 miles and 55% city driving.
- 2000 75 complaints
- 2001 139 complaints
- 2002 88 complaints
- 2003 189 complaints
- 2004 219 complaints
- 2005 93 complaints
- 2006 88 complaints
- 2007 74 complaints
- 2008 50 complaints
- 2009 178 complaints
- 2010 262 complaints
- 2011 147 complaints
- 2012 105 complaints
- 2013 78 complaints
- 2014 403 complaints
- 2015 615 complaints
- 2016 415 complaints
- 2017 592 complaints
- 2018 498 complaints
- 2019 834 complaints
- 2020 603 complaints
- 2021 211 complaints
- 2022 100 complaints
- 2023 74 complaints
- 2024 31 complaints
- 2025 98 complaints
- 2026 29 complaints
Recalls
21V587000 · Jul 29, 2021
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.
19V701000 · Oct 3, 2019
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.
18V455000 · Jul 10, 2018
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS; 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…
Complaints
498 distinct complaints. Crash flag on 26, fire flag on 1, injury field 9, deaths field 0. A complaint can be counted under more than one component. The injury and death figures are the file's numbers (the highest value on each complaint, then added), not a separate verified count of people.
Investigations
| Action | Subject | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE19009 | Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE; AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION; AIR BAGS | Aug 6, 2019 | Jan 22, 2020 |
Safety ratings
| Variant | Overall | Front | Side | Pole | Rollover | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 · possibility 0.169 | NHTSA photo |
Fuel economy
| Configuration | Fuel | City | Hwy | Comb | kWh/100 mi | Range | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forester AWD · 2.5L · Manual 6-spd · All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 22 | 28 | 24 | — | — | $2,800 |
| Forester AWD · 2.5L · Automatic (AV-S6) · All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 26 | 32 | 28 | — | — | $2,400 |
| Forester AWD · 2L · Automatic (AV-S8) · All-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 23 | 27 | 25 | — | — | $3,300 |
Open this model year in the fuel-cost calculator. The calculator starts with no fuel price filled in.
Check a vehicle
This page is not a VIN lookup. NHTSA's recall tool checks a specific vehicle: nhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA's page for this model year is 2018 Subaru Forester at NHTSA. Complaint narratives stay on NHTSA's site and are not copied here.