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#BS-2018-SUBFOR-326B

2018 Subaru Forester

Based on reports from 650 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
650
Crashes
50
Fires
1
Recalls
3
TSBs
382
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 650 complaints, 50 crashes, 1 fires, and 3 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.5x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

cracked windshield

12 complaints • Severity 6.3/10

$X,XXX
2

control arm bushings failure

4 complaints • Severity 7/10

$X,XXX
3

exhaust manifold

3 complaints • Severity 6.7/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the VisibilityHIGH

136 owners reported visibility issues — failures commonly reported around 15K miles.

!Inspect the AirbagsMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

247
0–30K
63
30–60K
12
60–90K
4
90–120K
120–150K
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (247 reports) • Median: 15K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Visibility (136 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Visibility136 (21%)
Airbags85 (13%)
Other79 (12%)
Electrical64 (10%)
Engine30 (5%)
Speed Control29 (4%)
Seats26 (4%)
Steering24 (4%)

2018 Subaru Forester: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Visibility Issues

Visibility complaints account for 21% of all reports filed for the 2018 Subaru Forester, with 136 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 14,771 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 15K-mile mark.

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 2018 Subaru Forester, with 85 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2018 Subaru Forester, with 64 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2018 Subaru Forester, with 30 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

3
17
52
18
103
19
98
20
126
21
102
22
68
23
50
24
43
25
5
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2018 Subaru Forester. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (3 recalls)

18V455000Jul 2018

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."

19V701000Feb 2020

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.

21V587000Sep 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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Subaru Forester is the 2014 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2018 Subaru Forester vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD)

This vehicle

650

Class avg

262

2.5x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical small sport utility vehicle 4wd vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 650 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Subaru Forester Model Years

20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998
View all Subaru Forester years →

2018 Subaru Forester: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2018 Subaru Forester?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2018 Subaru Forester is related to the visibility, with 136 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2018 Subaru Forester reliable?
The 2018 Subaru Forester has 650 complaints, 50 crash reports, and 1 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 2.5x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2018 Subaru Forester problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2018 Subaru Forester have any recalls?
Yes, the 2018 Subaru Forester has 3 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Subaru Forester problems start?
Based on 326 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 14,771 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 650 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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