2018 Subaru Forester Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe windshields that crack or chip with no obvious impact, frequently while the vehicle is parked. The second most common theme is the front passenger airbag warning light with an occupant in the seat, followed by battery drain on vehicles left sitting and occasional reports of unintended acceleration or lurching. Many complaints are filed at low mileage, often within the first couple of years of ownership.

1. 1
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield cracks without impact

   • 171 complaints (34%)
   • median 18,402 mi at 2.4 yrs old (119 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $1,166 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2018–2025

   Many owners describe finding a crack in the windshield, often starting at the lower edge or near the wiper or heating element, after the vehicle sat parked overnight or in a garage. Several say they saw no rock strike or other damage beforehand, and some had the glass replaced more than once. According to complaints, dealers typically attributed the damage to a small chip or stone impact rather than covering replacement, and owners note the cost including EyeSight recalibration. Mostly reported between roughly 5,000 and 40,000 miles, often on vehicles a few months to three years old, and frequently discovered after the car was parked.

   What to check: Inspect the windshield closely along the lower edge, near the wiper area and heating element, for chips or hairline cracks, and ask whether the glass has been replaced and whether EyeSight was recalibrated afterward.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The windshield of my 2018 Forester spontaneously cracked eight months after purchase while driving on I-25 eight months after purchase. There was no collision or impact that caused the crack. I had the windshield replaced by safelite autoglass on march 26, 2019. The cost for replacement after insurance was $200.”

   NHTSA complaint #11318053, filed 2020-03, 5,000 miles

   “Have had my 2018 Subaru Forester for almost 4 years now and it has approx. 29855 miles. Before the crack appeared I had no damage to my windshield. While driving down the interstate, I heard a a slight pop almost like a bottle dent popping out because of carbonation at the time their were no other vehicles traveling in my vicinity, shortly after hearing the noise my passenger noticed the crack.”

   NHTSA complaint #11403037, filed 2021-03, 29,855 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Passenger airbag light on with someone seated

   • 86 complaints (17%)
   • median 13,279 mi at 1.8 yrs old (28 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,279 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners describe the passenger airbag warning light or a passenger airbag off message appearing while an adult is seated in the front passenger seat, sometimes intermittently and sometimes with an SRS check message. Some report that a dealer reset the light and the condition returned, and others were told the front passenger seat sensor or occupant detection mat needed replacement. A few owners mention an occupant detection system recall but say their vehicle was not included. Reported from near-new mileage up to well over 60,000 miles, with several examples in the 20,000 to 65,000 mile range.

   Recall 19V701000

   What to check: With an adult seated in the front passenger seat, confirm the passenger airbag indicator shows it is active, and ask whether the seat sensor or occupant detection system has been replaced or repaired.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Subaru Forester 2018 air bag won't turn on with adult in front passengers seat. I have several photos to show that it is off for several minutes. Not the first time this has happened but the first time I was able to document it.”

   NHTSA complaint #11354469, filed 2020-09, 10 miles

   “While driving the vehicle with a front side passenger, intermittently over the past three weeks, the display screen indicates passenger air bag off , the display briefly gives a message to have the srs checked, and the red airbag dashboard light illuminates and remains illuminated for the duration of the trip. (these trips included both city and highway driving.) the dealer (adventure Subaru of mentor, ohio) was unable to replicate this problem. More troubling though, the dealer stated that a scan revealed no active or retained alarm codes. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11355420, filed 2020-09, 29,670 miles
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Lurching or unintended acceleration

   • 73 complaints (15%)
   • median 12,995 mi at 2.4 yrs old (36 state mileage)
   • 22 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners describe the vehicle revving on its own or jumping forward at low speed, for example while creeping in traffic, releasing the brake at a turn, or maneuvering into a parking space. Some reports mention a high idle in park or neutral, and a few describe the car surging into a garage door or roadside object. According to complaints, dealers that inspected the vehicles found no stored fault. Reported across a wide mileage range, from a few thousand up to roughly 47,000 miles.

   What to check: During a test drive, pay attention to idle quality and low-speed creep behavior in drive and reverse, and ask whether any throttle or transmission software updates have been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I had my foot on the break (riding the break and was slowing down to take a left turn onto a residential road, and as I left off the break to start turning because I was now going slow enough, the car accelerated for a second. Rpm randomly shot up and the car jumped forward. It happened quickly and subsided just as quickly.”

   NHTSA complaint #11355538, filed 2020-09, 26,000 miles

   “As it stands in p (park) it has a really high idle even in neutral as if it wants to go. Then in drive it will lurch really fast. Or I have my foot on the break and it starts to rev high then after 3-5sec of seeing rev cycle in the 2000-3000s it calms down. I almost rear-ended a car yesterday. If you slightly pull off the brake the car will want to jolt forward. When it revs high and I take my foot off the brake it jolts forward then slows as if it recognizes I never had my foot on the accelerator. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11363312, filed 2020-10, 34,000 miles

Buying note. Check the windshield condition and replacement history carefully, and verify the passenger airbag indicator behaves correctly with someone seated in the front seat. It is also worth asking about battery history and any service visits for idle or low-speed surging before buying.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.