2018 Subaru Forester Complaint Log

Purchased my 4 tires, Good Year Assurance WeatherReady in Dec 2019 with 42,304 miles. My tire indicator light came on alerting of low tire pressure. Upon inspection of rear passenger tire, substantial dry rot on tire sidewall, inside. I only have 39,800 miles on the tire. Tire is a 60,000 mile tire. Tire is defective due to dry rot. Dry rot is so bad, tire does not hold air.

The radio/touch screen unit has lost its contrast. In bright sunlight I can see an underlying circuit pattern on the screen that makes it hard or sometimes impossible to see the back up camera. Instead of seeing the image from the backup camera all I see are lines. I can no longer rely on the camera for safety support.

The rear seatbacks fold forward by pulling a knob on top of the seat beside headrest. Recently, as I was driving, my 6 year old child, who was restrained in a booster seat, reached up and pulled the knob, thus unlocking the seatback. I'm glad she asked, "what's this do?" or I may not have known that her seatback was not locked into place. We immediately pulled over to lock the seat into place. I see this as a potential safety hazard, that especially puts young children at risk.

This is the latest time in a series of incidents where the SUV would not start due to a problem with the main battery. New batteries drain very quickly after a series of electrical problems. So far, we have noticed keyless entry FOB says battery in the FOB is low and stops connecting (but then connects if we remove the key from it without us holding it to the button that turns the car on and off), we replace this battery but continue to have the same issues, front passenger side window is not able to be rolled down or up from driver side, as the battery continues to drain, gas gauges stop correctly registering amount of gas in the car, different warning lights light up on control panel without any sense of rhyme or reason, and overhead lighting gets dim. For a few weeks, the SUV blames the problems on the battery in the key FOB being low, even though it was replaced on December 15, 2021. When replacing the FOB battery did not work, we learned it was the actual main SUV battery that had been drained. It is now March 19, 2022, and we are having the same issues despite having only a moderate amount of miles put on the SUV and only 3 months of time passing since we purchased and installed a brand new car battery. We will have to spend money on batteries again.

We went it because the ODS (Occupant Detection System)/SRS (supplemental restraint system lit up on our dashboard. I took it in to Subaru of America after seeing that there were no VIN specific recalls on this issue. They immediately said they would cover the parts but we would have to pay for the labor. I then checked for recalls again and found that there was this exact same issue with 2015-2018 Subaru Foresters accounting for almost 370 thousand vehicles but apparently not ours. Obviously the car was no longer safe to drive as we weren't sure if the airbags would trigger in the event of the crash so we are paying out of our pocket to fix the issue but this seems like the old recall needs to be extended to cover other 2018 Subaru Foresters as well because from what I've seen on complaints here and on message boards, the problem is widespread. Hopefully, the NHTSA can investigate and see that the issue is further reaching than the initial 370 thousand vehicles. It's also important to note that 370 thousand subaru foresters between 2015-2018 is about half the amount sold in the US. If this issue affected that many vehicles on the road, it seems like the issue could be further widespread.

The sensor in the seat has been intermittently working for years and finally quit. It costs close to $2000 to fix and there is no way to switch the air bag to stay on. It seems this is an issue with other 2018 Subaru foresters and for some reason the recall did not apply to my VIN.

Battery continues to drain when car is parked/off causing a required jump start and then recharging of the battery. Dealer replaced battery one time in 2019 (with expense to owner) and recommended driving car every couple of days to ensure it does not draw down. This is not normal. Battery continues to drain down. Owner purchased aftermarket AGM battery (May 2021) of higher voltage/capacity to attempt to reduce number of issues yet vehicle continues to exhibit parasitic drain and battery dies after 3-4 days (faster when it's cold). Dealer has looked at car two more times and claims this is normal and need to not leave car for multiple days without starting. There are multiple class action lawsuits claiming this issue so I am registering this VIN as an affected vehicle.

I took our 2018 Subaru Forester through a car wash. The usual washing procedure went just fine with me in the car idling in neutral as it went through. When it came to the end of the wash cycle, I coasted out and then shifted into drive. Instantly the car surged forward at an alarming speed and I could not stop it. The car crossed a busy street. I fortunately did not collide with cars. The car continued into a field next to a Ford dealer’s lot at a high speed and I was unable to stop it. I managed to swerve right to avoid crashing into the cars parked on the Ford lot. This sent the car back toward the road. Fortunately I hit a lone fire hydrant along the road, shearing the hydrant completely off. The hydrant was dragged along under the front left tire until it hit the curb stopping the car. The air bag did not deploy and I was not injured. This all occurred in a matter of seconds.

My 2018 Subaru Forester Limited has a cracked windshield from a minor impact from a pebble. The crack has grown and I had to replace the windshield at my own expense. The crack was on the passenger side but interfered with visibility.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 2 MPH while pulling into a parking spot, the vehicle lurched forward. The contact stated that she heard the engine revving but did not notice any warning lights. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the local dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.

Unknown system that failed but vehicle equiped with EyeSight and all of Subaru safety features. Air bag did not deploy. Pulling into curbed parking space at city park. Speed <10 mph while in parking lot. Applied brake while pulling in space to park and car accelerated jumping the curb. The car was out of control and luckily heading into the woods. Tried to apply brake again but car kept accelerating. Car went approximately 10-12 feet and crashed into a tree. I suffered only stiffness and sore muscles from the seatbelt. An accident report was filed with local police department. No warning lamps, messages or other messages appeared prior to the incident.

I was driving on a normal roadway when a pulley began to make a loud screaming sound. Then I heard two loud pops. I pulled to the side of the road. I found a melted serpentine belt. I replaced the belt and began to drive at a low speed. I noticed the Vehicle started to sputter. I pulled over and checked the engine. When I opened the hood the AC compressor was sparking and 6-12 inch flames were shooting out. I turned off the engine and extinguished the fire. Vehicle operated like normal after replacing AC compressor. Concerned that it could have caught entire vehicle on fire. Condenser for same make and model is recalled but not for our specific vin. I have old AC pump as evidence. An argument could be made that my VIN should have been included in the recall.

Battery, electrical system was doing funny things I noticed then a day or two later my wife and daughter got stranded at a gas station and I had to go jump the car to get them home in the middle of the night we called the dealership a few times and they said that all battery's die they just said to go buy a new battery no warning light nothing

Similar to recall notice WUM-98R (NHTSA 19V-701). Passenger seat occupancy sensor is intermittent indicating no passenger when one is present or, at times, indicating a passenger when none is present causing the seat belt warning and air bag system to malfunction. Currently, this occurs about 80% of the time. When I queried the internet about this issue, I found the referenced recall. Subaru claims that my vehicle is not included in the recall group. I have asked them to review this claim.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start-up. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that rodents had eaten through the engine wiring harness. The contact was informed that the wiring harness was made of a soy-based material that was attractive to rodents. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact indicated that 2 weeks prior the windshield wiper fluid spray mechanism was inoperable due to a similar failure with rodents eating the soy-based tubing. The manufacturer was not yet notified. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 27,000.

Fuel gauge system became inaccurate in February 2022, showing 100 extra miles available upon filling tank, 450 instead of 350, also gallons left on fuel gauge was inaccurate, off by 4 gallons. Went to Subaru dealership/Service Dept. & was told that I would have to replace gauges & fuel tank, due to warranty past 3 years. I decided to not replace, just keep track. They said they'd never heard of this problem before. It lasted approximately 3 months & went back to normal, then beeped & became inaccurate again while I was starting engine 4 months later, & re-adjusted back to normal after a couple weeks.

1. Lower control arm failed, February 2022. Part is not available for inspection, repair shop disposed of it. 2. The car vibrated at highway speed, steering was compromised as steering wheel was shaking. 3. Yes, shop confirmed part had failed. 4. No manufacturer representatives have inspected the part or vehicle. 5. No car built-in diagnostic measures were triggered, no indication of a failed component. 6. Car is starting to show similar behavior now, roughly one year later, vibration at highway speeds, especially when turning and on road curves.

There is a parasitic drain on the electrical system, including when the vehicle is turned off and nothing is left running. As a result the vehicle will not start. aI replaced the battery and experienced the same problem with a month. This is most problematic when the vehicle has not been used for at least 2 days or it's very cold outside. It's happened at least 10 times in the last 2 years. The most recent incident was yesterday. When I called dealership they denied any electric so issues with the 2018 Forester and want to charge me $75:to check the electrical system even though there's a lawsuit in Canada due to this same exact issue. Everytime this happens aI and my passenger s are put at a safety risk by stranding us because until help arrives.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the windshield cracked without impact. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 39,591.

Hi, I came home. Parked in my carport on a moderately cool morning. Three hours later I came out and there was a huge crack up the center of my windshield around 10” long

On January 15, 2020, a very cold morning, I discovered a crack in my 2018 Subaru Forester windshield. Upon further research, I also discovered this issue with spontaneous windshield cracking was an ongoing problem, found in Subaru's in the 2016 thru 2020 issue years. I took my Forester to my local Subaru dealer to inquire about the process to have Subaru repair my windshield under warranty. I was told by the service manager that there were no technical bulletins regarding the repair of windshields under warranty. This is a safety issue because this crack has now increased in size to half way across the windshield.

The battery went dead on Jan 14th 2022. This isn't totally unexpected as this was the first time the battery needed replacing since the car was purchased new. However, after the battery was replaced the same day, three days later Jan 17th the battery was again dead. Since then, the battery has been replaced once more and again died on both March 27th and April 1st. The car is driven weekly at least and has no warning lights on. After the most recent incident it was researched more heavily and found that there is a potential class action lawsuit against Subaru for this exact problem. Though it hasn't been dangerous for us it could be potentially dangerous should the car decided to fully shut off in the middle of traffic.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving into a parking space at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated, which caused a collision. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle crashed into a traffic signpost, a boulder, and then a tree, which stopped the vehicle. No injury was sustained and no medical treatment was received. No air bags were deployed. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed that the computer system did not show a failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The vehicle was not deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. Prior to the collision, the vehicle had inadvertently accelerated on several occasions. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

Temperature dropped to -20 and large crack randomly appeared on driver side windshield. This crack has caused the eyesight safety feature to not work meaning I don’t have lane departure warning or forward collision warning. Informed my warranty does not cover the windshield repair or required camera recalibration.

I'm unsure why this 2018 Forester wasn't one of the many manufactured that year recalled for an intermittent passenger seat air bag sensor malfunction since the focus of that recall remains the problem with this particular Forester: it has heated seats and displays an intermittent on/off passenger seat air bag light while a passenger is seated in that seat. The malfunction has been occurring for the past several years, however, our attempts to document and diagnose it have occurred much more recently. We took it to a dealership on 5/9/23; despite keeping it overnight and making numerous attempts to duplicate the problem (at a cost to us of $142) they were unable to do so. However, on 6/27/23, as I drove my wife a distance of approximately 150 miles and she sat in the front passenger seat, the airbag light displayed “off” almost the entire trip. Also, she and our son traveled about 400 miles between 16-19 June; he drove, she sat “front right”. During that trip the sensor light showed intermittently on and off and my wife was able to take time and date stamped photos of the sensor light from her point of view in the passenger seat; both when it was on and when it was off. I reported "all of the above" to the dealership and received a reply referring me to the "apparent" minimum weight limit needed for a passenger to trigger the sensor (100 lbs; I've seen 75), together with the explanation that "electronics" could interfere with operation of that sensor. Although my wife at times weighs just under 100 lbs, that weight limit doesn't explain why the sensor light is INTERMITTENTLY on and off on the same trip. At the very least, since she's now always concerned about failure of the airbag to inflate in the event of an accident, a recall/replacement/addition to the previously issued recall applicable to the exact same malfunction should be required. Based on dealership response, it will take an order from you before any additional repairs/replacements are made.

While turning in a parking lot car accelerated and hit a tree. Foot was on brake and airbags didn’t deploy despite extensive damage. Body shop estimator said computer wouldn’t confirm problem. It was not caused by floor mat! No warning lights prior to incident.

I'm filing a complaint regarding a battery drain issue in the 2018 Forester Limited. After sitting idle and not being started for 1.5-2 weeks the battery is fully drained. Fully drained is defined as the car won't start with a portable jumper. The power source car needs to be running and connected to the battery of the dead Forester for upwards of 20mins to give it a partial charge prior to the battery dead Forester being able to start. I've been told various reasons from various dealers and cannot get a straight answer. [A] one subaru dealersip said it's normal to have a dead battery in 3days. [B] another subaru dealership said it was because I had a bad battery, but after replacing it the issue still persisted. I have made sure to manually shut off all lights including making sure the running lights are in the off position, not the automatic on/off position. This incident has occurred multiple times when traveling for week at a time and upon returning to the car to try and start it and it won't start. The same dealership [B] claimed that the parasitic draw was because I kept a cigarette lighter car charging adapter plugged in even though the car was off. I have read several other complaints about this issue regarding this car and hope there can be a recall/legal claim filed against subaru for this issue so they resolve it.

Windshield easily getting chips and pits affecting visibility and now a crack from, a small pebble.

Hello, I am writing to report an incident of a cracked windshield while driving on highway 5 in Los Angeles, CA. I have owned this vehicle for about 6 months. The vehicle is available for inspection and I have attached the photos for review. The windshield has been inspected by a Subaru dealership who states they cannot repair or replace the windshield. The dealership suggested filing a claim with NHTSA and visiting their partner, Safelite AutoGlass. A Subaru dealer and partner, Safelite AutoGlass, both confirmed that Subaru's defective or weak/brittle windshield is a known and common issue. The windshield malfunction appears to be a recurring problem across several models nation-wide with a lawsuit pending: https://bergermontague.com/cases/subaru-windshield-cracking/. Furthermore, this commonly known issue was not prefaced during contract reviews and Subaru warranty does not cover the damages. The windshield issues was not highlighted or recommended for coverage when purchasing insurance. Safelite AutoGlass offered to replace the windshield with the original glass and confirms we do not have the option of choosing stronger or better quality windshield options. Continuously replacing a poor product with the same poor product could be dangerous if this continues to occur especially in the event it blocks visibility. Additionally the frequency of the problem will be burdensome especially since this car was purchased specifically to drive in harsh weather conditions. There was no warning, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to this occurring. If Subaru produces weak windshields it should be a service covered under all warranties and/or offer better repair/replacement options.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear wheels. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the wheel bearings replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the parts would be replaced free of charge. The failure mileage was approximately 77,409.

At around 35,400 miles on the odometer, the vehicle first started backfiring as I was driving. I began an uphill climb through low mountains and the check engine light began flashing, the "emissions control systems" warning light came on the screen, the engine began seriously sputtering and lost a lot of its power, all occurring at the same time. Luckily I have a standard transmission and was able to downshift through gears to regain some power and was able to drive 10 miles, seriously sputtering the whole time, to a safe location. I turned off the engine and it wouldn't start back up again, therefore, I had to have it towed home. The next day I had it towed to a Subaru dealer. It took them 5-6 days to diagnose the cause and fix. I was told it was a VERY rare occurrence; it was pinpointed to the fuel injector and coil, they went bad in cylinder #1. The parts were replaced with new ones and a new spark plug was installed as well. ALL codes are gone and the problem was completely fixed. Thankfully, the service was covered by manufacturer's warranty of 5yrs/60,000 miles power train. For being such a fairly new engine, this problem should not of occurred. A defective fuel injector. However, I can understand that there can always be some sort of flukes. As of this writing, I have not gone to the dealership to pick up the vehicle.

Windshield crack.

My battery keeps draining for some unknown reason. It's parked in the garage and locked but it is always dead when I need to use it. I need a reliable transportation and I have never had this problem before. I have had 4 - 5 jumps from my insurance company in the last few weeks. And it's dead again today after a jump a few days ago.

I left my car for 19 days while on vacation in my garage and the battery was dead when I returned. I charged the battery after jumping it with our other car. Now, 14 days later, the car would not start again and needed to be jumped. I have read about the battery drain. My care only has 21K miles.

There seems to be a fast battery drain on my car. After using the car and letting it stay parked (with all the interior lights off and checked to make sure everything was completely off) for 36hours, the car would not start. This has happened multiple times. It was not dead winter cold, it was approx 70º or hotter.

NHTSA Recall No. : 19V-701 Manufacturer Recall No. : WUM-98 The issue in this recall is affecting my car and it fits the description in the recall and the exact issue is happening in my car but dealership is charging me $1087.58 to fix it.

On 10/9/2021the front windshield was hit by a small rock on the lower left driver's side and a crack developed within a few minutes. The crack grew and obstructed the driver's field of vision. This required the entire windshield being replaced. This was done by Safelite AutoGlass on 9/13/2021 at my residence. It was paid by my insurance and I paid a $100 deductible. In addition the replacement windshield was damaged by another small rock hitting it on I71 north near Louisville KY. This time the damage was limited to a bulls eye fracture. This was repaired by myself using a Rainx windshield repair kit. The windshield seems very fragile and prone to be damaged easily as both "rock his" did not seem that bad and should not have caused damage. I found after this repair that there are additional complaints and a class action lawsuit for similar problems with this vehicle.

Second time windshield had to be replaced from cracking after sustaining small rock chip.

WINDOWSHIELD GLASS (FRONT) HAS A CRACK (ABOUT A FOOT LONG) JUST BY ITSELF.

Repeatedly the passenger air bag turns off during road trips (warning lights turn on) with passenger in front seat. This will be my second complaint because I felt you all needed time to add my cars VIN to your recall list. Anytime we are in the car and it is deactivated it puts the passenger at risk if an accident would occur.

The battery drains quickly when the car is switched off, potentially causing the driver to be stranded in dangerous situations without a functional car.

Sudden unexplained acceleration incident. Car accelerated without input from driver and rear-ended a parked vehicle in front of the vehicle Eyesight system did not engage to warn or prevent impact with rear end of car in front. The vehicle was travelling at low speed and suddenly accelerated. This is dangerous because it does not provide enough time to prevent from hitting an object in front of the vehicle like a car or person. The problem has not been reproduced by by the manufacturer who sent a technician who inspected the vehicle and could not find any saved info in the event data recorder or saved diagnostics codes. Complaints were filed with the dealership before the incident that the eyesight system did not appear to be functioning correctly. The first time this has happened was 6/02/2021 in the afternoon on a clear day on a clear pathway without any obstructions. The second time this happened was 9/06/2021. The second incident the vehicle accelerated while travelling at lo speed with the eyesight system briefly warning tone beeping. The brakes were applied quickly and the carr seemed almost to stall. The engine made a noise as the stalling conditions ended and the car went back to normal. Subaru filed a service request previously. SR# 1-70302162357.

Battery was dead when we tried to leave, no reason as the car had been fully turned off. Left myself and my daughter stranded for 90 minutes in the heat without viable cell service, until I was able to find someone with jumper cables. Went to car parts store and bought a new $176 battery- as I wasn’t able to make it the 45 minutes to the dealer. Want reimbursement for battery and repair/explanation so it doesn’t occur again.

Passenger air bag light came on two weeks after the 3 year warranty expired. Vehicle was purchased on August 4th 2018 and light came on last week on Tuesday August 24th. No previous issues. Passenger air bag is deactivated even with passenger in the seat. Resetting ECU and other basic troubleshooting did not solve the issue. Wiggled wires and connectors under seat and light went off but came back on during driving. Upon research, this is a known issue with my car that has heated front seats, which mine does. However, for whatever reason, my car VIN is not associated with the recall. ODS issue. The NHTSA campaign number is 19V701

When putting the car in park and attempting to turn the car off and take the key out of the ignition, the key is stuck. I typically have to shift back into R or N and then back in park a few times before the key is able to be released. This has been happening off and on for about 6 months and seems to get worse in the heat.

WINDSHEILD CRACKED ON PASSENGER SIDE FOR NO REASON

With car in park key will not turn to the off position and can not be removed.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while having routine maintenance performed at an independent mechanic, he was informed that the control arm and ball joints were rusted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the vehicle was diagnosed that the control bushings were worn, and the lower control arm was inspected. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

WENT INTO THE DOCTORS OFFICE YESTERDAY AND WHEN I CAME OUT THE REAR HACH WAS OPEN. THE CAR WAS LOCKED AND SECURE WHEN WE WENT IN.

Passenger side airbag sensor malfunctioning, vehicle has heated seats. Sometimes when passenger is seated the passenger airbag does not turn on and the airbag malfunction light comes on. There is a recall for the same issue for the same year model Subaru Recall #19V701000. However, my particular Subaru does not fall within the date range listed on original recall, though it appears to be the exact same problem based on the description.