FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH
2018 Subaru Forester AWD
The 2018 Subaru Forester AWD has 3 NHTSA safety recalls on file, 487 owner complaints, and gets about 28 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2018 Subaru Forester AWD at a glance
- Engine
- 4-cyl 2.5L
- Cylinders
- 4
- Displacement
- 2.5 L
- Drivetrain
- All-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic (AV-S6)
- Body
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
- Fuel
- Regular
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 9, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
3 openFuel System, Gasoline
29/07/2021
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
Air Bags
03/10/2019
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.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUM-98.
Tires
10/07/2018
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."
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected label, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2018. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTS-78.
NHTSA has opened one or more investigations covering this model. Recalls can follow an investigation, so check NHTSA for the latest before you buy.
Open safety recalls are free to fix at any franchised dealer. What recalls mean → Source: NHTSA recalls, as of July 9, 2026. Recalls can be issued any time, confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
OWNER COMPLAINTS · NHTSA
487 filed- 126
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Unknown
- 84
AIR BAGS
B1760 code for ODS AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND THE LIGHT FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF is On. There is a recall open for many other Subarus, same make, model & year. Safety concern for my daughter as she rides passenger. I had the problem diagn
- 66
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
June 2025: I proactively replaced the battery October 2025: Left the car parked for 17 days. Dead battery. Got a jump, drove for 2 hours. May 2026: Left the car parked for 10 days. Dead battery. Got a jump, drove to mechanic who replaced it
- 61
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Subaru AC component cascading failures, starting 25,000 miles, light driving. July 2023 AC blowing hot. Recharged with dye. Subaru Dealer said no leak found. July 2024 AC expansion valve leaking and was replaced $500. (This failure would ha
- 24
STEERING
- Steering and suspension were affected. The car is available for inspection upon request. - My safety and the safety of others were affected by the fact that the car was shaking rather intensely while driving at highway speeds. I was worri
- 21
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
While reversing out from a drive way and turning to get into the lane the cars velocity massively increased from no throttle coasting to approximately 20 mph. Panic braking and enough space due to it being a cul-de-sac saved us, but we wer
Problems owners reported to the government, useful for spotting patterns, not proof any one car has them. What complaints mean → Source: NHTSA complaints, as of July 9, 2026. Owner-submitted reports, not verified diagnoses.
CRASH-TEST RATINGS · NHTSA NCAP
- Overall
- ★★★★★
- Frontal
- ★★★★☆
- Side
- ★★★★★
- Rollover
- ★★★★☆
Government crash tests of this model; not every trim or year is tested. Source: NHTSA NCAP, as of July 9, 2026.
FUEL & RUNNING COST · U.S. EPA
- Combined
- 28 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 26 / 32
- Est. fuel / yr
- $2,200
- CO₂ / mi
- 315 g
EPA lab estimates; real mpg varies by how you drive. Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, as of July 9, 2026. Annual cost assumes 15,000 mi/yr at EPA's reference price.
All figures above come from free U.S. government sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, investigations, crash tests) and the EPA (fuel economy and specs). We don't show market price, insurance cost, or proprietary reliability scores, because there's no free, reliable public source for them. For a verdict on a specific listing, with a fair-offer number and what to ask the seller, that's the VINly app.
BEFORE YOU BUY
What to check on this car
Confirm the recalls were fixed
This model has 3 open NHTSA recalls (including the fuel system, gasoline). Recall repairs are free at the dealer, so ask the seller for proof the remedy was performed, or verify by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
Have a mechanic check the visibility/wiper
Owners report problems with the visibility/wiper more than anything else on this model. Call it out specifically during a pre-purchase inspection.
Watch for a pending investigation
NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.
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Test-drive the basics
Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.
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Check the title and the VIN
Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.
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Ask the seller the right questions
Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.
See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.
Quick answers
What is recalled on the 2018 Subaru Forester AWD? +
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls for the 2018 Subaru Forester AWD, including the fuel system, gasoline. See the full list above, and confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov.
What gas mileage does the 2018 Subaru Forester AWD get? +
The EPA rates the 2018 Subaru Forester AWD at 28 mpg combined (26 city / 32 highway), about $2,200 a year in fuel.
How safe is the 2018 Subaru Forester AWD? +
NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2018 Subaru Forester AWD 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars for rollover resistance.
What do owners complain about on the 2018 Subaru Forester AWD? +
Owners have filed 487 complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Subaru Forester AWD, including 26 involving a crash. The most-reported area is visibility/wiper.
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