2018 Subaru Forester Problems: 16 Known Issues

On the 2018 Subaru Forester 2.0L Turbo, the low-pressure fuel pump in the tank may have a lower-density impeller. Combined with the fuel pump controller, the impeller can interfere with the pump body and the pump can stop working. The check engine light may come on and the engine may run rough; in the worst case the engine stalls and cannot be restarted, increasing the risk of a crash. It affects certain US 2018 Subaru Forester Turbo (2.0XT) vehicles built April 20 through August 7, 2018, subject to recall 21V587 / WRG-21. The manufacturer procedure does not list the naturally aspirated 2.5L Forester. Not every vehicle in the build window is affected; a Subaru retailer must confirm VIN eligibility and recall completion before repair.

On the 2016-2018 Subaru Forester, the Data Communications Module (DCM) that powers Starlink keeps trying to reach the defunct cellular 3G network and fails to sleep, drawing excess current with the car off and killing the battery, causing repeated dead-battery no-starts even after a new battery is installed. Subaru extended the DCM warranty on 2016-2018 Foresters (among other models) to 8 years or 100,000 miles under bulletin 15-317-24R for vehicles whose DCM had not received an earlier update.

On the 2015-2018 Subaru Forester, contact pressure between terminals in the front passenger seat's occupant detection system (ODS) sensor mat harness can decrease over time, giving a temporarily unstable connection. The system may then misjudge the passenger: the airbag warning light and PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator may come on, and the front passenger airbag may deactivate even though the seat is occupied, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. It affects certain 2015-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles with front seat heaters, built January 20, 2015 – August 1, 2017, under recall 19V701 (Subaru WUM-98). Vehicles without seat heaters use a different harness and are not affected. Only a Subaru retailer can confirm by VIN whether a specific vehicle is included and whether the repair has been done.

On the 2014-2016, 2018 Subaru Forester, subaru issued new A/C compressor assemblies for two conditions on this Forester generation. On 2014-2016 models, electrical windings inside the compressor clutch could leave the A/C system not operating. On 2018 models, an internal compressor failure could cause reduced A/C performance with a rattling or scraping sound. It affects 2014-2016 Foresters (bulletin 10-84-16R, revised June 14, 2016; compressors with serial 51001***** or higher, built from October 1, 2015, already have the new clutch) and 2018 Foresters (bulletin 10-98-20R, revised October 21, 2020; compressors with a label production code of 809 or earlier). The bulletins do not cover the 2017 Forester. Separately, bulletin 15-237-19R (2017-2018 Forester) says a refrigerant leak from the A/C condenser can lower the refrigerant oil level and make the compressor's internal vanes chatter.

On the 2017-2018 Subaru Forester, certain A/C condensers can corrode within the condenser tube walls. If that happens, refrigerant can leak out and the air conditioning may not cool enough. It affects certain 2017-2018 Subaru Forester vehicles built March 23, 2016 – September 1, 2017, under Subaru service program WRB-21 (bulletin WRB-21R, revised November 11, 2021; 207,386 U.S. vehicles). Subaru issued it "in the interest of customer satisfaction"; it is not a safety recall. Separately, bulletin 15-269-20R extended condenser warranty coverage on all 2017 and some early 2018 Foresters to 5 years with unlimited mileage from the original warranty start, which has now ended. Only a Subaru retailer can confirm coverage by VIN.

On the 2014-2018 Subaru Forester, a hard shock load, such as hitting a large pothole or expansion joint, can damage the bearing surfaces in the front wheel hub assembly. A damaged bearing can make a growling sound above about 25 mph. Subaru released a redesigned front hub assembly with bearing surfaces more resistant to this damage. It covers the front wheel hubs of 2014-2018 Forester models under Subaru bulletin 05-76-20R (revised February 22, 2021). The new hub is marked with "7"s on the back of the flange. The bulletin does not cover rear wheel bearings.

On the 2014-2018 Subaru Forester, owners of 2017 Foresters report a torn rubber boot on a front CV axle, often noticed as grease around the axle, the inside of the wheel or nearby suspension parts. The boot holds in the grease that lubricates the joint and keeps water and dirt out. Once it splits, grease is lost and dirt can get in, which speeds up wear on the joint. A torn boot does not always mean the joint is damaged yet, and the reports do not show that every case needs a full axle. When the outer joint has worn, the usual sign is clicking or popping during turns.

On the 2014-2022 Subaru Forester, owners of Foresters with a moonroof report water dripping near the two front interior lights, or a wet front carpet after rain. The moonroof sits in a tray with drain tubes at its corners that carry water down through the body and out under the car. If a tube clogs with leaves, dirt or pollen, cracks, or comes off its fitting, water overflows the tray and runs into the cabin. One 2018 owner fixed the leak by clearing one moonroof drain and replacing another. A 2015 owner traced a wet front passenger carpet to a leak and fixed it. Owners of 2020 models have posted photos of a clogged drain hole and describe driver-side leaks in heavy rain. The drains are not the only way in on later cars: for 2019-2022 Foresters, Subaru bulletin 12-269-25 (August 2025) says water can get in along the sunroof frame, run down behind the A-pillar trim and reach the footwell. This only affects Foresters with a moonroof.

On the 2014-2018 Subaru Forester, subaru extended the warranty on the rear gate stays (the gas struts that hold the rear gate open) of this Forester generation. The extension covers internal or external failures such as leakage, weakness, binding, seizure or other insufficient operation of the stays. It covers 2014-2018 Forester models with or without the power rear gate, under Subaru bulletin 12-289-20R (revised October 9, 2020). Coverage is 8 years with unlimited miles, counted from the vehicle's original New Car Limited Warranty start, so it has already expired for many of these vehicles. Only original-equipment or Genuine Subaru stays are covered.

On the 2014-2018 Subaru Forester, subaru changed the material of the forward bushing in the front lower control arm to address a rattle-type sound and a possible vibration felt in the steering wheel. It covers 2014-2018 Subaru Forester models under Subaru bulletin 05-63-18R (revised March 31, 2021). The new bushings were used in production starting with VIN JH567501; the new part is identified by a metal ring and an orange paint mark.

On the 2014-2018 Subaru Forester, owners of 2014–2018 Foresters report a clunk or knock from the rear of the car, either over bumps or when turning. One of the cited threads is about a 2014 Forester. The owner threads don't point to one part that commonly fails, so treat this as a symptom to track down, not a known defect with a set repair.

On the 2014-2018 Subaru Forester, forester owners with the CVT report a shudder or jerk while accelerating, a hesitation followed by a lurch when pulling away from a stop, and a delay when shifting from reverse to drive. On CarComplaints, 2017 owners of 2.5L and 2.0XT turbo models say the problem started early, often within the first few thousand miles. Several say the dealer could not reproduce it. Several also say a transmission software update helped only briefly or not at all. One owner says the cause on his car was the torque converter and its lock-up solenoid, not the CVT itself. That is a single report and does not show one cause for every car. On the years covered: Subaru extended its CVT warranty on the 2014–2015 Forester, the owner complaints cited here are from 2017 models, and a forum thread covers a 2016. The 2018 is included because it is the same generation, but no source here is specific to the 2018. This does not apply to Foresters with a manual transmission.

On the 2014-2018 Subaru Forester, owners of 2016, 2017 and 2018 Foresters report the brake pedal or body shaking when they brake. One 2017 owner replaced the front pads and rotors and the shake stayed. It went away only after later work on the rear brakes. So new front rotors do not always fix this, and both axles are worth checking. Brake shudder usually comes from disc thickness variation, which means the two faces of a rotor are no longer parallel. Common causes are rust or dirt between the hub and rotor, seized caliper slide pins that leave a pad dragging, overheating, new pads that were not bedded in, and wheel nuts tightened unevenly or too far. A worn wheel bearing can also make a rotor wobble. Subaru bulletin 05-63-18 (June 2018) covers 2014–2018 Foresters. It describes a redesigned forward bushing for the front lower control arm, for a rattle and possible vibration felt in the steering wheel. If your Forester also vibrates when you are not braking, ask the dealer about this bulletin.

On the 2017-2023 Subaru Forester, the engine computer can set code P0420, Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1), and turn on the check-engine light. Subaru issued a step-by-step diagnostic procedure for this code that checks other possible sources first, such as other stored codes, white exhaust smoke, exhaust leaks and air/fuel sensor response. It affects 2017-2018 Foresters with the 2.5L engine and 2019-2023 Foresters, as listed in Subaru service information bulletin 09-110-23R (revised November 7, 2023). The bulletin does not list the 2.0L turbo (XT) Forester.

On the 2014-2018 Subaru Forester, where heavy road salt is used, corrosion may develop on the electronic power steering (EPS) gear box. A hard enough impact, such as hitting a pothole, could then crack part of the gear box housing. Subaru states this does not cause a complete loss of steering assist; it can cause an uneven steering feel when turning left or right. It affects 2014-2018 Subaru Foresters covered by Subaru warranty-extension bulletin 04-27-21R (revised July 28, 2021). The extension covers the EPS gear box assembly only when a crack in the housing is found, for 10 years with unlimited mileage counted from the original warranty start date, so it has run out on many earlier vehicles. The coverage applies only to genuine Subaru gear boxes.

On the 2014-2018 Subaru Forester 2.5L FB25, owners of 2.5L (FB25) Foresters report a brief rattle from the engine right after a cold start. The cited discussions are about a 2015 Forester 2.5i on a test drive and a 2018 Forester. The owners' explanations do not prove a timing-chain tensioner defect. They also do not show any Subaru finding that the noise is always normal. The cited reports cover 2015 and 2018 Foresters. This listing covers 2014–2018 Foresters with the 2.5L FB25 engine, not the 2.0XT turbo.