2018 Subaru Forester electrical system problems
69 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the electrical system on the 2018 Subaru Forester — 14% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“I brought my vehicle to an authorized Subaru dealership (Byers Imports, LLC in Columbus, Ohio) to diagnose the reason for the airbag warning lamp illuminating. The dealer had the manufacturer's WUM-98 Safety Recall (NHTSA Campaign Number 19V701000) performed to remedy a defective Occupant Detection…”
filed Jul 19, 2026
“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 under warranty. Saw article about Subaru class action…”
filed May 11, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
This bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body which incorporates an enhanced valve sleeve to improve durability. (This is an revised version of the orignal bulletin.)
16-156-25R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 2, 2026
Electrical System problems in other Forester years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Forester | 8 | 9% |
| 2024 Forester | 1 | 4% |
| 2023 Forester | 7 | 10% |
| 2022 Forester | 10 | 11% |
| 2021 Forester | 33 | 16% |
| 2020 Forester | 99 | 17% |
| 2019 Forester | 134 | 16% |
| 2017 Forester | 105 | 18% |
| 2016 Forester | 93 | 23% |
| 2015 Forester | 82 | 13% |
| 2014 Forester | 42 | 10% |
| 2013 Forester | 3 | 4% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2018 Subaru Forester
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.