2018 Subaru Forester seat belts problems
10 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the seat belts on the 2018 Subaru Forester — 2% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Passenger front seat. Airbag light is on when someone is sitting in the seat and seatbelt indicator dings when nothing is in the seat.”
filed Mar 10, 2026
“THE ODS is not properly determining the status of the right front seat occupant. The airbag warning light is illuminated, and the front passenger airbag is deactivated even with a person sitting in the passenger seat. The ODS is also unable to determine if someone is in the seat and triggers the…”
filed Mar 19, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Seat Belts problems in other Forester years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Forester | 1 | 1% |
| 2023 Forester | 1 | 1% |
| 2022 Forester | 1 | 1% |
| 2020 Forester | 3 | 1% |
| 2019 Forester | 6 | 1% |
| 2017 Forester | 9 | 2% |
| 2016 Forester | 6 | 1% |
| 2015 Forester | 9 | 1% |
| 2014 Forester | 9 | 2% |
| 2013 Forester | 3 | 4% |
| 2012 Forester | 3 | 3% |
| 2011 Forester | 7 | 5% |
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.