2018 SUBARU FORESTER Engine Problems

The AC compressor/condesor needs replaced and I see a lot of complaints on-line about this specific model- 2018 Forester. My kids and I were on a road trip in August 2025 when it stopped working. It was extremley hot even with the windows down and heat stroke became very real while we were sitting in bumper to bumper traffic. There was already a recall on this but now with the new part the AC stopped working and sounds very bad under the hood while the car is turned on. AC is very much needed during hot summer day.s

On October 3, 2023, I purchased a used 2018 Subaru Forester (VIN: [XXX] ) from Hengxin Auto Group, 210 39th St, Brooklyn, NY 11232, for about $19,500 including tax and fees. The dealer stated the mileage was 65,800 and printed that number on the contract. However, both the official NY DMV Title Record and the Carfax report showed 86,588 miles at the time of sale. This clear discrepancy proves the dealership intentionally rolled back or misrepresented the odometer reading. Later, the title was branded “mileage unknown.” After purchase, many severe issues appeared: chassis instability, transmission jerking, loud engine noise, high oil consumption, A/C malfunction, battery failure (replaced at my own cost), and worn tires that left me stranded. The dealer had advertised the vehicle as “excellent condition, only minor scratches,” which was completely false. I repeatedly contacted the dealer, but they only made partial chassis repairs and ignored all other...

While driving the vehicle I began to hear a loud grinding noise from the engine compartment when the A/C was engaged. I pulled over to look under the hood and it sounded like the noise was coming from the serpentine belt. Upon inspection by a Subaru dealership it was determined that the A/C compressor is failing. I was informed that there was a known issue with the 2018 Forester A/C compressor and the compressor has been redesigned. I was also informed that if I postponed repair then the compressor could seize up with would cause the serpentine belt to break which would then cause immediate engine failure. Such failure could be extremely dangerous if it happens when driving on a highway, etc. There was no warning light that appeared when the grinding noise started. I also listen to music when I drive so it was lucky that I heard the...

Yesterday 6/19/25 I was driving out the driveway when the vehicle accelerated on its own, and not slowly, but like it had been punched. I was actually coasting at the time since I didn't want to stir up dust. My foot was not on the gas pedal. And it was not the floor mat. It happened on its own, the first time in 87,000 miles. It probably cannot easily be replicated as it was completely random, although now that it's happened once, it very well could happen again if there's a faulty or aging part or sensor. Neither the local dealer nor Subaru has acknowledged the problem (I called both today) but it's a SERIOUS safety issue. No check engine light or other means of warning. It just happened out of nowhere. Glad I was in the driveway and not in town waiting while a pedestrian was crossing the street.

Ticking noise on cold start up as well as reduced acceleration speed and torque. Diagnostics point me to believe the AVCS solenoids are beginning to fail prematurely. This has not been confirmed by a dealership and the issue is reproduced during any driving. There are no CEL lights active or codes stored. The vehicle currently has 74,*** miles. The issue started within the last 6 months. This is a safety concern when attempting to get up to highway and freeway onramps or getting up to merging or passing speeds.

For the second time we were on the freeway at a hight speed and the car suddenly lost power, all the warning lights came on, and we had to get off the freeway (dangerously). We almost got hit, and other cars had to brake radically. We took it in to Subaru and they said the catalytic converter was bad. They replaced the catalytic converter, and when they took it for a test ride, they found that the SECOND catalytic converter was bad. Apparently they have two. The car must have suddenly lost power for them, too. We have 85k miles on the car, and the Subaru warranty for the catalytic converter is 80k. We're into it for thousands of dollars, but the MOST IMPORTANT reason I'm making this report is that SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED ON THE FREEWAY because of these failing catalytic converters, and it might not...

We were driving at 70mph on the freeway, left lane, and suddenly the car lost power as if the fuel pump went out. We had to suddenly get over to the shoulder of the freeway, almost got hit, then limped along the shoulder until we called a tow truck which towed us 40 miles to Subaru dealer. The dealer looked at the car and "couldn't find anything." Now we are afraid to drive the car.

Went to car wash,car was in nuetral after after wash finished I put the car in drive and it accelerated into the street at a very high rate of speed my foot was not on the gas.

After starting the car for the first time of the day, letting it warm for a minute or two, I started driving and when I went to stop at a stop sign about three blocks from my starting point I pressed the brake. The engine started to rev immediately so I had to stomp the brake to the floor and push the gear selector to the neutral position to avoid hitting a pedestrian and the dog she was walking. She was within 10 feet of the front of my car when I finally stopped. I have not taken it to a dealer yet since I am sure they will not be able to replicate the intermittent problem. There were no warnings of any kind that this was about to happen. I did note though, that the cold engine temperature indicator light on the dashboard was still illuminated.

Front end collision with car making an illegal left in front of our Subaru. Our car hood, bumper, head lights, grill and parts of the engine were smashed, with liquid draining out of the engine. My husband (wearing a seatbelt) hit his knee and shoulder on impact. Airbags failed - Not a single airbag deployed. A police officer helped him move car parts out of the street. Safety was at risk because my husband hit the dash. Car is at an independent service center now. We need to know how to get it inspected. There were no warning lights on dash prior to impact.

In June 2022 I purchased a 2018 Subaru Forester Turbo Touring at Carmax. Soon after purchase the car hesitated a few times when I was turning. I was turning in front of oncoming traffic and it scared the ___ out of me. So I returned the car to CarMax and bought a similar replacement which is the VIN reported to you in this report. After a couple of months, this car is now doing the same thing , generally when turning but sometimes when merging into traffic. I press the gas, the car moves a bit, then it just dies - there's nothing there, simply no response. It does not turn off, it is just powerless. Then a few seconds later it gets gas and we squeal to safety. However I am just dead in the water, usually in front of oncoming traffic, until it decides to move. Pumping the...

I recently purchased a used Subaru Forester with about 92k miles. About two weeks after purchase, I took it to a Subaru dealership and a multi point inspection revealed a cracked catalytic converter. The tech stated that this was discovered by visual inspection. This failure causes a safety issue by leaking exhaust vapors into the cabin. This failure occurred with no warning lamps or messages/codes.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle started shaking abnormally. The contact pulled over, stopped, turned off, and restarted the vehicle. After the vehicle was started, smoke started coming from the vehicle while several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

Smelled car exhaust entering the cabin, took to dealer for inspection. Exhaust manifold part is actually warped and separated from the engine (not gasket issue). Apparently this problem is known by the dealer service shops, but is undisclosed by Subaru. I was feeling quite sick for weeks without understanding the cause, now I drive the car with the windows open and the vent closed and feel much better (I am waiting for the part to arrive so the dealer can fix the issue). I am an engineer and described the issue as a defect, the dealer hedged and said they are not allowed to call it a "defect" since that implies it needs a recall.

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.

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...

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...

When applying gentle gas pressure at low speed car does not respond for 2-4 seconds, then lurches strongly forward as tho full throttle has been applied. Happens at random times. Dealer said nothing wrong when first happened 2 years ago. Was rare until today when it happened 6 times within 50 miles of city driving. Will see dealer tomorrow. No warnings of any kind. Grave safety hazard as could be hit by traffic when trying to enter street or get out of somebodies way when car does't respond.

EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKS AT BOTH 30,0000 AND 65,000 MILES. CAR WAS MAKING WHISTLING SOUNDS WHEN STARTING THAT ARE EXCEPTIONALLY NOTABLY ONLY IN COLD WEATHER. UNKNOWN HOW LONG LEAKS WERE THERE AS THEY ONLY LOUD DURING THE COLD MONTHS. NOISE WOULD GO AWAY ONCE ENGINE WAS WARMED UP.

EXHAUST GASKET LEAK. ONLY NOTABLE WHEN COLD AS IT MAKES A WHISTLING SOUND. ISSUE HAS HAPPENED 2 TIMES

I TURNED INTO A PARKING SPACE COVERING THE BRAKE AND CAME TO A STOP. I WENT TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND WHEN THE GEARSHIFT LEVER STARTED TO MOVE THE CAR ACCELERATED UNCOMMANDED AND RAN INTO THE BUILDING.

UPON ENTERING A PARKING SPACE, WITH BREAK PEDDLE ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AT EXTREME SPEED HITTING A PROTECTIVE BARRIER. AFTER A REST PERIOD, THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN REVERSE AND WITH BREAK PEDDLE ENGAGED LURCHED BACKWARD AT THE SAME EXCESSIVE SPEED HITTING ANOTHER OBJECT. AFTER A LONG PERIOD WITH ENGINE TURNED OFF, THE OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR SLOWLY. THE VEHICLE IS TO BE EXAMINED TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.

CAM SHAFT SEAL LEAK. UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 37,000 MILES. WAS TOLD THAT THEY REPLACED FELT SESLS WITH A SILICONE SEAL THEREFORE THERE ARE MORE PROBLEMS. MY FRIEND BROUGHT HIS 2019 FORESTER IN THAT SAME WEEK. SAME PROBLEM

VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED UPON STEPPING ON THE BRAKE, WHILE STOPPING AT A STOP SIGH.

VEHICLES DRIVER SEAT RAIL HAS BECOME LOOSE CAUSING SEAT TO SLIGHTLY MOVE WHEN LAYING BACK.. COULD BE HAZARDOUS WHILE DRIVING.. AT INITIAL TAKE OFF, ACCELERATION JERKS, ACCELERATION IS NOT SMOOTH, AFTER SLIGHTLY PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATION PEDAL, I HAVE TO SOMETIMES BRAKE BECAUSE ACCELERATION IS JERKY AND ROUGH. I JUST PURCHASED THIS PRE-OWNED 2018 SUBARU FORESTER WITH 14K MILES AND IT IS ALREADY BLOWING SMOKE AT START UP.

WHEN DRIVING, SOMETIMES MY CAR LOSES POWER TEMPORARILY. IT HAPPENS AT TIMES WHEN I AM GOING UP AN INCLINE, BUT IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED ON FLAT SURFACES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE CHANGING THE OIL IN THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL INSIDE THE ENGINE OIL. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBARU OF CORVALLIS (LOCATED AT 800 NW 5TH ST, CORVALLIS, OR 97330, (541) 754-1515), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.

HAD SUBRA 2018 FOR 2 WEEKS OIL LIGHTS COME ON ALL LIGHTS BEEN HAVING THIS OIL BURNING FOR A YEAR. NOW THE STEERING FREEZE UP WHILE DRIVING IT LAST WEEK COULDN'T MOVE CAR AT ALL ON THE HIGHWAY TURNING. IT WOULDN'T MOVE GOOD THING WE WEREN'T GOING FAST ON A INTERSTATE. SAT ON SIDE OF ROAD WITH IT. READ BOOK TRYING TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON NO STEERING THAT CAR AT ALL. I DIDN'T BUY A BRAND NEW CAR WITH PROBLEMS LIKE THAT. THE OIL ISSUE BEEN GOING ON SINCE I GOT CAR IN 2017. BEEN BACK A FORTH TO DEAL SHIP NOTHING DONE WHAT SO EVER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ENGINE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO AN EXIT RAMP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS STILL IDLING EXTREMELY LOW AND THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. RIMROCK SUBARU (324 S 24TH ST W, BILLINGS, MT 59102, (406) 651-5200) REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE DEALER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER AND OFFERED A TRADE-IN FOR A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,200. **TR *JB

2018 SUBARU FORESTER 2.5I AUTOMATIC CVT: DEFECTIVE LOW GEAR - SAFETY ISSUE. 21 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE TOOK IT TO DURANGO COLORADO MOUNTAINS, PUT IT IN LOW GEAR BEFORE DESCENDING AND THE LOW GEAR NEVER KICKED IN TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. STOPPED MULTIPLE TIMES TO RE-ATTEMPT AND LOW GEAR FAILED EACH TIME. I DARED ONLY 40MPH ON THE GRAVELLY SWITCHBACKS. MANUFACTURER & DEALER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE DEFECT EVEN THOUGH I RECORDED ANOTHER INSTANCE ON TEXAS HILLS. MECHANIC SHOP IN THE AREA SAID THAT THE CAR HAS NO LOW GEAR FAILURE LIGHT SO DIAGNOSTIC MACHINES WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PICK UP A CODE THAT DOES NOT EXIST. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO FIX ISSUE AND DEALER SAID DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. I GAVE BOTH THE VIDEO OF LOW GEAR FAILURE AND A JAPANESE & USA ARTICLE ON HOW LOW GEAR WORKS. I OFFERED EVEN EXCHANGE FOR A MANUAL PREMIUM....