2018 Subaru Forester Visibility/wiper Problems

NHTSA component category: VISIBILITY/WIPER · data through 07/14/2026

135Visibility/wiper complaints

27.7%Of all 488 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How visibility/wiper ranks on this vehicle

VISIBILITY/WIPER135 · 27.7%

AIR BAGS91 · 18.6%

Unspecified / other82 · 16.8%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM66 · 13.5%

ENGINE31 · 6.4%

Share of the 488 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2018 Subaru Forester overview page.

What owners report

“I WAS DRIVING ON A SIDE STREET, ABOUT 20MPH WHEN THE REAR DOOR WINDOW ON THE DRIVERS SIDE SHATTERED. IT APPEARED SPONTANEOUS, I DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY…”NHTSA complaint 11277600 — filed 11/01/2019

“WINDSHIELD WAS CHIPPED BY A FLYING ROCK 1/2 INCH FROM LR CORNER WHILE DRIVING. NEXT DAY WHILE PARKED IN A PARKING LOT DURING THE DAY…”NHTSA complaint 11277343 — filed 10/31/2019

“WINDSHIELD IS RANDOMLY CRACKED AND NOW HAS A BIG SPIDER CRACK ON THE LOWER END OF THE WINDSHIELD OF THE DRIVER SIDE.”NHTSA complaint 11277228 — filed 10/30/2019

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Visibility/wiper complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Subaru Forester have visibility/wiper problems?

Visibility/wiper is the most-reported problem area on the 2018 Subaru Forester: 135 of 488 complaints on file (27.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2018 Subaru Forester have in total?

488 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 26 involved a crash, 1 involved a fire, 9 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's visibility/wiper category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the VISIBILITY/WIPER category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.