2018 Subaru Forester Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/12/2026

90Air Bags complaints

18.5%Of all 487 complaints

#2Most-reported category

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

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

VISIBILITY/WIPER135 · 27.7%

AIR BAGS90 · 18.5%

Unspecified / other82 · 16.8%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM66 · 13.6%

ENGINE31 · 6.4%

Share of the 487 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2018 Subaru Forester overview page.

What owners report

“FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY ON AND OFF, WITH AND WITHOUT A PASSENGER, WITH AND WITHOUT ITEMS ON THE SEAT. THIS IS THE THIRD…”NHTSA complaint 11257673 — filed 09/24/2019

“EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT HAS SHOWN 'OFF.' THE NHTSA SITE SHOWS NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME…”NHTSA complaint 11256570 — filed 09/19/2019

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANNAPOLIS SUBARU (149 OLD SOLOMONS ISLAND RD, ANNAPOLIS, MD 21401, [removed]) BECAUSE…”NHTSA complaint 11254712 — filed 09/11/2019

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

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Subaru Forester have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2018 Subaru Forester: 90 of 487 complaints on file (18.5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

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

487 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 26 involved a crash, 1 involved a fire, 9 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS 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 07/12/2026.