SubaruForester2018Overview/subaru/forester/2018/base/

2018 Subaru Forester

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 Forester.

Body SUV

The 2018 Subaru Forester is an SUV requiring 5.4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil for its engine, establishing the mechanical baseline for a model year that generated 488 owner complaints. Visibility and wiper systems dominated the grievances among three issued recalls, placing this model year within a specific reliability context. Within the model's 1998-2026 complaint history, this volume sits markedly below the 2019 peak of 831 yet far above the 2026 low of 12, positioning the 2018 model as a moderately reliable intermediate point that predates the line's highest complaint volume.

Model year202620252024202320222021202020192018

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque89 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 390 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 390 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225/60R17, P225/55R18, P225/R18OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.0 inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length181.1 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height68.5 in
Wheelbase103.9 in
Curb weight3635 lb
Track (front / rear)61 / 61 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)57/43

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Forester of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.2–9.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.20 sec — 2014 2.0XT Touring
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
20172.0XT Touring 2.0L Turbo F-46.80 sec15.50 sec250 hpAWD
20162.0XT Touring 2.0L Turbo F-46.30 sec15.00 sec250 hpAWD
20162.5i Limited 2.5L F-48.70 sec16.80 sec170 hpAWD
20142.0XT Touring 2.0L Turbo F-46.20 sec14.80 sec250 hpAWD
20142.0XT Premium 2.0L Turbo F-46.40 sec15.00 sec250 hpAWD
20142.5i Premium PZEV 2.5L F-47.50 sec15.80 sec170 hpAWD
20142.0XT Touring 2.0L Turbo F-47.60 sec16.00 sec250 hpAWD
20142.5i Touring PZEV 2.5L F-48.60 sec16.70 sec170 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 75W-85 · 75W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 89 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-2-4.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidTurbo: Subaru High Torque CVTF
Brake FluidDOT 3
Clutch FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil75W-85 · 75W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.43 qt
Engine CoolantUse Subaru coolant/antifreeze
Engine Coolant Capacity9.5
Engine CoolantUse Subaru coolant/antifreeze

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs13.0 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts44.0 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel BoltsAT: 70.0 ft-lbs, MT: 63.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts31 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts22 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts89 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub162.0
Rear Wheel Hub140.0

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-2-4
Spark Plug ManufacturerSubaru
Spark Plug Gap.028-.031; Turbo: .020-.022 in
Spark Plug ManufacturerSubaru
Spark Plug Gap2458cc: .028-.031; 2498cc: .039-.043 in
Spark Plug Torque2458cc: 15.5 ft-lbs; 2498cc: 13 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity0.75-0.90 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type100
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance390 cca

Service checks

Engine Compression152
Engine Compression152

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque19.9
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 59; Rear: 48.7
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .870; Rear: .330
Maximum Drum DiameterParking Brake: 6.730

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages
122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
235.0
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 6 stages
126.0 ft. lbs.26 ft. lbs
2Back off 360.0 degrees360 degrees
326.0 ft. lbs.26 ft. lbs
4Back off 360.0 degrees360 degrees
513.0 ft. lbs.13 ft. lbs
660.0

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 6,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 6,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 12,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Clutch Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Clutch Hydraulic System (drain & refill) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 72,000 miFuel Filter (replace)
At 137,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2018 Forester closes out the fourth generation (2014–2018) with 488 federal complaints, 3 recalls, and 1 open investigation — a moderate profile that sits below the generation's peak complaint years of 2015 (613) and 2017 (578), but above 2016 (405). Notably, complaints drop from 578 in 2017 to 488 in 2018, suggesting some stabilization in the final model year before the redesign, though TSBs declined steadily from 627 in 2014 to 400 in 2018, indicating fewer manufacturer-acknowledged fixes were still being issued. The top complaint areas — Visibility/Wiper (123), Air Bags (60), Unknown/Other (52), and Electrical System (47) — align with the pattern seen across 2014–2017, where these categories consistently dominated; the data does not specify root causes for any of these. The 26 crash-related complaints and 1 fire complaint are consistent with the generation's range, neither unusually high nor low. The subsequent 2019 redesign year saw complaints spike to 831, reinforcing that the outgoing platform's final year carried comparatively lower risk. As the last year of a mature platform with declining complaint volume and a recall count in line with the generation average, the 2018 Forester represents a reasonable used purchase — buyers should verify all three recalls have been completed and pay particular attention to windshield/visibility and airbag system history.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
400
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
488
Owner complaints
26 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 488 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Visibility/Wiper123
Air Bags60
Unknown Or Other52
Electrical System47
Visibility19
Air Bags,Seats17
Engine12
Vehicle Speed Control11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

21V587000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel PumpReported 29/07/2021

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may… Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at…

19V701000Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant ClassificationReported 03/10/2019

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Forester vehicles equipped with heated seats. An electrical connection in the front passenger seat for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may loosen. Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the ODS sensor mat harness, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2020. Owners may contact…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 400 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
02-193-24R2026-06-29EngineThis bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for…
SubaruNet Annoucement (E2026-06-11Unknown Or OtherThis announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood…
16-156-25R2026-06-02Power TrainThis bulletin announces a design change made to the CVT Control Valve Body which…
01-167-08R2026-05-18Unknown Or OtherThis bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the…
02-193-24R2026-05-13EngineThis bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Forester. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2018 Forester take?

5.4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2018 Forester have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.