2018 Subaru Forester VISIBILITY/WIPER
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
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I WAS SCRAPING ICE OFF THE WINDSHIELD WITH A PLASTIC/TYPICAL ICE SCRAPER AND IT SHATTERED AT THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER SIDE, WHICH THEN CAUSED A 5" CRACK WHICH HAS CONTINUED TO LENGTHEN. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY IN MY DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME.
WINDSHIELD CHIP REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY AT APPROXIMATELY 30K MILES. CRACKED ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD.
ON JULY 5, 2019, I HAD MY WINDSHIELD REPLACED AFTER MULTIPLE CRACKS APPEARED ON BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE TOP-MIDDLE PART. THE DRIVER'S SIDE CRACK WAS FROM DEBRIS THAT IMPACTED IT DIRECTLY WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. THE ADDITIONAL CRACK AT THE TOP-MIDDLE PART WAS UNEXPLAINED AS THERE WAS NO IMPACT ON IT BY ROCKS OR DEBRIS WHILE DRIVING. A YEAR LATER ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2020, I HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED A SECOND TIME AFTER A ROCK IMPACTED THE SIDE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND FRAME OF THE CAR SENDING SPIDER CRACKS INTO THE MIDDLE LAYER OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS HAPPENED IN MID-AUGUST. A THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 18, 2020, WHEN A SMALL ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD IN THE MIDDLE CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK IN THE MIDDLE LAYER AND IS NOW BEING SEALED.
I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AS I WENT OVER A SPEED BUMP.
THE WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK WHILE I WAS SITTING IN A PARKING LOT. IT EMANATES FROM RIGHT ABOVE THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ROCK STRIKE.
I JOIN COMPLAINANTS WITH A SUBARU WINDSHIELD CRACK. A CRACK MYSTERIOUSLY STARTED AT THE BASE OF MY WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I DON'T RECALL ANYTHING HITTING IT, AND THERE'S NO SIGN OF ANY IMPACT (DING, CHIP, NOTHING!). I CAN'T DETERMINE WHERE OR HOW IT MAY HAVE STARTED (CRACK RUNS TO BASE OF WINDSHIELD). SINCE APPEARING, IT'S GROWN ABOUT HALFWAY UP, AND NOW HALFWAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. I UNDERSTAND FROM A NEWS ARTICLE A CLASS ACTION SUIT IS PENDING WHICH INCLUDES A VAST NUMBER OF SUBARU VEHICLES - MULTIPLE MODELS & YEARS - EXPERIENCING WINDSHIELD CRACKS. MY MODEL AND YEAR IS INCLUDED IN THE CLASS. I FILE MY COMPLAINT AS A RESULT OF FINDING THE NEWS STORY, WHICH SUGGESTS A COMPLAINT BE FILED.
WINDSHIELD BROKEN TOO EASILY
DRIVING IN A HIGHWAY AT AROUND 45-50 MPH, HEARD A SOUND, AND WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED FOR MORE THAN 12 INCHES LONG.
HAVE HAD TO REPLACE WINDSHIELD FULL REPLACEMENTS 3 TIMES IN 2 1/2 YEARS. USUALLY A SMALL ROCK KICKED UP FROM HIGHWAY STARTS THE CHIP AND IT SPREADS VERY QUICKLY. I HAVE HAD CHIP FILLED BUT IT STILL CRACKS ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD SO THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD HAS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.
I BOUGHT MY 2018 SUBARU FORESTER IN DECEMBER OF 2018. IN AUGUST OF 2019, A SMALL PEBBLE HIT THE LOWER LEFT SIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON A CITY STREET. THE NEXT AFTERNOON, I NOTICED AN APPROXIMATE 2 FOOT CRACK ACROSS THE LEFT SIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD WHEN I GOT IN MY CAR, AND IT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPAIRED MY ABILITY TO SEE AS IT WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY LINE OF VISION. I HAD TO WAIT ABOUT A MONTH UNTIL A REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD WAS APPROVED BY MY INSURANCE, ORDERED BY A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, AND FINALLY INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE. LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS AFTER REPLACING MY WINDSHIELD, A TINY PEBBLE THE SIZE OF A PINHEAD HIT THE LOWER LEFT SIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD AGAIN. I COULDN'T EVEN SEE A MARK, IT WAS SO SMALL. ONE DAY WHEN I WAS GETTING IN MY CAR, I NOTICED A FOOT LONG CRACK IN ALMOST THE EXACT SAME PLACE AS LAST TIME. ONCE AGAIN, IT IS IMPAIRING MY ABILITY TO SEE WELL. MY CAR HAS 10,000 MILES ON IT AND I RARELY DRIVE OTHER THAN TO WORK AND BACK HOME. I'VE HAD SEVERAL OTHER CARS IN THE PAST 18 YEARS AND HAVE DRIVEN THEM MUCH MORE THAN THIS VEHICLE AND NEVER ONCE DID MY PREVIOUS WINDSHIELDS EVER CRACK. IT SEEMS LIKE SUBARU MUST HAVE DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELDS AS THEY CRACK FAR TOO EASILY. THIS SEEMS LIKE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED.
WHILE DRIVING MY 2018 SUBARU FORESTER ON A HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, AN 11.5" CRACK APPEARED IN THE WINDSHIELD WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE. THE CRACK EXTENDS FROM THE EDGE OF THE GLASS HORIZONTALLY. CLOSE INSPECTION REVEALED A CHIP ABOUT 3/8" FROM THE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD MEASURING NO WIDER THAN 1/16". GIVEN THE IMMEDIACY AND THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE, I BELIEVE THIS IS A SIGN OF DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD MATERIAL. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT THIS CRACK WILL GROW VERY QUICKLY BEFORE I AM ABLE TO GET IT REPAIRED.
SPONTANEOUS CRACK IN WINDSHIELD. BEGAN AS SMALL CRACK CENTER OF WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER SIDE. SPREAD TO THE LEFT. NO APPARENT DAMAGE AT START OF CRACK..CRACK INITIALLY VERY SMALL AND NOTICED BY PASSENGER WHILE DRIVING.
OUR 2018 SUBARU FORESTER HAS BEEN SITTING IN OUR DRIVEWAY EVERY DAY SINCE MARCH 2020 WHEN THE COVID CRISIS KEPT US HOUSEBOUND. WE MAKE A FEW SHORT TRIPS AROUND TOWN PER WEEK. JUST TODAY (JULY 28, 2020) MY WIFE NOTICED A BIG CRACK IN THE LOWER WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THEN SHE NOTICED THE SAME TYPE OF CRACK IN THE MOONROOF GLASS. WE HAVE BARELY BEEN DRIVING THE CAR AND WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE NOTICED IF A PEBBLE OR OTHER DEBRIS HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND MOONROOF SO HARD THAT THE TWO CRACKS DEVELOPED. (ALSO THERE'S NO CHANCE THAT A TREE FELL ON IT AND WE SIMPLY FAILED TO NOTICE.) WE WERE ABOUT TO TAKE THE CAR ON A 9-HOUR ROAD TRIP IN TWO DAYS BUT ARE CONCERNED THAT FURTHER DAMAGE WILL OCCUR AND WE WILL BE STRANDED. VERY DISAPPOINTING.
CRACKED WINDSHIELD FROM A TINY ROCK. CAME FROM A CAR GOING OPPOSITE DIRECTION. HIT DRIVERS SIDE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER AND RAN ALL OFF THE WAY ACROSS.
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND BROKE WITHOUT ANY NOTICEABLE OTHER DAMAGE AND WITHOUT HAVING BEEN STRUCK WHILE IN OPERATION. THERE IS NOW A LARGE CRACK ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I WOULD HAVE JUST REPLACED THE GLASS WITHOUT FURTHER ISSUE, BUT A FRIEND WHO IS ALSO A SUBARU OWNER EXPERIENCED A STRANGELY SIMILAR CRACK OCCURRING WITHOUT ANY OTHER DAMAGE, AND WITHOUT ANY ISSUES WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. IT SEEMS ODD THAT THE SAME ISSUE WOULD OCCUR TWICE IN A SHORT SPAN. I AM WONDERING HOW MANY OF THE EXACT SAME ISSUES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO SUBARU AND WHETHER THEY SHOULD HAVE LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION AT THIS POINT. THE CAR HAS HAD NUMEROUS OTHER (SMALLER) QUALITY ISSUES FOR THE DURATION OF THE TIME I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT SO I WOULD ALSO EXPECT THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME SUBARU HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. I DO NOT HAVE A PHOTO OF THE CRACK WITH ME PRESENTLY BUT AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE ONE IF IT WILL AID IN THIS REVIEW. THANK YOU.
WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN ONE SPOT, THEN THE CRACK SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. HAD TO GET THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD REPLACED.
WINDSHIELD GLASS SUDDENLY CRACKED ON RIGHT SIDE FROM THE EDGE TOWARD THE LEFT SIDE. CRACK IS ABOUT 12" LONG. WINDSHIELD WAS NOT STRUCK FROM ROCK OR ROAD DEBRIS. I NOTICED WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR WHEN STATIONARY IN THE GARAGE. *TR
WINDSHIELD CRACKED DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. CAR WAS SITTING IN DRIVEWAY WHEN I CAM OUT IN THE MORNING A LARGE CRACK FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE BODY WENT ACROSS TO THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE MY THE REAR VIEW MIRROR
AFTER NOT DRIVING MY VEHICLE FOR 2 MONTHS DUE TO COVID I NOTICED I HAVE A HUGE CRACK THAT GREW BY AT LEAST AN INCH A DAY WHILST THE CAR WAS IN MY GARAGE. THE CRACK STARTED ON THE BOTTOM BLACK PORTION WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE IT CHIPPED (SEE PHOTO) THE WINDSHIELD AND HAS SPIDERED FROM THERE. I HAVE MEASURED THE CRACK DAILY WITH A CHALK MARKER AND THE CRACK WILL SOON BE ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. *TR
2018 SUBARU FORESTER, SITTING AT HOUSE UNDRIVEN (STATIONARY) FOR OVER A MONTH DUE TO STAY AT HOME ORDER, DEVELOPED A CRACKED WINDSHIELD FOR NO REASON.
WE HAVE NOW HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD TWICE. BOTH TIMES, THERE WAS A CRACK ORIGINATING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS AND COMING UP INTO THE LINE OF SITE. BOTH TIMES, THE CRACK OCCURRED WITHOUT AN APPARENT ROCK HIT OR OTHER ISSUE. BOTH TIMES, THE CRACK WAS NOTICED AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN STATIONARY WITH NO APPARENT ISSUES. THE FIRST TIME WE TOOK IT TO SUBARU, WHO SAID IT WAS PROBABLY A ROCK. I SAW NO EVIDENCE OF A ROCK.
MY CAR WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND OVERNIGHT A WINDSHIELD CRACK OF 8-12 INCHES APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE.
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED, THE CRACK IS GROWING FROM BOTTOM PASSENGER SIDE AND UP, HEADING MID SHIELD TOWARDS DRIVER. NO LOGICAL REASON FOR CRACK. NO ROCK CHIP MARKET, NO ACCIDENT.
WINDSHIELD CRACKED DUE TO AN UNKNOWN REASON. 13" CRACK IN THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD STARTING AT THE BASE. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. MY ONLY SPECULATION IS THAT SNOW COVERED THE WINDSHIELD DURING THE NIGHT AND THE SUN HEATED THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING CAUSING AN ABRUPT TEMPERATURE STRESS ON THE GLASS. DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD.
WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, A SMALL ROCK HIT MY WINDSHIELD IN THE LEFT CORNER (FROM THE DRIVER'S PERSPECTIVE) OF THE WINDSHIELD. ALTHOUGH THE INITIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD WAS A SMALL DENT IN THE WINDSHIELD (PICTURED BELOW) THE CRACK STARTED SPREADING AS WE DROVE AND REACHED OVER 2/3 OF THE WINDSHIELD IN LENGTH (ALSO PICTURED BELOW). IT SEEMS UNREASONABLE THAT SUCH A SMALL DENT SHOULD CAUSE MORE THAN HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK. AS A RESULT, I THINK THAT THE WEAK CONSTRUCTION OF THE WINDSHIELD IS WHAT CAUSED THIS LARGE DAMAGE TO IT. ALTHOUGH THE CRACK ISN'T SEEMING TO SPREAD PAST ITS CURRENT LENGTH, IT IS STILL A CONCERN THAT THE WINDSHIELD MIGHT BREAK IN HALF AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER OR IF ANOTHER SMALL ROCK WERE TO HIT IT.
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The 2018 Subaru Forester has 123 VISIBILITY/WIPER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.