How to decode a 2018 Subaru Forester VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 2018 Subaru Forester VIN

World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) codes are unique sequences that identify the manufacturer of a vehicle, providing insights into where and by whom a vehicle was made. Specifically, for a 2018 Subaru Forester, the WMI indicates it was produced by Subaru Corporation, based in Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo, Japan. This sequence signifies that the vehicle is categorized as a Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV), highlighting its versatility and design purpose. With WMIs, each vehicle’s history and origin become more transparent, allowing for easier identification and tracking. For enthusiasts and owners, knowing the WMI of their vehicle, like that of a 2018 Subaru Forester, adds an extra layer of connection to the brand and its heritage.

List of WMI Codes for a 2018 Subaru Forester

WMI: JF2

Model Years Covered: 2009-2024
Example VIN: JF2SJAAC0JH425517
Manufacturer Name: Subaru Corporation
Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
City: Shibuya-Ku
State or Province: Tokyo
Country: Japan

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 2018 Subaru Forester VIN

These characters correspond to components like:

Engine type
Transmission
Model or trim
Body style
Gross vehicle weight range

Below find the known vehicle descriptor codes for a 2018 Subaru Forester:

Known VDS for a 2018 Subaru Forester
SJAAC	SJEJC	SJHGC	SJAWC	SJEMC	SJAJC	SJAEC	SJAGC	SJALC	SJARC
SJGTC	SJEDC	SJGWC	SJESC	SJAPC	SJADC	SJGEC	SJEBC	SJABC

Auto manufacturers have some discretion to decide how they want to code this section, but its contents and decoded results are generally consistent.

Character 9 is the “check digit” in a 2018 Subaru Forester VIN.

Based on a formula developed by the US Department of Transportation, it helps reduce fraud by ensuring the validity of the VIN.

10th Character in the 2018 Subaru Forester VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
J	2018

11th Character in the 2018 Subaru Forester VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 2018 Subaru Forester Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Plant Company Name	Example VIN
G	Ota	Gunma	Japan	Yajima Plant	JF2SJAAC0JG412448
H	Ota	Gunma	Japan	Yajima Plant	JF2SJAAC0JH425517

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 2018 Subaru Forester

The final 6 characters in a 2018 Subaru Forester’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

Check your Subaru Forester’s VIN below:

How to find a 2018 Subaru Forester’s VIN?

Locating the VIN number on your 2018 Subaru Forester is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:

Look at the driver’s side dashboard of your Subaru Forester, where it meets the windshield. The VIN is usually visible from outside the vehicle.
Open the driver’s side door and inspect the door jamb for a sticker or plate where the door latches when closed, as the VIN will often be located there.
In many Subaru Forester models, the VIN can be found under the hood, on the engine bay’s firewall, or on a strut tower.
Check the vehicle registration documents, insurance papers, or the title of your Subaru Forester, where the VIN is typically listed.
Examine the rear wheel well above the tire; sometimes, the VIN is stamped in the body in this area. 6. If you have the original maintenance book or the owner’s manual packet that came with the Subaru Forester, the VIN might be recorded inside the booklet or on a pre-printed card.

What info can a 2018 Subaru Forester VIN reveal?

Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicles model year being the year 2018, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
Body Class and Doors: A VIN can specify the body class. For the 2018 Subaru Forester, this may indicate a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)/Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) with 4 doors, offering detailed insights into the vehicle’s design and structure.
Drive Type: The drive type can also be identified from the VIN. In the case of the 2018 Subaru Forester, it has All-Wheel Drive (AWD), which can help in understanding the vehicle’s handling characteristics and drive configuration.
Engine Type and Performance: Details such as the engine model U4, with a displacement of 2.0 liters and an engine brake horsepower of 250, highlight the vehicle’s powertrain specifications. The presence of a turbocharger further underscores its potential performance capabilities.
Fuel Type and Efficiency: The VIN can provide information about the primary fuel type, in this case gasoline, offering insights into the vehicle’s fuel system and potential efficiency metrics.
Safety Features: The VIN encodes a wealth of safety features such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Warning, and Front Air Bag Locations, indicating a high level of safety standards and technologies incorporated into the vehicle.
Transmission: The VIN can specify the transmission type; for the 2018 Subaru Forester, it employs a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), outlining its drivetrain attributes and handling characteristics.
Manufacturing Details: Manufacturing information provided, such as the plant location in Ota, Gunma, Japan, underlines the vehicle’s production origins and can be valuable for understanding regional specifications or quality standards.

Don’t have your 2018 Subaru Forester’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a 2018 Subaru Forester

Vehicle Spec	Value
Active Safety System Note	Rear Cross-Traffic Alert: Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)	Standard
Adaptive Driving Beam (ADB)	Standard
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)	Standard
Auto-Reverse System for Windows and Sunroofs	Standard
Automatic Crash Notification (ACN) / Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (AACN)	Standard
Axles	2
Backup Camera	Standard
Base Price ($)	36090
Blind Spot Warning (BSW)	Standard
Body Class	Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)/Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV)
Crash Imminent Braking (CIB)	Standard
Curtain Air Bag Locations	1st and 2nd Rows
Daytime Running Light (DRL)	Standard
Displacement (CC)	2000.0
Displacement (CI)	122.04748818946
Displacement (L)	2.0
Doors	4
Drive Type	AWD/All-Wheel Drive
Dynamic Brake Support (DBS)	Standard
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)	Standard
Engine Brake (hp) From	250
Engine Model	U4
Engine Number of Cylinders	4
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)	Standard
Front Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Fuel Type - Primary	Gasoline
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)
Keyless Ignition	Standard
Knee Air Bag Locations	Driver Seat Only
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)	Standard
Lane Keeping Assistance (LKA)	Standard
Model	Forester
Model Year	2018
Number of Seat Rows	2
Number of Seats	5
Number of Wheels	4
Plant City	Ota
Plant Company Name	Yajima plant
Plant Country	Japan
Plant State	Gunma
Seat Belt Type	Manual
Seat Cushion Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Semiautomatic Headlamp Beam Switching	Standard
Series2	Wagon Body Type
Side Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Steering Location	Left-Hand Drive (LHD)
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Type	Direct
Top Speed (MPH)	130
Traction Control	Standard
Transmission Style	Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Trim	Touring+ES+Navi(H/K)+AP
Turbo	Yes
Vehicle Descriptor	JF2SJGWC*JH
Vehicle Type	Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle
Wheel Base (inches) From	103.9
Wheel Size Front (inches)	18
Wheel Size Rear (inches)	18
Sample_VIN	JF2SJGWC0JH405411