IllustrationWAS WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REARENDED FORESTER. SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED TO RESTRAIN. THIS CAUSED DRIVER TO HIT HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL. SEAT BELT WAS STILL LOCKED. ER TREATMENT AND RELEASED.*AK
1999 Subaru Forester
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Subaru Forester do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 131.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Forester years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
40–25K
1025–50K
1250–75K
1375–100K
7100–150K
4150K+
50 reports with mileage · 81 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
4 reportsREAR SEAT BELT ANCHORS/ASSEMBLY ON 1999 SUBARU FORESTER DO NOT ALLOW FOR ACCEPTABLE SECURE INSTALLATION OF CHILD SEAT (HAVE TRIED APPROX 7 DIFFERENT MODELS/SEAT MAKES SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE MAY 1999). RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE REAR SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF ELR/ALR CONTINUOUS LOOP LAP/SHOULDER BELT WITH SLIDING LATCH PLATE. …
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REAR SEAT BELT ANCHORS/ASSEMBLY ON 1999 SUBARU FORESTER DO NOT ALLOW FOR ACCEPTABLE SECURE INSTALLATION OF CHILD SEAT (HAVE TRIED APPROX 7 DIFFERENT MODELS/SEAT MAKES SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE MAY 1999). RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE REAR SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF ELR/ALR CONTINUOUS LOOP LAP/SHOULDER BELT WITH SLIDING LATCH PLATE. SEAT BELT LOCKS (THE FEMALE PART) FOR RIGHT, LEFT AND EVEN CENTER (WHICH IS LAP ONLY) ARE ANCHORED FORWARD OF SEAT CREASE SO THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PROPERLY SECURE CHILD SEATS. THE CHILD SEAT MANUALS/INSTRUCTIONS SUGGEST THAT VEHICLES WITH SUCH SEAT BELT PLACEMENT MIGHT NOT BE COMPATIBLE, ETC. THEY SUGGEST "MOVING THE CHILD SEAT TO A DIFFERENT POSITION." AGAIN, HOWEVER, IN 1999 FORESTER, NONE OF THE THREE REAR POSITIONS FUNCTION. SUBARU 1999 FORESTER OWNER'S MANUAL HAS SECTION ON CHILD SEAT INSTALLATION, OF COURSE. THEY SUGGEST/IMPLY SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY AND REAR SEATS ARE SAFE FOR USE WITH CHILD SEAT(S). THE ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE MANUAL, HOWEVER, ARE OF SEAT BELTS ANCHORED/PLACED AT SEAT CREASE, NOT AS ASSEMBLY ACTUALLY EXISTS ON 1999 FORESTER. WHAT CAN WE DO? WE ARE SCARED. POLICE OFFICER TRIED TO HELP INSTALL ONE OF TWO SEATS WE BOUGHT TODAY (NO. SIX OF SEVEN, SEVENTH PURCHASED AFTER FAILED INSTALL OF SIXTH). RE: BRAKES -- RIGHT REAR DISC BRAKES HAVE SQUEEKED SINCE PURCHASE IN 1999 (NEW) . DEALER MAINTENANCE IN AUGUST 2000 NOTED THE PROBLEM AND LUBED BRAKES BUT DID NOT CURE PROBLEM WHICH PERSISTS. *AK
REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT FIT CHILD SAFETY SEATS PROPERLY. MJS
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT ANCHOR BOLT THAT MOUNTS IN THE INSIDE SEAT BASE CAME OUT OF ITS MOUNTING HOLE WHEN THE SEAT BELT HARNESS WAS INSERTED INTO THE RECEIVING BUCKLE. THE ENTIRE HARNESS AND ATTACHING HARDWARE THEN RETRACTED TOWARD THE DOOR HITING THE PASSENGER. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE DRIVER SIDE ANCHOR BOLT IT WAS FOUND TO …
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PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT ANCHOR BOLT THAT MOUNTS IN THE INSIDE SEAT BASE CAME OUT OF ITS MOUNTING HOLE WHEN THE SEAT BELT HARNESS WAS INSERTED INTO THE RECEIVING BUCKLE. THE ENTIRE HARNESS AND ATTACHING HARDWARE THEN RETRACTED TOWARD THE DOOR HITING THE PASSENGER. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE DRIVER SIDE ANCHOR BOLT IT WAS FOUND TO BE HALF WAY UNTHREADED FROM ITS HOLE IN THE DRIVERS SEAT BASE.
Official recalls
199V040000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
Mar 3, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS). (THE 1999 2.2 LITER LEGACY VEHICLES ARE EXCLUDED). IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE IS INCREASED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAUSES THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE TO BE INCREASED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE99020 · Seat Belt Anchorage Separation
Opened Mar 5, 1999 · Closed Mar 26, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
ODI HAS ONE COMPLAINT ALLEGING THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGE, LOCATED BETWEEN THE SEAT AND CENTER CONSOLE, BECAME DETACHED WHILE DRIVING.IN ADDITION, THE OWNER INSPECTED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGE AND FOUND THAT THE BOLT WAS PARTIALLY BACKED-OUT.THE COMPLAINT VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH LEATHER SEAT COVERS AND HEATED FRONT SEATS.BECAUSE OF THESE OPTIONS, THE FRONT SEAT BELTS WERE INSTALLED BY AN OUTSIDE VENDOR AT THE PORT OF ENTRY IN VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON.SUBARU STATES THAT A SMALL QUANTITY OF VEHICLES WITH HEATEDFRONT SEATS DID NOT HAVE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED WHEN THEY ARRIVED IN VANCOUVER.THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES WERE SUPPLIED SEPARATELY FROM THE FRONT SEATS AND AN OUTSIDE VENDOR INSTALLED BOTH THE LEATHER SEAT COVERS AND THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES TO THE SEAT FRAME.SUBARU HAS SEARCHED THEIR FILES AND FOUND NO ADDITIONAL COMPLAINTS OR WARRANTY CLAIMS ON FORESTER VEHICLES FOR LOOSE SEAT BELT BOLTS.SUBARU ALSO CONFIRMED THAT WITH THEIR CURRENT QUALITY ASSURANCE INSPECTIONS THAT SUCH A CONDITION CANNOT GO UNNOTICED IN THE FUTURE.