IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT 55 ON THE HIGHWAY LEFT REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRE, AND THE WHEEL WAS BENT. CONSUMER MADE CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURER, WHO WANTED THE WHEEL AND TIRE MAILED.*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
Wheels complaints
4 reports3 RIGHT WHEEL BEARING FAILURES. AT 16000 MILES THE RIGHT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY (9-11-01). AT 22000 MILES (4-23-03), RIGHT REAR BEARING NOISE RETURNED AND DEALER 'ADJUSTED' THE BEARING. WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, BUT DEALER DID NOT CHARGE FOR 'ADJUSTMENT'. AT 24100 MILES, BEARING FAILED WITH GRINDING AND SMOKE …
Read full complaint
3 RIGHT WHEEL BEARING FAILURES. AT 16000 MILES THE RIGHT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY (9-11-01). AT 22000 MILES (4-23-03), RIGHT REAR BEARING NOISE RETURNED AND DEALER 'ADJUSTED' THE BEARING. WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, BUT DEALER DID NOT CHARGE FOR 'ADJUSTMENT'. AT 24100 MILES, BEARING FAILED WITH GRINDING AND SMOKE DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING. A 100 MILE TOW WAS NECESSARY. THE DEALER IS REFUSING TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. MY POSITION IS THAT IT WAS NEVER FIXED THE FIRST TIME. ONLINE RESEARCH REVEALS OTHERS WITH SIMILAR TALES. ONE TOLD OF HAVING BEARINGS REPLACED 6 TIMES. SUBARU ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN (#035002, DEC. 23, 2002) ADVISING OF A NEW WAY TO INSTALL THE REPLACEMENT BEARINGS. A TECH AT MY DEALER SAID THAT THEY WERE TOLD TO START MAKING REPLACEMENTS USING A ROLLER BEARING INSTEAD OF THE OEM BEARING. ONE OTHER PROBLEM - AT ABOUT 20000 MILES AN IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING, REQUIRING TOWING TO THE DEALER.
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THREE (3) WHEEL BEARINGS ON THIS AUTOMOBILE. WHEEL BEARING FAILURE COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF A WHEEL AND A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. A SEARCH OF THE WEB INDICATES THIS MODEL HAS A HISTORY OF THESE PROBLEMS. DT
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
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.