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
What owners actually said
131 reports
41,300 miles · Mar 31, 2003
Tires
VEHICLE INVOLVED IS A 1999 SUBARU FORESTER L. WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY. 50 MPH ON A STATE HIGHWAY. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND ROAD WAS SMOOTH (NO POTHOLES). HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION FROM THE RIGHT REAR OF MY VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY CAME TO A STOP AND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I OBSERVED THAT MY TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT, HOW…
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VEHICLE INVOLVED IS A 1999 SUBARU FORESTER L. WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY. 50 MPH ON A STATE HIGHWAY. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND ROAD WAS SMOOTH (NO POTHOLES). HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION FROM THE RIGHT REAR OF MY VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY CAME TO A STOP AND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I OBSERVED THAT MY TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT, HOWEVER THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE TIRE. IT WAS JUST FLAT. TIRE IS A BRIDGESTONE DUELER H/T 684 P20570R15. THE TIRE IS APPROXIMATELY. 5 MONTHS OLD WITH APPROXIMATELY. 9K ON IT. *NLM
NHTSA ODI #10013718
51,032 miles · Feb 13, 2003
Power Train
99 SUBARU FORESTER L AFTER 50,000 MILES REAR AXLE BEARINGS AND HUB BROKE. STEERING ON CORNERS WAS AFFECTED.
NHTSA ODI #10005806
Mileage unknown · Jan 22, 2003
Power Train
ESPECIALLY DURING COLD OR DAMP WEATHER MY 1999 SUBARU FORESTER'S CLUTCH SHUDDERS STRONGLY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. THIS OCCURS PRIMARILY WHEN STARTING IN FIRST GEAR AND IN THE UPSHIFT TO SECOND GEAR. IT ALSO OCCASIONALLY OCURRS IN THE UPSHIFT FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. IT DOES NOT OCURR ON THE DOWNSHIFTS. THIS PROBLEM FIRST APPEARED…
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ESPECIALLY DURING COLD OR DAMP WEATHER MY 1999 SUBARU FORESTER'S CLUTCH SHUDDERS STRONGLY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. THIS OCCURS PRIMARILY WHEN STARTING IN FIRST GEAR AND IN THE UPSHIFT TO SECOND GEAR. IT ALSO OCCASIONALLY OCURRS IN THE UPSHIFT FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. IT DOES NOT OCURR ON THE DOWNSHIFTS. THIS PROBLEM FIRST APPEARED AT ABOUT 45,000 MILES. THE DEALER SAID I NEEDED A NEW CLUTCH. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS SINCE 1969 AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A CLUTCH BEFORE 100,000 MILES, AND ON MY 1986 HONDA ACCORD I SOLD IT AT 260,000 MILES AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH. I DID NOT REPLACE THE CLUTCH ON MY 1999 SUBARU FORESTER. IT NOW HAS 83,000 MILES, COLD WEATHER HAS RETURNED, AND SO HAS THE CLUTCH SHUDDER
NHTSA ODI #10003180
Mileage unknown · Nov 16, 2002
Wheels
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
NHTSA ODI #769775
Mileage unknown · Nov 15, 2002
Structure
PAINT PEELING OFF RIGHT REAR SIDE AND REAR BUMPER. *PH *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED 12/12/02 AFTER CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**769762
NHTSA ODI #10006931
Mileage unknown · Oct 16, 2002
Electrical SystemFire
BLOWER SWITCH WAS ON HIGH, NUMBER 4 WHEN ELECTRICAL SMOKE CAME OUT FROM THE CLIMATE CONTROL PANEL. BLOWER WOULD NOT RUN ON NUMBER 4, (HIGH). THE SWITCH HAD BURNED CONTACTS AT THE WIRE CONNECTOR. REPLACEMENT SWITCH COST $60.07 PLUS TAX. MR
NHTSA ODI #768545
Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2002
Electrical System
CONSUMER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IGNITION SWITCH ,AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR CONSUMER TO STARTVEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8016165
Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2002
Vehicle Speed Control
VEHICLE WAS ON EXPRESSWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 60MPH. VEHICLE MALFUCTIONED, AND WOULDN'T DISENGAGE WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. VEHICLE WAS GOING AROUND A SLIGHT CURB, AND AND WAS STOPPED DUE TO CRASING INTO A MEDIAN. SUBARU WAS NOTIFIED FOR SECOND TIME, AND FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8016078
Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2002
Suspension
DEALER REPLACED WHEEL BEARING AT 29,000 MILES UNDER WARRANTY. WENT BAD AGAIN 30,000 MILES LATER, EVEN THOUGH OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT IT DOESN'T NEED SERVICED UNTIL 60,000 MILES. DEALER SAID THAT WE DROVE ON IT TOO LONG AND DAMAGED THE HUB AND HOUSING, $700 REPAIR BILL. DEALER SAID THAT THEY HAD BEEN HAVING A LOT OF PROBLEMS …
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DEALER REPLACED WHEEL BEARING AT 29,000 MILES UNDER WARRANTY. WENT BAD AGAIN 30,000 MILES LATER, EVEN THOUGH OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT IT DOESN'T NEED SERVICED UNTIL 60,000 MILES. DEALER SAID THAT WE DROVE ON IT TOO LONG AND DAMAGED THE HUB AND HOUSING, $700 REPAIR BILL. DEALER SAID THAT THEY HAD BEEN HAVING A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE BEARINGS AND THEY REPLACED IT WITH A LEGACY BEARING. SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT WE WERE 'LUCKY' TO ONLY HAVE HAD BEARING FAIL TWICE. WE FEEL, AFTER RESEARCH, THAT IT IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BY SUBARU TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND WE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR OUR EXPENSE.*JB
NHTSA ODI #764720
Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2002
Tires
YOKOHAMA GEOLANDER H/T RADIAL P215/60R16. ALL 4 TIRES FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIR. AIR WOULD LEAK OUT BETWEEN TIRE AND WHEEL. HAD NOTICED THAT TIRES WERE ALMOST FLAT, AND TOOK THEM TO MECHANIC. NOTHING IN TIRES WERE FOUND. TOOK TO DEALER, AND TIRE SEALS WERE REPLACED.*AK
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
1
PE99020 · 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.
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