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2000 Subaru Forester

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2000 Subaru Forester do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 131.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

39 reports with mileage · 36 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 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

Power Train complaints

21 reports
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35,000 miles · Mar 27, 2005
Power TrainInjury

REPEAT PREMATURE FAILURE OF REAR AXLE BEARING. REAR AXLE BEARING ON BOTH SIDES BECAME NOISY WHEN CAR WAS 35K MI (12-09-02) DEALER REPLACED BOTH UNDER WARRANTY WITH SAME OEM SUBARU 28016FC001. REAR AXLE ON LEFT BECAME VERY NOISY AGAIN AROUND 57K MI, ESPECIALLY ON FREEWAY AND HIGH SPEED. TOOK IT TO DEALER AGAIN (06-22-04). THI…

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REPEAT PREMATURE FAILURE OF REAR AXLE BEARING. REAR AXLE BEARING ON BOTH SIDES BECAME NOISY WHEN CAR WAS 35K MI (12-09-02) DEALER REPLACED BOTH UNDER WARRANTY WITH SAME OEM SUBARU 28016FC001. REAR AXLE ON LEFT BECAME VERY NOISY AGAIN AROUND 57K MI, ESPECIALLY ON FREEWAY AND HIGH SPEED. TOOK IT TO DEALER AGAIN (06-22-04). THIS TIME, DEALER (SCHUMAN CARRIAGE MOTORS INC., DBA SUBARU OF HAWAII, ALSO DBA AS WAIALAE SUBARU) DISMISSED NOISE AS FROM TIRES, REFUSED TO HONOR WARRANTY, AND CHARGED US AN UNDISCLOSED $96 "DIAGNOSTIC FEE". UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE AT DEALERSHIP CAUSED GREAT EMOTIONAL TRAUMA TO MY WIFE. SHE SUBSEQUENTLY WAS DIAGNOSED BY MEDICAL DOCTOR OF SHINGLE LIKELY INDUCED BY STRESS AND LEAVING HER UNABLE TO WEAR EYE CONTACT LENSES EVEN TO THIS DAY. OTHER CAR GARAGES LATER CONFIRMED THE LEFT REAR AXLE BEARING IS THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE. FOUND A MECHANIC WHO REPLACED IT WITH A SUBARU 28015AA0050 ROLLER BEARING (03-26-05) MECHANIC TOOK IT THE DEFECTIVE BEARING APART. SIGNS OF IRREGULAR WEAR ON THE BEARING CASING IS VISIBLE.

NHTSA ODI #10114831

90,000 miles · Feb 11, 2005
Power Train

WHEN ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE IT MOVED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10111385

Mileage unknown · Oct 27, 2004
Power Train

MY 2000 SUBARU FORESTER HAS PREMATURE CLUTCH FAILURE AT 70,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10096477

91,000 miles · Jul 30, 2004
Power Train

ON A COLD START, GENERALLY THE VEHICLE WILL GO FORWARD WHEN SHIFTING IT INTO DRIVE, BUT AFTER IT IS WARMED UP IF YOU STOP THE ENGINE AND THEN TRY TO GO AGAIN, IT WON'T ENGAGE IN DRIVE BUT IT WILL GO IN REVERSE. I SEE ON SUBARU'S SERVICE BULLETINS, ON THE WEB, SHOW THERE ARE PAGES UPON PAGES OF THE SAME HAPPENINGS. IT WAS EXPLAIN…

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ON A COLD START, GENERALLY THE VEHICLE WILL GO FORWARD WHEN SHIFTING IT INTO DRIVE, BUT AFTER IT IS WARMED UP IF YOU STOP THE ENGINE AND THEN TRY TO GO AGAIN, IT WON'T ENGAGE IN DRIVE BUT IT WILL GO IN REVERSE. I SEE ON SUBARU'S SERVICE BULLETINS, ON THE WEB, SHOW THERE ARE PAGES UPON PAGES OF THE SAME HAPPENINGS. IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THE INTERIOR SEALS OF THE TRANSMISSION ARE ALLOWING FLUID TO LEAK BY DECREASING FLUID PRESSURE IN THE TRANSMISSION PREVENTING IT FROM OPERATING PROPERLY, SOMETIMES LEAVING US STRANDED. THE VEHICLE IS A SUBARU FORESTER 2000, OTHER VEHICLES WERE SAME MODELS AND WERE ALSO INCLUDED 1999 MODELS. MY QUESTION IS SHOULD THIS BE HAPPENING IN CARS JUST FOUR YEARS OLD?*AK

NHTSA ODI #10083025

10 miles · Jul 9, 2003
Power Train

CLUTCH SHUTTER, THROUGH ALL FOUR GEARS ESPECIALLY WHEN THE VEHICILE IS COLD. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE I BROUGHT IT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING STANDARD TRANSMISIONS FOR 40 YEARS AND NEVER HAVE I EXPEREINCED THIS PROBLEM. I BELIEVE SUBRAU HAS A DEFECTIVE CLUTCH AND FOR SOME REASON REFUSES TO CORRECT THE SITUATIO…

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CLUTCH SHUTTER, THROUGH ALL FOUR GEARS ESPECIALLY WHEN THE VEHICILE IS COLD. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE I BROUGHT IT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING STANDARD TRANSMISIONS FOR 40 YEARS AND NEVER HAVE I EXPEREINCED THIS PROBLEM. I BELIEVE SUBRAU HAS A DEFECTIVE CLUTCH AND FOR SOME REASON REFUSES TO CORRECT THE SITUATION .*AK

NHTSA ODI #10025742

45,000 miles · Mar 18, 2003
Power Train

THE VEHICLE'S POWER TRAIN ASSEMBLY FAILED AND CAUSED THE CLUTCH TO MAKE A CHATTERING NOISE. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10012030

7,000 miles · Feb 10, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

CHATTERING CLUTCH ON 2000 SUBARU FORESTER. THIS CONSTANTLY HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS COLD AND CONTINUES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE FOUR FORWARD GEARS. I HAVE DRIVEN MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND I KNOW IT IS NOT MY DRIVING/SHIFTING SKILLS. A CHECK OF A MESSAGE BOARD SHOWS THAT OTHER SUBARU OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE S…

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CHATTERING CLUTCH ON 2000 SUBARU FORESTER. THIS CONSTANTLY HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS COLD AND CONTINUES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE FOUR FORWARD GEARS. I HAVE DRIVEN MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND I KNOW IT IS NOT MY DRIVING/SHIFTING SKILLS. A CHECK OF A MESSAGE BOARD SHOWS THAT OTHER SUBARU OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM OUTSIDE OF DRIVER ERROR. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND/OR DESIGN DEFECT. MY CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND I HAVE LEARNED TO LIVE WITH THIS. BUT IF THIS IS AN ACTUAL DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER, I WANT IT KNOWN THAT I HAVE THE PROBLEM. THERE IS ALSO THE ISSUE OF BAD O2 SENSORS ON THIS CAR. MINE WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES BEFORE A RECALL WAS DONE. THAT WAS 32,000 MILES AGO AND NOW THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT HAS COME BACK ON ONLY AFTER A 60,000 MILE SERVICE. THE DEALERSHIP IS ASKING ME TO DO MORE REPAIRS AS A PROCESS OF ELIMINATION TO ZERO IN ON THE CAUSE OF THE LIGHT SHOWING. I FEEL THEY DID SOMETHING DURING THE MAINTENANCE SERVICE AND WANT ME TO PAY FOR THEIR ERRORS. IF IT IS ANOTHER O2 SENSOR THAT HAS GONE BAD, DOESN'T THE STATE OF CA HAVE A 50,000 WARRANTY ON ALL EMISSION COMPONENTS? WOULD IT BE COVERED?

NHTSA ODI #10005601

20,000 miles · Jul 16, 2002
Power Train

BEGAN NOTICING AND COMPLAINING OF CLUTCH CHATTER AT 20,000 MILES. MENTIONED AT EVERY SERVICE VISIT AND TOLD BY DEALER THAT IT WAS NORMAL OR THAT THEY ADJUSTED THE CLUTCH. CAR WOULD BE FINE FOR A MONTH AND THEN CHATTER WOULD RETURN. PARTICULARLY OCCURS WHEN COLD AND TRYING TO ENGAGE IN FIRST GEAR. TOLD AT 44,000 MILES THAT THE …

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BEGAN NOTICING AND COMPLAINING OF CLUTCH CHATTER AT 20,000 MILES. MENTIONED AT EVERY SERVICE VISIT AND TOLD BY DEALER THAT IT WAS NORMAL OR THAT THEY ADJUSTED THE CLUTCH. CAR WOULD BE FINE FOR A MONTH AND THEN CHATTER WOULD RETURN. PARTICULARLY OCCURS WHEN COLD AND TRYING TO ENGAGE IN FIRST GEAR. TOLD AT 44,000 MILES THAT THE CLUTCH WAS WORN AND NEEDED REPLACING. WHEN I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE CHATTER THEY NEVER RESOLVED, THEY KEPT SAYING THAT WAS NORMAL AND THE EARLY WEAR MUST BE DUE TO MY DRIVING. REPLACED THE CLUTCH AND ONCE AGAIN, A FEW MONTHS LATER CHATTER RETURNED. ANOTHER DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE FLYWHEEL AS WELL SINCE 99% OF CLUTCH CHATTER IS CAUSED BY THE FLYWHEEL SURFACE. TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER WHO AGAIN SAID THE CHATTER WAS NORMAL AND WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE CAR STILL JERKS WHEN I SHIFT INTO FIRST WHEN IT IS COLD, MAKING IT VERY UNSAFE FOR ME AND MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER TO DRIVE. *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*****764329

NHTSA ODI #10007159

Mileage unknown · Feb 7, 2001
EquipmentPower Train

FRONT DIFFERENTIAL UNIT FAILED FROM LACK OF LUBRICATION, SUBARU STATED THAT INDEPENDENT FACILITIES MISTAKENLY DRAINED THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID INSTEAD OF ENGINE OIL DURING OIL CHANGE BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF PLUGS, THE DIFFERENTIAL PAN AND OIL PAN NEES TO BE PROPERLY LABELED. NLM

NHTSA ODI #559527

Mileage unknown · Jun 2, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

ENGINE HAD A POROUS BLOCK. SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. EXPERIENCED CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID. CAUSE UNKNOWN. CAR CURRENTLY AT NEW MOTORS FOR REPAIR. MATTER HAS BEEN REFERRED TO AN ATTORNEY FOR POSSIBLE ACTION UNDER STATE LEMON LAWS.

NHTSA ODI #723491

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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