1998 Subaru Forester

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Subaru Forester do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 131.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

101Owner complaints

Model-year median: 131

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1998 Subaru Forester

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 101 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Power Train: 23 reports
Suspension: 17 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 15 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 14 reports
Vehicle Speed Control: 14 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

99V040000 — Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Forester years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train

23 Suspension

17 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

15 Engine And Engine Cooling

14 Vehicle Speed Control

All reported categories

2 Fuel System, Gasoline

2 Fuel/propulsion System

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 18 of 101 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Suspension. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 15 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 reports5 fire reports2 injury reports

Fuel System, Other complaints

1 reports

Clear category filter

98,000 miles · Mar 29, 2004

Electrical SystemFuel System, Other

Read full complaint

MY 1998 SUBARU FORESTER HESITATES ON ACCELERATION IN THE LOW RPM RANGE. ONCE OVER ABOUT 3000 RPM, IT RUNS FINE. ACCORDING TO A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN RELEASED BY SUBARU IN JAN 1999, #11-53-98, THIS IS CAUSED BY THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE INCORRECTLY INTERPRETING VIBRATIONS IN THE ENGINE AS SKIPPING AND READJUSTING THE FUEL FLOW RATE. THE FIX REQUIRES INSTALLING AN UPGRADED ECM--TO THE TUNE OF WELL OVER $1000. THIS HESITATION PRODUCES AN UNSAFE SITUATION BECAUSE THE CAR MAY AT ANY TIME REFUSE TO ACCELERATE, OR ACCELERATE SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10064082

Recall campaigns

99V040000 · 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 ↗

Defect investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.

Go deeper into Subaru Forester problems

Subaru Forester transmission problems →Subaru Forester electrical problems →