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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.

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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

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

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

25 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingSuspension

I TOOK MY SUBARU IN FOR AN OIL LEAK PROBLEM AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY RIGHT BEARING WAS BAD. THE OIL SEAL WAS UNDER WARRENTY, HOWEVER THE BEARING COST NEARLY 500.00. DROVE IT A MONTH AND STARTED HEARING A ROARING NOISE. I TOOK IT IN AGAIN AND THE BEARING HAD CAUSED THE HUB TO GO BAD. I WAS NOT CHARGED THIS SECOND TIME. I WAS…

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I TOOK MY SUBARU IN FOR AN OIL LEAK PROBLEM AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY RIGHT BEARING WAS BAD. THE OIL SEAL WAS UNDER WARRENTY, HOWEVER THE BEARING COST NEARLY 500.00. DROVE IT A MONTH AND STARTED HEARING A ROARING NOISE. I TOOK IT IN AGAIN AND THE BEARING HAD CAUSED THE HUB TO GO BAD. I WAS NOT CHARGED THIS SECOND TIME. I WAS TOLD THEY HAD OTHER ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES IN WITH THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #763543

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

OIL PUMP SEAL OIL LEAK, FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. STILL LOOSING OIL FOUND HEAD GASKET LEAK, WILL FIX UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER SAID ENGINE STILL USING OIL, BUT THEY WILL NOT FIX IT AS THEY SAY 1 QUART EVERY 1000 MILES IS NORMAL. BUT DEALER WANT TO CHECK THE VEHICLE EVERY 2000 MILES. *YH

NHTSA ODI #785703

Mileage unknown · Jun 1, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE IS LOSING APROXIMATELY ONE QUART OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE "BURNING" OIL NOR IS IT LEAKING. THIS AMOUNT OF OIL LOSS APPEARS HIGH TO ME. I CALLED SUBARU INTERNATIONAL IN NEW JERSEY AND THEY SAID THIS IS "NORMAL" FOR A SUBARU. I FIND THIS VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A VEHICLE CAN LOSE 1 QUART…

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VEHICLE IS LOSING APROXIMATELY ONE QUART OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE "BURNING" OIL NOR IS IT LEAKING. THIS AMOUNT OF OIL LOSS APPEARS HIGH TO ME. I CALLED SUBARU INTERNATIONAL IN NEW JERSEY AND THEY SAID THIS IS "NORMAL" FOR A SUBARU. I FIND THIS VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A VEHICLE CAN LOSE 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES. I ASKED THE DEALER (MARZOLF SUBARU) TO FIX IT, AND THEY SAID NO AS IT WAS NOT UN-NORMAL FOR A SUBARU TO LOSE THIS MUCH OIL. THANKYOU FOR LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #746271

Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE HESITATING INTERMITTENTLY WHENEVER VEHICLE SITS FOR MORE THEN TWO DAYS. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #858586

Mileage unknown · Jul 22, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

ENGINE REBUILT DUE TO FAILURE, HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE OF REBUILT UNIT. MJS

NHTSA ODI #547468

Official recalls

1

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 ↗

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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