IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *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
What owners actually said
131 reportsWITHIN THE FIRST 9 MONTHS, I EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH 4 OUT OF THE ORIGINAL 5 OF THESE TIRES, INCLUDING A BLOWOUT OF THE INSIDE SIDEWALL ON ONE OF THEM. I CONTACTED BOTH FIRESTONE AND THE SUBARU DEALER, BUT WAS TOLD I HAD SIMPLY BEEN "UNLUCKY" TO HAVE A( DOT NUMBER: ELYTCHB238 TIRE SIZE: P20570R15 )
WHILE EXITING A PARKING LOT CONSUMER PRESSED ON BRAKES, BUT VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AS IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS BEING PRESSED DOWN ALL THE WAY. CONSUMER HAD HER FOOT ON THE BRAKES. VEHICLE DID MOVE FORWARD AT A SLOW PACE FOR THE FACT THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING AND BRAKING AT THE…
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WHILE EXITING A PARKING LOT CONSUMER PRESSED ON BRAKES, BUT VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AS IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS BEING PRESSED DOWN ALL THE WAY. CONSUMER HAD HER FOOT ON THE BRAKES. VEHICLE DID MOVE FORWARD AT A SLOW PACE FOR THE FACT THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING AND BRAKING AT THE SAME TIME. CONSUMER HAD TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID A COLLISION. PLACED VEHICLE IN PARK IN ORDER FOR VEHICLE TO STOP. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO LOCATE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE, AND HAS ADVISED CONSUMER TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT REPAIRS. *AK THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TWICE BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. *YH
REAR TIRES WERE WEARING OUT EXCESSIVELY ON THE OUTSIDE EDGE. HAD THE TIRES REPLACED AT 25,000. FRONT TIRES ARE THE ORIGINAL & STILL GOOD. *AK
REAR END STEERING FREEZES UP, CAUSING A LOSS OF ROAD CONTROL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTIFICATION (99V-040), HOWEVER DEALERSHIP REFUSED REPAIR, DEALERSHIP NOT INFORMED. *MJS
I HAVE HAD THREE CRACKED WINDSHILEDS-ALL ORIGINATING WHERE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER HEATING ELEMENTS ARE LODGED IN THE WINDSHIELD- MUST BE DESIGN DEFECT- EVERYTIME THEY FIND A SMALL CHIP IN THE WINDSHIELD-I THINK THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT MAKES THE WINDSHIELD UNUSUALLY VULNERABLE
DRIVING ON FAST DOWNHILL SECTION OF MOUNTAIN 2 LANE HIGHWAY, ON ICE / PACKED SNOW, TAPPED BRAKES WHILE ENTERING CURVE ... 2 SECONDS LATER WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING THE VEHICLE LOST ADHESION, OVERSTEERING DANGEROUSLY. I RECOVERED WITH CONSIDERABLE OPPPOSITE STEERING LOCK AND SLIGHT APPLICATION OF POWER (CAR IS ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE…
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DRIVING ON FAST DOWNHILL SECTION OF MOUNTAIN 2 LANE HIGHWAY, ON ICE / PACKED SNOW, TAPPED BRAKES WHILE ENTERING CURVE ... 2 SECONDS LATER WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING THE VEHICLE LOST ADHESION, OVERSTEERING DANGEROUSLY. I RECOVERED WITH CONSIDERABLE OPPPOSITE STEERING LOCK AND SLIGHT APPLICATION OF POWER (CAR IS ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE.) IT HAPPENED SO FAST, I KNEW NOT WHAT HAD CAUSED THE CAR TO SLIDE OUT OF CONTROL. TODAY, I LEARNED THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. WITH THE GEARSHIFT SELECTOR IN DRIVE, TRAILING THROTTLE AND APPLICATION OF BRAKES, THE COMPUTER WILL OCCASIONALLY (AUTOMATICALLY) DOWN-SHIFT THE CAR INTO 3RD. GEAR. THIS SOFTWARE BUG, COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED AND TOTALLY DANGEROUS IN MARGINAL TRACTION CONDITIONS CAUSEDG A VICIOUS SKID FROM WHICH MOST DRIVERS OF AVERAGE EXPERIENCE WOULD HAVE NOT RECOVERED. WE PUT ABS ON CARS SO THAT BRAKING CAN BE MORE PREDICTABLE WHEN DRIVING UNDER MARGINAL COEFFICIENTS, THAN WE DESIGN SOFTWARE WITH A BUG WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO THROW THE CAR TOTALLY AND UNPREDICTABLY OUT OF CONTROL ON ICE. NICE WORK, SUBARU !*AK
TIRES PREMATURELY WORE OUT WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML
CHEVRON RECEIPT OF 4/20/00 READS: ALL FOUR BRIDGESTONE TIRES ARE UNSAFE DUE TO BEAD PROBLEMS - HAD TO PUT STUDDED TIRES BACK ON VEHICLE. (NOTE) - THESE PEOPLE DO NOT SELL TIRES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: EL YT TIRE SIZE: P205/70R15 )
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.