IllustrationONGOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE HESITATING INTERMITTENTLY WHENEVER VEHICLE SITS FOR MORE THEN TWO DAYS. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. *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 reportsDEFECTIVE SEAL ON THE TRANSMISSION CAUSED TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK INTO EXHAUST ASSEMBLY. YH
GEAR SHIFT RESULTED IN A SEVERE JOLT TO PASSENGERS AND THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. YH
VEHICLE FIRST SHOWED PROBLEM 11/99. VEHICLE BANGS INTO GEAR WITH TREMENDOUS JOLT. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND RETURNED VEHICLE 12/9/99 AFTER 25 DAYS OUT OF SERVICE. PROBLEM REOCCURRED IN 1/26/00 IN NEW TRANSMISSION. DEALER NOT WILLING TO CONSIDER ALTERNATE SOLUTION BUT WILL REPLACE TRANSMISSION. SUSPECTS PROBLEM IS NOT…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE FIRST SHOWED PROBLEM 11/99. VEHICLE BANGS INTO GEAR WITH TREMENDOUS JOLT. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND RETURNED VEHICLE 12/9/99 AFTER 25 DAYS OUT OF SERVICE. PROBLEM REOCCURRED IN 1/26/00 IN NEW TRANSMISSION. DEALER NOT WILLING TO CONSIDER ALTERNATE SOLUTION BUT WILL REPLACE TRANSMISSION. SUSPECTS PROBLEM IS NOT TRANSMISSION BUT ANOTHER PROBLEM CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO GO BAD. *AK
BRAKES WENT MUSHY AND GRADUALLY WENT TO FLOOR BOARD. WORKED OK WHEN PUMPED
WOULD HEAR GRINDING NOISES COMING FROM REAR. THE FASTER THE VEHICLE WAS GOING, THE LOUDER THE NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AT LEAST 4 TIMES: 6/23/ 7/2/ 11/8; & 11/15. THE WHEELS LOCKED UP AT ONE POINT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE SEAL HAD BROKEN. EACH TIME WAS REPAIRED. *AK
DEALER REPORTED VEHICLE WAS NOT ALIGNED AT TIME OF MANUFACTURING, CAUSED PREMATURELY WEAR TIRES WHICH SUBARU OF AMERICA IS ONLY WILLING TO PAY A SMALL SHARE OF COST( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P20570R15 )
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS DOWN TO 3RD GEAR AT ANY SPEED IF THE DRIVER TOUCHES THE BRAKE PEDAL. AT SPEEDS OVER 60 MPH THIS SHARPLY REDUCES THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO CONTROL VEHICLE SPEED. THE TRANSMISSION SUBSEQUENTLY DOES NOT SHIFT UP TO 4TH GEAR AGAIN. IT MUST BE SHIFTED UP MANUALLY. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IN MOD…
Read full complaint
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS DOWN TO 3RD GEAR AT ANY SPEED IF THE DRIVER TOUCHES THE BRAKE PEDAL. AT SPEEDS OVER 60 MPH THIS SHARPLY REDUCES THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO CONTROL VEHICLE SPEED. THE TRANSMISSION SUBSEQUENTLY DOES NOT SHIFT UP TO 4TH GEAR AGAIN. IT MUST BE SHIFTED UP MANUALLY. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IN MODERATE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC ON HILLY HIGHWAYS AND FREEWAYS. I HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE PROBLEMS TO A DEALER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. A SUBARU REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME IN A TELEPHONE CALL THAT SUBARU HAS CORRECTED THE HIGH SPEED DOWNSHIFT PROBLEM IN LEGACY AND OUTBACK MODELS BUT WILL NOT REPAIR THE SAME PROBLEM IN FORESTER MODELS.
BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN DRIVER SLAMMED THE BRAKE. YH
I HAVE DETECTED THAT WITHIN THE SPEED RANGE OF 5 MILES PER HOUR UP TO 70 MILES PER HOUR, THE BRAKE ROTORS (FRONT AND BACK) CAUSE A PREMATURE VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING WITH REASONABLE FORCE ON BRAKE PEDAL FROM THESE SPEEDS. THIS VIBRATION IS SUSPECTED TO BE CAUSING IRREGULAR WEAR ON ALL FOUR TIRES, AND WILL WEAR VITAL SUSPENTION AND…
Read full complaint
I HAVE DETECTED THAT WITHIN THE SPEED RANGE OF 5 MILES PER HOUR UP TO 70 MILES PER HOUR, THE BRAKE ROTORS (FRONT AND BACK) CAUSE A PREMATURE VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING WITH REASONABLE FORCE ON BRAKE PEDAL FROM THESE SPEEDS. THIS VIBRATION IS SUSPECTED TO BE CAUSING IRREGULAR WEAR ON ALL FOUR TIRES, AND WILL WEAR VITAL SUSPENTION AND BRAKING COMPONENTS PREMATURELY, CAUSING A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD.
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.