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 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 29, 1999
Power Train
EVERY DAY I ACCELERATE FROM MY DRIVEWAY IMMEDIATELY AFTER START UP THE CAR HESITATES AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I PUSHED ON THE GAS BUT THERE WAS A 1-2 SECOND HESITATION BEFORE THE CAR TOOK OFF. IT IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND I LIVE IN OHIO AND IT WAS SPRING AND SUMMER LIKE WEAT…
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EVERY DAY I ACCELERATE FROM MY DRIVEWAY IMMEDIATELY AFTER START UP THE CAR HESITATES AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I PUSHED ON THE GAS BUT THERE WAS A 1-2 SECOND HESITATION BEFORE THE CAR TOOK OFF. IT IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND I LIVE IN OHIO AND IT WAS SPRING AND SUMMER LIKE WEATHER AND IT DID IT FROM DAY ONE
NHTSA ODI #712500
Mileage unknown · Sep 10, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
WHILE DRIVING DURING WARM WEATHER APPLIED BRAKES, AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THEY HAD TO BE PUMPED TO GET A RESPONSE. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR UNTIL THE THIRD PUMP. THERE IS A RECALL FOR ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE IN COLD WEATHER. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #847476
Mileage unknown · Sep 8, 1999
Power Train
WHEN THE TRUCK IS PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WITH THE ENGINE OFF IT WILL JERK ONE OR TWO INCHES FORWARD. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE TRUCK IS PARKED IN REVERSE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER CONCERNS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #847103
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
Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, PEDAL GOES 3/4 OF THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. BRAKES GET LOWER IN COLD WEATHER. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL AND THERE IS NO WAY TO ADJUST PEDAL HEIGHT DUE TO FOUR WHEEL DISC BRAKES. *AK
NHTSA ODI #842573
Mileage unknown · Jul 12, 1999
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control
DESIGN OF THE THROTTLE/PEDALS CREATES DIFFICULTY IN HAVING A SMOOTH ACCELERATION, PLACEMENT OF THE PEDALS ALSO CREATE A POTENTIAL HAZARD WITH THE ABILITY TO ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE. MJS
NHTSA ODI #547267
Mileage unknown · Jul 5, 1999
Service Brakes, HydraulicSteeringCrashInjury
NEW VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE, VEERING FROM SIDE TO SIDE, THEN GOING OFF THE ROAD, WITHIN FIRST 7 MILES OF DRIVING AT 60 MPH. *** 7 PURCHASED A NEW SUBARU FORESTER L ON JUNE 24, 1999, AND DROVE 200 MILES IN CITY AND SUBURBAN TRAFFIC, MAXIMUM SPEED 55 MPH. *** 7 LEFT ROCHESTER FOR FAMILY VACATION ON JULY 2, 1999, TRAVELLING E…
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NEW VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE, VEERING FROM SIDE TO SIDE, THEN GOING OFF THE ROAD, WITHIN FIRST 7 MILES OF DRIVING AT 60 MPH. *** 7 PURCHASED A NEW SUBARU FORESTER L ON JUNE 24, 1999, AND DROVE 200 MILES IN CITY AND SUBURBAN TRAFFIC, MAXIMUM SPEED 55 MPH. *** 7 LEFT ROCHESTER FOR FAMILY VACATION ON JULY 2, 1999, TRAVELLING EAST ON I-90. THE CAR CONTAINED TWO ADULTS AND TWO CHILDREN. DRIVER AND PASSENGERS WERE WEARING SEATBELTS AND ALL LUGGAGE WAS IN THE LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT. THE WEATHER WAS HOT AND THE ROADS WERE DRY. *** 7 NEAR MILEPOST 343, BETWEEN 10:30 AND 10:45 A.M., WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, A NORMAL STEERING CORRECTION LED TO A SHARP VEER BY THE VEHICLE, FOLLOWED BY 4 OR 5 UNCONTROLLABLE SIDE-TO-SIDE OSCILLATIONS, EACH INCREASING IN MAGNITUDE. THE DRIVER HAD THE SENSE THAT THE WHEELS WERE NOT RESPONDING TO HER CONSCIOUS ATTEMPTS TO BRING THE STEERING UNDER CONTROL. SHE HAD HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND WAS NOT BRAKING. THIS OCCURRED WITHIN 7 MILES OF THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING MORE THAN 55 MPH. *** 7 THE CAR WENT OFF THE ROAD TO THE RIGHT, DOWN A BANK INTO A DITCH CONTAINING MUD, WATER, AND VEGETATION. IT HIT THE DITCH AT AN ANGLE, BOUNCED, AND CAME TO A STOP IN THE GRASS ON THE OTHER SIDE. *** 7 DURING THESE EVENTS THERE WAS NO SOUND FROM THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM AND THE CAR WAS NOT SKIDDING, BUT TIRE TRACKS WERE VISIBLE ON BOTH THE PAVED AND GRAVEL SHOULDERS WHERE THE CAR LEFT THE ROAD. *** 7 WE HAD NO PHONE AND THE CAR WAS OPERABLE, SO WE DROVE IT SLOWLY THROUGH MOWED GRASS UNTIL WE PASSED THE DITCH AND WERE ABLE TO PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER OF I-90. WE LEFT I-90 AT EXIT 43 (3 MILES) AND SLOWLY DROVE SEVERAL MILES ALONG ROUTE 96 TO VAN BORTEL SUBARU WHERE WE HAD PURCHASED THE CAR. *** 7 WE CALLED THE STATE POLICE AND INSURANCE COMPANY TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT. *** THE CHILD IN THE SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER WAS TREATED IN HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM FOR ELBOW INJURY. *AK
NHTSA ODI #708234
Mileage unknown · May 6, 1999
Seat Belts
REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT FIT CHILD SAFETY SEATS PROPERLY. MJS
NHTSA ODI #545414
Mileage unknown · Mar 26, 1999
Steering
AT 60 TO 70 MPH THE CAR CAN SUDDENLY LOSES HANDLING CONTROL. IT STARTS TO BOB AND ROCK AND I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO TIP OVER. THIS OCCURRED 2 TIMES WITH 2 DIFFERENT DRIVERS. EVENTUALLY THE CAR DID STRAIGHTEN OUT AND FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO CARS AROUND SO NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. *AK
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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