1999 Subaru Forester recalls & problems

Recent owner complaints

• Jan 21, 1999Engine
  (PARTIAL COPY OF MESSAGE I SENT TO SUBARU EARLIER THIS WEEK.) [MY] FORESTER IS OLD, BUT I WOULDN'T BE REPLACING IT IF I DIDN'T NEED ANOTHER HEAD GASKET. YOU SURELY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM YOUR 4 CYL. ENGINES HAVE HAD WITH FAILING HEAD GASKETS. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS THE SECOND ONE EXPERIENCING SUCH FAILURE. I REPLACED THE ORIGINAL ONE SEVERAL YEARS BACK AT MY OWN EXPENSE. LET ME STATE MY UNQUALIFIED CASE THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THIS REPLACEMENT, AS YOU--SUBARU--KNEW WELL THAT GASKET FAILURE WAS IN THIS CAR'S FUTURE. HOW DO I MAKE THIS CLAIM? WELL, WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, IT CAME WITH AN ADDITIVE IN THE RADIATOR. SOMETHING YOU CALL "COOLANT CONDITIONER." NOBODY TOLD ME WHY THIS…
• Jul 7, 2019 · 80,000 milesService brakes
  WHY IS THE BRAKE LINE CORROSION RECALL WQK-47 ONLY FOR 2009-2013 FORESTERS? I OWN A 1999 FORESTER WHICH HAS JUST HAD A CATASTROPHIC BRAKE LINE FAILURE THAT IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHAT IS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. CORROSION OF THE BRAKE LINES IS IN THE AREA OF THE JUNCTION BLOCK THAT IS LOCATED UNDER THE CAR BEHIND THE AREA OF THE PASSENGER SEAT. IT SEEMS THAT VEHICLE SAFETY SHOULD NOT BE DEPENDENT ON THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY SOMETHING AS CRITICAL AS THE BRAKING SYSTEM. WHEN THE SYSTEM FAILED, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY SOFT AND I COULD FEEL IT SINKING TOWARD THE FLOOR. PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL HELPED SOME, BUT IT WAS STILL SINKING UNCOMFORTABLY QUICKLY. I WAS LESS THAN A MILE FROM…
• Apr 15, 2016 · 170,000 milesEngine
  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUBARU FORESTER. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND SEIZED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
• May 15, 2010 · 89,000 milesPower train
  AS OTHERS HAVE STATED HERE AND MANY MORE FROM VARIOUS SUBARU FORUMS, I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THE SHIFTING INTO DRIVE ISSUE (IT ACTS AS IF IT'S IN NEUTRAL) WITH THE AT. IT CAN TAKE SEVERAL SECONDS TO SEVERAL MINUTES (AND SOMETIMES LONGER OR NOT AT ALL) BEFORE IT ENGAGES. I USUALLY HAVE TO REV/PUMP THE ACCELERATOR UNTIL IT CORRECTS ITSELF. ONCE I'M IN DRIVE ALL IS WELL AS LONG AS I STAY THAT WAY. THIS IS RANDOM UNTIL IT STARTS TO GET WORSE OVER TIME. I'VE READ THAT THIS IS FAIRLY COMMON AND IT'S A WORN PISTON SEAL OR SOMETHING THAT PREVENTS ENOUGH PRESSURE FOR THE FORWARD GEAR TO ENGAGE. THIS BEGAN IN 2010 WITH ONLY 89K MILES. THE ONLY TEMP FIX HAS BEEN TO DRAIN & REPLACE THE AT FLUID &…
• Jan 26, 2015Unknown or other
  THERE ARE DAYS WHERE THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ENGAGE INTO DRIVE. IT GOES IN REVERSE BUT STILL NOT ENGAGE THE DRIVE GEAR. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK OF THE VEHICLE SITTING AND NOT BEING TURNED ON IT WILL ENGAGE AND WORK FINE. BUT WILL DO IT AGAIN A FEW WEEKS TO A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER.
• Dec 12, 2011 · 81,400 milesEngine
  NOTE: BELOW IS AN EXTRACT FROM A MESSAGE I SENT TO AN ATTORNEY IN WISCONSIN IN 2011 REGARDING THE PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING WITH MY VEHICLE. I HAVE SINCE HAD THE COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEM REPAIRED AT MY OWN EXPENSE. NOTE ALSO: I SEE WHERE THERE HAS BEEN A RECENT ENTRY FOR PENDING DEALER REPAIRS ON A HONDA CIVIC (I THINK) PERTAINING TO "COOLANT LOSS". AT LEAST HONDA COMPANY WILL LIVE UP TO AND CORRECT ITS MANUFACTURING MISTAKES. I AND OTHERS HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THEIR SUBARU VEHICLES CIRCA 1997-2004. THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE HAS TO DO WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM LOSING COOLANT AT AN UNACCEPTABLE RATE. THIS IS THE RESULT OF FUNCTIONAL DESIGN FLAWS OF USING DIFFERENT METALS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.…
• Dec 15, 2012 · 192,000 milesTires
  IN ONE MONTHS TIME WE HAVE HAD 4 SEPARATE COOPER WEATHERMASTER S/T2 205/70R15 TIRES HAVE SIDEWALL FAILURE. THESE ARE SNOW TIRES USED ONLY DURING WINTER MONTHS. 3 OF THE 4 TIRES WERE PURCHASED FOR THE 2010/11 WINTER, AND HAD LESS THAN 5000 MILES ON THEM, THE 4TH WAS NEW WITH ABOUT 100 MILES ON IT WHEN IT FAILED. 1ST BLOWOUT) DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT IN DRIVEWAY JUST AFTER WE RETURNED HOME FROM ERRANDS. REPLACED WITH NEW TIRE BY DEALER. 2ND FAILURE) NOTICED BUBBLE ON DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRE WHILE SHOPPING 45 MINUTES FROM HOME. CALLED ROADSIDE SERVICE TO PUT ON SPARE AND WHEN HOME, WENT TO DEALER WHO REPLACED WITH A NEW TIRE. 3RD FAILURE) 2 HOURS FROM HOME, STOPPED FOR GAS AND NOTICED…
• Jan 1, 1901 · 119,000 milesPower train
  199 SUBARU FORESTER. LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN SARBANES ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT WITH CONCERNS ABOUT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH SUBARU VEHICLES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS DIFFICULT TO PUT THE GEAR INTO DRIVE. A MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE FAILURE WAS WITH THE CLUTCH. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH ONLY A 119,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. *JB

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• PE99020 · opened Mar 5, 1999 · closed Mar 26, 1999SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE SEPARATION
  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…