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U.S. public vehicle records

1999 Subaru FORESTER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

114 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

73,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 50 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 12 of 114 complaints (10.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting1614.0%
Braking behavior1614.0%
Steering behavior54.4%
Engine operation21.8%
Electrical and battery issues10.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission
12
Engine And Engine Cooling
11
Suspension:Front:Wheel Bearing
11
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
6
Suspension:Rear
6
Tires
6
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
5
Suspension:Multiple Axle
5
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Power Train:Automatic Transmission12
Engine And Engine Cooling11
Suspension:Front:Wheel Bearing11
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip6
Suspension:Rear6
Tires6
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine5
Suspension:Multiple Axle5

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 12; Engine And Engine Cooling: 11; Suspension:Front:Wheel Bearing: 11; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 6; Suspension:Rear: 6; Tires: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 5; Suspension:Multiple Axle: 5

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
4
25,000 to 49,999
10
50,000 to 74,999
12
75,000 to 99,999
13
100,000 to 149,999
7
150,000 and above
4
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0004
25,000 to 49,99910
50,000 to 74,99912
75,000 to 99,99913
100,000 to 149,9997
150,000 and above4

Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 13; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 4

75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 64 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000
15
2001
22
2002
14
2003
13
2004
20
2005
8
2006
5
2007
2
2008
6
2009
1
2010
1
2012
1
2014
1
2015
1
2016
1
2017
1
2019
1
2020
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200015
200122
200214
200313
200420
20058
20065
20072
20086
20091
20101
20121
20141
20151
20161
20171
20191
20201

2000: 15; 2001: 22; 2002: 14; 2003: 13; 2004: 20; 2005: 8; 2006: 5; 2007: 2; 2008: 6; 2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2012: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 1; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 16 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10003180 · 2003-01-22 (January 22, 2003)

ESPECIALLY DURING COLD OR DAMP WEATHER MY 1999 SUBARU FORESTER'S CLUTCH SHUDDERS STRONGLY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. THIS OCCURS PRIMARILY WHEN STARTING IN FIRST GEAR AND IN THE UPSHIFT TO SECOND GEAR. IT ALSO OCCASIONALLY OCURRS IN THE UPSHIFT FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. IT DOES NOT OCURR ON THE DOWNSHIFTS. THIS PROBLEM FIRST APPEARED AT ABOUT 45,000 MILES. THE DEALER SAID I NEEDED A NEW CLUTCH. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS SINCE 1969 AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A CLUTCH BEFORE 100,000 MILES, AND ON MY 1986 HONDA ACCORD I SOLD IT AT 260,…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003180 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10021117 · 2003-06-05 (June 5, 2003)

1999 SUBARU FORESTER S. AT 40,000 NEW TRANSMISSION. AT 45,000 SPEED ODOMETER STICKING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NOW AT 96,000 MILES LEAKING HEAD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALL MAJOR PROBLEMS REQUIRING MAJOR MONEY TO BE REPLACED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 96,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021117 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10110244 · 2005-02-10 (February 10, 2005)

1999 SUBARU FORRESTER. VEHICLE TRANSMISSION BEGAN HAVING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING INTO DRIVE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 7-10 DAYS, VEHICLE SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL UPON BRAKING. TOOK SEVERAL MINUTES TO GET VEHICLE BACK INTO DRIVE. 2ND INSTANCE ALMOST CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I BRAKED TO TURN LEFT AND BEGAN MY TURN. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, I FOUND THE VEHICLE HAD AGAIN SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL AND I WAS HELPLESSLY COASTING WITH TRAFFIC HEADING TOWARD ME. LUCKILY, THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS ABLE TO STOP IN TIME TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. TRANSMISSION WAS…

Owner-reported narrative. 74,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10110244 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10171181 · 2006-10-04 (October 4, 2006)

CONSUMER COMPLAINT CONCERNING 1999 FORESTER GAS MILEAGE. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION, BRAKES, A KNOCK SENSOR, A SQUEAK IN THE CARGO PANEL AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10171181 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10005806 · 2003-02-13 (February 13, 2003)

99 SUBARU FORESTER L AFTER 50,000 MILES REAR AXLE BEARINGS AND HUB BROKE. STEERING ON CORNERS WAS AFFECTED.

Owner-reported narrative. 51,032 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005806 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10070659 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

3 RIGHT WHEEL BEARING FAILURES. AT 16000 MILES THE RIGHT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY (9-11-01). AT 22000 MILES (4-23-03), RIGHT REAR BEARING NOISE RETURNED AND DEALER 'ADJUSTED' THE BEARING. WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, BUT DEALER DID NOT CHARGE FOR 'ADJUSTMENT'. AT 24100 MILES, BEARING FAILED WITH GRINDING AND SMOKE DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING. A 100 MILE TOW WAS NECESSARY. THE DEALER IS REFUSING TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. MY POSITION IS THAT IT WAS NEVER FIXED THE FIRST TIME. ONLINE RESEARCH REVEALS OTHERS WITH SIMILAR TALES. ONE TO…

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10070659 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10096744 · 2005-01-05 (January 5, 2005)

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, SUDDENLY THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE AND THEN IT STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP STATED, THERE WAS INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE WATER SEEPED INTO THE ENGINE BECAUSE OF A FAULTY GASKET. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 86,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10096744 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10239664 · 2008-08-25 (August 25, 2008)

HEAD GASKET/ENGINE FAILED WHILE ON HIGHWAY. CAR STALLED, UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 99,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10239664 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 768545 · 2002-10-16 (October 16, 2002)

BLOWER SWITCH WAS ON HIGH, NUMBER 4 WHEN ELECTRICAL SMOKE CAME OUT FROM THE CLIMATE CONTROL PANEL. BLOWER WOULD NOT RUN ON NUMBER 4, (HIGH). THE SWITCH HAD BURNED CONTACTS AT THE WIRE CONNECTOR. REPLACEMENT SWITCH COST $60.07 PLUS TAX. MR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 768545 at NHTSA ↗