2000 Subaru FORESTER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
75 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
78,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: . 39 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 9 of 75 complaints (12.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 12 | 16.0% |
| Braking behavior | 5 | 6.7% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 5.3% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 2.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 1.3% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 9 |
| Suspension:Front:Wheel Bearing | 9 |
| Suspension:Rear | 7 |
| Tires | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 4 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control | 3 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 9; Suspension:Front:Wheel Bearing: 9; Suspension:Rear: 7; Tires: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 8 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 6 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 11 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 8 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 6; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 8; 150,000 and above: 1
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 36 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 8 |
| 2001 | 14 |
| 2002 | 6 |
| 2003 | 10 |
| 2004 | 7 |
| 2005 | 7 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2000: 8; 2001: 14; 2002: 6; 2003: 10; 2004: 7; 2005: 7; 2006: 6; 2007: 3; 2008: 5; 2009: 5; 2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 12 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 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 10005601 · 2003-02-10 (February 10, 2003)
CHATTERING CLUTCH ON 2000 SUBARU FORESTER. THIS CONSTANTLY HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS COLD AND CONTINUES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE FOUR FORWARD GEARS. I HAVE DRIVEN MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND I KNOW IT IS NOT MY DRIVING/SHIFTING SKILLS. A CHECK OF A MESSAGE BOARD SHOWS THAT OTHER SUBARU OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM OUTSIDE OF DRIVER ERROR. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND/OR DESIGN DEFECT. MY CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND I HAVE LEARNED TO LIVE WITH THIS. BUT IF THIS IS…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005601 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007159 · 2002-07-16 (July 16, 2002)
BEGAN NOTICING AND COMPLAINING OF CLUTCH CHATTER AT 20,000 MILES. MENTIONED AT EVERY SERVICE VISIT AND TOLD BY DEALER THAT IT WAS NORMAL OR THAT THEY ADJUSTED THE CLUTCH. CAR WOULD BE FINE FOR A MONTH AND THEN CHATTER WOULD RETURN. PARTICULARLY OCCURS WHEN COLD AND TRYING TO ENGAGE IN FIRST GEAR. TOLD AT 44,000 MILES THAT THE CLUTCH WAS WORN AND NEEDED REPLACING. WHEN I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE CHATTER THEY NEVER RESOLVED, THEY KEPT SAYING THAT WAS NORMAL AND THE EARLY WEAR MUST BE DUE TO MY DRIVING. REPLACED THE CLUTCH AND ONCE AGAIN, A FEW MONT…
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007159 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10078712 · 2004-06-23 (June 23, 2004)
RUMBLING UNDER CAR WAS INDICATION THAT A PROBLEM EXISTED. 1ST INCIDENT THANKSGIVING WEEKEND 2003. FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARINGS FALIED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET CAR IN IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE I WAS TRAVELING AND NOBODY WAS OPEN. I FINALLY GOT CAR TO HUNTER IN NC FOR REPAIR. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. PARTS PERSON TOLD ME THEY NEVER REPLACE FORESTER BEARINGS WITH ORIGINAL PARTS. THEY USE OUTBACK OR SOME OTHER MODEL INSTEAD. THEY DID NOT REPLACE AXLE BUT I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DO …
Owner-reported narrative. 82,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10078712 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10260051 · 2009-02-26 (February 26, 2009)
I HAVE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY 2000 SUBARU FORESTER. OFF AND ON, SINCE 2007, THE CAR WILL NOT IMMEDIATELY ENGAGE WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE. I FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHEN I WOULD SHIFT FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. WHILE IN DRIVE, WITH MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. AT FIRST THE DELAY WAS ONLY A COUPLE OF SECONDS. AND IT WOULD OCCUR ONLY AFTER I HAD DRIVEN A FEW FEET IN REVERSE AND THEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. NOW, HOWEVER, THE DELAY IS MUCH LONGER AND IT CAN HAPPEN EVEN WHEN I HAVE NOT DRIVEN IN REVERSE. THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE. T…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10260051 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10159714 · 2006-06-13 (June 13, 2006)
STEERING LOCKED UP TWICE WHILE DRIVING, BOTH TIMES SHORTLY AFTER MAKING SHARP RIGHT TURN OUT OF HOME DRIVEWAY. THE FIRST TIME, THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL AFTER MAKING THE HARD RIGHT TURN OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. THEN THE STEERING RETURNED TO NORMAL AFTER WIGGLING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE SECOND TIME, THE DRIVER MADE A HARD RIGHT TURN OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND THEN STRAIGHTENED OUT AND PROCEED ABOUT TWENTY YARDS TO AN INTERSECTION AT WHICH POINT THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL FOR A RIGHT TURN WHILE DRIVIN…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10159714 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11491360 · 2022-10-28 (October 28, 2022)
The contact owns a 2000 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle began to shake and suddenly veered into the left lane into oncoming traffic. The contact stated that the vehicle had stopped in the middle of the road. The contact was unaware of any warning light being illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle had to be pushed off the roadway. The contact stated that the passenger’s side front tire was at a 90-degree angle to the wheel well. The contact stated that he could see that the control ar…
Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11491360 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10015184 · 2003-04-04 (April 4, 2003)
THE OXYGEN SENOR FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE SENOR WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015184 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 755752 · 2001-12-17 (December 17, 2001)
THE FUEL FILLER DESIGN IS SUCH THAT IT IS TO COMPLICATED FOR GAS STATION ATTENDANTS TO CORRECTLY PUT ON. IT WILL CROSSTHREAD EASIER THAN IT WILL GO ON CORRECTLY. WITH OUT PROPER PRESSURE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM, LIKE MANY CARS IT WILL STALL ABRUPTLY WITHOUT WARNING. IN NEW JERSEY IT IS ILLEGAL TO PUMP YOUR OWN GAS, OR EVEN GET OUT OF YOUR CAR TO CHECK THAT THE CAP IS PROPERLY INSTALLED. SUBARU REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE DEALER WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR IMPROPERLY INSTALLED FUEL FILL CAPS, OR THAT THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. THE DEALER WILL JUST RESET THE ENGIN…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 755752 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 889722 · 2001-06-04 (June 4, 2001)
COMPONENTS OF VEHICLE THAT RELY ON ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OPERATE ERRATICALLY AND WILL TURN ON AND OFF ON THEIR OWN. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD OF VEHICLE WILL COME ON AND STAY ON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 889722 at NHTSA ↗