We found the following complaints for SUBARU FORESTER (1999)
Read complaints for SUBARU FORESTER (1999)
During a 35 mph rear collision front air bags did not deploy. Vehicle was towed. Consumer suffered minor injuries.dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.
The consumer hit a light pole while driving 25 mph and lost control of the vehicle.the vehicle hit a utility pole but the frontal air bags did not deploy.the driver sustained sore muscles.
On 1998 forester 5-spd, when pulling out on freeways and other roads, as i switch from 3 to 4 or from 4 to 5, engine wants to drop to idle as i try to accelerate.
About 3 years into owning this '99 forester, the illumination for my gear shifting column between the front seats went out.cost to repair was prohibitive, so i learned to deal with it.about 2 years ago, the led clock above the mirror went out.cost to repair $180, so i decided to live without a clock.last friday, the led that illuminates the gas gauge, speedometer and odometer went out.now i have to periodically turn on the cabin light to see how fast i'm driving, how much gasoline i have and how many miles i've driven.what's next?this is ridiculous!
Consumerhaving problems withignition switch ,and it will be hard for consumer to startvehicle. Dealer notified.
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
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.
Note: below is an extract from a message i sent to an attorney in wisconsin in 2011 regarding theproblems i was having with my vehicle. I have since had the cooling system problem repaired at myown 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. This allows larger than normal gaps to open up in the cylinder walls as the two metals expand differently when the engine heats up. Coupled with cheap gaskets, this formula has led to many engine seizures in these cars across the country due to overheating. (i've caught mine barely in time as the thermostat hit red-line twice now without warning.) meanwhile, subaru knew about this problem from the onset, since dealers treated the coolant system with so-called coolant "conditioner" before selling these cars. And they didn't advise the purchaser that they were doing this and why. Problems is...the conditioner will not work indefinitely and may even accelerate the breakdown of the cheap gasket. I've got 81,400 miles now on my car and i'm on my second can of conditioner. But the coolant level keeps dropping and it's burning away in the hot engine. I can smell it when i leave the car in the garage overnight. (it smells sweet but i'm not too pleased with it.). Subaru has since had the forethought to change its gaskets to much sturdier ones. But, of course, that means i'd have to shell out thousands of dollars to replace mine.
(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 was necessary. I found out one day when my temperature gauge red-lined and my radiator ran dry. I quickly made my way to the nearest subaru dealership so, recognizing the problem, the mechanic there told me about this coolant conditioner and how it would have been installed in my forester the day i drove it from the dealership. He sold me another bottleand advised me to pour it into the radiator immediately.i thought that would be the end of the problem, and i drove another, say 30,000 or so care-free miles, until the gasket again broke down. Time for a replacement, my personal mechanic advised me. I relented and drove about 40,000 miles on the new gasket...until experiencing failure again.as i indicated before, from a legal standpoint, you--subaru--must have known it had a big problem on its hands. Why you failed to initiate a recall and were never called to task for it is a mystery to me. Recall what happened to volkswagenonly a few years back. They knew about their "problem" as well.let me add that i know of scores of other subaru ownersmore recent than 1999 that feel the same way.
The contact owns a 1999 subaru forester.while coasting, the vehicle began to accelerate on its own.the vehicle was towed to the dealer.the current and failure mileages were 48,700.updated 05/06/08 the consumer stated dreyer & reinbold checked engine, transmission mounts speed control and found no problem. 05/06/08
At 53,500 miles engine oil began leaking. All seals had to be replaced including watre pump seals wich had also failed.
Vehicle continues to run hot. Dealer notified.
I bought a 1999 subaru forester s less than 2 years ago. In december 2003, at approx. 71,200 miles, the car began loosing antifreeze. I discovered that i needed a head gasket job. Now i find they have a recall on this. Shortly thereafter i discovered the mysterious "vanishing oil" problem with this engine. At 75,775, i checked the oil and found it mostly gone! i returned to my mechanic, who found no external leak and no sign of oil burning on the spark plugs. After doing some research (see nhtsa complaints), this appears to be a chronic problem with these engines. I continued to monitor the situation and add oil as necessary. I seem to need 1 quart per 1500 miles, approximately.now, the final problem. On 3/24/04, at 77,848, i was driving at 65 mph, heard a strange noise and the check engine light came on. I immediately turned off the engine and coasted to a safe turn out.after towing the car to my mechanic, he discovered that the top of the timing belt tensioner had popped off, releasing the hydraulic and of course the timing belt. He has never seen a tensioner fail, and out of the hundreds of new timing belts he has done, he only had to replace about a dozen that were out of specs. We debated a course of action and, since it is a non-interference motor, i decided to replace the tensioner and not the entire motor. He also did a hand crank to check for resistance or other head damage. After waiting nearly 2 weeks for parts (due to subaru's part ordering method), he replaced the tensioner. When testing the engine, it did not sound right. He did a compression test and found no compression on 3 cylinders! so now i had the shocking prospectof needing a new engine!i decided i better get help from the dealer, as this all appears to be a quality issue that should not be happening to this engine at this mileage. The car is now at stohlman subaru in vienna, va.
Loud clunking noise coming from engine.my mechanic diagnosed as a cracked cylinder or piston.took the car to local subaru dealership to repiar - hoping that subaru would cover part of the cost (no longer under warrantee.)have been told by dealership after a rep. From subaru looked at the car - that the engine will need to be replaced.when i asked what happened. I was told that the pistons in this car do not have a skirting.therfore when they go up and down in the cylinder they have more room than normal and can move around more. (sounds like an engineering flaw to me.)subaru says that they are willing to cover 40% of the cost to repair.i feel that i bought a car that wasn't designed very well - and i should not have to pay for their mistakes.i have called subaru's costumer service hotline and am waiting for them to reply.they also told me that because i was the 2nd owner of the car - i was probably not going to get any more help.really makes you want to buy a used subaru!
While driving at 45 mphtemperature gauge suddenly went into the hot zone.consumer pulled off the road to inspect the vehicle.checked the fluids level,added water, and got back on the road, and temperature gauge immediately went back into the hot zone.consumer pulled off the road, and had vehicle towed to the dealership, who determined that engine head gasket was leaking antifreeze.
Chronic engine and oil leakage of a 1999 subaru forester.no satisfaction from 2 dealerships (bald hill subaru and pilgrim subaru).i have noted the last date of service, but the problem has been constant and chronic.i have lost time from work, had breakdowns on 2 vacations, and have constant anxiety about the situation.*nlm
Problems with tensioner, front belt cover and head gasket. *mr the front belt cover and tensioner failed two months afterthe head gasket was repaired.the mechanic did not torque down the tensioner bolt and caused it to come loose.the valves were bent even though the motor is considered noninterference.two recalls were applied to the vehicle without the consumer's knowledge (recall wwg90 & wwp99).the seal on top of the tensioner failed.the mechanics had given two results;3 cylinders with no compression.the vehicle was losing oil before the head gasket problem in december 2003.the consumer also noticed changes in the oil level between changes.the consumer requested a new engine. *sc
We have a 1999 subaru forester with a 2.5 l engine. We got a recall notice 2-2004 regarding external coolant leaks at the engine cylinder head gaskets. This recall covered vehicle years 1999-2002 or 4 years of vehicles. We took the vehicle in and had the specific (special conditioner) installed as required by subaru. Unfortunately for us it took subaru 5 years to acknowledge the problem as we are on the front end of the model years in question. Last week the head gaskets failed and with it a large repair bill. Subaru will not honor the extended warranty as we are outside it by less than 10% in mileage but within the specified 8 years in age. We live in southern california and it is our opinion the mileage amounts allowed do not represent this part of the country and are not real world. We have discussed the issue with 2 extremely experienced mechanics including a nissan mechanic (noted throughout the country) who indicated the conditioner was merely a band-aid, a way for subaru to make a temporary fix, and not make a proper repair by replacing the defective head gaskets in question.
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.
Engine seized and blew at 30,000 - i provided subaru with all receipts for oil changes that complied with warranty.subarua denied warranty writing that ohio has such severe weather that the warranty provisions did not apply.i have since learned that subaru has no such warranty policy.subaru destroyed my engine oil, after receiving a certified letter directing that the oil be preserved for testing, charged me for the oil's disposal, tore down my engine, destroyed the defective parts, charged me for the engine tear down, and has refused to cooperate in discover - i sued - court ordered subaru to comply with discovery, and subaru admitted that it's letter denying my warranty was based on a false reason.my trial against subaru is in september - trying to find other information that might help.
1999 subaru forester has a leak in the driver's side head gasket.(nar). *mr
Consumer complained about engine head gasket leaking coolant and mixing with the oil. Instead of replacing the head gasket dealer was offering a liquid conditioner, and holding the consumer responsible formaintenance.
Head gasket/engine failed while on highway.car stalled, unable to be driven.
Since the purchase of the vehicle, it burns well over a quart of oil when it traveled 1000 miles.hence having to replace 3 to 4 qts of oil between oil changes.the dealer insists that this is ?normal.?i thought that they should be required to put this on the sticker information of all new cars while others are documenting the same information.*la
Subaru forrester 1999 w/113,000 miles has blown head gasketi am interested in participating in a class action lawsuit to recover damages.
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.
Head gasket failure.
Engine rebuilt due to failure, had to be completely replaced due to failure of rebuilt unit. Mjs
Oil pump seal oil leak, fixed under warranty. Still loosing oil found head gasket leak, will fix under warranty. Dealer said engine still using oil, but they will not fix it as they say 1 quart every 1000 miles is normal. But dealer want to check the vehicle every 2000 miles.
Oil pump seal oil leak, fixed under warranty. Still loosing oil found head gasket leak, will fix under warranty. Dealer said engine still using oil, but they will not fix it as they say 1 quart every 1000 miles is normal. But dealer want to check the vehicle every 2000 miles.
I took my subaru in for an oil leak problem and was informed that my right bearing was bad.the oil seal was under warrenty, however the bearing cost nearly 500.00.drove it a month and started hearing a roaring noise.i took it in again and the bearing had caused the hub to go bad.i was not charged this second time.i was told they hadother all wheel drive vehicles in with this problem.
Ongoingproblem with engine hesitating intermittentlywhenever vehicle sits for more then two days.vehicle been in dealer shop, and problem still occurring.
Vehicle is losing aproximately one quart of oil every 1000 miles. The vehicle does not appear to be "burning" oil nor is it leaking. This amount of oil loss appears high to me. I called subaru international in new jersey and they said this is "normal" for a subaru. I find this very hard to believe that a vehicle can lose 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles. I asked the dealer (marzolf subaru) to fix it, and they said no as it was not un-normal for a subaru to lose this much oil. Thankyou for looking into this problem.
While driving, the engine light illuminated. The mechanic repaired the catalytic converter once, but the consumer continued to havethe same problems.the converter was replaced once and the #02 sensor was repaired forced.two dealers suggested that this model vehicle had a problem with this component when the vehicle was at or below 100k miles. *sc
Dt:the contact stated since purchase of the vehiclethere has been antifreeze smell. He would periodically check the reservoir, and once he noticed it was leaking.he took the vehicle toa mechanic,who determinedthe head gasket was leaking.there was manufacturer recall wwp-99, for this problem, but when he took the vehicle to the dealership they stated there was no problem with the vehicle.they told the contacthe probably filled the reservoir too high, causing the leak.the manufacturer was contacted,andsuggested he keep an eye on the problem. If it persists, they will fix the vehicle under the recall.the vehicle has not been repaired.
My 1999 subaru forester's air conditioner stopped working right after 5 years.i left the car at the dealership over night and they suspected that the air compressor needed to be replaced, but they were not 100% sure at that time.they did make some adjustment at that time and the air conditioner began to work.however, it only lasted a week.i had already spent almost $200 for the diagnosis and i need to spend $750 more to replace the air compressor.i checked some references and learned that the air condition system should last 80k-100k miles, while my car's mileage is not even 50k!so i sent an e-mail to subaru america to complain about it.however, their reply was only according to the 3 year/36k miles warranty.i am really unhappy about this and i am wondering if this has happened to other subaru owners.please investigate.thanks!
Unsafe original equipment jack provided with 1999 subaru forester l and in all likelhood with subsequent models.when attempting to change a flat on a level street, the jack bent and collapsed, causing the wheel to return to the pavement.fortunately, no harm was done, but this jack might cause bodily and property damage in the future, if it has not already done so in the past.
Check engine light came on and after checking/changing gas cap and having light reset, it came on again. I then checked internet sites for possible problems and then noticed corrosion when i removed the gas cap. One area had a small hole starting in the metal. We had the fuel filler neck replaced at a repair shop and they gave me the old one back. It was all corroded and he said it was probably a matter of time before gas may have come through. Vehicle is kept in garage when not in use and there is no reason for this pipe to corrode unless the material is defective.
Consumer complaint concerning 1999 forester gas mileage. The consumer stated he experienced problems with the transmission, brakes, a knock sensor, a squeak in the cargo panel and the catalytic converter.
Check engine light came on.there was corrosion around the gas cap.shop diagnosed problem as rusted fuel filler neck - replaced at a cost of $330.i had started to notice a fuel smell in my garage, so fumes were leaking out.mechanic said it was probably a matter of time before gas may have come through. Vehicle is kept in garage when not in use and there is no reason for this pipe to corrode unless the material is defective.
Gas nozzle thrown from tank afraid of explosion due to spark.
Dt*:the contact stated fuel leaked onto the ground while filling the vehicle.the vehicle was inspected by the contact who determined the fuel filler pipe was rusted. The plastic covering around the filler pipe became clogged with road debris and appeared to have caused the rust. Additionally, the pipe appeared to have rusted more quickly because it was made of mild steel.the replacement part was ordered through the local dealer, who informed the contact this was a commonly ordered part.
199 subaru forester. Letter from congressman sarbanes on behalf of constituent with concerns about mechanical problems with subaru vehicles *tgwthe 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.
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.
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
Consumer complaint concerning 1999 forester gas mileage. The consumer stated he experienced problems with the transmission, brakes, a knock sensor, a squeak in the cargo panel and the catalytic converter.
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 & filter, but that may only last for maybe 500-1000 miles or so. The latest temp fix includes that plus an additive (trans x) that works by swelling seals. This has been more effective with 2500-3500 miles between fluid changes, so i basically have it done every time i change the oil now.i find this appalling there's no recall for this since there's so many i've seen online with the exact same issue. Perhaps they just haven't gone through the right procedures in reporting this, which is why i'm just doing this now myself.
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 inspected for a possible linkage problem, but none was found.a complete transmission flush and fill did not remedy the situation.vehicle has since slipped out of drive 3 additional times (luckily no accidents).
Dt:the consumer stated the vehicle would only go into reverse.
This problem initially occurred only once a month or so, but has since deteriorated to occurring multiple times per day.when approaching a stoplight, or braking harder than usual, the vehicle will slip into neutral.the shifter does not move, it is still in drive, however, without warning, the car will suddenly stop responding to the accelerator (except the engine still revs).the only remedy is to rev the engine to high revs, over and over, until the transmission "catches", at which point the vehicle lurches forward, often violently, even with the brake depressed.this most often happens at stoplights/signs, however it will occur on the highway in traffic when brakes are applied hard.this seems to be quite potentially dangerous if it were to happen when it was necessary to move the vehicle out of the way of something oncoming and would not be able to.a dealer looked at it and flushed the transmission and added new fluid, which solved the problem for about 2 months, after which it has continued to get worse.the transmission is not low on fluid, and the fluid looks fine. I have heard this complaint from numerous other 1999 forester owners via various internet forums.
With about 15-18k miles, i started having problems with stuttering in first and second gear.it was always worst in winter, when it was cold.i searched the internet for other issues and found several chat rooms where people were having similar issues.i took the car in several times to the dealers who said they could not duplicate the problem.when reading the chat rooms, some people did have the dealers say this was a problem.i called subaru's customer line and was told to go to the dealer.
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.
Driving on fast downhill section of mountain 2 lane highway, on ice / packed snow, tapped brakes while entering curve ...2 seconds later with absolutely no warning the vehicle lost adhesion, oversteering dangerously. I recovered with considerable oppposite steering lock and slight application of power (car is all-wheel-drive.)it happened so fast, i knew not what had caused the car to slide out of control.today, i learned the cause of the problem.with the gearshift selector in drive, trailing throttle and application of brakes, the computer will occasionally (automatically) down-shift the car into 3rd. Gear.this software bug, completely unexpected and totally dangerous in marginal traction conditions causedg a vicious skid from which most drivers of average experience would have not recovered. We put abs on cars so that braking can be more predictable when driving under marginal coefficients, than we design software with a bug which has the potential to throw the car totally and unpredictably out of control on ice. Nice work, subaru !
The contact owns a 1999 subaru forester.while coasting, the vehicle began to accelerate on its own.the vehicle was towed to the dealer.the current and failure mileages were 48,700.updated 05/06/08 the consumer stated dreyer & reinbold checked engine, transmission mounts speed control and found no problem. 05/06/08
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 transmission but another problem causing transmission to go bad.
Catastrophic transmission failure.
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.
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.
Have a 1999 forester l w/auto tramsmission. I can drive in reverse all day with no problem. Going forward is hit and miss. Sometimes i can sit for 15 to 30 minutes before the forward gears engage. Once forward engages, i have no problem until i turn off the ignition. Servicing the trans is a temporary fix for a few thousand miles and then the problem slowly returns. I really like my car, but i'm sure the trans will eventually cease working all together.evidently other are having same problem according to chat rooms.
The original failure was due to a transmission fluid leak.the next 3 remanufactured transmissions also developed leaks.the 4th remanufactured transmission is ok to date.
06/27/00 at 39787 miles, noise gradually getting louder in rear, vibration.right rear wheel bearing and axle replaced at dealership.09/14/00 at 46801 miles, same wheel bearing replaced again.09/25/00 at 47660 miles, bearing failed suddenly while traveling about 45 mph in rain on i-66, grinding and screeching.i was able to stop safely and exit freeway.dealer again replaced bearing.10/25/00 at 49750, dealer again replaces bearing and housing also this time.concerned about the effects of vibration on tires, i also ask for an alignment.12/19/00, problem returns.car is scheduled for service 12/27/00.i travel roughly 500 miles per week, mostly on very rural roads.i chose subaru very carefully and need to know i can rely on my vehicle to avoid being stranded alone on the most deserted of roads.this is the 2nd subaru i have owned (no problems with the first one), purchased because of the safety and reliability of the awd system; however, i am losing confidence in this particular car.i love the forester, and would buy another one!i am so disappointed.
Multiple major and costly repairs to a vehicle that is driven on hard road services only, and in a safe manner.the vehicle has had all routine maintenance.repairs include replace oxygen sensor & emission control computer.i was eventually reimbursed for this service/part which took 7 visiits to dealer and much convincing on my part.other major repairs include replace defective transmissionseal (2 visits), replace oil pump, replace left rear wheelbearing.replacement of other wheel bearings is possible and pending.i have no confidence in this car, just waiting for the next major repair.
August 2000.right rear bearings broke apart while driving off road.since i didn't know what the problem was and i was on vacation, i had the vehicle towed to the nearest private garage.i submitted the bill for the repairs and rental car to subaru which they paid.august 13, 2001:right rear bearings went out again on city streets near home.my son took the car to stevens creek subaru.they told me when i picked up the car on 8/15 that foresters of all years have this recurring problem.further, once a car has the problem, it will continue to recur.the warranty covered all costs. Less than one week later, 8/20, the bearings went out again.this time we were on a mountain road going around a left bend when they broke.i nearly lost control of the car as it started to slide towards the cliff, but managed to get it to a small turnout safely. The service manager at 49er subaru in angels camp, ca, told me that the axle "exploded" as a result of the bearings going out, which is why the car had started to slide.they used all forester parts to replace the broken ones, with the exception that they used legacy bearings instead of forester bearings.they told me that it was a factory approved change, but they could not provide a tsb or anything in writing stating that this was an approved substitution.subaru paid for all repairs and the hotel, and they extended my warranty to 6 years 100,000 miles.dene witt, subaru central region office, 15000 e. 39th ave, aurora, co 80011 was very helpful and kind throughout this ordeal and went out of her way to make sure we got back on the road quickly (she had to have an axle overnighted from out of state).can this complaint be kept anonymous since i still own the forester and may have to deal with subaru in the future?thanks, sharon "eileen" cervantes.
06/27/00 at 39787 miles, noise gradually getting louder in rear, vibration.right rear wheel bearing and axle replaced at dealership.09/14/00 at 46801 miles, same wheel bearing replaced again.09/25/00 at 47660 miles, bearing failed suddenly while traveling about 45 mph in rain on i-66, grinding and screeching.i was able to stop safely and exit freeway.dealer again replaced bearing.10/25/00 at 49750, dealer again replaces bearing and housing also this time.concerned about the effects of vibration on tires, i also ask for an alignment.12/19/00, problem returns.car is scheduled for service 12/27/00.i travel roughly 500 miles per week, mostly on very rural roads.i chose subaru very carefully and need to know i can rely on my vehicle to avoid being stranded alone on the most deserted of roads.this is the 2nd subaru i have owned (no problems with the first one), purchased because of the safety and reliability of the awd system; however, i am losing confidence in this particular car.i love the forester, and would buy another one!i am so disappointed.
Bearings have failed four times.increasing noise from rear of vehicle and vibration proceeded failure each time.
Bearings failed several times causing wheel to vibrate and humming sound. Mjs
Defective seal on the transmission caused transmission fluid to leak into exhaust assembly. Yh
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.
99 subaru forester l after 50,000 miles rear axle bearings and hub broke. Steering on corners was affected.
99 subaru forester l after 50,000 miles rear axle bearings and hub broke. Steering on corners was affected.
Clutch prematurely burned out. Prior to this incident, the clutch would chatter or disengage in cold temperatures. The clutch was replaced, but failed again.this was a common problem, but the manufacturer did not acknowledge it. There was no solution for the problem. The replacement clutch hadn't failed completely . It started exhibiting the same problems as the first one but at an accelerated pace. Consumer noted many other subaru owners in the bay area experienced the same defect and are not riding the clutch.*ph *nlm
Clutch failed catastrophically while driving at highway speeds on the pennsylvania turnpike.*phthe vehicle was repair, however the dealer refused to honor the warranty, they claimed the clutch was considered a wear item. The consumer has retained a lawyer.
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 260,000 miles and never had to replace the clutch. I did not replace the clutch on my 1999 subaru forester. It now has 83,000 miles, cold weather has returned, and so has the clutch shudder
Differential fluid has metal pieces/shavings in it, dealer says this is okay.
The failure probably occurred thousands of miles earlier since i heard a noise that i though was tire noise but no longer hear since the wheel bearing was replaced.the noise kept getting worse so i finally realized that it must be something else.the dealer took my car immediately and fixed the problem the same day.i would not be reporting this except that on the internet this seems to be a frequent problem that often reoccurs including multiple times on the same car.this is also a problem that does not normally happen on low-mileage cars.
Multiple major and costly repairs to a vehicle that is driven on hard road services only, and in a safe manner.the vehicle has had all routine maintenance.repairs include replace oxygen sensor & emission control computer.i was eventually reimbursed for this service/part which took 7 visiits to dealer and much convincing on my part.other major repairs include replace defective transmissionseal (2 visits), replace oil pump, replace left rear wheelbearing.replacement of other wheel bearings is possible and pending.i have no confidence in this car, just waiting for the next major repair.
Passenger side seat belt anchor bolt that mounts in the inside seat base came out of its mounting hole when the seat belt harness was inserted into the receiving buckle. The entire harness and attaching hardware then retracted toward the door hiting the passenger.upon examination of the driver side anchor bolt it was found to be half way unthreaded from its hole in the drivers seat base.
The top strap anchor that is intended to be used with child safety seat is not easily obtainable through local dealerships in the usa. Mjs
Rear seat belt anchors/assembly on 1999 subaru forester do not allow for acceptable secure installation of child seat (have tried approx 7 different models/seat makes since purchase of vehicle may 1999).right and left side rear seat belt assembly consists of elr/alr continuous loop lap/shoulder belt with sliding latch plate.seat belt locks (the female part) for right, left and even center (which is lap only) are anchored forward of seat crease so that it is impossible to properly secure child seats.the child seat manuals/instructions suggest that vehicles with such seat belt placement might not be compatible, etc.they suggest "moving the child seat to a different position."again, however, in 1999 forester, none of the three rear positions function.subaru 1999 forester owner's manual has section on child seat installation, of course.they suggest/imply seat belt assembly and rear seats are safe for use with child seat(s).the illustrations in the manual, however, are of seat belts anchored/placed at seat crease, not as assembly actually exists on 1999 forester.what can we do?we are scared.police officer tried to help install one of two seats we bought today (no. Six of seven, seventh purchased after failed install of sixth).re: brakes -- right rear disc brakes have squeeked since purchase in 1999 (new) .dealer maintenance in august 2000 noted the problem and lubed brakes but did not cure problem which persists.
Was waiting at a stop light when another vehicle rearendedforester.seat belt on driver's side failed to restrain. This caused driver to hithead onsteering wheel. Seat belt was still locked. Er treatmentand released.
Rear seat belts do not fit child safety seats properly. Mjs
Following is a copy of the letter to subaru sent august26, 2001: dear subaru customer response staffmember:no safety defect.
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 home and was able to make it there safely by pumping the brake pedal.after parking, that was a large puddle of brake fluid in the area under the junction block.i am researching whether my local mechanic can fix the problem, but i do not understand why subaru is not responsible when this is clearly the exact same problem described in the recall.
The contact owns a 1999 subaru forester.while driving 40 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal to avoid a dog.the vehicle would not stop and crashed into a telephone pole.the police arrived and filed a report.the vehicle was towed to a repair shop.the insurance company investigated the failure and informed her that this was a maintenance issue, rather than a safety issue.the subaru manufacturer stated that his vin was not included in the recall.the recall number was unknown.the current and failure mileages were 100,000. Updated 03-25-08 updated 03/25/08
Consumer complaint concerning 1999 forester gas mileage. The consumer stated he experienced problems with the transmission, brakes, a knock sensor, a squeak in the cargo panel and the catalytic converter.
I have a subura 1999 forester it is telling me on internet their is a recall part needed for brakes system. But my dealer says there is not. .only for a different forester. I think my forester should be covered. It is a forrester. I am having a brake problem. The internet says yes the dealer says no.
All wheel drive rebulit 2/00,after complaing to service center the wheels feel as if they are not working in unison.ythe car does this on dry road (not a much),on wet roads more frequently,in sonw not at all the car does not respond to change in road conditions and does not stop in normal time,even after applying brakes hard.the car does intermitten stopping beforee it came to a full stop.this haapened in 1/00 and again 2/01.the car is presently in for repairs,but i am not confident with this problem will not occur again. I may not be as lucky if it occurs again.when i first inquired if any one else has reported difficulty with the brakes responding 10/99 and was told no.then when the car did not repond to stopping in 1/00 i was told it was the antilocking brakes working becaue i was on sno,but when the car slipped down and could not make it up a small incline they told " i find that had to beleive.that was when i took the car in and it was found the vehicle had no all wheel dirve.i took the vehicle in again for them to check the brakes and was told they worked fine according to the specification for this vehicle.this car is stated to have all wheel drive all the time this is not true. I have expressed my concerns as to my safety which has not been taken seriously.i did complain again and they check the car in 3/01 and told me the tire pressure in the rear was low,but i tried to explain i have my tire rotated and check by searsevery 6000 mile and i check the tires myself because i know this will affect the ride & milage.when my husband was taking the car to have the brakes changed the oil temp lightstarted to falsh which indicatres there is a problem with the transmission.the diagnostic read code;38 torque control singnal; the service tech then performed tran service,put 4 quarts of tranmission fluid in the car and replaced the gasket(charging me for this). I called them back to inquire why this was done when i had this same service performed when they did this.
Driving on fast downhill section of mountain 2 lane highway, on ice / packed snow, tapped brakes while entering curve ...2 seconds later with absolutely no warning the vehicle lost adhesion, oversteering dangerously. I recovered with considerable oppposite steering lock and slight application of power (car is all-wheel-drive.)it happened so fast, i knew not what had caused the car to slide out of control.today, i learned the cause of the problem.with the gearshift selector in drive, trailing throttle and application of brakes, the computer will occasionally (automatically) down-shift the car into 3rd. Gear.this software bug, completely unexpected and totally dangerous in marginal traction conditions causedg a vicious skid from which most drivers of average experience would have not recovered. We put abs on cars so that braking can be more predictable when driving under marginal coefficients, than we design software with a bug which has the potential to throw the car totally and unpredictably out of control on ice. Nice work, subaru !
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.
At slow speeds or when coming to a stop brake pedal feels mushy, then,it goes to the floor. This happens intermittently. Vehicle not taken to dealer yet.
While driving about 50 mph applied brake, braking distance was normal. Brake pedal stayed on floor, had to be pulled up. Dealer could not find problem.
When brakes are applied the vehicle under many conditions will tend to accelerate, this also happens on a 2001 version of the sabru forester s we also have. The dealer has no explaination
Brake pedal was going to floor on severaloccasions, used toe of shoe to liftpedal back up before vehicle would stop. This was a momentary incident. Dealernotified, and was unable to duplicate problem.
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 forabs braking system failure in cold weather. The dealer has been contacted.
Upon entering the highway ramp, brakes failed, pedal was pressed to the floor resulting in collision with the car in front, 2 people were injured in the accident.*jg
When applyingthe 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.
Brakes do not efficiently stop vehicle/fading . Mjs
Brakes failed to stop the vehicle, and the pedal went to the floor when driver slammed the brake.yh
Upon entering the highway ramp, brakes failed, pedal was pressed to the floor resulting in collision with the car in front, 2 people were injured in the accident.*jg
Brakes went mushy and gradually went to floor board. Worked ok when pumped
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.
Owner received recall notification (99v-040), however dealership refused repair, dealership not informed. *mjs
Rear end steering freezes up, causing a loss of road control.dealer has been contacted.
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.
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.
Paint peeling off right rear side and rear bumper. *ph *nlm**dimsii ivoq entry posted 12/12/02 after cut over to artemis**769762
Consumer complaint concerning 1999 forester gas mileage. The consumer stated he experienced problems with the transmission, brakes, a knock sensor, a squeak in the cargo panel and the catalytic converter.
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.
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 )
Tires prematurely wore out within the first few months. Dealer has been contacted. *ml
Front right wheel bearing had to be replaced.
The wheel bearings have been replaced 3 times since the vehicle had 29000 miles.*nlm
There was a grinding noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. Upon inspection of the noise by the dealership, they indicated the noise occurred because ofa right wheel bearing failure. The right wheel bearing was replaced, but then the failure occurred on the left side.
The right rear wheel bearing assembly has failed on three occasions causing a mild roaring sound, dealer has replaced the wheel bearings, hub, and housing.nlm
The wheel bearings have failed three times so far, and i need to have them replaced again for the fourth time.the first time was at 60000 miles and then at 65000 and now at 74000 miles.i can not believe subaru has done nothing for us up to this point.i feel fortunate we have not hurt someone as a result of this problem. Nlm
The car is 4 years old with 24100 miles.at 16000 miles,right rear wheel bearing failed and was replaced under warranty.at 22000 miles, right rear bearing noise returned and the dealer 'adjusted' the bearing for 'free', even though the 3 year warranty had passed.at 24100 miles, the bearing failed with grinding and smoking whilevehicle was on the highway. Dealer refused to cover the event under warranty.a technician at the dealership told consumer that other foresters were havingsimilar bearing problems,and that they we retold to stop using the oem ball bearings, and go to a roller bearing.
I took my subaru in for an oil leak problem and was informed that my right bearing was bad.the oil seal was under warrenty, however the bearing cost nearly 500.00.drove it a month and started hearing a roaring noise.i took it in again and the bearing had caused the hub to go bad.i was not charged this second time.i was told they hadother all wheel drive vehicles in with this problem.
Rear wheel bearings were replaced four times. Vehicle was making too much noise before the bearings were replaced. Consumer felt that the wheel bearings should have lasted longer.manufacturer wasnotified.
Dealer replaced wheel bearing at 29,000 miles under warranty. Went bad again 30,000 miles later, even though owners manual states that it doesn't need serviced until 60,000 miles.dealer said that we drove on it too long and damaged the hub and housing, $700 repair bill.dealer said that they had been having a lot of problems with these bearings and they replaced it with a legacy bearing.service manager stated that we were 'lucky' to only have had bearing fail twice.we feel, after research, that it is a design problem and there needs to be a recall by subaru to fix this problem and we should be reimbursed for our expense.
Premature wear of frontwheel bearing.dealer or manufacturer have not been notified. Please provide additional information.
Rear bearings failing;wheels make dull roar above 30 mph.from number of similar reports in this database, this is obviously a defect with the 1999 forester, yet subaru will not pay for the repair because (1) vehicle has over 36,000 miles on it, and (2) we didn't have the 30,000 mile service performed.a defect is a defect, as far as i'm concerned--what difference does it make if i had the 30k maintenance performed or not????i didn't expect this kind of reaction from a "quality" car company.
The rear right wheel bearings have failed 4 times, the left rear wheel bearing has failed once.nlm
Left rear wheel bearing has been replaced 4 times in one year. Dealer cannot find cause.
Consumer states the rear bearing has been replaced for the third time within six months,dealer and the manufacturer were not notified at this time. Nlm*yd
Consumerheard a roaring noise fromrear of vehicle, beginning at 4000 miles.dealer could not findcause.afterthird visit dealer suggested it was a tire problem. Consumer replaced all tires, but noise kept getting louder.onfourth visit dealer replaced all wheel bearings, which took care of noise, september 25, 2001.
The rear right wheel bearings have failed 4 times, the left rear wheel bearing has failed once.nlm
After purchasing my 1999 subaru forester, at 67,000 miles the left rear wheel bearing began to fail.this appears to be a common event judging from the complaints i have researched from various internet sources.instead of recalling the defective parts, subaru has decided to ignore the issue and make the vehicle owners have their defective wheel bearings replaced (with different bearings) at their own expense.
There was a humming sound coming from the rear end of the vehicle due to right rear wheel bearing failure. It was replaced by the dealer.
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.
I have had to replace rear wheel bearings on my 1999 subaru forester three (3) times. The left rear wheel bearings had to be replaced twice before 35k miles and the right rear wheel bearing just failed at 50k miles.clearly subaru has a design and/or manufacturing problem with the 1999 subaru rear wheel bearings. I don't know if it is a serious safety issue but having a wheel bearing fail completely at highway speeds would seem like a bad thing.[i found out about your site on cartalk.com]. Nlm
Rear bearing should fail at 40000 miles.it is a design flaw, as many foresters had experienced the same thing. ***dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis****760613
While making a right turn, the consumer heard a rubbing noise. Upon inspection of the vehicle, therear strut spring platecorroded and was pushed down onto the tires.the rear struts were replaced.
Within the first 9 months, i experienced problems with 4 out of the original 5 of these tires, including a blowout of the inside sidewall on one of them. I contacted both firestone and the subaru dealer, but was told i had simply been "unlucky" to have a( dot number: elytchb238 tire size: p20570r15 )
Yokohama geolander h/t radial p215/60r16.all 4 tires failed to maintain air.air would leak out betweentire and wheel. Had noticed that tires were almost flat, and took them to mechanic. Nothing in tires were found. Took to dealer, andtire seals were replaced.
Consumerheard a roaring noise fromrear of vehicle, beginning at 4000 miles.dealer could not findcause.afterthird visit dealer suggested it was a tire problem. Consumer replaced all tires, but noise kept getting louder.onfourth visit dealer replaced all wheel bearings, which took care of noise, september 25, 2001.
Rear tires were wearing out excessively on the outside edge. Had the tires replaced at 25,000.front tires are the original & still good.
Chevron receipt of 4/20/00 reads:all four bridgestone tires are unsafe due to bead problems - had to put studded tires back on vehicle.(note) - these people do not sell tires.( dot number: el yt tire size: p205/70r15 )
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.
Vehicle was on expressway withcruise control set at 60mph. Vehicle malfuctioned, and wouldn't disengage whenbrakes were applied to slowvehicle down. Vehicle was going around a slight curb, and and was stopped due to crasing into a median. Subaru was notified for second time, and found no problem with the vehicle.
The contact owns a 1999 subaru forester.while coasting, the vehicle began to accelerate on its own.the vehicle was towed to the dealer.the current and failure mileages were 48,700.updated 05/06/08 the consumer stated dreyer & reinbold checked engine, transmission mounts speed control and found no problem. 05/06/08
While exiting a parking lot consumer pressed onbrakes, butvehicle started to accelerate on its own.vehicle began to accelerate as if the gas pedal was being pressed down all the way. Consumer had her foot on the brakes. Vehicle did move forward at a slow pace for the fact the vehicle was accelerating and braking at the same time.consumer had to swerve off the road to avoid a collision.placedvehicle in park in order forvehicle to stop. Dealer was not able to locate any problems with the vehicle, and has advised consumer to pick up the vehicle without repairs.the vehicle accelerated twice but the dealer could not find the cause and the vehicle was not repaired.
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
When brakes are applied the vehicle under many conditions will tend to accelerate, this also happens on a 2001 version of the sabru forester s we also have. The dealer has no explaination
Vehicle will accelerate quickly in forward or reverse gears and without warning, which has already caused one crash. Consumer has taken vehicle to dealer twice, but dealer could not determine cause of defect.
I have had three cracked windshileds-all originating where the windshield wiper heating elements are lodged in the windshield- must be design defect- everytime they find a small chip in the windshield-i think that there is a design flaw that makes the windshield unusually vulnerable
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 told of having bearings replaced 6 times.subaru issued a service bulletin (#035002, dec. 23, 2002) advising of a new way to install the replacement bearings.a tech at my dealer said that they were told to start making replacements using a roller bearing instead of the oem bearing.one other problem - at about 20000 miles an ignition switch problem within the steering column caused engine failure while driving, requiring towing to the dealer.
I have had to replace three (3) wheel bearings on this automobile.wheel bearing failure could lead to loss of a wheel and a serious accident.a search of the web indicates this model has a history of these problems.dt
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