Subaru Forester Complaints (1999)

131 consumer complaints on file.

#10158158May 24, 2006
SUSPENSION:REAR
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.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152362March 10, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10145624December 19, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
DT: THE CONTACT STATED SINCE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE THERE HAS BEEN ANTIFREEZE SMELL. HE WOULD PERIODICALLY CHECK THE RESERVOIR, AND ONCE HE NOTICED IT WAS LEAKING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THE 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 CONTACT HE PROBABLY FILLED THE RESERVOIR TOO HIGH, CAUSING THE LEAK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND SUGGESTED HE KEEP AN EYE ON THE PROBLEM. IF IT PERSISTS, THEY WILL FIX THE VEHICLE UNDER THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10131219August 3, 2005
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE FAILED TWICE. REPLACED TWICE BY REPAIR SHOP. ORIGINAL ONES LASTED 50,000 MILES, 1ST REPLACEMENT LASTED 10,000 MILES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128570July 13, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY GO INTO REVERSE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10122159May 25, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
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!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10110244February 10, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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).*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10109898February 5, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
SUBARU FORRESTER 1999 W/113,000 MILES HAS BLOWN HEAD GASKET I AM INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT TO RECOVER DAMAGES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10105992January 8, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10096744January 5, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
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
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10099887November 12, 2004
TIRES:TREAD/BELT, WHEELS
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 ON THE HIGHWAY LEFT REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRE, AND THE WHEEL WAS BENT. CONSUMER MADE CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURER, WHO WANTED THE WHEEL AND TIRE MAILED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10094667October 27, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
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 WAS NOTIFIED.*AK *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10091137September 16, 2004
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
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! *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10089274August 19, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
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 OF A RIGHT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. THE RIGHT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED, BUT THEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE LEFT SIDE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10088010August 17, 2004
AIR BAGS
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. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10081210July 16, 2004
EQUIPMENT, SUSPENSION:REAR
REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ON MY 1999 SUBARU FORRESTER PURCHASED ON MAR 6, 1999 HAVE FAILED ON THE LEFT REAR WHEEL AT 31619 MILES ON NOV. 13, 2001. THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED ON JULY 1, 2004 AT 58974 MILES. THE LEFT REAR FAILED AGAIN ON A VACATION TRIP TO VERMONT ON JULY 12, 2004 AT 59832 MILES. ON THIS LAST FAILURE THE LEFT REAR HOPUSING HAD TO BE REPLACED AS EXCESSIVE HEAT SCORCHED THE PART. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRENTY. THE OTHER 2 FAILURES WERE COVERED UNDER AN EXTENDED $900 WARRENTY THAT WAS PURCHASED WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED OTHERWISE ADDED EXPENSE TO MYSELF WOULD HAVE $286.33 FOR THE SECOND FAILURE AND $507.17 FOR THE THIRD FAILURE AS THE CAR WAS OUT OF THE STANDARD CAR WARRENTY. THIS STILL COST ME $100 (2 INCEDENTS AT $50 DEDUCTABLE). AT THE REPLACEMENT OF THE LAST 2 BEARINGS THE MECHANICS PERFORMING THE WORK SAID SUBARU CAME UP WITH A NEW HEAVIER DUTY BEARING A FEW YEARS BACK TO REPLACE THE STANDARD BEARINGS SUOPPLIED WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED. IF NOT FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE EXTENDED WARRENTY THE REPAIRS WOULD HAVE COST ABOUT $800. AS I WAS ON VACATION AND TRAVELLING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65MPH WHEN THE LAST BEARING FAILED WHO KNOWS WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IF THE BEARING HEATED UP MORE THAN WHAT IT DID. PARTS WERE KEPT BY THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER HERE IN LAKEWOOD AND THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN ST. JOHNSBURY, VT. I'M HOPING THATR SUBARU'S NEW DESIGNED BEARING WILL LAST LONGER THAN THEIR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED ON THEIR VEHICLES. I'M STILL OUT THE $100 I HAD TO PAY FOR MY DEDUCTABLE ON GETTING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. WHO KNOWS HOW MANY SUBARU'S ARE OUT THERE THAT CAN CAUSE SOME MAJOR PROBLEMS IF THE OLD DESIGN BEARINGS GET HEATED UP ENOUGH TO CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. FOR ME, THESE INCIDENTS BASICALLY CAUSED LOSS OF TIME, ESPECIALLY THE LAST INCIDENT AS I LOST 6 HOURS OF VACATION TIME WAITING FOR THE REPLACEMENT PARTS TO BE FOUND AND THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10073753June 24, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ONCE, BUT THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. *JB 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 *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10079930June 23, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
PROBLEMS WITH TENSIONER, FRONT BELT COVER AND HEAD GASKET. *MR THE FRONT BELT COVER AND TENSIONER FAILED TWO MONTHS AFTER THE 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 *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074582June 1, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
AT 53,500 MILES ENGINE OIL BEGAN LEAKING. ALL SEALS HAD TO BE REPLACED INCLUDING WATRE PUMP SEALS WICH HAD ALSO FAILED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10073325May 7, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
1999 SUBARU FORESTER HAS A LEAK IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD GASKET. (NAR). *MR *CB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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