1999 Subaru Forester Problems, Recalls & Reliability
156 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1999 Subaru Forester, alongside 1 recall campaign and 1 defect investigation. It scores 14/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 55,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 1999 Subaru Forester has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 1999 sits among all Forester years
What owners report
“99 subaru forester l after 50,000 miles rear axle bearings and hub broke. Steering on corners was affected.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Forester
“Engine rebuilt due to failure, had to be completely replaced due to failure of rebuilt unit. Mjs”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Forester
“The rear right wheel bearings have failed 4 times, the left rear wheel bearing has failed once. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Forester
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 56 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 72,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 48,700 and 96,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS). (THE 1999 2.2 LITER LEGACY VEHICLES ARE EXCLUDED). IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE IS…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER.
Federal defect investigations
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1999 Subaru Forester reliable?
The 1999 Subaru Forester drew 156 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 14/100, scored against the model's worst year (2019).
What are the most common 1999 Subaru Forester problems?
The top reported problems for the 1999 Subaru Forester are transmission & drivetrain (35 complaints), engine (29), and suspension (26).
At what mileage do 1999 Subaru Forester problems show up?
Owners most often report 1999 Subaru Forester problems around 72,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 48,700 and 96,000 miles.
Does the 1999 Subaru Forester have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 1999 Subaru Forester. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.