1999 Subaru Forester: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 156 complaints
156
Total Complaints
72,000mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Top Issue
6
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

48,700 25th Percentile
72,000 Median Mileage
96,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
14
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
11
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
11
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
8
SUSPENSION:REAR
7
TIRES
6
SUSPENSION:MULTIPLE AXLE
6
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
5

Severity Assessment

6
Crashes
1
Fires
8
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"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 SID..."
"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. *AK"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28