1999 SUBARU FORESTER Complaints

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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