RoadVitals

1998 Subaru Forester Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Feb 19, 2002
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
15%
of 101 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Subaru Forester submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesEngineSuspension
Filed Feb 19, 2002

DEALER RESEALED OIL PUMP DUE TO AN OIL LEAK, CONSUMER WAS LATER INFORMED THAT ENGINE WAS IN BEGINNING STAGES OF POSSIBLE FAILURE. *YH

NHTSA ID
564372
Incident
May 14, 1999
BrakesEnginePowertrain (other)+1 more
Filed Dec 31, 2001

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE NOISE AND ODOR, DEALER ADVISED THAT BEGINNING STAGES OF POWER TRAIN FAILURE WAS OCCURRING. *SLC

NHTSA ID
564238
Incident
May 15, 1998
Brakes
Filed Mar 6, 2001

CONSUMER HAS HAD TO HAVE ROTORS TURNED ON A 'VERY' FREQUENT BASIS. DEALERSHIP/MECHANIC WERE SAYING THAT DRUMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
882257
Incident
Jul 1, 2000
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jan 17, 2001

WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN DRIVER ACCELERATES ENGINE WILL REV. CONSUMER HAS ALSO CHANGED ROTORS, AND IT'S TIME TO CHANGE THEM AGAIN AFTER 3000 MILES.*AK

NHTSA ID
878351
Incident
Nov 1, 2000
Brakes
Filed Apr 9, 2000

GRADUAL BRAKE PULSATION EXPERIENCED TWICE. DEALER RESURFACED FRONT ROTORS (9/13/99 @ 21,156 MILES & 4/4/2000 @ 29,928 MILES), WHICH TEMPORARILY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
721228
Incident
Sep 13, 1999
Brakes
Filed Nov 22, 1999

VEHICLE ACCIDENT DUE TO POSSIBLE RECALL COMPONENT FAILURE (MASTER CYLINDER) PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE. MJS

NHTSA ID
549689
Incident
Feb 24, 1999
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Oct 25, 1999

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS DURING VEHICLE COLLISION. YH

NHTSA ID
549171
Incident
Jul 20, 1999
Brakes
Filed Oct 15, 1999

ERRATIC PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM: DEALER TURNED ROTORS FOR THE SECOND TIME, INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE.; SEEKING NHTSA HELP OR PROVIDE ADDITIONALINFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
850935
Incident
Mar 15, 1999
Brakes
Filed Aug 30, 1999

BRAKES FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH ROCKS, BUSHES AND TREES. MJS

NHTSA ID
548257
Incident
May 14, 1999
Brakes
Filed Jan 29, 1999

THE BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ONCE HAD NO BRAKING ABILITY AT ALL WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER NEVER REPLACED ANY PARTS, JUST REMOVED A PEBBLE FROM THE BRAKE PADS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID
834271
Incident
Jul 1, 1998
Brakes
Filed Oct 1, 1998

BRAKES MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA ID
780610
Incident
Jul 1, 1998
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Sep 15, 1998

SECURITY SYSTEM GOES OFF WHEN HAZARD LIGHTS ARE ENGAGED/ABS BRAKES SQUEAK. IN ADDITION, WHILE PULLING OUT OF PARKING SPOT, VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON.

NHTSA ID
541483
Brakes
Filed Aug 13, 1998

BRAKES ARE SO WEAK THE ABS CAN BE ACTIVATED ON DRY PAVEMENT.

NHTSA ID
539809
Brakes
Filed May 1, 1998

WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES ON WET OR DRY PAVEMENT THE PEDAL TRAVELS TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, BUT REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
823012
Brakes
Filed Apr 21, 1998
Crash reported

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON DRY PAVEMENT THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
822638

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Suspension18Engine15Driver assistance14Transmission13Powertrain (other)10Tires & wheels9

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .