RoadVitals

1998 Subaru Forester Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance 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.
14
Latest Sep 1, 2007
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.
14%
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.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
6

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. 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. 14 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 driver-assistance

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

Driver assistance
Filed Sep 1, 2007

MY 1998 SUBARA FORESTER WENT INTO A "SUDDEN ACCELERATION". LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS KILLED, BUT THE CAR SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10201664
Incident
Aug 31, 2007
Mileage
100,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Feb 9, 2006
Crash reported

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE PARKED. THE VEHICLE WENT THROUGH A FENCE AND HIT SOME BRUSH. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THE HEATER WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP. THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED. THERE WAS NOT A POLICE REPORT FILED. UPDATED 3/28/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID
10149914
Incident
Feb 1, 2006
Mileage
105,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 27, 2005

THE PLASTIC !! SPEEDOMETER CABLE GEARS (2) FAILED , CAUSING SPEEDOMETER FAILURE , AT OIL TEMP LIGHT TO FLASH , CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME , ERRATIC IDLE, CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, ENGINE STALL . IF THIS IS NOT DANGEROUS I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE IS !! COST ME $1300 TO HAVE IT FIXED AND YES THE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE ! *JB

NHTSA ID
10134373
Incident
Aug 17, 2005
Mileage
140,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 15, 2004
Crash reported

THE CONSUMER PLACED HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE, STARTED THE VEHICLE AND SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE LUNGED INTO GEAR TAKING OFF SOME 40 FEET, STRIKING ANOTHER VEHICLE DAMAGING BOTH VEHICLES. *JB

NHTSA ID
10082022
Incident
Jul 6, 2004
Mileage
89,995 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 13, 2002

FOOT BRAKE WAS RELEASED, CAR SUDDENLY & WITHOUT ANY ACTION ON MY PART ACCELERATED AT A VERY FAST SPEED INTO THE GARAGE---AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. TS

NHTSA ID
9006755
Incident
Apr 1, 2002
Driver assistanceElectricalTransmission
Filed Jan 14, 2002
2 injuries reported

WHEN VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED BACKWARDS VERY FAST, CRASHING INTO TWO VEHICLES. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *AK WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND CONSUMER HAD FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND TURNED ON IGNITION THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED VERY FAST IN REVERSE AND CAUSED ACCIDENT, CONSUMER IS ALSO HAVING VARIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE, SUCH AS THE BATTERY DRAINING, SECURITY SYSTEM GOES OFF WHILE PARKED, AND THE DOORS LOCK BY THEMSELVES. *YD

NHTSA ID
8002093
Incident
Jan 9, 2002
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
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 30, 2000

CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AT 66 MPH AND IT WOULD REDUCE SPEED TO 50 MPH, AND MOMENTARILY LOSE ACCELERATION. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
869187
Incident
Aug 22, 2000
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Oct 20, 1999

ENGINE STARTED TO RACE WHILE DRIVING,TRANSMISSION WON'T ENGAGE WITHOUT GRINDING. NEEDS NEW CLUTCH. NOT SURE WHY A CLUTCH SHOULD GO IN 2 YEARS OF HAVING THE CAR.

NHTSA ID
713604
Incident
Oct 19, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Jan 12, 1999

CONSUMER PROCEEDED TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPACE THEN THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY AND STARTED TO ACCELERATE. *AK

NHTSA ID
827921
Incident
Sep 9, 1998
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 22, 1998
3 injuries reported1 death reported

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN PUT IN REVERSE, DRIVER LOSE CONTROL RESULTING IN DRIVER HITTING A MAN.

NHTSA ID
542177
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
Driver assistance
Filed May 14, 1998
Crash reported

WHILE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP WITH FOOT ON BRAKE THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. DEALER SAID THERE IS NO PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
822752
Incident
Apr 18, 1998
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 17, 1998

VEHICLE SURGED WHEN BRAKING AT SLOW SPEEDS AND CRASHED INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF IT.

NHTSA ID
530912
Incident
Feb 6, 1998

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

Suspension18Brakes15Engine15Transmission13Powertrain (other)10Tires & wheels9

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .