1998 Subaru Forester Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND DOWN. THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO ACCELERATE IN ORDER TO REV DOWN. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE DUE TO THE OXYGEN SENSOR OR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE CONTACT CALLED LIBERTY AUTO CITY (1000 E PARK AVE, LIBERTYVILLE, IL 60048, (847) 362-2683) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

NHTSA ID

11160794

Incident

Dec 11, 2016

Mileage

120,000 mi

1998 SUBARU FORESTER. CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE, PULLED OVER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE IT WAS ON FIRE. *MC THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE KNOCK SENSOR 30 DAYS PRIOR. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *JB

NHTSA ID

10190069

Incident

Jan 20, 2007

VEHICLE LEAKING OIL AT FRONT SEALS AND GETTING ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. *NM

NHTSA ID

10171067

Incident

May 15, 2006

Mileage

65,000 mi

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

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS FAILED. HEADS WERE SAVED, BUT ENGINE HAD TO HAVE TOP-HALF REBUILT.

NHTSA ID

10127227

Incident

Jun 9, 2004

Mileage

133,000 mi

(1) NOTICED PERIODIC OVERHEATING ON 1998 FORESTER WITH 2.5L DOHC ENGINE. (2) HEAD GASKET FAILED TEMPERATURE SPIKED AND COOLANT BOILED OVER, LARGE AMOUNT OF WHITE STEAM FROM HOOD. (3) DEALER SAID PROBLEM WAS HEAD GASKET AND THE ENGINE WAS REPAIRED FOR $1800, SUBARU OF AMERICA WAS NOTIFIED AND DENIED ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS YEAR ENGINE IN SPITE OF A LARGE NUMBER OF SIMILIAR HEAD GASKET. *AK

NHTSA ID

10096493

Incident

Oct 1, 2004

Mileage

100,150 mi

1. ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT -- THE CYLINDER WALLS ARE BEING BORED INTO TO PLACE THE ENGINE BOLTS ON THE SUBARU 2.5L ENGINES. IN THIS CASE THE CYLINDER WALL CRACKED THROUGH THE ENTIRE SECTION WHERE IT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY BORED INTO ON THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER CAUSING THE ENGINE TO FAIL COMPLETELY. EACH OF THE 4 CYLINDER WALLS ON MY VEHICLE WERE BORED INTO TO SOME DEGREE. I HAVE A 1998 SUBARU FORESTER L. WITH 72,000 MILES. THERE WAS NEVER AN INDICATION OF A PROBLEM PRIOR TO ENGINE FAILURE. AT THE TIME OF FAILURE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET WAS THOUGHT TO BE THE PROBLEM. MORE INFORMATION AND PICTURES CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTP://WEBDEV.CE.UTEXAS.EDU/IRWIN 2. THIS CONSEQUENCES OF THE DEFECT RENDERED THE VEHICLE USELESS AND WORTHLESS. AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THE FAILURE FROM OCCURRING. I FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDED MAINTANENCE SCHEDULE GIVEN TO ME BY SUBARU AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY AMMENDMENTS TO THAT SCHEDULE SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. WE WERE LUCKY THE ENGINE FAILURE DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN MY FAMILY AND I WERE ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN A REMOTE LOCATION. 3. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM TO DATE. I HAVE A CASE NUMBER (643095) PENDING WITH SUBARU AS OF 6/25/04, BUT WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WILL NOT BE REVIEWED FOR ANOTHER 10 DAYS ON 6/28/04. THE ENGINE FAILED ON 6/16/04.*AK

NHTSA ID

10078992

Incident

Jun 16, 2004

Mileage

72,000 mi

PLEASE NOTE!..... MY 1998 FORESTER L-MODEL WITH ONLY 54400 MILES HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A LEAKY OIL PUMP....THUS CAUSING OIL TO BE DRIPPING FROM THE ENGINE, FRONT AREA, ON TO A PLASTIC SPLASH PAN....WHERE IT LIES UNTIL IT HAS BUILT-UP ENOUGH OF A PUDDLE THAT IT NOW SEEKS TO BE BLOWN REARWARD ALONG THE INSIDE OF THE PAN...(BETWEEN THE SPLASH-PAN AND THE ENGINE) UNTIL FINALLY IT IS BLOWN ON TO THE HOT EXHAUST PIPES LOCATED UNDER THE BODY OF THE CAR...ADJACENT TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER (WHICH IS EXTREMELY HOT)....IT APPEARS THAT SUBARU IS TOTALLY AWARE THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS....IN FACT THEY HAVE A REPAIR KIT, WHICH COST $ 30.00...AND THE LABOR COST $ 293.00, THIS CONDITION IS 1. AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD, 2, A SAFETY HAZARD (POSSIBLE FIRE), AND 3, A RIP-OFF TO ALL CONSUMERS WHO OWN A SUBARU FORESTER, A OIL-PUMP SHOULD NOT FAIL AT 54,000 MILES FOR TWO-BOLTS COMING LOOSE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE BOLTS ARE LOCATED INSIDE THE ENGINE, HOUSING, AND PROTECTED BY NOT ONE, BUT TWO-SEPARATE COVERS.....AND A SPLASH PAN.....THERE IS A SEVERE PROBLEM....IN ANY ENGINE WHERE PARTS ARE FAILING AT 54,000 MILES IN-TODAY'S TECHNICAL-KNOWLEDGE DRIVE SOCIETY...THE MECHANIC KNEW EXACTLY WHERE TO GO TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM....AFTER I TOLD HIM I SMELT BURNING OIL!*AK

NHTSA ID

10078772

Incident

Jun 24, 2004

Mileage

50,000 mi

BAD HEAD GASKET CAR IS OVERHEATING, SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE BURNING FROM EXHAUST. *LA

NHTSA ID

10052669

Incident

Nov 23, 2003

Mileage

73,500 mi

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

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

THE CLUTCH DOES NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD AND FOR EXTENDED PERIODS IN COLD WEATHER. CLUTCH "CHATTERS" MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO START UP FROM REST WITHOUT HESITATION AND/OR STALLING. POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC. CLUTCH SEEMS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE TORQUE OF THE ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ID

725476

Incident

Mar 30, 1998

SNOW AND ICE BUILD UP IN MODEST SNOW CAUSED THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM TO FAIL. IT WAS THE OPINON OF THE MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED THE CAR THAT THE FRONT GRILL OF THE WAS OF POOR DESIGN THAT CAUSED THE ICE AND SNOW TO BUILD. THERE WAS ONLY 4-6 INCHES OF SNOW THE DAY BEFORE. A MODEST AMOUNT TO CAUSE SUCH A SEVER PROBLEM. THE DESIGN OF THE FRONT GRILL TRAPPED THE SNOW. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO OTHER CARS IN THIS SNOW CONDITION. *AK OPINI

NHTSA ID

718261

Incident

Jan 17, 2000

VEHICLE DRIPPING OIL/GREASE ONTO THE CATALYTIC COVERTER, CAUSING A BURNING SMELL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

829293

Incident

Oct 20, 1998

GREASE AND OIL DRIPPING ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER STARTS SMELLING. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AKTHEY DOUBLED THE VISCOSITY OF THE DRIVELINE GREASE. FROM 90 TO 150 WEIGHT. TTHERE ONLY ONE PROBLEM WITH THIS.THE FUMES COMING OFF THE EXHAUST WERE MAKING ME SICK.THE LAEKAGE WAS BAD ENOUGH THAT I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS STARTING ON FIRE- FIRE HAZARD. *ADJ

NHTSA ID

826556

Incident

Dec 1, 1997