1999 Subaru Forester Powertrain (other) Problems

AS OTHERS HAVE STATED HERE AND MANY MORE FROM VARIOUS SUBARU FORUMS, I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THE SHIFTING INTO DRIVE ISSUE (IT ACTS AS IF IT'S IN NEUTRAL) WITH THE AT. IT CAN TAKE SEVERAL SECONDS TO SEVERAL MINUTES (AND SOMETIMES LONGER OR NOT AT ALL) BEFORE IT ENGAGES. I USUALLY HAVE TO REV/PUMP THE ACCELERATOR UNTIL IT CORRECTS ITSELF. ONCE I'M IN DRIVE ALL IS WELL AS LONG AS I STAY THAT WAY. THIS IS RANDOM UNTIL IT STARTS TO GET WORSE OVER TIME. I'VE READ THAT THIS IS FAIRLY COMMON AND IT'S A WORN PISTON SEAL OR SOMETHING THAT PREVENTS ENOUGH PRESSURE FOR THE FORWARD GEAR TO ENGAGE. THIS BEGAN IN 2010 WITH ONLY 89K MILES. THE ONLY TEMP FIX HAS BEEN TO DRAIN & REPLACE THE AT FLUID & FILTER, BUT THAT MAY ONLY LAST FOR MAYBE 500-1000 MILES OR SO. THE LATEST TEMP FIX INCLUDES THAT PLUS AN ADDITIVE (TRANS X) THAT WORKS BY SWELLING SEALS. THIS HAS BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE WITH 2500-3500 MILES BETWEEN FLUID CHANGES, SO I BASICALLY HAVE IT DONE EVERY TIME I CHANGE THE OIL NOW. I FIND THIS APPALLING THERE'S NO RECALL FOR THIS SINCE THERE'S SO MANY I'VE SEEN ONLINE WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. PERHAPS THEY JUST HAVEN'T GONE THROUGH THE RIGHT PROCEDURES IN REPORTING THIS, WHICH IS WHY I'M JUST DOING THIS NOW MYSELF.

NHTSA ID

10871310

Incident

May 15, 2010

Mileage

89,000 mi

THERE ARE DAYS WHERE THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ENGAGE INTO DRIVE. IT GOES IN REVERSE BUT STILL NOT ENGAGE THE DRIVE GEAR. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK OF THE VEHICLE SITTING AND NOT BEING TURNED ON IT WILL ENGAGE AND WORK FINE. BUT WILL DO IT AGAIN A FEW WEEKS TO A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER.

NHTSA ID

10717441

Incident

Jan 26, 2015

199 SUBARU FORESTER. LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN SARBANES ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT WITH CONCERNS ABOUT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH SUBARU VEHICLES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS DIFFICULT TO PUT THE GEAR INTO DRIVE. A MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE FAILURE WAS WITH THE CLUTCH. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH ONLY A 119,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10351029

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

Mileage

119,000 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINT CONCERNING 1999 FORESTER GAS MILEAGE. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION, BRAKES, A KNOCK SENSOR, A SQUEAK IN THE CARGO PANEL AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10171181

Incident

Aug 7, 1999

MULTIPLE MAJOR AND COSTLY REPAIRS TO A VEHICLE THAT IS DRIVEN ON HARD ROAD SERVICES ONLY, AND IN A SAFE MANNER. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. REPAIRS INCLUDE REPLACE OXYGEN SENSOR & EMISSION CONTROL COMPUTER. I WAS EVENTUALLY REIMBURSED FOR THIS SERVICE/PART WHICH TOOK 7 VISIITS TO DEALER AND MUCH CONVINCING ON MY PART. OTHER MAJOR REPAIRS INCLUDE REPLACE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION SEAL (2 VISITS), REPLACE OIL PUMP, REPLACE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING. REPLACEMENT OF OTHER WHEEL BEARINGS IS POSSIBLE AND PENDING. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THIS CAR, JUST WAITING FOR THE NEXT MAJOR REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

10053050

Incident

Jan 13, 2004

Mileage

53,000 mi

99 SUBARU FORESTER L AFTER 50,000 MILES REAR AXLE BEARINGS AND HUB BROKE. STEERING ON CORNERS WAS AFFECTED.

NHTSA ID

10005806

Incident

Feb 12, 2003

Mileage

51,032 mi

AUGUST 2000. RIGHT REAR BEARINGS BROKE APART WHILE DRIVING OFF ROAD. SINCE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND I WAS ON VACATION, I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST PRIVATE GARAGE. I SUBMITTED THE BILL FOR THE REPAIRS AND RENTAL CAR TO SUBARU WHICH THEY PAID. AUGUST 13, 2001: RIGHT REAR BEARINGS WENT OUT AGAIN ON CITY STREETS NEAR HOME. MY SON TOOK THE CAR TO STEVENS CREEK SUBARU. THEY TOLD ME WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR ON 8/15 THAT FORESTERS OF ALL YEARS HAVE THIS RECURRING PROBLEM. FURTHER, ONCE A CAR HAS THE PROBLEM, IT WILL CONTINUE TO RECUR. THE WARRANTY COVERED ALL COSTS. LESS THAN ONE WEEK LATER, 8/20, THE BEARINGS WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME WE WERE ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD GOING AROUND A LEFT BEND WHEN THEY BROKE. I NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AS IT STARTED TO SLIDE TOWARDS THE CLIFF, BUT MANAGED TO GET IT TO A SMALL TURNOUT SAFELY. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT 49ER SUBARU IN ANGELS CAMP, CA, TOLD ME THAT THE AXLE "EXPLODED" AS A RESULT OF THE BEARINGS GOING OUT, WHICH IS WHY THE CAR HAD STARTED TO SLIDE. THEY USED ALL FORESTER PARTS TO REPLACE THE BROKEN ONES, WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT THEY USED LEGACY BEARINGS INSTEAD OF FORESTER BEARINGS. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A FACTORY APPROVED CHANGE, BUT THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A TSB OR ANYTHING IN WRITING STATING THAT THIS WAS AN APPROVED SUBSTITUTION. SUBARU PAID FOR ALL REPAIRS AND THE HOTEL, AND THEY EXTENDED MY WARRANTY TO 6 YEARS 100,000 MILES. DENE WITT, SUBARU CENTRAL REGION OFFICE, 15000 E. 39TH AVE, AURORA, CO 80011 WAS VERY HELPFUL AND KIND THROUGHOUT THIS ORDEAL AND WENT OUT OF HER WAY TO MAKE SURE WE GOT BACK ON THE ROAD QUICKLY (SHE HAD TO HAVE AN AXLE OVERNIGHTED FROM OUT OF STATE). CAN THIS COMPLAINT BE KEPT ANONYMOUS SINCE I STILL OWN THE FORESTER AND MAY HAVE TO DEAL WITH SUBARU IN THE FUTURE? THANKS, SHARON "EILEEN" CERVANTES. *AK

NHTSA ID

751673

Incident

Aug 20, 2001

THE FAILURE PROBABLY OCCURRED THOUSANDS OF MILES EARLIER SINCE I HEARD A NOISE THAT I THOUGH WAS TIRE NOISE BUT NO LONGER HEAR SINCE THE WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED. THE NOISE KEPT GETTING WORSE SO I FINALLY REALIZED THAT IT MUST BE SOMETHING ELSE. THE DEALER TOOK MY CAR IMMEDIATELY AND FIXED THE PROBLEM THE SAME DAY. I WOULD NOT BE REPORTING THIS EXCEPT THAT ON THE INTERNET THIS SEEMS TO BE A FREQUENT PROBLEM THAT OFTEN REOCCURS INCLUDING MULTIPLE TIMES ON THE SAME CAR. THIS IS ALSO A PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT NORMALLY HAPPEN ON LOW-MILEAGE CARS. *AK

NHTSA ID

749139

Incident

Jul 23, 2001

THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY HAS FAILED ON THREE OCCASIONS CAUSING A MILD ROARING SOUND, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE WHEEL BEARINGS, HUB, AND HOUSING. NLM

NHTSA ID

560396

Incident

Aug 1, 2000

BEARINGS HAVE FAILED FOUR TIMES. INCREASING NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE AND VIBRATION PROCEEDED FAILURE EACH TIME.

NHTSA ID

741601

06/27/00 AT 39787 MILES, NOISE GRADUALLY GETTING LOUDER IN REAR, VIBRATION. RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING AND AXLE REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP. 09/14/00 AT 46801 MILES, SAME WHEEL BEARING REPLACED AGAIN. 09/25/00 AT 47660 MILES, BEARING FAILED SUDDENLY WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH IN RAIN ON I-66, GRINDING AND SCREECHING. I WAS ABLE TO STOP SAFELY AND EXIT FREEWAY. DEALER AGAIN REPLACED BEARING. 10/25/00 AT 49750, DEALER AGAIN REPLACES BEARING AND HOUSING ALSO THIS TIME. CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF VIBRATION ON TIRES, I ALSO ASK FOR AN ALIGNMENT. 12/19/00, PROBLEM RETURNS. CAR IS SCHEDULED FOR SERVICE 12/27/00. I TRAVEL ROUGHLY 500 MILES PER WEEK, MOSTLY ON VERY RURAL ROADS. I CHOSE SUBARU VERY CAREFULLY AND NEED TO KNOW I CAN RELY ON MY VEHICLE TO AVOID BEING STRANDED ALONE ON THE MOST DESERTED OF ROADS. THIS IS THE 2ND SUBARU I HAVE OWNED (NO PROBLEMS WITH THE FIRST ONE), PURCHASED BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF THE AWD SYSTEM; HOWEVER, I AM LOSING CONFIDENCE IN THIS PARTICULAR CAR. I LOVE THE FORESTER, AND WOULD BUY ANOTHER ONE! I AM SO DISAPPOINTED.

NHTSA ID

738290

Incident

Dec 19, 2000

DEFECTIVE SEAL ON THE TRANSMISSION CAUSED TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK INTO EXHAUST ASSEMBLY. YH

NHTSA ID

551215

WOULD HEAR GRINDING NOISES COMING FROM REAR. THE FASTER THE VEHICLE WAS GOING, THE LOUDER THE NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AT LEAST 4 TIMES: 6/23/ 7/2/ 11/8; & 11/15. THE WHEELS LOCKED UP AT ONE POINT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE SEAL HAD BROKEN. EACH TIME WAS REPAIRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

853620

Incident

Jun 1, 1999

EVERY DAY I ACCELERATE FROM MY DRIVEWAY IMMEDIATELY AFTER START UP THE CAR HESITATES AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I PUSHED ON THE GAS BUT THERE WAS A 1-2 SECOND HESITATION BEFORE THE CAR TOOK OFF. IT IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND I LIVE IN OHIO AND IT WAS SPRING AND SUMMER LIKE WEATHER AND IT DID IT FROM DAY ONE

NHTSA ID

712500

ENGINE REBUILT DUE TO FAILURE, HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE OF REBUILT UNIT. MJS

NHTSA ID

547468