1999 Subaru Forester Suspension Problems

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

NHTSA ID

10158158

Incident

Jan 20, 2006

Mileage

66,943 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10131219

Incident

Jul 19, 2005

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

NHTSA ID

10094667

Incident

Jul 16, 2004

Mileage

80,765 mi

THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE NOISE BY THE DEALERSHIP, THEY INDICATED THE NOISE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF A RIGHT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. THE RIGHT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED, BUT THEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE LEFT SIDE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10089274

Incident

Jun 15, 2004

Mileage

48,000 mi

REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ON MY 1999 SUBARU FORRESTER PURCHASED ON MAR 6, 1999 HAVE FAILED ON THE LEFT REAR WHEEL AT 31619 MILES ON NOV. 13, 2001. THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED ON JULY 1, 2004 AT 58974 MILES. THE LEFT REAR FAILED AGAIN ON A VACATION TRIP TO VERMONT ON JULY 12, 2004 AT 59832 MILES. ON THIS LAST FAILURE THE LEFT REAR HOPUSING HAD TO BE REPLACED AS EXCESSIVE HEAT SCORCHED THE PART. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRENTY. THE OTHER 2 FAILURES WERE COVERED UNDER AN EXTENDED $900 WARRENTY THAT WAS PURCHASED WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED OTHERWISE ADDED EXPENSE TO MYSELF WOULD HAVE $286.33 FOR THE SECOND FAILURE AND $507.17 FOR THE THIRD FAILURE AS THE CAR WAS OUT OF THE STANDARD CAR WARRENTY. THIS STILL COST ME $100 (2 INCEDENTS AT $50 DEDUCTABLE). AT THE REPLACEMENT OF THE LAST 2 BEARINGS THE MECHANICS PERFORMING THE WORK SAID SUBARU CAME UP WITH A NEW HEAVIER DUTY BEARING A FEW YEARS BACK TO REPLACE THE STANDARD BEARINGS SUOPPLIED WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED. IF NOT FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE EXTENDED WARRENTY THE REPAIRS WOULD HAVE COST ABOUT $800. AS I WAS ON VACATION AND TRAVELLING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65MPH WHEN THE LAST BEARING FAILED WHO KNOWS WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IF THE BEARING HEATED UP MORE THAN WHAT IT DID. PARTS WERE KEPT BY THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER HERE IN LAKEWOOD AND THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN ST. JOHNSBURY, VT. I'M HOPING THATR SUBARU'S NEW DESIGNED BEARING WILL LAST LONGER THAN THEIR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED ON THEIR VEHICLES. I'M STILL OUT THE $100 I HAD TO PAY FOR MY DEDUCTABLE ON GETTING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. WHO KNOWS HOW MANY SUBARU'S ARE OUT THERE THAT CAN CAUSE SOME MAJOR PROBLEMS IF THE OLD DESIGN BEARINGS GET HEATED UP ENOUGH TO CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. FOR ME, THESE INCIDENTS BASICALLY CAUSED LOSS OF TIME, ESPECIALLY THE LAST INCIDENT AS I LOST 6 HOURS OF VACATION TIME WAITING FOR THE REPLACEMENT PARTS TO BE FOUND AND THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10081210

Incident

Jul 12, 2004

Mileage

31,699 mi

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE CONSUMER HEARD A RUBBING NOISE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE REAR STRUT SPRING PLATE CORRODED AND WAS PUSHED DOWN ONTO THE TIRES. *AK THE REAR STRUTS WERE REPLACED. *TT *JB

NHTSA ID

10046289

Incident

Oct 25, 2003

Mileage

68,607 mi

THE CAR IS 4 YEARS OLD WITH 24100 MILES. AT 16000 MILES, RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AT 22000 MILES, RIGHT REAR BEARING NOISE RETURNED AND THE DEALER 'ADJUSTED' THE BEARING FOR 'FREE', EVEN THOUGH THE 3 YEAR WARRANTY HAD PASSED. AT 24100 MILES, THE BEARING FAILED WITH GRINDING AND SMOKING WHILE VEHICLE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. DEALER REFUSED TO COVER THE EVENT UNDER WARRANTY.A TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER THAT OTHER FORESTERS WERE HAVING SIMILAR BEARING PROBLEMS,AND THAT THEY WE RETOLD TO STOP USING THE OEM BALL BEARINGS, AND GO TO A ROLLER BEARING.*AK

NHTSA ID

10032914

Incident

Aug 13, 2003

Mileage

24,100 mi

THE WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE HAD 29000 MILES. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10017962

Mileage

29,000 mi

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ON MY 1999 SUBARU FORESTER THREE (3) TIMES. THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE BEFORE 35K MILES AND THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING JUST FAILED AT 50K MILES. CLEARLY SUBARU HAS A DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING PROBLEM WITH THE 1999 SUBARU REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BUT HAVING A WHEEL BEARING FAIL COMPLETELY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WOULD SEEM LIKE A BAD THING.[I FOUND OUT ABOUT YOUR SITE ON CARTALK.COM]. NLM

NHTSA ID

10014299

Incident

Apr 7, 2003

Mileage

30,000 mi

DEALER REPLACED WHEEL BEARING AT 29,000 MILES UNDER WARRANTY. WENT BAD AGAIN 30,000 MILES LATER, EVEN THOUGH OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT IT DOESN'T NEED SERVICED UNTIL 60,000 MILES. DEALER SAID THAT WE DROVE ON IT TOO LONG AND DAMAGED THE HUB AND HOUSING, $700 REPAIR BILL. DEALER SAID THAT THEY HAD BEEN HAVING A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE BEARINGS AND THEY REPLACED IT WITH A LEGACY BEARING. SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT WE WERE 'LUCKY' TO ONLY HAVE HAD BEARING FAIL TWICE. WE FEEL, AFTER RESEARCH, THAT IT IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BY SUBARU TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND WE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR OUR EXPENSE.*JB

NHTSA ID

764720

Incident

Jul 11, 2002

I TOOK MY SUBARU IN FOR AN OIL LEAK PROBLEM AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY RIGHT BEARING WAS BAD. THE OIL SEAL WAS UNDER WARRENTY, HOWEVER THE BEARING COST NEARLY 500.00. DROVE IT A MONTH AND STARTED HEARING A ROARING NOISE. I TOOK IT IN AGAIN AND THE BEARING HAD CAUSED THE HUB TO GO BAD. I WAS NOT CHARGED THIS SECOND TIME. I WAS TOLD THEY HAD OTHER ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES IN WITH THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

763543

Incident

Apr 15, 2002

THERE WAS A HUMMING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. IT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. *YH

NHTSA ID

565951

REAR BEARING SHOULD FAIL AT 40000 MILES. IT IS A DESIGN FLAW, AS MANY FORESTERS HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****760613

NHTSA ID

10006511

Mileage

43,000 mi

REAR BEARINGS FAILING; WHEELS MAKE DULL ROAR ABOVE 30 MPH. FROM NUMBER OF SIMILAR REPORTS IN THIS DATABASE, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT WITH THE 1999 FORESTER, YET SUBARU WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE (1) VEHICLE HAS OVER 36,000 MILES ON IT, AND (2) WE DIDN'T HAVE THE 30,000 MILE SERVICE PERFORMED. A DEFECT IS A DEFECT, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED -- WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE IF I HAD THE 30K MAINTENANCE PERFORMED OR NOT???? I DIDN'T EXPECT THIS KIND OF REACTION FROM A "QUALITY" CAR COMPANY.*AK

NHTSA ID

760429

Incident

Jan 15, 2001

CONSUMER STATES THE REAR BEARING HAS BEEN REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME WITHIN SIX MONTHS, DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. NLM *YD

NHTSA ID

8006494

Incident

Mar 10, 2002

THE WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE FAILED THREE TIMES SO FAR, AND I NEED TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AGAIN FOR THE FOURTH TIME. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT 60000 MILES AND THEN AT 65000 AND NOW AT 74000 MILES. I CAN NOT BELIEVE SUBARU HAS DONE NOTHING FOR US UP TO THIS POINT. I FEEL FORTUNATE WE HAVE NOT HURT SOMEONE AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM. NLM

NHTSA ID

759864

Incident

Mar 10, 2002

PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT WHEEL BEARING. DEALER OR MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

899287

Incident

Nov 20, 2001

CONSUMER HEARD A ROARING NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE, BEGINNING AT 4000 MILES. DEALER COULD NOT FIND CAUSE. AFTER THIRD VISIT DEALER SUGGESTED IT WAS A TIRE PROBLEM. CONSUMER REPLACED ALL TIRES, BUT NOISE KEPT GETTING LOUDER. ON FOURTH VISIT DEALER REPLACED ALL WHEEL BEARINGS, WHICH TOOK CARE OF NOISE, SEPTEMBER 25, 2001. *AK

NHTSA ID

897692

Incident

Apr 1, 1999

THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE FAILED 4 TIMES, THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING HAS FAILED ONCE. NLM

NHTSA ID

785701

FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BEARING HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

893656

Incident

Oct 26, 2000

LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES IN ONE YEAR. DEALER CANNOT FIND CAUSE.*AK

NHTSA ID

893651

Incident

Jun 6, 2000

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

TIRES PREMATURELY WORE OUT WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

862306

Incident

Mar 28, 2000

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

DEALER REPORTED VEHICLE WAS NOT ALIGNED AT TIME OF MANUFACTURING, CAUSED PREMATURELY WEAR TIRES WHICH SUBARU OF AMERICA IS ONLY WILLING TO PAY A SMALL SHARE OF COST( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P20570R15 )

NHTSA ID

714977

Incident

Nov 11, 1999