Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Subaru Forester submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUBARU FORESTER. WHILE COASTING, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 48,700. UPDATED 05/06/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED DREYER & REINBOLD CHECKED ENGINE, TRANSMISSION MOUNTS SPEED CONTROL AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. 05/06/08 *TR
THIS PROBLEM INITIALLY OCCURRED ONLY ONCE A MONTH OR SO, BUT HAS SINCE DETERIORATED TO OCCURRING MULTIPLE TIMES PER DAY. WHEN APPROACHING A STOPLIGHT, OR BRAKING HARDER THAN USUAL, THE VEHICLE WILL SLIP INTO NEUTRAL. THE SHIFTER DOES NOT MOVE, IT IS STILL IN DRIVE, HOWEVER, WITHOUT WARNING, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY STOP RESPONDING TO THE ACCELERATOR (EXCEPT THE ENGINE STILL REVS). THE ONLY REMEDY IS TO REV THE ENGINE TO HIGH REVS, OVER AND OVER, UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION "CATCHES", AT WHICH POINT THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD, OFTEN VIOLENTLY, EVEN WITH THE BRAKE DEPRESSED. THIS MOST OFTEN HAPPENS AT STOPLIGHTS/SIGNS, HOWEVER IT WILL OCCUR ON THE HIGHWAY IN TRAFFIC WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED HARD. THIS SEEMS TO BE QUITE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN WHEN IT WAS NECESSARY TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE WAY OF SOMETHING ONCOMING AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO. A DEALER LOOKED AT IT AND FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION AND ADDED NEW FLUID, WHICH SOLVED THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS, AFTER WHICH IT HAS CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT LOW ON FLUID, AND THE FLUID LOOKS FINE. I HAVE HEARD THIS COMPLAINT FROM NUMEROUS OTHER 1999 FORESTER OWNERS VIA VARIOUS INTERNET FORUMS. *TR
DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY GO INTO REVERSE. *JB
1999 SUBARU FORRESTER. VEHICLE TRANSMISSION BEGAN HAVING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING INTO DRIVE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 7-10 DAYS, VEHICLE SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL UPON BRAKING. TOOK SEVERAL MINUTES TO GET VEHICLE BACK INTO DRIVE. 2ND INSTANCE ALMOST CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I BRAKED TO TURN LEFT AND BEGAN MY TURN. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, I FOUND THE VEHICLE HAD AGAIN SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL AND I WAS HELPLESSLY COASTING WITH TRAFFIC HEADING TOWARD ME. LUCKILY, THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS ABLE TO STOP IN TIME TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. TRANSMISSION WAS INSPECTED FOR A POSSIBLE LINKAGE PROBLEM, BUT NONE WAS FOUND. A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FLUSH AND FILL DID NOT REMEDY THE SITUATION. VEHICLE HAS SINCE SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE 3 ADDITIONAL TIMES (LUCKILY NO ACCIDENTS).*AK
HAVE A 1999 FORESTER L W/AUTO TRAMSMISSION. I CAN DRIVE IN REVERSE ALL DAY WITH NO PROBLEM. GOING FORWARD IS HIT AND MISS. SOMETIMES I CAN SIT FOR 15 TO 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE FORWARD GEARS ENGAGE. ONCE FORWARD ENGAGES, I HAVE NO PROBLEM UNTIL I TURN OFF THE IGNITION. SERVICING THE TRANS IS A TEMPORARY FIX FOR A FEW THOUSAND MILES AND THEN THE PROBLEM SLOWLY RETURNS. I REALLY LIKE MY CAR, BUT I'M SURE THE TRANS WILL EVENTUALLY CEASE WORKING ALL TOGETHER.EVIDENTLY OTHER ARE HAVING SAME PROBLEM ACCORDING TO CHAT ROOMS.*AK
CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK
CLUTCH FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE. *PH THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIR, HOWEVER THE DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRANTY, THEY CLAIMED THE CLUTCH WAS CONSIDERED A WEAR ITEM. THE CONSUMER HAS RETAINED A LAWYER. *JB
WITH ABOUT 15-18K MILES, I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH STUTTERING IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR. IT WAS ALWAYS WORST IN WINTER, WHEN IT WAS COLD. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR OTHER ISSUES AND FOUND SEVERAL CHAT ROOMS WHERE PEOPLE WERE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES. I TOOK THE CAR IN SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALERS WHO SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WHEN READING THE CHAT ROOMS, SOME PEOPLE DID HAVE THE DEALERS SAY THIS WAS A PROBLEM. I CALLED SUBARU'S CUSTOMER LINE AND WAS TOLD TO GO TO THE DEALER. *JB
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.
CLUTCH PREMATURELY BURNED OUT. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THE CLUTCH WOULD CHATTER OR DISENGAGE IN COLD TEMPERATURES. THE CLUTCH WAS REPLACED, BUT FAILED AGAIN. THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT. THERE WAS NO SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEM.*AK THE REPLACEMENT CLUTCH HADN'T FAILED COMPLETELY . IT STARTED EXHIBITING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE FIRST ONE BUT AT AN ACCELERATED PACE. CONSUMER NOTED MANY OTHER SUBARU OWNERS IN THE BAY AREA EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AND ARE NOT RIDING THE CLUTCH. *PH *NLM
1999 SUBARU FORESTER S. AT 40,000 NEW TRANSMISSION. AT 45,000 SPEED ODOMETER STICKING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NOW AT 96,000 MILES LEAKING HEAD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALL MAJOR PROBLEMS REQUIRING MAJOR MONEY TO BE REPLACED.*AK
ESPECIALLY DURING COLD OR DAMP WEATHER MY 1999 SUBARU FORESTER'S CLUTCH SHUDDERS STRONGLY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. THIS OCCURS PRIMARILY WHEN STARTING IN FIRST GEAR AND IN THE UPSHIFT TO SECOND GEAR. IT ALSO OCCASIONALLY OCURRS IN THE UPSHIFT FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. IT DOES NOT OCURR ON THE DOWNSHIFTS. THIS PROBLEM FIRST APPEARED AT ABOUT 45,000 MILES. THE DEALER SAID I NEEDED A NEW CLUTCH. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS SINCE 1969 AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A CLUTCH BEFORE 100,000 MILES, AND ON MY 1986 HONDA ACCORD I SOLD IT AT 260,000 MILES AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH. I DID NOT REPLACE THE CLUTCH ON MY 1999 SUBARU FORESTER. IT NOW HAS 83,000 MILES, COLD WEATHER HAS RETURNED, AND SO HAS THE CLUTCH SHUDDER
THE ORIGINAL FAILURE WAS DUE TO A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. THE NEXT 3 REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSIONS ALSO DEVELOPED LEAKS. THE 4TH REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION IS OK TO DATE.*AK
DRIVING ON FAST DOWNHILL SECTION OF MOUNTAIN 2 LANE HIGHWAY, ON ICE / PACKED SNOW, TAPPED BRAKES WHILE ENTERING CURVE ... 2 SECONDS LATER WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING THE VEHICLE LOST ADHESION, OVERSTEERING DANGEROUSLY. I RECOVERED WITH CONSIDERABLE OPPPOSITE STEERING LOCK AND SLIGHT APPLICATION OF POWER (CAR IS ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE.) IT HAPPENED SO FAST, I KNEW NOT WHAT HAD CAUSED THE CAR TO SLIDE OUT OF CONTROL. TODAY, I LEARNED THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. WITH THE GEARSHIFT SELECTOR IN DRIVE, TRAILING THROTTLE AND APPLICATION OF BRAKES, THE COMPUTER WILL OCCASIONALLY (AUTOMATICALLY) DOWN-SHIFT THE CAR INTO 3RD. GEAR. THIS SOFTWARE BUG, COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED AND TOTALLY DANGEROUS IN MARGINAL TRACTION CONDITIONS CAUSEDG A VICIOUS SKID FROM WHICH MOST DRIVERS OF AVERAGE EXPERIENCE WOULD HAVE NOT RECOVERED. WE PUT ABS ON CARS SO THAT BRAKING CAN BE MORE PREDICTABLE WHEN DRIVING UNDER MARGINAL COEFFICIENTS, THAN WE DESIGN SOFTWARE WITH A BUG WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO THROW THE CAR TOTALLY AND UNPREDICTABLY OUT OF CONTROL ON ICE. NICE WORK, SUBARU !*AK
GEAR SHIFT RESULTED IN A SEVERE JOLT TO PASSENGERS AND THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. YH
VEHICLE FIRST SHOWED PROBLEM 11/99. VEHICLE BANGS INTO GEAR WITH TREMENDOUS JOLT. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND RETURNED VEHICLE 12/9/99 AFTER 25 DAYS OUT OF SERVICE. PROBLEM REOCCURRED IN 1/26/00 IN NEW TRANSMISSION. DEALER NOT WILLING TO CONSIDER ALTERNATE SOLUTION BUT WILL REPLACE TRANSMISSION. SUSPECTS PROBLEM IS NOT TRANSMISSION BUT ANOTHER PROBLEM CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO GO BAD. *AK
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS DOWN TO 3RD GEAR AT ANY SPEED IF THE DRIVER TOUCHES THE BRAKE PEDAL. AT SPEEDS OVER 60 MPH THIS SHARPLY REDUCES THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO CONTROL VEHICLE SPEED. THE TRANSMISSION SUBSEQUENTLY DOES NOT SHIFT UP TO 4TH GEAR AGAIN. IT MUST BE SHIFTED UP MANUALLY. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IN MODERATE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC ON HILLY HIGHWAYS AND FREEWAYS. I HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE PROBLEMS TO A DEALER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. A SUBARU REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME IN A TELEPHONE CALL THAT SUBARU HAS CORRECTED THE HIGH SPEED DOWNSHIFT PROBLEM IN LEGACY AND OUTBACK MODELS BUT WILL NOT REPAIR THE SAME PROBLEM IN FORESTER MODELS.
WHEN THE TRUCK IS PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WITH THE ENGINE OFF IT WILL JERK ONE OR TWO INCHES FORWARD. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE TRUCK IS PARKED IN REVERSE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER CONCERNS. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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