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#BS-1999-SUBFOR-326B

1999 Subaru Forester

Based on reports from 156 owners and 1 recall for this exact model.

Complaints
156
Crashes
6
Fires
1
Recalls
1
TSBs
42
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 156 complaints, 6 crashes, 1 fires, and 1 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.1x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

coolant leak blown head gasket

4 complaints • Severity 7.5/10

$X,XXX
2

automatic transmission failed

2 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
3

speedometer not working

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Power Train:automatic TransmissionHIGH

14 owners reported power train:automatic transmission issues — failures commonly reported around 72K miles.

!Inspect the EngineMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

6
0–30K
18
30–60K
16
60–90K
12
90–120K
1
120–150K
4
150K+

Peak failure range: 30–60K miles (18 reports) • Median: 72K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Power Train:automatic Transmission (14 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Power Train:automatic Transmission14 (9%)
Engine14 (9%)
Suspension:front:wheel Bearing11 (7%)
Wheels & Tires10 (6%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip8 (5%)
Suspension:rear7 (4%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components6 (4%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline6 (4%)

1999 Subaru Forester: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1999 Subaru Forester, with 14 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 72,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 72K-mile mark.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1999 Subaru Forester, with 14 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Suspension:front:wheel Bearing Issues

Suspension:front:wheel Bearing complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1999 Subaru Forester, with 11 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension:front:wheel bearing-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Wheels & Tires Issues

Wheels & Tires complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1999 Subaru Forester, with 10 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to wheels & tires-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

17
00
28
01
15
02
16
03
22
04
8
05
8
06
2
07
8
08
1
09
1
10
1
12
1
14
2
15
1
16
1
17
1
19
1
20

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1999 Subaru Forester. Recent trend: stable.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (1 recall)

99V040000Jun 1999

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS). (THE 1999 2.2 LITER LEGACY VEHICLES ARE EXCLUDED). IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE IS INCREASED.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Subaru Forester is the 2014 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

1999 Subaru Forester vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD)

This vehicle

156

Class avg

74

2.1x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical sport utility vehicle - 4wd vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 156 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 1 recall found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Subaru Forester Model Years

20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998
View all Subaru Forester years →

1999 Subaru Forester: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1999 Subaru Forester?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1999 Subaru Forester is related to the power train:automatic transmission, with 14 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1999 Subaru Forester reliable?
The 1999 Subaru Forester has 156 complaints, 6 crash reports, and 1 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 2.1x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 1999 Subaru Forester problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1999 Subaru Forester have any recalls?
Yes, the 1999 Subaru Forester has 1 recall on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Subaru Forester problems start?
Based on 57 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 72,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 30–60K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 156 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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