Subaru Forester 1998–2002 problems by year and mileage
1st generation (SF)
NHTSA data through 24 September 2026534 complaints, 230 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 1998 Subaru Forester
Close- Median failure report
- too few reports to time
- Complaints filed
- 101
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 1998
- Transmission and driveline23 reports
- Suspension17 reports
- Hydraulic brake circuit15 reports
1 recall campaign names the 1998: Service brakes, hydraulic — foundation components. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 1999 Subaru Forester
Close- Median failure report
- 73,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 131
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 1999
- Transmission and driveline32 reports
- Engine and its cooling system25 reports
- Suspension25 reports
1 recall campaign names the 1999: Service brakes, hydraulic — foundation components. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2000 Subaru Forester
Close- Median failure report
- 78,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 75
- Recalls naming this year
- 0
Most reported on the 2000
- Transmission and driveline21 reports
- Suspension19 reports
- Engine and its cooling system12 reports
The 2001 Subaru Forester
Close- Median failure report
- 57,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 139
- Recalls naming this year
- 0
Most reported on the 2001
- Throttle and speed control29 reports
- Transmission and driveline23 reports
- Engine and its cooling system16 reports
The 2002 Subaru Forester
Close- Median failure report
- 87,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 88
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2002
- Throttle and speed control23 reports
- Transmission and driveline16 reports
- Engine and its cooling system14 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2002: Power train — automatic transmission. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2002 reports latest and the 2001 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2001 has had 1 more year on the road to accumulate mileage. 1 of these years carries fewer than 30 reports with an odometer reading and shows no median at all, rather than one computed from a handful.
The short answer
“Is the 1998–2002 Subaru Forester reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 72,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 150,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 230
- Recalls
- 2
Most reported
- Transmission and driveline21.5% of complaints · median 56,000 mi
- Suspension15.9% of complaints · median 69,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system15.2% of complaints · median 82,000 mi
Documented problems
- Head Gaskets (EJ25D)1998
- Head Gaskets (EJ251/EJ252 Sohc)1999–2002
- Wheel Bearings1998–2002
- Body / Structure1998–2002
Owners filed 534 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998–2002 Subaru Forester; the transmission and driveline leads with 21.5% of them, and half of the 230 that record an odometer reading came by 72,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 41,000 and 100,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 1998–2002 Subaru Forester last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 1998–2002 Subaru Forester, half of the 230 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 72,000 miles and 90% by 150,000 miles.
24 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 3 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Forester reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Subaru Forester 1998–2002 · 230 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 20,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 42 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 3 complaints (1.3%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 23,000
- 25%
- 41,421
- Median
- 72,000
- 75%
- 100,000
- 90%
- 150,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–20,000 | 19 | 8.3% |
| 20,000–40,000 | 34 | 14.8% |
| 40,000–60,000 | 38 | 16.5% |
| 60,000–80,000 | 36 | 15.7% |
| 80,000–100,000 | 42 | 18.3% |
| 100,000–120,000 | 24 | 10.4% |
| 120,000–140,000 | 8 | 3.5% |
| 140,000–160,000 | 9 | 3.9% |
| 160,000–180,000 | 10 | 4.3% |
| 180,000–200,000 | 7 | 3.0% |
| 200,000+ | 3 | 1.3% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Common Forester problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Subaru Forester 1998–2002
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Transmission and driveline115 reports56,00035,000–91,000Transmission and driveline: 115 reports, median 56,000 miles, middle half 35,000 to 91,000 miles.
- Suspension85 reports69,00044,000–115,000Suspension: 85 reports, median 69,000 miles, middle half 44,000 to 115,000 miles.
- Fuel system22 reports80,00065,000–101,000Fuel system: 22 reports, median 80,000 miles, middle half 65,000 to 101,000 miles.
- Engine and its cooling system81 reports82,00053,000–102,000Engine and its cooling system: 81 reports, median 82,000 miles, middle half 53,000 to 102,000 miles.
- Throttle and speed control76 reports91,00032,000–109,000Throttle and speed control: 76 reports, median 91,000 miles, middle half 32,000 to 109,000 miles.
- Fuel and propulsion system13 reports121,00090,000–180,000Fuel and propulsion system: 13 reports, median 121,000 miles, middle half 90,000 to 180,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 115 | 21.5% | 56,000 | 35,000–91,000 |
| Suspension | 85 | 15.9% | 69,000 | 44,000–115,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 81 | 15.2% | 82,000 | 53,000–102,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 76 | 14.2% | 91,000 | 32,000–109,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 55 | 10.3% | — | — |
| Airbag system | 31 | 5.8% | — | — |
| Tyres | 29 | 5.4% | — | — |
| Fuel system | 22 | 4.1% | 80,000 | 65,000–101,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 14 | 2.6% | — | — |
| Visibility equipment | 14 | 2.6% | — | — |
System by system, in words
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 72,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 21.5% of complaints (115 reports, 53 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 56,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,000 and 91,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 15.9% of complaints (85 reports, 45 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 69,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 44,000 and 115,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 15.2% of complaints (81 reports, 52 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 82,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 53,000 and 102,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 14.2% of complaints (76 reports, 30 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 91,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 32,000 and 109,000 miles.
The fuel system accounts for 4.1% of complaints (22 reports, 11 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 80,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 65,000 and 101,000 miles.
The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 2.4% of complaints (13 reports, 10 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 121,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 90,000 and 180,000 miles.
Known problems with the 1998–2002 Forester
Head Gaskets (EJ25D) 1998
The DOHC EJ25D suffers internal head gasket failure allowing coolant into the cylinder, producing overheating, coolant loss and combustion contamination. Distinct mechanism from the later SOHC failures.
Head Gaskets (EJ251/EJ252 Sohc) 1999–2002
The SOHC engines fail differently - external coolant seepage at the head gasket, weeping down the block, often with slow coolant loss and no overheating at first. Subject of a class action settlement; Subaru extended coverage to 8 years / 100,000 miles and specified a cooling system conditioner as part of the remedy.
Wheel Bearings 1998–2002
Front and rear wheel bearing failure producing a growling noise that changes with steering load; a routine failure item across early Foresters.
Body / Structure 1998–2002
Rear strut tower and rear quarter panel corrosion in road-salt regions.
Before you buy a 1998–2002 Forester: the 3-minute check
Generated from 230 mileage-tagged complaints, 2 recall campaigns, 4 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 2 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check head gaskets (EJ25D) on 1998 cars. The DOHC EJ25D suffers internal head gasket failure allowing coolant into the cylinder, producing overheating, coolant loss and combustion contamination. Distinct mechanism from the later SOHC failures.
- Check head gaskets (EJ251/EJ252 sohc) on 1999–2002 cars. The SOHC engines fail differently - external coolant seepage at the head gasket, weeping down the block, often with slow coolant loss and no overheating at first. Subject of a class action settlement; Subaru extended…
- Check wheel bearings on 1998–2002 cars. Front and rear wheel bearing failure producing a growling noise that changes with steering load; a routine failure item across early Foresters.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 41,000 and 100,000 miles, with a median of 72,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the suspension are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The transmission and driveline in particular shows a median failure mileage of 56,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Forester problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi40% below | At 90k mi64% below | At 120k mi84% below | At 150k mi90% below | At 200k mi99% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 35,000–91,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Suspension | 44,000–115,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine and its cooling system | 53,000–102,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Throttle and speed control | 32,000–109,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Fuel system | 65,000–101,000 | later | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 90,000–180,000 | later | in window | in window | in window | earlier |
Figure 3 · Subaru Forester 1998–2002 · 230 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 40% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 84% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 99% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 1.3% of reports (3) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
1998–2002 Subaru Forester recalls (2)
NHTSA records 2 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Oct 2002 · 2002 · Power TrainThe vehicle could then move/roll without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions were produced with an improperly manufactured transmission parking rod. When the transmission selector lever is placed in the "p" (park) position, the transmission park…
What can happen. The vehicle could then move/roll without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the automatic transmission parking rod assembly. Owner notification january 8, 2003. An interim owner notification will be sent during november 2002. Owners who take their…
Mar 1999 · 1998–1999 · Service Brakes, HydraulicThis condition causes the vehicle stopping distance to be increased, possibly resulting in a crash.
The defect. 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…
What can happen. This condition causes the vehicle stopping distance to be increased, possibly resulting in a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder.
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 534 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 71 (13.3%)
- Fires
- 7
- Injury reports
- 34
- Fatality reports
- 2
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Forester problems by model year
The 2001 drew the most complaints of this generation, 139, most of them about throttle and speed control, and the 2000 the fewest, 75. A typical year drew about 101.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 101 | 18 | under 30 reports | Transmission and driveline (23) | 1 |
| 1999 | 131 | 50 | 73,000 | Transmission and driveline (32) | 1 |
| 2000 | 75 | 39 | 78,000 | Transmission and driveline (21) | 0 |
| 2001 | 139 | 73 | 57,000 | Throttle and speed control (29) | 0 |
| 2002 | 88 | 50 | 87,000 | Throttle and speed control (23) | 1 |
What Forester owners reported
The contact owns a 2000 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle began to shake and suddenly veered into the left lane into oncoming traffic. The contact stated that the vehicle had stopped in the middle of the road. The contact was unaware of any warning light being…
2000 · 90,000 miles · Suspension
Why is the brake line corrosion recall wqk-47 only for 2009-2013 foresters? I own a 1999 Forester which has just had a catastrophic brake line failure that is exactly the same as what is described in the recall. Corrosion of the brake lines is in the area of the junction block that is located under the car behind the…
1999 · 80,000 miles · Brakes
Put vehicle in reverse after being at bank and heard a huge clunk. Gentleman ran up to me and said not to move it. Got out and left front tire was about laying flat on ground. Had brother bring tow dolly and then took it apart. Ended up spending 600 just on parts as the control arms were rotted horribly. Left one as…
2002 · 162,000 miles · Suspension
the contact owns a 2002 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that the suspension failed. While driving 55 MPH, the sound of a tire squealing was heard. The contact was able to maintain control of the steering wheel to drive to a safe location. The contact inspected the vehicle and found that the front passenger tire…
2002 · 132,000 miles · Suspension
Built from 230 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Forester generations
- Forester 2003–2008 582 reports with mileage, most about the fuel and propulsion system
- Forester 2009–2013 539 reports with mileage, most about the engine
- Forester 2014–2018 1,488 reports with mileage, most about the airbag system
- Forester 2019–2024 800 reports with mileage, most about visibility/wiper