1999 Subaru Forester Transmission Problems

Your transmission is slipping into neutral without warning, especially when braking or approaching traffic lights, even though the gear shifter stays in Drive. The engine revs but the car won't move forward until you rev the engine repeatedly at high RPMs, causing the vehicle to suddenly lurch forward—sometimes violently. This problem started happening once a month but now occurs multiple times daily, and while a transmission fluid flush helped temporarily, the issue has returned and is getting worse. The transmission may need internal repairs or a complete replacement to fix the mechanical failure causing the slipping.

Your transmission may delay engaging when you shift into Drive, sometimes acting like it's in Neutral for several seconds to minutes. You might need to rev the engine repeatedly to get it to engage, though once it does, it works normally. This issue started at 89,000 miles and has gotten worse over time; temporary fixes include frequent transmission fluid and filter changes, sometimes with additives to help seals, but these only last 500–3,500 miles before the problem returns.

Your transmission occasionally won't shift into Drive, though Reverse works fine. After the car sits unused for about a week, it will suddenly engage and work normally again—but the problem returns a few weeks to a couple months later. This suggests an issue with the transmission's engagement system that may require inspection or fluid service.

You're having trouble shifting your car into drive, and a mechanic identified a problem with the clutch. Your transmission failed at 119,000 miles, which is relatively early for this component. Fixing this will likely require clutch replacement or transmission repair/overhaul.

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

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

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

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

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

DIFFERENTIAL FLUID HAS METAL PIECES/SHAVINGS IN IT, DEALER SAYS THIS IS OKAY. *SLC

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

BEARINGS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES CAUSING WHEEL TO VIBRATE AND HUMMING SOUND. MJS

THE DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION CONTAINS "SLOPE CONTROL UNIT", WHICH ALLOWS FOR VEHICLE TO DOWNSHIFT WHEN RELEASING FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR PEDAL, DIFFICULT AND DISTRACTING TO DRIVER. MJS

DESIGN OF TRANSMISSION CAUSES IT TO CONSTANTLY DOWNSHIFT WHENEVER FOOT IS TAKEN OFF THE ACCELERATOR OR TAPS THE BRAKE (SLOPE CONTROL FEATURE). NLM