2000 Subaru Forester — Known Issues & Recalls

Your transmission is slipping, meaning when you press the gas pedal, the engine revs but the car doesn't move forward — you just hear a high-pitched shrieking sound. This problem started gradually over a month but has gotten worse to the point where the car isn't safe to drive, especially on slopes where it rolls backward. Your mechanic suspects a loss of transmission fluid pressure somewhere in the system. Fixing this will likely require a transmission fluid pressure diagnostic, fluid top-up or replacement, and possibly internal transmission repair or seal replacement.

Your manual transmission is slipping out of gear while driving at speeds between 35-55 mph, forcing you to re-engage it to continue. This is happening intermittently rather than consistently. The transmission will likely need inspection and internal repair or replacement to fix the shifting mechanism.

Your transmission keeps popping out of fifth gear, causing you to suddenly lose speed on the highway — a dangerous situation that puts you at risk of being hit from behind. This problem recurred about a year and a half after your mechanic tightened the mainshaft nut (a $417 repair), and now fifth gear is unusable for highway driving. Fixing this issue typically involves removing the transmission and replacing or properly securing the mainshaft nut and related transmission components.

Your transmission sometimes delays or refuses to engage when you shift into Drive, especially after multiple start-and-stop cycles throughout the day. The car may take seconds to several minutes to move forward, though Reverse gear works normally. A dealer replaced your transmission fluid and filter in 2007, but the problem persists even when fluid levels are adequate. A transmission specialist should diagnose whether this is a valve body, solenoid, or internal transmission issue requiring professional repair or potential transmission replacement.

When you shift your Forester into Drive, the car won't move right away—it sits for several minutes before suddenly jerking forward into gear. Reverse works fine and engages normally. This delay in Drive engagement is a known issue affecting many Subaru owners with similar model years.

Your Subaru's head gasket is leaking oil onto the exhaust system, which the dealer says creates a fire hazard. Oil dripping onto hot exhaust components can ignite, making this a safety issue that requires replacement of the head gasket. Subaru previously tried to address this problem with a coolant conditioner, but that fix apparently didn't work permanently.

While driving at 50 mph, your car started overheating and you noticed coolant leaking from underneath the vehicle. The mechanic diagnosed a blown head gasket and a leaking radiator as the cause. Repairs at a shop addressed both issues. The fix likely involved replacing the head gasket and/or repairing the radiator to stop the coolant leak.

Your car has a gas leak on the fuel line on the passenger side of the engine. This is a fuel system leak that needs prompt attention to prevent fuel odors and potential safety concerns. The repair will likely involve inspecting the fuel line for cracks or damage and replacing the affected section or connection.

Your engine is overheating due to blown head gaskets, which is a serious and expensive problem. The dealer replaced your thermostat as a temporary fix, but the underlying issue returned within weeks. Head gasket replacement requires significant labor costs and engine disassembly to complete the repair properly.

While driving at 40 MPH, your Forester suddenly shook and veered into oncoming traffic before stopping in the road. You noticed the passenger-side front tire was turned at a 90-degree angle, and the control arm had snapped. The dealer found that the control arms, inner power steering rack, and front stabilizer bar all needed replacement. This repair will involve replacing the broken suspension components and related steering parts.

Your left wheel bearing failed in May 2004, then your right one failed in September 2005, and now your left one has failed again in May 2006—less than two years after the first repair. You've spent nearly $2,000 on these repairs, but the dealer says warranty coverage only lasts 12 months and wants another $500-800 to fix it, even though the bearing keeps failing repeatedly on a vehicle with only 94,000 miles that's driven less than 10,000 miles per year. The repair will involve removing the wheel and hub assembly to replace the wheel bearing.

Your rear wheel bearings have failed multiple times — you've had to replace both the right and left rear bearings three times over four years. This appears to be a recurring issue reported by other Subaru owners, suggesting a potential design or manufacturing problem rather than normal wear. The repair will involve removing the wheel and replacing the wheel bearing assembly.

Your right rear wheel bearing has failed multiple times — it was replaced in October 2004 at 56,886 miles, and then again in April 2007 at 88,569 miles. This is unusual wear for less than 100,000 miles of driving. The repair typically involves removing the wheel and replacing the bearing assembly, which can cost several hundred dollars.

Your fuel filler pipe and its mounting hardware have rusted through, creating a risk of fuel leaking when you fill up your gas tank. Your check engine light is on with error code 0440, which relates to this fuel system issue. The rusted components will need to be replaced to safely operate your vehicle.

Your check engine light came on due to a vacuum or pressure problem in the fuel system. Replacing the gas cap didn't fix it, and further inspection found that the gas filler pipe had rusted completely through, while the fuel lines developed severe corrosion that caused the rubber tubing to separate from the filler pipe. Sand and salt had accumulated under a plastic cover over the rusted area. The repair will likely require replacing the corroded gas filler pipe and fuel lines with new components.

Your car experienced unintended acceleration while backing out of a parking space in 2010, causing it to hit another vehicle and injure the other driver. A similar incident occurred in 2008 when the car suddenly accelerated while approaching a stop, requiring hard braking to regain control. Before the 2010 incident, your car would sometimes hesitate after stopping and then lurch forward unexpectedly. Both a regular mechanic and a Subaru dealer were unable to identify the cause despite inspection.

Your steering wheel has locked up twice while driving, both times shortly after making a sharp right turn out of your driveway. The first time, you couldn't turn the steering wheel at all until you wiggled it and it returned to normal. The second time, after straightening out and driving about 20 yards to an intersection at 10 mph, the steering wheel wouldn't turn for a right turn, then unlocked after several seconds. The issue may involve the steering column, intermediate shaft, or steering gearbox components that need inspection and repair.

While driving at highway speeds (55-65 mph), your engine began overheating. A mechanic found that the head gasket had cracked, which led to complete engine failure at 169,000 miles. After replacing the engine, the transmission also failed shortly after. Fixing this issue will require replacing the head gasket and potentially rebuilding or replacing the transmission.

Your engine's head gasket has failed three times. Subaru fixed it twice under recall, but the problem came back a third time. Subaru is now refusing to cover the full repair cost, saying the recall ended in 2008. The repair will likely involve replacing the head gasket and related engine sealing components to stop the leak and prevent further engine damage.

Your check engine light came on while driving at 35-40 mph. The dealer found a leak in the fuel filler pipe (the tube that connects your gas cap to the fuel tank) and replaced both the pipe and its valve to fix the problem. This type of leak can trigger emissions-related warning lights.