1998 Subaru Forester Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Forester years
- Fewer complaints than other years 17th of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 101 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Subaru Forester. That ranks 17th out of 29 Forester model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (23 complaints, 23%), typically at around 75,000 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 5 fires, 5 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 101owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Subaru Forester problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 23 | 23% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 17 | 17% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 15 | 15% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 14 | 14% | 73,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 14% | 102,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 8 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 6 | 6% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Subaru Forester recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Problem: 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.
Risk: This condition causes the vehicle stopping distance to be increased, possibly resulting in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
1. Wheel bearings have consistently needed replacement starting 4 years after car purchased new. At 450.00 to 500.00 each time. This is a design issues and subaru needs to pay of each replacement. 2. Fuel line leak. This is very dangerous and again listed many many time on all subaru fix web sites…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND DOWN. THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO ACCELERATE IN ORDER TO REV DOWN. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE DUE TO THE OXYGEN SENSOR OR THE…
When at the gas stations i try to put gas into my car, it is not going into the tank properly, it keeps shutting the gas nozzle off within seconds. Very hard to put gas into my car.
Increasing grinding noise from rear of car; dealer inspected and found failing right real wheel bearing; repair found failed seal on axle; one control arm replaced along with axle and bearing. *tr
My '98 subaru forester is experiencing rear wheel bearing failure again. These bearings are defective and fail often, from what i've read on the web. *tr
Other Subaru Forester years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Forester | 28 | 3 |
| 2025 Forester | 97 | 3 |
| 2024 Forester | 30 | 2 |
| 2023 Forester | 74 | 1 |
| 2022 Forester | 98 | 1 |
| 2021 Forester | 210 | 0 |
| 2020 Forester | 603 | 0 |
| 2019 Forester | 834 | 3 |
| 2018 Forester | 498 | 3 |
| 2017 Forester | 590 | 1 |
| 2016 Forester | 415 | 3 |
| 2015 Forester | 615 | 3 |
| 2014 Forester | 403 | 2 |
| 2013 Forester | 78 | 12 |
| 2012 Forester | 105 | 15 |
| 2011 Forester | 147 | 16 |
| 2010 Forester | 262 | 17 |
| 2009 Forester | 178 | 17 |
| 2008 Forester | 50 | 1 |
| 2007 Forester | 74 | 1 |
| 2006 Forester | 88 | 2 |
| 2005 Forester | 93 | 1 |
| 2004 Forester | 219 | 2 |
| 2003 Forester | 189 | 3 |
| 2002 Forester | 88 | 1 |
| 2001 Forester | 139 | 0 |
| 2000 Forester | 75 | 0 |
| 1999 Forester | 131 | 1 |
| 1998 | 101 | 1 |
See all Subaru Forester problems by year, every Subaru model, or the Subaru VIN decoder.
Similar Subaru models
Embed this 1998 Subaru Forester badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Subaru Forester?
Owners most often report power train, suspension, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 23 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Subaru Forester?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Subaru Forester a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Forester model years, the 1998 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.