1998 Subaru Forester: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 1998 Subaru Forester
On the 1998 Subaru Forester, the failure owners report most often is other powertrain problem, with 18 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 100,000 miles. Overall it scores 63 out of 100, high risk for a 1998.
High risk for a 1998 — 179th riskiest of the 271 1998 vehicles we can rate. 138 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What owners report breaking
Owners have reported 38 named failure modes on the 1998 Subaru Forester, and the three most-reported carry 27% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other powertrain problem leads with 18 reports and about 0.3 per 1,000 vehicles.
Other speed control problem follows with 10 reports, median 95,000 miles.
Wheel bearing or hub failure follows with 9 reports, median 75,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into transmission (24), brakes (18) and engine (18).
The mileage the reports cluster at
23 of the reports on the 1998 Subaru Forester came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 100,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 9% by 50,000 miles and 57% by 100,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 100,000 and 110,000 miles, which alone holds 17% of the dated reports.
9% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, so this is mostly a story about older, higher-mileage cars.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 38. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 8 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 4 an injury and 1 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.83, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500, other speed control problem at $250–$2,000, wheel bearing or hub failure at $350–$1,200 and other visibility problem at $150–$1,400. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
41% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 18 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 10 | 2 | — | 95k | — | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Wheel bearing or hub failure | drivetrain | 9 | 2 | — | 73k | — | 0.2 | $350–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 5 | 1 | — | 133k | — | 0.1 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Head gasket failure | engine | 4 | 4 | — | 74k | — | 0.1 | $1,400–$4,000 | Critical |
| Oil leak | engine | 4 | 1 | — | 65k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Transmission will not engage a gear | transmission | 4 | 2 | — | 30k | — | 0.1 | $1,500–$6,000 | Critical |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Engine knock or bearing noise | engine | 3 | 2 | — | 103k | — | 0.1 | $2,500–$9,000 | High |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Thermostat failure | cooling | 2 | 2 | — | 105k | — | 0.0 | $250–$900 | Moderate |
| Manual clutch or hydraulics failure | transmission | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $900–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Differential or transfer case failure | drivetrain | 2 | 2 | — | 120k | — | 0.0 | $900–$4,200 | High |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 98k | — | 0.0 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$900 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 2 | 1 | — | 140k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| Other steering problem | steering | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Engine bay fire | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $4,000–$20,000 | Critical |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 50k | — | 0.0 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Overheating | cooling | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Engine sensor failure | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 120k | — | 0.0 | $180–$900 | Moderate |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 1998 Subaru Forester draws about 2.5 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 77th percentile of complaint rates among 1998 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 55,496 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 1998 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other speed control problem
The consumer placed his foot on the brake, started the vehicle and suddenly without warning the vehicle lunged into gear taking off some 40 feet, striking another vehicle damaging both vehicles. *jb
Wheel bearing or hub failure
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
Recalls on the 1998 model year
NHTSA has issued 1 recall campaign covering the 1998 Subaru Forester, affecting an estimated 55,496 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylin. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
221,987 vehicles 1999-03-03- 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 increased.
- Consequence
- This condition causes the vehicle stopping distance to be increased, possibly resulting in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 1998 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Where 1998 sits in the model line
High risk for a 1998 — 179th riskiest of the 271 1998 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 29 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2000 comes out best at 61 and 2024 worst at 83, with 1998 itself at 63.
No other year of this model scores meaningfully better than 1998, so if this generation is what you want, the year is not the lever.
Within the 1998–2004 generation specifically, 2000 is the strongest year at 61 and 2003 the weakest at 69.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 1998-2004 generation, 2000 Subaru Forester scores best at 61 and 2003 Subaru Forester worst at 69.
Where these figures stop being useful
138 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 138 reports, 23 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 17% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Subaru Forester?
The most-reported failures are other powertrain problem (18 reports), other speed control problem (10 reports, median 95,000 miles) and wheel bearing or hub failure (9 reports, median 75,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 1998 Subaru Forester reliable?
It scores 63 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 179th riskiest of the 271 1998 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 1998 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Subaru Forester is best?
Within the 1998–2004 generation, 2000 scores best at 61 out of 100 and 2003 worst at 69. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed