Total Complaints
2 filings
SUBARU SUBARU · model year
1998 SUBARU SUBARU
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998SUBARUSUBARU carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1998 SUBARU is tires with 1 filings, followed by air bags:frontal:sensor/control module (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 9 investigation files overlapping the 1998 SUBARU. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| TIRES | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20051220AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
1998 SUBARU FORESTER (S) HAS AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON AND OFF. AIRBAGS HAVE NEVER BEEN DEPLOYED, AND THIS CREATES A SAFETY INTEGRITY ISSUE, SINCE ONE CANNOT TELL IF THE BAGS ARE GOOD OR NOT. MANUFACTURER MAY HAVE HINTED AT FREQUENT FAILURE OF THIS PART. *JB
Mileage: 89,989
20000824TIRES
WHEN I TRAVEL 65-70 MPH MY VEHICLE SHAKE AND VIBRATE REALLY BAD. I CAN HARDLY HOLD THE STERRING WHEEL. I CAN FEEL THE PULL COMING FROM MY TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: )
Compare 1998SUBARUSUBARU to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 SUBARU SUBARU have?▼
The 1998 SUBARU SUBARU has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 SUBARU SUBARU?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 SUBARU SUBARU is TIRES with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE.
Is the 1998 SUBARU SUBARU safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.