Subaru Legacy Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability
Year-by-year breakdown of safety recalls, NHTSA owner complaints, reported deaths, injuries, crashes, and worst problem areas. Updated daily from federal databases.
Recent Safety Incidents — Last 5 Model Years
Own a Subaru Legacy? Check your specific VIN for a full history report.
Subaru Legacy — Year-by-Year Problem Comparison
| Year | Verdict | Recalls | Complaints | Crashes | Injuries | Deaths | Top Issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Excellent | — | 7 | — | — | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2023Best | Excellent | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | Unknown Or Other | Full report → |
| 2022 | Good | 2 | 19 | 2 | — | — | Visibility/Wiper | Full report → |
| 2021 | Good | 3 | 22 | — | — | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2020 | Caution | 5 | 65 | — | — | — | Visibility/Wiper | Full report → |
| 2019 | Caution | 3 | 66 | 3 | — | — | Visibility/Wiper | Full report → |
| 2018 | Caution | 2 | 62 | 9 | — | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2017 | Caution | 2 | 63 | 5 | 5 | — | Visibility/Wiper | Full report → |
| 2016 | Caution | 3 | 97 | 5 | 3 | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2015 | Avoid | 2 | 114 | 17 | 20 | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2014 | Caution | 8 | 40 | 8 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2013 | Caution | 9 | 45 | 2 | 2 | — | Engine | Full report → |
| 2012 | Caution | 12 | 49 | 4 | 5 | — | Engine | Full report → |
| 2011 | Avoid | 12 | 107 | 6 | 1 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2010 | Avoid | 13 | 104 | 10 | 7 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2009 | Caution | 9 | 37 | 3 | 6 | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2008 | Caution | 6 | 48 | 2 | 1 | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2007 | Good | 6 | 29 | — | — | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2006 | Caution | 6 | 65 | 5 | 3 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Full report → |
| 2005Worst | Avoid | 8 | 129 | 12 | 11 | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2004 | Good | 10 | 28 | 2 | 1 | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2003 | Good | 11 | 28 | 1 | — | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2002 | Good | 2 | 24 | 1 | — | — | Suspension | Full report → |
| 2001 | Caution | 6 | 46 | 7 | 3 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Full report → |
| 2000 | Good | 2 | 51 | 5 | 1 | — | Tires | Full report → |
25 model years shown. Crashes, injuries, and deaths from NHTSA complaint filings. Click any year for full details.
Most Common Subaru Legacy Problems
Based on 1,347 owner complaints filed with NHTSA across all model years.
Recent Safety Recalls — Subaru Legacy (2022–2024)
Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-24.
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.
Remedy: Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRN-23.
Showing 3 recalls from 2022–2024 model years. See the full year-specific pages for older recalls.
Recent Owner Complaints
Direct reports filed with NHTSA by Subaru Legacy owners — 2022–2024 model years.
All electronic instrument panels failed to power on upon ignition. Vehicle was drive-able, but all key information provided by instrument panel was not available: such as actual speed, gear selection, engine RPMs, backup cameras. Additionally, infotainment system was not available either, so none of vehicle controls that reside on the displays were available. This condition persisted thru the length of drive.
All Safety features stopped working while driving multiple times and loading feature pops up on the display screen. Speakers will go mute randomly, no sound will emit including phone calls. Automatic stop feature has engaged on the interstate multiple times, locking breaks (This is extremely dangerous) and lane assist does not recognize the difference between a lane or tar strips road patches. Will Automatically move the car into the next lane, even when a vehicle is in the lane. I have reported the issues to the dealership I bought my vehicle from. Also have cam footage of electrical issues.
I experienced unintended acceleration while operating my vehicle. I was slowly pulling into a parking space at a gym when, without warning, the vehicle suddenly accelerated rapidly forward. I did not intentionally press the accelerator at that time. The unexpected acceleration caused the vehicle to surge ahead and collide with a light post, resulting in significant damage to the front bumper. Fortunately, there were no pedestrians or other vehicles in front of me, so no injuries occurred. This incident created a serious safety risk, as the sudden and uncontrolled acceleration could have resulted in harm to myself or others if anyone had been in the vehicle’s path. At this time, it is UNKNOWN whether the issue has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center. It is also UNKNOWN if any warning lights, messages, or prior symptoms were present before the incident. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
When the vehicle is off the windows will come down on their own! This has occurred on 4 difference instances. One dealership indicated the "fix" the situation; however, they never replaced the parts which were required for the fix. A second dealership would not perform a diagnostic. A third dealership indicated that that cleaned and lubricated the necessary parts. Less than a week after leaving the dealership it occurred again. This is an extreme safety risk as the vehicle becomes easily accessible to others and it also allows easy access to the Homelink garage door system. This also causes extreme damage because during one of these window occasions it was also raining outside. Date provided is the 1st occurrence continuing to occur through 2/8/2026. I can provide documentation if further needed - manufacture is aware of occurrences
Safety Hazard: Subaru Sun Visor I own a 2022 Subaru Legacy, the first new car I've ever owned. The visor (to protect eyes from the sun) is too short and not wide enough. The seat is raised as high as it will go. I CAN'T position myself to protect my eyes from the Sun. On 1/8/26, I left my home at 7:45 a.m. Around the corner from my home, local road, I approached an intersection with a Traffic Light. As I approached the intersection to turn left, the Sun (dead ahead) totally blinded me. It was a complete WHITE OUT. The Visor did NOTHING to protect my eyes from the sun. IT'S TOO SMALL and useless. I used one hand to shield my eyes from the Sun. It didn't help. I was helpless. I stopped my car, prayed I wouldn't get hit When my vision returned, I maneuvered my way into my left hand turn It was the scariest thing I've ever experienced. I was BLINDED and HELPLESS. There needs to be a RECALL on Subaru visors. I could have been killed. PLEASE do a thorough and complete Subaru investigation. This issue is all over the internet and not just with Subaru car owners. Friends who own a Subaru complain about this dangerous visor. RECALL the VISORS. Thank you. P.S. I called the dealership on 1/9/26. They have no remedy. I will drive over there and ask the manager to DO SOMETHING to fix the problem
While driving home after work on the interstate, I was quite startled to see a large popup on the vehicle's main screen; initially I thought it might be some sort of vehicle-problem, but it was a large advertisement for free access to SiriusXM for a limited time. The ad covered the screen and was quite jarring while driving in traffic. In order to close it, I pressed a red X in the upper corner. Such in-vehicle advertisements should NOT be presented while driving (actually, at any time).
Voice command in my 2023 legacy is not working. I can not speak into system to say call a person already entered without taking hands off steering wheel. Already reported to dealer & to corporate Subaru & it is a known issue. Reference # with corporate is 250620-1900992. This was reported to dealer in June 2025 when in for service & no fix has been noted other than Subaru is working on it? Feature built into car at purchase is thus useless & seems like a safety issue if I can’t use hands free when driving.
Multiple instances of the vehicle emergency collision avoidance system responding to a parked car or a car stopped in a left turn lane (i.e. waiting at a light). 5X+ The car audio alarm goes off, and the vehicle abruptly brakes while moving in traffic. Essentially the avoidance collision system detects parked vehicles (always in other lanes) as troublesome instances. this has occurred on winding residential streets, and slightly curved highway intersection 1X.
Passenger Airbag does not turn on when someone who weighs 100 pounds or less occupies the front passenger seat. This issue also occurs on my 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Vin # [XXX] . IT also occurred on the loaner car the dealer gave me which was a 2025 Subaru Crosstrek. I asked two Subaru dealers, Pinebelt in Lakewood, NJ and Lester Glenn in Toms River, NJ to fix the problem; but they stated that they could not adjust the passenger airbag sensor. I told Subaru of America about the problem and they have not responded or tried to address the issue. This is a serious issue that should be addressed by the NHTSA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
This issue started on the trip back from Nashville. Upon cold start in the morning the center console display won't start. This affected infotainment, climate, eyesight, cruise etc. The system didn't work during the entire trip of 3 5 hours and inability to operate climate control caused the car to build up fog on all windows reducing visibility significantly at times. Turning ignition off, lock-unlock sequences didn't help the issue. The system booted normally after it sat locked for few hours upon arrival. A visit to dealer didn't find any issues. The usual comment the car needed software update, which I couldn't verify.
See attached document for complaint.
i was traveling into work in Boston and a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup hit me broadside (drivers side wheel, rear door). My air bags (driver front or side) did not deploy and my car was determined to be a total wreck by my insurance company. I was bruised and out of work for a couple of days but was a fortunate to walk away from this accident.
55 total complaints retrieved from NHTSA for 2022–2024. For older model years, see individual year pages.
Legacy Years to Avoid
Best Legacy Years to Buy
Subaru Legacy Problems by Year
Frequently Asked Questions — Subaru Legacy Reliability
What year Legacy has the most problems?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2005 Subaru Legacy had the highest combined complaint and recall count — 129 complaints and 8 safety recalls. See the full 2005 report for specific defects.
Is the Subaru Legacy reliable?
The Subaru Legacy has accumulated 1,347 owner-filed complaints and 143 safety recalls across all model years in NHTSA's database. The 2023 model year shows the fewest reported issues. Always run a VIN check before purchasing any used Legacy.
What are the most common Legacy problems?
The most frequently cited problem areas are: Electrical System (168 reports), Air Bags (145 reports), Visibility/Wiper (126 reports), Power Train (114 reports). Based on NHTSA complaints across all model years.
How do I check if my Legacy has an open recall?
Use the vehicle's 17-character VIN at VinCheckEngine.com. Our free VIN report pulls the latest NHTSA recall data along with auction history, odometer records, and 30+ intelligence signals.
Check a Specific Subaru Legacy VIN
Model-level data shows what can go wrong. A VIN-specific report shows what has gone wrong with a particular vehicle — including auction history, odometer discrepancies, open recalls, accident records, and 30+ intelligence signals.
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