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Subaru LegacyYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 3,184 NHTSA owner complaints across 36 model years, the Subaru Legacy years to avoid are 1995, and the strongest years are 2004, 2007, 2014 and 2021. The Legacy has 81 safety recalls on record.

Subaru Legacy
Years to avoid'95Use caution: 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020Best years'04 '07 '14 '21Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints3,184Top: Electrical systemSafety recalls811990–2025 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Bull-Doser, Public domain.

Best & worst years

Subaru Legacy years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Legacy median. Tap a year for its full report.

'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2025Too new–/1006 complaints · 0 recalls2024Not rated–/10017 complaints · 0 recalls2023Not rated–/10010 complaints · 2 recalls2022Solid55/10034 complaints · 2 recalls2021Solid65/10032 complaints · 3 recalls2020Caution38/100121 complaints · 6 recalls2019Caution41/100123 complaints · 3 recalls2018Solid43/100118 complaints · 3 recalls2017Solid42/100119 complaints · 2 recalls2016Caution40/100147 complaints · 3 recalls2015Caution35/100160 complaints · 3 recalls2014Solid63/10053 complaints · 10 recalls2013Solid57/10066 complaints · 12 recalls2012Solid50/10090 complaints · 16 recalls2011Caution37/100167 complaints · 16 recalls2010Caution37/100151 complaints · 18 recalls2009Solid59/10065 complaints · 13 recalls2008Solid60/10065 complaints · 9 recalls2007Best71/10033 complaints · 9 recalls2006Solid51/10087 complaints · 7 recalls2005Caution33/100184 complaints · 9 recalls2004Solid63/10049 complaints · 10 recalls2003Solid60/10060 complaints · 14 recalls2002Solid62/10054 complaints · 4 recalls2001Solid50/10077 complaints · 7 recalls2000Solid48/10094 complaints · 3 recalls1999Solid42/10094 complaints · 3 recalls1998Caution39/100114 complaints · 4 recalls1997Caution36/100139 complaints · 5 recalls1996Caution35/100123 complaints · 3 recalls1995Avoid27/100181 complaints · 2 recalls1994Solid56/10060 complaints · 0 recalls1993Solid51/10077 complaints · 1 recall1992Solid61/10055 complaints · 2 recalls1991Solid55/10078 complaints · 3 recalls1990Solid53/10081 complaints · 4 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Subaru Legacy problems

All model years combined: 3,184 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system42728
Air bags398144
Power train36920
Visibility/wiper2741
Engine and engine cooling24415
Engine21917
Vehicle speed control20656
Service brakes, hydraulic15631
Structure14921
26 other systems1322122
81 recalls

Subaru Legacy recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

71%Occupant classification: front passenger24V-227 · 2020–2022 · Mar 22, 2024 · 118,723 vehicles90%Automatic transmission: park/neutral start interlock switch23V-755 · 2021–2023 · Nov 9, 2023 · 95,830 vehicles90%Driveline: driveshaft23V-647 · 2023 · Sep 21, 2023 · 4,311 vehicles78%Automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)22V-485 · 2020–2021 · Jul 8, 2022 · 182 vehicles95%Automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)21V-955 · 2020 · Dec 9, 2021 · 198,255 vehicles91%Delivery: fuel pump21V-587 · 2018–2020 · Jul 29, 2021 · 175,968 vehicles98%Back over prevention: display function20V-766 · 2020 · Dec 10, 2020 · 7,741 vehicles95%Delivery: fuel pump20V-218 · 2019 · Apr 16, 2020 · 188,207 vehicles82%Passenger side: inflator module20V-001 · 2003–2014 · Jan 2, 2020 · 258,813 vehicles69%Passenger side: inflator module20V-003 · 2003–2014 · Jan 2, 2020 · 111,562 vehicles73%Passenger side: inflator module20V-002 · 2003–2014 · Jan 2, 2020 · 127,547 vehicles100%Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages19V-664 · 2020 · Sep 18, 2019 · 3,467 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 81 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

9 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Legacy

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · 2015–2017 · still open
    Open
  2. Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA15001 · 2003–2005 · still open
    Led to recall 14V-668
  3. Air Bag Inflator RupturePE14016 · 2003–2005 · closed Mar 2, 2015
    Led to recall 13V-172
  4. Autoliv Air Bag Propellant MixtureEQ12002 · 2012 · closed May 8, 2012
    No recall
  5. ELECTRICAL SYSTEMPE99067 · 1995–1997 · closed May 31, 2000
    Led to recall 00I002000
  6. OVERSENSITIVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTEA97010 · 1995–1996 · closed Dec 23, 1998
    Led to recall 98V-315
  7. OVERSENSITIVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTPE96075 · 1995–1996 · closed Apr 30, 1997
    No recall
  8. HOOD LATCH FAILUREPE94051 · 1987–1991 · closed Oct 31, 1994
    No recall
  9. REVERSE DELAYED ENGAGEMENTPE91039 · 1990 · closed May 30, 1991
    Led to recall 91V-082