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2008 Subaru LegacyProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 65 owner complaints about the 2008 Subaru Legacy, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 9 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-311 the manufacturer reports only 45% of affected cars repaired.

2008 Subaru Legacy
60
CarFlaw IndexSolid year33% below the Legacy median · #26 of 35 years by complaints
Safety recalls9Lowest repair rate 45%Owner complaints655 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage82kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 21, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 Subaru Legacy has problems

65 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
Air bags251
Service brakes110
Electrical system90
Power train61
Vehicle speed control52
Engine40
Visibility/wiper30
Wheels30
Exterior lighting30
10 other systems120

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

9 recalls

2008 Subaru Legacy recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

69%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 20V-003 · Jan 2, 2020 · 111,562 vehicles · 76,616 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

73%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 20V-002 · Jan 2, 2020 · 127,547 vehicles · 93,276 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

82%repaired · 2023 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 20V-001 · Jan 2, 2020 · 258,813 vehicles · 212,286 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 5 more recalls
61%repaired · 2018 Q1

Electrical system

Recall 16V-738 · Oct 13, 2016 · 100,127 vehicles · 60,981 repaired

Risk. If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

76%repaired · 2023 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 15V-323 · May 28, 2015 · 432,016 vehicles · 329,703 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

45%repaired · 2015 Q4

Foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 14V-311 · Jun 10, 2014 · 461,338 vehicles · 206,870 repaired

Risk. Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 13V-110 · Mar 27, 2013 · 274,402 vehicles

Risk. Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Recall 08V-460 · Sep 11, 2008 · 16,715 vehicles

Risk. VIBRATION WOULD OCCUR WHILE DRIVING AND, OVER TIME, COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN CRACKING THE PIPE WHICH WOULD ALLOW OIL TO LEAK.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Subaru.

Best & worst years

2008 vs. every other Legacy year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Legacy median. How we score

'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
NHTSA crash tests

2008 Subaru Legacy safety ratings

2008 Subaru Legacy 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2008 Subaru Legacy side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Rollover: 4 stars (10.7% risk)
  • Stability control: Optional
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Legacy owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

RED AIRBAG INDICATOR IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BEGUN COMING ON/OFF ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK THEN BECAME CONSTANT. OBSERVED PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATOR HAD NO LIGHTS ON(NO ILLUMINATION AT ALL) SEARCHED FORUMS AND FOUND MULTIPLE SIMILAR CASES WITH NO RESOLVE FROM THE DEALERSHIP. AS A MECHANIC MYSELF I BEGAN…
Complaint 11298303 · Jan 9, 2020 · 109,345 miles
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY, BUT NOW STAYS ON THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME. TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG RECALL AND THEY TOLD ME THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASH IS FAULT CODE 26. MANY OTHER SUBARU OWNERS REPORTING THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE, WHICH IS RELATED TO…
Complaint 11190972 · Mar 22, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. SUBURBAN SUBARU (14 HARTFORD TURNPIKE, VERNON, CT) DIAGNOSED THAT AN AIR BAG SENSOR WAS…
Complaint 11032890 · Oct 11, 2017 · 110,099 miles

Own a 2008 Legacy?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.