Subaru Legacy problems by model year
Updated from NHTSA data · How we count
NHTSA has 850 owner complaints and 50 recalls on file for the Subaru Legacy (2005–2025). The 2017 Legacy has the most serious complaints, most often about visibility & wipers.
- Complaints
- 850
- Recalls
- 50
- Model years
- 21
- Worst year
- 2017
Complaints by model year
Newer model years have had less time on the road, so they naturally have fewer complaints. Compare a year against its neighbors rather than against brand-new models.
Worst Subaru Legacy years to buy
Ranked by our severity-weighted complaint score (crashes, fires and injuries count extra — how it works).
- 2017 Subaru Legacy — 97 complaints, 6 crashes, 1 fire; top problem: Visibility & Wipers
- 2020 Subaru Legacy — 121 complaints, 1 crash, 1 fire; top problem: Visibility & Wipers
- 2018 Subaru Legacy — 90 complaints, 6 crashes, 1 fire; top problem: Electrical System
- 2019 Subaru Legacy — 108 complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fire; top problem: Visibility & Wipers
- 2015 Subaru Legacy — 59 complaints, 5 crashes, 1 fire; top problem: Electrical System
Fewest serious complaints among years at least 3 years old: 2006 (5 complaints).
Every Subaru Legacy model year
| Year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Recalls | Top problem |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Legacy | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Engine |
| 2024 Legacy | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Driver Assistance & Safety Tech |
| 2023 Legacy | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Airbags |
| 2022 Legacy | 34 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Visibility & Wipers |
| 2021 Legacy | 31 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | Visibility & Wipers |
| 2020 Legacy | 121 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | Visibility & Wipers |
| 2019 Legacy | 108 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | Visibility & Wipers |
| 2018 Legacy | 90 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3 | Electrical System |
| 2017 Legacy | 97 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 2 | Visibility & Wipers |
| 2016 Legacy | 91 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | Electrical System |
| 2015 Legacy | 59 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | Electrical System |
| 2014 Legacy | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | Electrical System |
| 2013 Legacy | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 2012 Legacy | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 2011 Legacy | 37 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 16 | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 2010 Legacy | 29 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 18 | Engine |
| 2009 Legacy | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | Brakes |
| 2008 Legacy | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | Brakes |
| 2007 Legacy | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | Engine |
| 2006 Legacy | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | Wheels & Tires |
| 2005 Legacy | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Brakes |
Most common Subaru Legacy problem areas (all years)
- Visibility & Wipers217 complaints
- Electrical System206 complaints
- Engine81 complaints
- Transmission & Drivetrain77 complaints
- Brakes69 complaints
- Driver Assistance & Safety Tech50 complaints
- Airbags37 complaints
- Acceleration & Cruise Control28 complaints
- Body & Structure27 complaints
- Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion26 complaints
Complaint trend
Subaru Legacy recalls
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
Risk: Separation of the front end of the driveshaft increases the risk of a crash.
Risk: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Risk: An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Risk: The intermittent loss of the rearview image reduces the driver's visibility and increases the risk of crash.
Risk: If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Risk: A missing or loose bolt may cause the brake pedal mounting area to deform over time, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the reduced strength of the vehicle body may increase the risk of injury.
Risk: The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Risk: Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.
Risk: The inaccurate fuel display may cause a driver to unexpectedly run out of fuel and the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Risk: A vehicle rollaway can increase the risk of a crash.
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Other Subaru models
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. Methodology