Subaru Legacy Problems by Year
NHTSA has 2,831 owner complaints and 76 safety recalls on file for the Subaru Legacy, across 31 model years (1995–2025). The 2005 model year has the most complaints (184). The most reported problem area overall is electrical system.
Subaru Legacy years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Legacy year: 1995, 2005. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2005 Legacy: 184 complaints, 9 recalls
- 1995 Legacy: 182 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2011 Legacy: 167 complaints, 16 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2025 Legacy: 6 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2023 Legacy: 10 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2024 Legacy: 17 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Subaru Legacy problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 415 | 30 | 8 |
| Air Bags problems | 380 | 30 | 125 |
| Power Train problems | 320 | 28 | 10 |
| Visibility/wiper problems | 274 | 20 | 0 |
| Engine problems | 219 | 27 | 10 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 210 | 21 | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 188 | 27 | 52 |
| Service Brakes problems | 140 | 26 | 16 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 131 | 16 | 28 |
| Suspension problems | 131 | 23 | 11 |
| Steering problems | 114 | 25 | 13 |
| Structure problems | 105 | 26 | 13 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 102 | 23 | 6 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 86 | 17 | 0 |
| Tires | 80 | 23 | 6 |
| Exterior Lighting | 79 | 22 | 1 |
| Visibility | 78 | 26 | 0 |
| Wheels | 43 | 20 | 3 |
| Seat Belts | 42 | 19 | 6 |
| Seats | 41 | 18 | 8 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 36 | 13 | 7 |
| Equipment | 28 | 14 | 2 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 21 | 6 | 3 |
| Fuel System, Other | 17 | 6 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 16 | 10 | 4 |
| Back Over Prevention | 13 | 7 | 1 |
| Lane Departure | 12 | 7 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| Child Seat | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Interior Lighting | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Subaru Legacy problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2020: visibility/wiper (57)
- 2016: electrical system (51)
- 2010: power train (50)
All Subaru Legacy model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Legacy | 6 | 0 | 5★ | Engine | |
| 2024 Legacy | 17 | 0 | 5★ | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2023 Legacy | 10 | 2 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2022 Legacy | 34 | 2 | 5★ | Visibility/wiper | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2021 Legacy | 31 | 3 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 Legacy | 121 | 6 | 5★ | Visibility/wiper | More complaints than other years |
| 2019 Legacy | 123 | 3 | 5★ | Visibility/wiper | More complaints than other years |
| 2018 Legacy | 117 | 3 | 5★ | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2017 Legacy | 119 | 2 | 5★ | Visibility/wiper | More complaints than other years |
| 2016 Legacy | 147 | 3 | 5★ | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2015 Legacy | 160 | 3 | 5★ | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2014 Legacy | 53 | 10 | 5★ | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2013 Legacy | 66 | 12 | 5★ | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2012 Legacy | 90 | 16 | — | Power Train | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2011 Legacy | 167 | 16 | 4★ | Power Train | More complaints than other years |
| 2010 Legacy | 150 | 18 | — | Power Train | More complaints than other years |
| 2009 Legacy | 65 | 13 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 Legacy | 65 | 9 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2007 Legacy | 33 | 9 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2006 Legacy | 87 | 7 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2005 Legacy | 184 | 9 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2004 Legacy | 49 | 10 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2003 Legacy | 60 | 14 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2002 Legacy | 54 | 4 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2001 Legacy | 77 | 7 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2000 Legacy | 94 | 3 | — | Tires | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1999 Legacy | 94 | 3 | — | Power Train | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1998 Legacy | 114 | 4 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
| 1997 Legacy | 139 | 5 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
| 1996 Legacy | 123 | 3 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 1995 Legacy | 182 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
More from Subaru: all Subaru models · Subaru VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru Legacy years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1995 (182), 2005 (184) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Legacy year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Subaru Legacy?
Electrical System, with 415 complaints across 30 model years.
How many recalls does the Subaru Legacy have?
76 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.