2015 Subaru Legacy Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Legacy years
- More complaints than other years 4th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 160 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Subaru Legacy. That ranks 4th out of 31 Legacy model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (37 complaints, 23%), typically at around 11,806 miles. Complaints mention 15 crashes, 3 fires, 10 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 160owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 15complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2015 Subaru Legacy problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 37 | 23% | 11,806 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 36 | 23% | 9,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 28 | 18% | 15,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 23 | 14% | 17,400 | — | — |
| Power Train | 15 | 9% | 90,101 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 14 | 9% | 12,700 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 9% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 12 | 8% | 34,070 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 10 | 6% | 55,315 | — | — |
| Structure | 10 | 6% | 13,100 | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 3% | 4,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 4 | 3% | 8,250 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 3% | 5,443 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 2% | 1,250 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 2% | 26,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 1% | 109,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 1% | 55,635 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1% | 26,433 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 1% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 600 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1% | 12,412 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | 500 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 1% | 26,433 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% | 175,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 55,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2015 Subaru Legacy recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electronic stability control (esc)
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured on July 20, 2015. The brake fluid used in these vehicles may contain excess moisture which may adversely affect the performance of the electronic stability control system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Risk: Poor performance of the electronic stability control system when it is activated may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will perform an ABS activation, then flush and replace the brake fluid, free of charge. The recall began on May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTC-64.
Power train:driveline:driveshaft; power train:automatic transmission
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 and 2016 model year Subaru Legacy 4-Door and Outback vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to July 27, 2015. Transmission oil may leak from a deformed seal cap on the propeller shaft yoke.
Risk: If the transmission oil leaks onto the exhaust pipe, there is a possible risk of fire.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the propeller shaft, free of charge. The recall began on August 28, 2015. Owners may contact 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQU-56.
Forward collision avoidance: crash imminent braking; exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function.
Risk: If the automatic pre-collision braking system does not function as intended, the vehicle will not react to an obstacle in its path, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the driver assist system, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQS-54.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My 201 5 Subaru Legacy has approximately 49.000 miles. It suffered a drivetrain failure and was towed to a Subaru dealership. The dealership found metal shavings chunks in the CVT/transmission fluid and diagnosed an internal CVT failure requiring replacement. The dealership also diagnosed a front…
2015 Subaru Legacy 2.5i, approximately 48,000 miles. CVT transmission failed suddenly with no prior warning signs. Vehicle was exclusively dealer-serviced for its entire life. While driving, the transmission began shuddering, slipping, and making metallic grinding noises. Vehicle could barely climb…
I am reporting a Sudden Unintended Deceleration event in my Subaru. The vehicle grinded to a halt without driver input. The car stopped in the left lane of a major highway. We put on our hazards and called the state police for help. They were unable to get to us in time. We were hit from the rear…
Incident ~ 5:40 pm, Geneva NY Weather ~ 10 F, not snowing. Background. On or shortly after being started, the vehicle had exhibited prior incidents of extremely rapid engine acceleration not initiated by the operator. Most recently the day before. The incident: I was in the process of very slowly…
The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated while reversing into the driveway, the driver's side air bag unintendedly deployed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The vehicle was scheduled to be towed to the local dealer. The…
Other Subaru Legacy years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Legacy | 6 | 0 |
| 2024 Legacy | 17 | 0 |
| 2023 Legacy | 10 | 2 |
| 2022 Legacy | 34 | 2 |
| 2021 Legacy | 31 | 3 |
| 2020 Legacy | 121 | 6 |
| 2019 Legacy | 123 | 3 |
| 2018 Legacy | 117 | 3 |
| 2017 Legacy | 119 | 2 |
| 2016 Legacy | 147 | 3 |
| 2015 | 160 | 3 |
| 2014 Legacy | 53 | 10 |
| 2013 Legacy | 66 | 12 |
| 2012 Legacy | 90 | 16 |
| 2011 Legacy | 167 | 16 |
| 2010 Legacy | 150 | 18 |
| 2009 Legacy | 65 | 13 |
| 2008 Legacy | 65 | 9 |
| 2007 Legacy | 33 | 9 |
| 2006 Legacy | 87 | 7 |
| 2005 Legacy | 184 | 9 |
| 2004 Legacy | 49 | 10 |
| 2003 Legacy | 60 | 14 |
| 2002 Legacy | 54 | 4 |
| 2001 Legacy | 77 | 7 |
| 2000 Legacy | 94 | 3 |
| 1999 Legacy | 94 | 3 |
| 1998 Legacy | 114 | 4 |
| 1997 Legacy | 139 | 5 |
| 1996 Legacy | 123 | 3 |
| 1995 Legacy | 182 | 2 |
See all Subaru Legacy problems by year, every Subaru model, or the Subaru VIN decoder.
Similar Subaru models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Subaru Legacy?
Owners most often report electrical system, visibility/wiper, unknown or other problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 37 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2015 Subaru Legacy?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2015 Subaru Legacy a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Legacy model years, the 2015 has more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.