Subaru Legacy Fuel/propulsion System Problems
Owners have filed 102 complaints with NHTSA about fuel/propulsion system problems on the Subaru Legacy across 23 model years. The 2005 model year has the most (15). The words owners use most often: “throttle position” (10% of reports).
- 102fuel/propulsion system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 40%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Throttle position: mentioned in 10 of 102 complaints (10%)
- Cold weather: mentioned in 10 of 102 complaints (10%)
- Fuel smell: mentioned in 8 of 102 complaints (8%)
- Engine cruise: mentioned in 6 of 102 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do fuel/propulsion system problems happen?
Based on 75 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 102 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Subaru Legacy fuel/propulsion system complaints by model year
| Model year | Fuel/propulsion System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Legacy | 1 | 17% | — |
| 2020 Legacy | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2019 Legacy | 4 | 3% | — |
| 2018 Legacy | 8 | 7% | 10,000 |
| 2017 Legacy | 4 | 3% | 800 |
| 2016 Legacy | 3 | 2% | 65,000 |
| 2015 Legacy | 14 | 9% | 12,700 |
| 2014 Legacy | 1 | 2% | 2,500 |
| 2013 Legacy | 1 | 2% | 60,000 |
| 2012 Legacy | 1 | 1% | 100,000 |
| 2011 Legacy | 4 | 2% | 96,000 |
| 2010 Legacy | 4 | 3% | 99,500 |
| 2009 Legacy | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2008 Legacy | 2 | 3% | 75,000 |
| 2006 Legacy | 12 | 14% | 138,000 |
| 2005 Legacy | 15 | 8% | 82,500 |
| 2004 Legacy | 4 | 8% | 149,000 |
| 2003 Legacy | 7 | 12% | 137,500 |
| 2002 Legacy | 8 | 15% | 144,500 |
| 2001 Legacy | 2 | 3% | 116,500 |
| 2000 Legacy | 2 | 2% | 221,000 |
| 1999 Legacy | 1 | 1% | 101,000 |
| 1997 Legacy | 2 | 1% | 94,628 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists fuel/propulsion system for the Subaru Legacy. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
Major fuel leak within engine bay
At the end of a drive of 75 mi, 55-65 MPH on an 8 lane highway the engine stalled. Stopped in HOV lane. Restarting failed several attempts. Called police 911. Dusk, with light rain, slick highway. Poor visibility. Wife and I prayed a lot. Scarier than my year in Vietnam. Restarted after about 10…
I am reporting a safety issue with my 2019 Subaru Legacy that hesitates and nearly stalls when accelerating from a stop and is now undriveable due to stalling and shaking. I bought the car new from AutoNation Subaru Carlsbad in 2019. It has about 65,000 miles and I have driven it less than 2,000…
My wife experienced an unintended acceleration in her 2018 Subaru Legacy. My wife had begun to slowly back out of a parking space in a school parking lot when her 2018 Legacy went into an unintended rapid acceleration in reverse. The car took off in reverse and did not respond to her applying the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Subaru Legacys have fuel/propulsion system problems?
No. NHTSA has 102 owner complaints about fuel/propulsion system for the Subaru Legacy. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Subaru Legacy fuel/propulsion system?
No recall currently lists fuel/propulsion system for this vehicle.
What do owners say about fuel/propulsion system problems on the Subaru Legacy?
The most frequent phrase is “throttle position”, in 10 of 102 complaints, followed by “cold weather” (10).
Other Subaru Legacy problems
- Electrical System problems (415)
- Air Bags problems (380)
- Power Train problems (320)
- Visibility/wiper problems (274)
- Engine problems (219)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (210)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (188)
- Service Brakes problems (140)
See all Subaru Legacy problems.