Subaru Legacy Visibility/wiper Problems
Owners have filed 274 complaints with NHTSA about visibility/wiper problems on the Subaru Legacy across 20 model years. The 2020 model year has the most (57). The words owners use most often: “windshield cracked” (24% of reports).
- 274visibility/wiper complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 59%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.
- Windshield cracked: mentioned in 66 of 274 complaints (24%)
- Crack started: mentioned in 15 of 274 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical visibility/wiper repair on the Subaru Legacy at $1,000, and half of them between $700 and $1,100.
Based on 12 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2015–2024), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do visibility/wiper problems happen?
Based on 169 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 274 complaints, 1 a fire.
Subaru Legacy visibility/wiper complaints by model year
| Model year | Visibility/wiper complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Legacy | 4 | 24% | — |
| 2023 Legacy | 1 | 10% | — |
| 2022 Legacy | 16 | 47% | — |
| 2021 Legacy | 5 | 16% | — |
| 2020 Legacy | 57 | 47% | 4,918 |
| 2019 Legacy | 49 | 40% | 6,616 |
| 2018 Legacy | 25 | 21% | 23,500 |
| 2017 Legacy | 33 | 28% | 35,100 |
| 2016 Legacy | 17 | 12% | 36,600 |
| 2015 Legacy | 36 | 23% | 9,500 |
| 2014 Legacy | 1 | 2% | 25,000 |
| 2013 Legacy | 1 | 2% | 52,000 |
| 2012 Legacy | 3 | 3% | 46,038 |
| 2011 Legacy | 2 | 1% | 118,289 |
| 2010 Legacy | 4 | 3% | 68,379 |
| 2009 Legacy | 3 | 5% | 148,012 |
| 2008 Legacy | 3 | 5% | 70,000 |
| 2007 Legacy | 2 | 6% | 70,000 |
| 2005 Legacy | 11 | 6% | 103,000 |
| 2002 Legacy | 1 | 2% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Visibility/wiper
Model years: 2012
Problem: Subaru is recalling certain model year 2012 Outback and Legacy vehicles manufactured from April 6, 2011, through May 12, 2011. Components inside the wiper motor bottom cover may overheat.
Risk: If the components overheat, the wiper motor bottom cover may melt and potentially catch fire.
Fix: Subaru has notified all affected owners, and dealers will replace the front wiper motor bottom cover assembly free of charge. The safety recall began February 22, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Following an engine-out service at an authorized dealer (Bill Kolb Jr. Subaru), a primary powertrain mounting bolt was left unthreaded by approximately 1 inch, creating an undetected 8,000-mile safety hazard that resulted in extensive drivetrain and suspension component failures. Subsequently…
When the vehicle is off the windows will come down on their own! This has occurred on 4 difference instances. One dealership indicated the "fix" the situation; however, they never replaced the parts which were required for the fix. A second dealership would not perform a diagnostic. A third…
Safety Hazard: Subaru Sun Visor I own a 2022 Subaru Legacy, the first new car I've ever owned. The visor  (to protect eyes from the sun) is too short and not wide enough. The seat is raised as high as it will go. I CAN'T position myself to protect my eyes from the Sun. On 1/8/26, I left my home at…
My 2017 Legacy is on it's 3rd windshield this year. I had impact damage on July 17th, had it replaced the first week of August, and it cracked without impact damage in October. Subaru refused to replace it under warranty and it was replaced through insurance in December. The genuine Subaru…
I have been going back and forth with Subaru of America's Advocacy department for about two weeks now, I purchased my 2018 Subaru legacy back in August of 2023. My head unit in my vehicle has now completely stopped working, I have explained that now my back up camera is now freezing and going black…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Subaru Legacys have visibility/wiper problems?
No. NHTSA has 274 owner complaints about visibility/wiper 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 visibility/wiper?
Yes: 1 safety recall list visibility/wiper. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix visibility/wiper problems on the Subaru Legacy?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,000 (half paid between $700 and $1,100), from 12 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about visibility/wiper problems on the Subaru Legacy?
The most frequent phrase is “windshield cracked”, in 66 of 274 complaints, followed by “crack started” (15).
Other Subaru Legacy problems
See all Subaru Legacy problems.