Subaru Legacy
Owners filed 3,179 complaints across 36 model years of the Subaru Legacy. The 2005 drew the most (184); the 2025 the fewest (6).
Model years36
Complaints3,179
Recalls219
Fires49
Deaths4
Every Subaru Legacy model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 0 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2024 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2023 | 10 | 2 | — | 2 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2022 | 32 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Visibility/Wiper | Routine | |
| 2021 | 31 | 3 | — | — | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2020 | 121 | 6 | 1 | 1 | Visibility/Wiper | Routine | |
| 2019 | 123 | 3 | 1 | 2 | Visibility/Wiper | Routine | |
| 2018 | 117 | 3 | 1 | 7 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2017 | 119 | 2 | 1 | 10 | Visibility/Wiper | Do not drive | |
| 2016 | 147 | 3 | — | 9 | Electrical System | Do not drive | |
| 2015 | 159 | 3 | 3 | 15 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2014 | 53 | 10 | 2 | 4 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2013 | 66 | 12 | — | 6 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2012 | 90 | 16 | — | 7 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2011 | 167 | 16 | 2 | 7 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2010 | 150 | 18 | 1 | 10 | Power Train | Fatalities reported | |
| 2009 | 65 | 13 | 1 | 3 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2008 | 65 | 9 | 1 | 3 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2007 | 33 | 9 | 4 | 1 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2006 | 87 | 7 | 1 | 6 | Vehicle Speed Control | Fatalities reported | |
| 2005 | 184 | 9 | 4 | 11 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2004 | 49 | 11 | — | 5 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2003 | 60 | 15 | — | 4 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2002 | 54 | 5 | 1 | 5 | Fuel/Propulsion System | Fatalities reported | |
| 2001 | 77 | 8 | 2 | 11 | Vehicle Speed Control | Routine | |
| 2000 | 94 | 4 | 2 | 8 | Tires | Routine | |
| 1999 | 94 | 3 | 1 | 18 | Vehicle Speed Control | Routine | |
| 1998 | 114 | 5 | 2 | 17 | Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine | Routine | |
| 1997 | 139 | 6 | 2 | 18 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1996 | 123 | 4 | 4 | 26 | Air Bags › Frontal | Routine | |
| 1995 | 182 | 2 | 3 | 33 | Air Bags › Frontal | Routine | |
| 1994 | 60 | 0 | 4 | 5 | Seat Belts | Fatalities reported | |
| 1993 | 77 | 1 | 1 | 9 | Air Bags › Frontal | Routine | |
| 1992 | 55 | 2 | — | 6 | Seat Belts | Routine | |
| 1991 | 78 | 3 | — | 3 | Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch | Routine | |
| 1990 | 81 | 4 | 2 | 4 | Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch | Routine |
Which Subaru Legacy years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2005 is the weakest year on record, with 184 complaints concentrated in the electrical system. It carries 9 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.