Worst years for a Subaru Legacy
Owners have filed 4,165 complaints about the Subaru Legacy with NHTSA across model years 1987 to 2025. More of them are about the engine & cooling than anything else.
Avoid
2015 Subaru Legacy232 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly windows, mirrors & wipers.
Every Subaru Legacy year, graded
The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.
| Year | Grade | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Median miles | Most reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | A | 10 | 0 | 0 | — | Engine & Cooling |
| 2024 | A | 29 | 0 | 1 | — | Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance |
| 2023 | B | 12 | 2 | 0 | — | Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance |
| 2022 | B | 42 | 4 | 1 | — | Windows, Mirrors & Wipers |
| 2021 | B | 43 | 0 | 0 | 5,300 | Other & Unspecified |
| 2020 | C | 143 | 1 | 2 | 6,089 | Windows, Mirrors & Wipers |
| 2019 | C | 143 | 6 | 1 | 5,200 | Windows, Mirrors & Wipers |
| 2018 | D | 162 | 14 | 3 | 20,450 | Electrical System |
| 2017 | D | 140 | 13 | 2 | 31,000 | Windows, Mirrors & Wipers |
| 2016 | D | 193 | 12 | 0 | 35,000 | Electrical System |
| 2015 | F | 232 | 32 | 5 | 16,070 | Windows, Mirrors & Wipers |
| 2014 | D | 73 | 8 | 4 | 30,000 | Airbags |
| 2013 | C | 84 | 8 | 0 | 30,000 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2012 | C | 119 | 9 | 0 | 93,000 | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 2011 | D | 236 | 11 | 4 | 70,000 | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 2010 | F | 218 | 18 | 3 | 71,000 | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 2009 | B | 75 | 4 | 1 | 75,497 | Airbags |
| 2008 | B | 83 | 3 | 1 | 78,255 | Airbags |
| 2007 | C | 45 | 1 | 8 | 70,000 | Airbags |
| 2006 | C | 135 | 11 | 1 | 92,500 | Acceleration & Cruise Control |
| 2005 | F | 250 | 22 | 7 | 76,000 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2004 | C | 55 | 5 | 0 | 100,000 | Airbags |
| 2003 | C | 69 | 5 | 0 | 88,000 | Airbags |
| 2002 | C | 71 | 5 | 1 | 68,000 | Fuel & Propulsion |
| 2001 | D | 90 | 12 | 2 | 54,000 | Fuel & Propulsion |
| 2000 | C | 119 | 10 | 4 | 101,500 | Engine & Cooling |
| 1999 | C | 119 | 28 | 1 | 101,000 | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 1998 | D | 155 | 22 | 2 | 106,500 | Engine & Cooling |
| 1997 | D | 179 | 22 | 2 | 92,706 | Engine & Cooling |
| 1996 | D | 161 | 32 | 4 | 79,000 | Airbags |
| 1995 | F | 230 | 39 | 7 | 164,135 | Airbags |
| 1994 | C | 67 | 7 | 5 | 142,000 | Seat Belts |
| 1993 | C | 90 | 9 | 1 | — | Engine & Cooling |
| 1992 | — | 66 | 8 | 0 | — | Seat Belts |
| 1991 | — | 121 | 6 | 0 | — | Seat Belts |
| 1990 | — | 103 | 4 | 2 | — | Body & Structure |
| 1989 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | Brakes |
| 1988 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | Electrical System |
| 1987 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | Engine & Cooling |
What breaks on a Subaru Legacy
Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.
Exactly what failed on a Subaru Legacy
The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.
Complaints filed over time
Every complaint about every Subaru Legacy, by the month it reached NHTSA.
Subaru Legacy problems by state
Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.
Compare the Subaru Legacy
Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.