Owners have filed 143 complaints
about the 2019 Subaru Legacy with NHTSA between 2018 and 2026.
The largest single group is the windows, mirrors & wipers.
Across this model's run it ranks 14 of 33 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 61
Against the median year of the Subaru Legacy. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 25
4.9% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 100
94% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
1021.3%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
2042.6%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
919.1%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
510.6%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
24.3%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
12.1%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Nov 2018peak 6Jul 2026
Recalls on the 2019 Subaru Legacy
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
United States — NHTSA
21V587000
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
20V218000
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.
Risk: If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
19V493000
STRUCTURE
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Legacy and Outback vehicles. Spot welds located on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, impacting the vehicle's body strength.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the reduced strength of the vehicle body may increase the risk of injury.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 202146613,717 units in Canada
Fuel System
Issue: On certain vehicles, the low-pressure fuel pump could fail. If this happens, then engine may run rough or may not start and the check engine light may turn on. This could also result in a sudden loss of engine power while driving. Safety Risk: A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Subaru will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to replace the fuel pump.
Recall 202016213,744 units in Canada
Fuel System
Issue: On certain vehicles, the low-pressure fuel pump could fail. If this happens, then engine may run rough or may not start and the check engine light may turn on. This could also result in a sudden loss of engine power while driving. Safety Risk: A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Subaru will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to replace the fuel pump.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Plymouth, MICrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Vehicle is equipped with Subaru EyeSight Driver Assist which includes reverse automatic braking. Vehicle was reversing towards a parked vehicle on the street and the RAB feature failed to apply the brakes and the vehicle collided with the parked vehicle. I am extremely disappointed that the safety system in this car failed to work as advertised/expected resulting in damages to both cars.
NHTSA complaint #11585165 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Plymouth, MICrash
SERVICE BRAKES
Vehicle is equipped with Subaru EyeSight Driver Assist which includes reverse automatic braking. Vehicle was reversing towards a parked vehicle on the street and the RAB feature failed to apply the brakes and the vehicle collided with the parked vehicle. I am extremely disappointed that the safety system in this car failed to work as advertised/expected resulting in damages to both cars.
NHTSA complaint #11585165 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle is equipped with Subaru EyeSight Driver Assist which includes reverse automatic braking. Vehicle was reversing towards a parked vehicle on the street and the RAB feature failed to apply the brakes and the vehicle collided with the parked vehicle. I am extremely disappointed that the safety system in this car failed to work as advertised/expected resulting in damages to both cars.
NHTSA complaint #11585165 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Nanuet, NYCrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Vehicle was using the self driving feature of the Subaru Eyesight system. With the system engaged, the vehicle is supposed to accelerate and apply brakes accordingly as to keep a distance from the vehicle in front. Today, that system failed. The vehicle, with the Eyesight system engaged, accelerated right into the vehicle in front. There was no warning. The vehicle will be go for repair on 12/5/23. I have used the Eyesight system since purchasing the vehicle in 2019 with no issues, except for today. Luckily, I was driving at a very low speed but this safety concern can cause catastrophic injuries if it is not fixed.
NHTSA complaint #11557493 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Nanuet, NYCrash
SERVICE BRAKES
Vehicle was using the self driving feature of the Subaru Eyesight system. With the system engaged, the vehicle is supposed to accelerate and apply brakes accordingly as to keep a distance from the vehicle in front. Today, that system failed. The vehicle, with the Eyesight system engaged, accelerated right into the vehicle in front. There was no warning. The vehicle will be go for repair on 12/5/23. I have used the Eyesight system since purchasing the vehicle in 2019 with no issues, except for today. Luckily, I was driving at a very low speed but this safety concern can cause catastrophic injuries if it is not fixed.
NHTSA complaint #11557493 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle was using the self driving feature of the Subaru Eyesight system. With the system engaged, the vehicle is supposed to accelerate and apply brakes accordingly as to keep a distance from the vehicle in front. Today, that system failed. The vehicle, with the Eyesight system engaged, accelerated right into the vehicle in front. There was no warning. The vehicle will be go for repair on 12/5/23. I have used the Eyesight system since purchasing the vehicle in 2019 with no issues, except for today. Luckily, I was driving at a very low speed but this safety concern can cause catastrophic injuries if it is not fixed.
NHTSA complaint #11557493 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 15,000 milesEdgewood, MD
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment, and the vehicle intermittently stalled. The contact stated that seconds later, the vehicle returned to normal operation. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure reoccurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched and became aware of an unknown NHTSA Campaign Number; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.
NHTSA complaint #11751089 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brighton, CO
ENGINE
The Cam Carrier has a leak due to Subaru using a cheap sealant. My car only has 80,000 miles and it is leaking. The subaru is know for this leak after researching it online. They say it is a safety issue cause the oil can fall on the exhaust making in a fire issue.
NHTSA complaint #11737655 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
san Ramon, CA
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
driver side mirror can not be adjusted to effectively see visually car in blind spot; fortunately car saw me changing lane when it was just off rear driverside fender; did not seen in mirror or in window; 70 years used visual; blind spot light inconsistent; visual is
NHTSA complaint #11736451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Caledonia, NY
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Multimedia component is not working correctly and it could cause an accident due to trying to change/control the component over and over again. It has a mind of its own. I turn it off and it turns on by itself. It switches radio stations by itself. The screen changes apps all by itself. I can't correctly use any of it anymore. I try using my phone and even though I don't want it sent to audio on the car it switches to it and then the conversation cuts in and out. I've tried resetting it a million times but it's useless anymore to even do that. I haven't brought it to a dealer as of yet. I looked it up and seen there are other complaints with this same issue. I received a letter for reimbursement if I changed it out but I didn't do that because I was able to reset the system at the time. I feel Subaru should be responsible for this as they know it's happening to vehicles and they've reimbursed for it.
NHTSA complaint #11730262 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Brookfield, MA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Due to a dead battery issue in 2025, I bought a new battery. A year later, the car wouldn't start & I finally got it jumped. Ran fine for 3 weeks, then wouldn't start again. I brought car back to the Interstate battery shop, who tested the alternator, which was fine, but he said the battery was appearing low. After researching this problem, I discovered there's a known issue that the battery dies due to a parasitic draw. Subaru knows there is a problem but refuses to correct the issues. The dealer I bought the car from neglected to tell me there was an existing issue and will be happy to charge me $500+ to diagnose. This is a major defect on Subaru's part, and all future buyers should be aware of it!
NHTSA complaint #11728063 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shoreham, NY
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Unintended acceleration, on 2 occasions. First occasion, car was in DRIVE waiting at a traffic stop and the engine radically increased it's RPM from idle to over 6000 RPM, remaining there. Braking control maintained the automobile's position. Shifting the car into neutral caused RPM to increase further. The car was shut off, restarted, and seemed to function normally. On the second occasion, which occurred later the same day, the car was off and then started, and while still in PARK with my foot on the brake immediately jumped to over 6000, remaining there. Once again the car was shut off, restarted, and seemed to work normally. It was taken directly (and slowly) to the manufacturer's service center at my local Subaru dealership. They have not been able to re-create the problem as of this date.
NHTSA complaint #11724063 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shoreham, NY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Unintended acceleration, on 2 occasions. First occasion, car was in DRIVE waiting at a traffic stop and the engine radically increased it's RPM from idle to over 6000 RPM, remaining there. Braking control maintained the automobile's position. Shifting the car into neutral caused RPM to increase further. The car was shut off, restarted, and seemed to function normally. On the second occasion, which occurred later the same day, the car was off and then started, and while still in PARK with my foot on the brake immediately jumped to over 6000, remaining there. Once again the car was shut off, restarted, and seemed to work normally. It was taken directly (and slowly) to the manufacturer's service center at my local Subaru dealership. They have not been able to re-create the problem as of this date.
NHTSA complaint #11724063 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shoreham, NY
ENGINE
Unintended acceleration, on 2 occasions. First occasion, car was in DRIVE waiting at a traffic stop and the engine radically increased it's RPM from idle to over 6000 RPM, remaining there. Braking control maintained the automobile's position. Shifting the car into neutral caused RPM to increase further. The car was shut off, restarted, and seemed to function normally. On the second occasion, which occurred later the same day, the car was off and then started, and while still in PARK with my foot on the brake immediately jumped to over 6000, remaining there. Once again the car was shut off, restarted, and seemed to work normally. It was taken directly (and slowly) to the manufacturer's service center at my local Subaru dealership. They have not been able to re-create the problem as of this date.
NHTSA complaint #11724063 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
san Diego, CA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
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 miles since its last dealer visit in August 2025. Since around August 2025, the car has intermittently lost power under light acceleration from a stop or low speed, especially while pulling into or through intersections. Pressing the accelerator sometimes produces very little power, the engine feels like it may stall, and traffic behind me must brake or go around me, creating a risk of a rear‑end collision in intersections. In August 2025 I took the car to AutoNation Subaru Carlsbad and reported that the symptoms seemed like a fuel pump problem (my independent mechanic agreed). The dealer kept the car for about two weeks, experienced the hard‑starting/turn‑over issue, but did not test or replace the fuel pump. They performed other services, charged me $1,956.21, and returned the vehicle without fixing the safety issue, even though they later acknowledged the fuel pump is covered under an extended warranty. One day after picking the car up, the same hesitation and loss of power recurred in an intersection. On November 26, 2025, the car again became disabled: it cranks, briefly starts roughly, shakes, and then stalls, and will not stay running. I believe this is a defective low‑pressure fuel pump or related fuel system component, similar to known Subaru fuel pump defects that can cause stalling and loss of power. No crash or injuries yet, but there have been near‑misses due to unexpected loss of power in traffic.
NHTSA complaint #11701769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Harrison, NY
ENGINE
Constant battery issues. I've replaced the car battery 3 times and the car seems to be suffering from "parasitic battery drain". It took a long time to diagnose the issue and I've been to the Rye Subaru dealership 2 times already and they are still trying to fix the issue. This is my daughters car and I'm constantly waiting for a phone call to have the car jump started. She works the night shift and I'm worried about her getting stranded at night.
NHTSA complaint #11697447 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ocala, FL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My vehicle light is on keeps saying oil at temp as well as other lights are currently turn on. I took it to subaru location was informed my transmission was bad. But the car drives well just have a bunch of lights.
NHTSA complaint #11685119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ocala, FL
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
My vehicle light is on keeps saying oil at temp as well as other lights are currently turn on. I took it to subaru location was informed my transmission was bad. But the car drives well just have a bunch of lights.
NHTSA complaint #11685119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ocala, FL
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
My vehicle light is on keeps saying oil at temp as well as other lights are currently turn on. I took it to subaru location was informed my transmission was bad. But the car drives well just have a bunch of lights.
NHTSA complaint #11685119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cedar Rapids, IA
POWER TRAIN
CVT failed at 85,000 miles. It started slipping and squealing and had to be replaced by the dealership. The car was never driven rough, in mountainous terrain, etc. Very disappointing.
NHTSA complaint #11672332 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wagoner, OK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The entertainment system got bubbles and stopped working only after 50,000 miles.
NHTSA complaint #11669029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Estero, FL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The navigation screen has delaminated and no longer works. You can see where there are layers of screen that are discolored and has a matte finish underneath and the entire screen is erratic and works only 10% of the time. I cannot answer calls through the car any longer and I have to try to navigate long trips from my phone as this function of the car is down. It's a serious problem and puts me and others on the road at risk every time I have to use the car as I travel by myself and I struggle to navigate the roads without this system. The car has a mere 70,000 miles on it and has been well cared for. I bought the car new and this issue is serious. There were no warning signs other than it erratically works less and less. I have researched the issue and see there are so many with this same issue that I wanted to add to the list. I cannot find a second hand part as the demand is too high. The car is available for inspection and I haven't had it to the dealer for this issue. It has been inspected by an auto repair shop and agrees the component needs to come out and be replaced. Please help!
NHTSA complaint #11662265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rockaway, NJ
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
My husband was driving on [XXX] and the hood of the Subaru flew up, cracking the entire windshield, damaging the exterior of the roof and interior of the roof, the whole hood and frame where the hood meets the car. The car was driven but escorted by local PD to body shop. Less than 48 hrs before the incident, the car was at Paul Miller Subaru for a routine oil change. They were the last people to touch the hood of the car. Paul Miller Subaru has been an absolute nightmare to work with and is avoiding all contact. We are out of a vehicle entirely and they did not even offer to give us a loaner. They were incredibly defensive and rude and all of our friends and family that have leases or cars with them are pulling out of them for their safety and lives. Subaru Customer Advocacy and their Quality Assurance team went out to do an inspection on the vehicle after I opened up a case with them. Case # [XXX] 1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783) Ext.119109. They reported that the the secondary/safety latch was "damaged and destroyed by an outside source". The technician at the dealership destroyed the latch during the oil change. The body shop also confirmed the cause of the incident as well. Our vehicle is currently being repaired so the old/destroyed parts would be available for inspection if needed. My husbands safety was at risk because if he was going faster, or if there was a car infront or behind him when he came to a full stop after the flew up, it would have been fatal. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. They first appeared once the hood flew up. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11642209 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kenvil, NJ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
If the car is not driven every day the battery dies due to a parasitic draw. Subaru knows there is a problem with the DCM from these years but refuses to correct the issues which there are 3 that are known. Dcm constantly searches for 3g network that is no longer killing the battery, Subaru changed the recommended cold cranking amperage of the battery well after manufacture, and won't test without a new battery being installed, and they expect the consumer to pay for both the testing and battery, to meet certain epa standards they altered the function of the alternator so it doesn't charge the battery until the engine is warm and won't fully charge the battery.
NHTSA complaint #11640591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Provo, UT
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Parasitic Battery Drain due to DCM fuse problem
NHTSA complaint #11637048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Provo, UT
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Parasitic Battery Drain due to DCM fuse problem
NHTSA complaint #11637048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Anacortes, WA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Parasitic drain on battery leaves the car dead and unable to start with out a jump. Battery is only six months old. Replaced old battery because of this same issue.
NHTSA complaint #11634226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Utica, MI
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Main infotainment display delamination, this causes a safety concerns, as the screen can become irresponsive, and even black out during reverse making the backup camera, nonfunctioning. The other safety issue at risk is that because of the delamination it causes "ghost-clicking" on the screen, and makes the screen irresponsive, veering the drivers attention away from the road, potentially causing accidents as the main display controls all radio and bluetooth, and navigation. There are no indication or warnings from the manufacturer that the vehicle could be a risk to drive. When I called Subaru of America, I was told by the agent that they could not assist, when I brought up, based on my research this was a known issue, Subaru of America offered to pay $600 towards the replacement of the head unit. The head unit dependant on the dealer and labor time can vary from $1400-2200 for the repair.
NHTSA complaint #11631631 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Nesconset, NY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The Starlink screen becomes uncontrollable and begins changing screens on its own making driving very distracting and losing all control of vital functions such as radio, gps and phone. I have no control over it. I have video of the incident but cannot figure out how to upload it. I k low previous year models were recalled for the same situation and I believe there is a class action lawsuit.
NHTSA complaint #11629599 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hatboro, PA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Infotainment system touchscreen failed and it became unstable. Bluetooth connected to phone failed, gos failed Yes Yes No
NHTSA complaint #11626593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Butler, PA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On the beginning of a trip the screen, Infotainment system started jumping, and shaking. We had been using the system for guidance while driving in unfamiliar area. The screen then started randomly selecting buttons while we were still trying to use directions from the screen. Then it called a contact on my contact list 8-9 times, and I had to keep hanging up in order so it would stop. Finally I had to shut down the entire screen. We lost control of the Infotainment and then after I had to turn it off, I tried several times again to turn it back on with no luck. The screen would not respond and continues to be completely frozen. As I have discovered this is a common problem that Subaru dealers have heard about from thousands of customers. Subaru needs to issue a recall.
NHTSA complaint #11625805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.