58 of the
4,165 complaints filed about the Subaru Legacy
are about the doors, latches and locks —
1% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1990.
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.
WITH NO PRIOR WARNING, AT APPROX 90KM/H OR 55 MPH SOUTH BOUND ON HWY-11 NEAR ORILLIA, ON, CANADA. THE HOOD LATCH FAILED, CAUSING THE HOOD TO COME BACK AND SHATTER THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, AND MY WIFE MAINTAINED SAFE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ONTO THE PAVED SHOULDER. I FOUND OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS ISSUE ON LINE BUT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP DISAVOWS ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ISSUE. WE CALLED OUR INSURANCE COMPANY AND DISCOVERED THEY HAD REDUCED OUR COVERAGE ON THE VEHICLE TO LIABILITY ONLY WITH OUT CONSULTING US. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10379707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IN 2004 MY HOOD LATCH FAILED EMERGENCY LATCH AND HOOD FLEW UP AND CRASHED MY WINDSHIELD. SUBARU SAID THEY FIXED LATCH BUT YESTERDAY 3/3/09 FOR A SECOND TIME MY HOOD CAME UP SMASHING MY WINDSHIELD VIOLENTLY I AM INJURED AGAIN AND TRAUMATIZED AND SUBARU NORTHTOWN COLLISION NEVER TOLD ME OF THIS PROBLEM AND I WAS ALMOST KILLED. THIS IS SO VERY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO PEOPLE'S ATTENTION.
NHTSA complaint #10260764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON A DRY HIGHWAY, THE HOOD LATCHE FAILED AND CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP. UPDATED 12/28/06.
NHTSA complaint #10169200 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
APRROX. 3 MONTHS AGO I WAS DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65 MILES AN HOUR WHEN MY HOOD POPPED UP AND HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED IN MANY PLACES AND THE HOOD WAS BENT AND PAINT CHIPPED. I CONTACTED SUBARU THE FOLLOWING DAY BECAUSE MY HOOD HAD NOT BEEN OPENED FOR APPROX 2MTHS PRIOR THIS AND WAS CONCERNED OF A DEFECT IN PART. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NONE AND SOMETIMES IT JUST HAPPENS. I PAID FOR A NEW WINDSHIELD (I BELEIVE ABOUT 235) AND HAVE YET TO REPLACE HOOD. TODAY I WAS INFORMED BY A TECHNICIAN THAT REPLACES WINDSHIELDS (CONTACT WAS UNRELATED TO MY CAR) THAT HE REPLACES MORE WINDSHIELDS ON SUBARUS THAN ANY OTHER CAR BECAUSE THE FIRST HOOD LATCH FAILS AND THE SECOND LETS GO WHEN HIGH WAY SPEED IS REACHED. I BELIEVE THIS IS A PART MALFUNCTION THAT POSES A SERIOUS THREAT TO DRIVERS AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. IF I HAVE CONTACTED THE WRONG DEPARTMENT OR COMPANY PLEASE DIRECT ME IN RIGHT DIRECTION. I AM UNSURE BUT COULD FIND OUT OF THE EXACT INCIDENT DATE.
NHTSA complaint #10126205 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HOOD STRIKER CAME LOOSE FROM HOOD. HOOD CAME OPEN WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. CRASHING INTO WINDSHIELD AND CAUSING AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. FORTUNATLY NO ONE WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT AND CAR IS BEING REPAIRED
NHTSA complaint #10116055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY HOOD WAS PARTIALLY UNLATCHED (HELD BY SAFETY). I EXITED THE HIGHWAY, CLOSED THE HOOD AND MADE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. *AK THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE LATCH, BUT RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT. ANOTHER SERVICE TECH AT THE DEALERSHIP RELAYED THAT HE ALSO HAD A HOOD LATCH FAILURE ON A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON. PLAN TO REPLACE HOOD MECHANISM.
NHTSA complaint #10114482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING HOME ON I-90 AT 65 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE HOOD OF MY 1995 LEGACY SUBARU WAGON FLEW UP AND BROKE THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR TO FLY OFF INTO THE CAR. THE LATCH AND THE SAFETY LATCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAPPENED LAST WEEK AND I HAVE DONE NOTHING TO REPAIR THE CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10112344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE LOCK/LATCH ON MY CAR'S PASSENGER DOOR IS DEFECTIVE AND THE RECALL 90V18400 DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE DOOR IS DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND COULD EASIY FAIL ANY DAY AND TRAP MY PASSENGER IN THE CAR. THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING TO THE FRONT DRIVERS DOOR. THE MANUFACTUER WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AT NO CHARGE.
NHTSA complaint #10088936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE VEHICLE'S DOOR LOCKS EXPERIENCED THE DEFECT STATED IN RECALL 90 V 184 000 BUT IT'S VIN WAS OUTSIDE OF THE REMEDY SCOPE. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPAIR THE DOOR. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10040136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE HOOD UNLATCHED, FLEW BACK, AND CONTACTED THE WINDSHIELD AND FORWARD ROOF. THE WINDSHIELD SHATTERED, BUT FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO SEE THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE DASH AND BOTTOM OF THE HOOD AND MANAGED TO GET THE CAR TO THE MEDIAN. THE HOOD AND WINDSHIELD WERE RUINED, AND THE ROOF SUSTAINED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10021114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR HAS DEFECTIVE LOCKS, THE LOCKS WILL INTERMITTENLY LOCK. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. NLM
NHTSA complaint #8019802 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS HOOD LATCH CAME LOOSE CAUSING THE HOOD TO BOUNCE UP AND DOWN. THIS HAPPENED TWICE CAUSING ME TO PULL OF TO THE SHOULDER AND CLOSE HOOD. HOOD DID NOT UNLATCH ALL THE WAY PUT IF I CONTINUED WITHOUT STOPPING HOOD WOULD OF POPPED FULLY AT SOME POINT.
NHTSA complaint #761173 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LOCKS ON DOOR WILL LOCK EVEN WHEN UNLOCKING DOORS. LOCKS WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOCK BACK UP. CONSUMER HAS TO HOLD LOCK U, AND THEN PUSH THE DOOR OPEN TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
NHTSA complaint #8003975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN OPENING THE DOOR USING THE INSIDE HANDLE, UPON RELEASE OF THE DOOR HANDLE THE LOCKING MECHANISM IS TRIGGERED WHICH CAUSES ALL OF THE DOORS TO LOCK AND THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK IS JAMMED IN THE LOCKED POSITION. THE DRIVER'S DOOR IS ONLY SUPPOSED TO LOCK UPON CLOSING WHEN THE OUTER DOOR HANDLE IS ENGAGED *AND* THE DOOR HAS BEEN LOCKED. WHEN THE DOOR LOCK IS JAMMED IT REMAINS LOCKED UPON CLOSING WITHOUT ENGAGING THE OUTER DOOR HANDLE.
NHTSA complaint #756567 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE HOOD UNLATCHED AND BLEWOUT, OPEN BREAKING MY WINDSHEILD AND DENTING MY HOOD AT THE SAME TIME. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THROUGH MY WINDSHEILD, BUT WAS STILL ABLE TO SAFELY BRING MY VEHICLE TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE HOOD LATCH FAILED OR EVEN WAS OPEN AS I HAD NOT DONE ANYTHING UNDER THE HOOD IN A LONG TIME.
NHTSA complaint #755645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.