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2018 Subaru Legacy Problems & Owner Complaints

116 NHTSA owner complaints
7 crash 1 fire 1 injury

Age-normalised, this year draws ~12.9 complaints per year on the road — ranking 5 of 15 Subaru Legacy years we track (1 = most complaints per year).

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What owners report

Electrical System is the most-reported problem area on the 2018 Subaru Legacy, cited in 40 of 116 filed complaints (34%).

Visibility/Wiper is next (24 complaints, 21%), followed by Engine (10), Fuel/Propulsion System (8), Visibility (8).

Across all complaints, 7 report a crash, 1 report a fire, 1 report injuries.

The most safety-critical cluster is Unknown Or Other: 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury report(s).

Complaints by vehicle system

Owner complaints filed with the U.S. NHTSA for the 2018 Subaru Legacy, grouped by the vehicle system each cites. A single complaint can name more than one system, so the group totals can add up to more than 116.

Electrical System 40 1 fire

“The Driver Side Rear View when I started the Car back in January of 2024 after car had been running for 30 Seconds smoke and Fire flames were seen coming through that rear view mirror immediately contacted Subaru of America and was called back with urgency and they fixed this issue but since then I haves a few other issues I believe relate to the wiring inside the vehicle and due to the wiring, which caused the fire. I have tried to contact Subaru of America and let them know this and have had no luck with any type of help with other repairs.”
NHTSA complaint #11687253, 2024 · fire

“The vehicle on board video entertainment display has stopped working properly. It does not allow any input to the touch screen. And the only way to regain some functionality is by pressing the steering wheel source button. However it works intermittently. And this causes Driver Distraction while driving.”
NHTSA complaint #11749001, 2026

“Ghost touch issues with infotainment system (as with many other Subaru models). Cannot use radio, Bluetooth or any screen functions.”
NHTSA complaint #11733981, 2026

Unknown Or Other 29 1 crash 1 fire 1 injury

“Sunroof spontaneously failed. Tempered glass shattered and sprayed into cabin”
NHTSA complaint #11510830, 2023 · 1 injury(ies)

“The Driver Side Rear View when I started the Car back in January of 2024 after car had been running for 30 Seconds smoke and Fire flames were seen coming through that rear view mirror immediately contacted Subaru of America and was called back with urgency and they fixed this issue but since then I haves a few other issues I believe relate to the wiring inside the vehicle and due to the wiring, which caused the fire. I have tried to contact Subaru of America and let them know this and have had no luck with any type of help with other repairs.”
NHTSA complaint #11687253, 2024 · fire

“I was going down the hill in my development, I made it approximately 2-300ft at 7-10MPH when suddenly there was a loud “bang”. I could not see anything, my airbags had deployed and blocked my field of vision. I ended up hitting an electrical pole. There was no need for the airbags to go off. I could have been killed. There is no airbag recall on my VIN number.”
NHTSA complaint #11491503, 2022 · crash

Visibility/Wiper 24

“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 and that it poses a safety risk, but they are not helping me, all they keep telling me was the extended warranty for that specific issue expired in July of 2023. when I checked Subaru's recall website, they have completed out that recall in July of 2025, I have never taken my car in for this issue,…”
NHTSA complaint #11691937, 2025

“MAR 2024: 2018 Subaru Legacy, 36,000-miles. (1) Front Windshield had crack in it randomly one day. Coming up from bottom heating element. Easily able to find similar crack shape online. Find lots of windshield crack issues online for Subarus. Zero action from Subaru on this. (2) Broke again 11 months later [FEB 2025] in similar fashion, randomly one day.”
NHTSA complaint #11680122, 2024

“Window on right passenger door doesn't stay up when we close the window with the power window button. Sometimes at night the eyesight system turns off. At times the radio entertainment system doesn't want to work.”
NHTSA complaint #11441241, 2021

Engine 10 3 crash

“My wife experienced an unintended acceleration in her 2018 Subaru Legacy. My wife had begun to slowly back out of a parking space in a school parking lot when her 2018 Legacy went into an unintended rapid acceleration in reverse. The car took off in reverse and did not respond to her applying the brakes. Somehow she managed to steer the car which was rapidly acceleration in reverse, virtually uncontrollable, and guide the car down a row of parked cars until she clipped the front of another car at the end of the row and her car came to a stop. Thank God there were no students in the parking…”
NHTSA complaint #11694618, 2025 · crash

“A friend was trying to move the car from the street when it suddenly lurched and accelerated and hit a tree, and boulder, and another car. They had not stepped on the accelerator yet. She lost control of the car. It was totaled as per State Farm.”
NHTSA complaint #11541885, 2023 · crash

“The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic light with her foot lightly depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle independently accelerated and crashed into the rear bumper of a vehicle stopped in front of her. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that her front bumper, radiator, and part of the frame that supports the bumper had been damaged and needed to be replaced. The radiator had been damaged and leaked out all the coolant. There was only minor damage to a trailer hitch on the rear bumper on the vehicle the contact…”
NHTSA complaint #11533427, 2023 · crash

Fuel/Propulsion System 8 2 crash

“My wife experienced an unintended acceleration in her 2018 Subaru Legacy. My wife had begun to slowly back out of a parking space in a school parking lot when her 2018 Legacy went into an unintended rapid acceleration in reverse. The car took off in reverse and did not respond to her applying the brakes. Somehow she managed to steer the car which was rapidly acceleration in reverse, virtually uncontrollable, and guide the car down a row of parked cars until she clipped the front of another car at the end of the row and her car came to a stop. Thank God there were no students in the parking…”
NHTSA complaint #11694618, 2025 · crash

“A friend was trying to move the car from the street when it suddenly lurched and accelerated and hit a tree, and boulder, and another car. They had not stepped on the accelerator yet. She lost control of the car. It was totaled as per State Farm.”
NHTSA complaint #11541885, 2023 · crash

“I have a 2018 Subaru Legacy 2.5. The front catalytic converter failed April 2022 with 130k miles. the part was replace by Subaru and the part has failed again. Oct 2023 with 180k miles. Exhaust fumes enter the passenger compartment (which are Carbon Monoxide). The same part has failed two times in a short period of time. Subaru states this is not a warranty issue .This must become a recall.”
NHTSA complaint #11553381, 2023

Visibility 8

“The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the screen display went blank. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V935000 (Visibility). The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11513217, 2023

“The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, she heard an abnormal loud popping sound coming from the top of the vehicle. The contact stated that she pulled into the nearest gas station and noticed that the sunroof glass had shattered and fell onto the shade guard. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that she would be responsible for the cost of the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure through an online request. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11439902, 2021

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A SMALL CRACK DEVELOPED ON THE LOWER FRONT WINDSHIELD WITHOUT IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,153.*DT*JB”
NHTSA complaint #11396768, 2021

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Service Brakes 5 3 crash

“My wife experienced an unintended acceleration in her 2018 Subaru Legacy. My wife had begun to slowly back out of a parking space in a school parking lot when her 2018 Legacy went into an unintended rapid acceleration in reverse. The car took off in reverse and did not respond to her applying the brakes. Somehow she managed to steer the car which was rapidly acceleration in reverse, virtually uncontrollable, and guide the car down a row of parked cars until she clipped the front of another car at the end of the row and her car came to a stop. Thank God there were no students in the parking…”
NHTSA complaint #11694618, 2025 · crash

“Vehicle proceeded from a stop at intersection when it unexpectedly decelerated and holding the brakes down seem to do nothing, tried turning corner at next stop sign to maybe slow it down and hit utility pole and parked car in driveway. A resident that was outside on porch by stop sign said they heard it just loud exceleration. This was a short street block in a residential area. No warnings, vehicle undrivable and waiting on insurance. Police accident report filed. There were no skid marks, although there was wet pavement.12/6/2022”
NHTSA complaint #11496852, 2022 · crash

“The car (#1) came to a sudden stop on a freeway without the driver stepped on the brake pedal. Front dash cam video on car #1 is available. Car #1 was then hit from behind by another car (#2) which could not stop in time. However, the impact was not significant because car #2 was able to partially switch lane and only the corners of the bumpers of both cars made the contact. The sudden stop problem could NOT be reproduced afterward by the driver. No dealer/car shop has been contacted on this issue. Warning light(s) status on dashboard of car #1 was UNKNOWN . However, driver of car#2 did…”
NHTSA complaint #11432159, 2021 · crash

Lane Departure 4

“The infotainment touchscreen in my 2018 Subaru Legacy experiences “ghost touch,” where the screen registers inputs without driver interaction and becomes unresponsive. While driving, the screen changes settings on its own and distracts the driver. As a result of the touchscreen malfunction, critical safety features including Blind Spot Warning and Lane Keeping Assistance became disabled. This directly impacted safe vehicle operation. The issue was diagnosed by an authorized Subaru dealership, which confirmed the head unit is defective and requires replacement. Subaru previously issued a warr…”
NHTSA complaint #11712979, 2026

“My car's belt had been screeching for a few weeks. I was planning on taking my car in the next day. When i turned my car off, all the electrical went out and it started smoking on the driver's side. I got my car towed to the nearest auto shop. They replaced the battery and belt and yet the electrical was still out. When they tested the fuse, the driver's mirror caught on fire and was smoking. Thank goodness I was not driving when this occurred as that could have been scary. They replaced the fuse, but now I can't auto up / down my window. When I reached out to Subaru, they wanted $200 just t…”
NHTSA complaint #11570260, 2024

“The driver’s side airbag of 2018 Subaru Legacy deployed as I was reversing out of a parking lot going approximately 5mph. It has not been fixed due to the company’s negligence. One of Subaru’s accident advocate specialist claimed the engineer found a mysterious brown liquid that caused the airbag to deploy although I had not been in the car for two hours nor was I drinking any substances; especially “brown”. My and other’s safety was put at risk to a degree that is fatal, I was a short distance from the highway to head home. Had I been driving at the normal highway speed in my city (55mph) wit…”
NHTSA complaint #11580183, 2023

Steering 4

“Replaced steering rack 2/12/20 Replaced steering rack 12/07/22 Replaced sway bar links 11/09/23 Inspection found rear Lateral Link Bushings torn and alignment hardware seized in bushings torn and seized/replaced bushings and hardware to complete a proper alignment. 01/23/24 Replaced front sway bar links and strut mounts and performed alignment”
NHTSA complaint #11627936, 2024

“WHEN VEHICLE GOES OVER 50 MILES AN HOUR, PULLS TO THE LEFT.”
NHTSA complaint #11205478, 2018

“THE CAR VEERS RIGHT OR LEFT IRRADICALLY AS IF A GUST OF WIND PUSHED THE CAR OR LARGE TRUCK PASSED BY. THIS IS VERY TROUBLING SINCE IT HAPPENS SPORADICALLY AND HAS CAUSED THE CAR TO DRIFT OFF THE ROAD.”
NHTSA complaint #11161255, 2018

Structure 4

“What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Door Pillar Rust, yes its available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? UNKNOWN Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Contacted Subaru of America Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not yet Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?no. Both front doors…”
NHTSA complaint #11652509, 2025

“My car's belt had been screeching for a few weeks. I was planning on taking my car in the next day. When i turned my car off, all the electrical went out and it started smoking on the driver's side. I got my car towed to the nearest auto shop. They replaced the battery and belt and yet the electrical was still out. When they tested the fuse, the driver's mirror caught on fire and was smoking. Thank goodness I was not driving when this occurred as that could have been scary. They replaced the fuse, but now I can't auto up / down my window. When I reached out to Subaru, they wanted $200 just t…”
NHTSA complaint #11570260, 2024

“MULTIPLE FAILURES OF THE CLEAR COAT IN UNDER 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. CAR IS DETAILED AT MINIMUM TWICE YEARLY TO TO TRY MITIGATE THE DAMAGE, BUT IT IS JUST TOO PRONOUNCED. OTHER MODELS, YEARS, ETC DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM.”
NHTSA complaint #11282845, 2019

Air Bags 3 1 crash

“I was going down the hill in my development, I made it approximately 2-300ft at 7-10MPH when suddenly there was a loud “bang”. I could not see anything, my airbags had deployed and blocked my field of vision. I ended up hitting an electrical pole. There was no need for the airbags to go off. I could have been killed. There is no airbag recall on my VIN number.”
NHTSA complaint #11491503, 2022 · crash

“The driver’s side airbag of 2018 Subaru Legacy deployed as I was reversing out of a parking lot going approximately 5mph. It has not been fixed due to the company’s negligence. One of Subaru’s accident advocate specialist claimed the engineer found a mysterious brown liquid that caused the airbag to deploy although I had not been in the car for two hours nor was I drinking any substances; especially “brown”. My and other’s safety was put at risk to a degree that is fatal, I was a short distance from the highway to head home. Had I been driving at the normal highway speed in my city (55mph) wit…”
NHTSA complaint #11580183, 2023

“PURCHASED A NEW SUBARU LEGACY FEB. 28, 2018. AFTER ONLY 70 MILES THE WARNING LIGHT FOR SEAT BELTS AND AIRBAG MALFUNCTION APPEARED ON A STARLINK SYSTEM AND DASH. AFTER IMMEDIATELY TAKING IT IN AT THE LOCAL CAR DEALER, SERVICE AGENTS CLAIMED THAT A "RODENT" HAS CAUSED THE DAMAGE. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, WE HAVE DISCOVERED A NATIONAL CIVIL SUIT AGAINST SUBARU. APPARENTLY THEY ARE USING BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS ON THE WIRING OF MANY NEW CARS THAT ATTRACTS SQUIRRELS AND MICE. WE HAVE LIVED AT OUR CURRENT RESIDENCE FOR OVER 35 YEARS WITH NUMEROUS CARS IN THE DRIVEWAY WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM. CONSU…”
NHTSA complaint #11076906, 2018

Back Over Prevention 3

“Aug 2025: 2018 Subaru Legacy, 55,500 miles. ISSUE: Rearview camera froze with high-pitch sound for about 10-seconds, then shut off, while in Reverse. I was not aware immediately of this. Did not hit the cars behind me but definitely could have. Unknown if reverse lights affected. Based on online searches, rearview cameras not working is criteria for a recall. BACKGROUND: My main screen is affected by Subaru Screen Delamination (can't use touch at all). My exact model got an extended warranty, but I was not aware of this extension until after it passed. Subaru of America and dealers refused t…”
NHTSA complaint #11680112, 2025

“Back up camera freezes or doesn't work when backing up- almost caused a accident!”
NHTSA complaint #11658197, 2025

“The infotainment head unit system and screen with the backup camera is completely malfunctioning. There have been instances where the screen glitches out while backing up and I have almost been in a collision. The head unit makes constant random noises, and screen pop ups that cannot be turned off. This makes for highly distracted and unsafe driving as it makes it quite difficult for the car user to maintain sole focus and attention to the roadways and driving. The extreme glitchiness and phantom touches/noises are just as a distraction and safety concern as driving while using a cellphone…”
NHTSA complaint #11680921, 2022

Vehicle Speed Control 3 2 crash

“Vehicle proceeded from a stop at intersection when it unexpectedly decelerated and holding the brakes down seem to do nothing, tried turning corner at next stop sign to maybe slow it down and hit utility pole and parked car in driveway. A resident that was outside on porch by stop sign said they heard it just loud exceleration. This was a short street block in a residential area. No warnings, vehicle undrivable and waiting on insurance. Police accident report filed. There were no skid marks, although there was wet pavement.12/6/2022”
NHTSA complaint #11496852, 2022 · crash

“The car (#1) came to a sudden stop on a freeway without the driver stepped on the brake pedal. Front dash cam video on car #1 is available. Car #1 was then hit from behind by another car (#2) which could not stop in time. However, the impact was not significant because car #2 was able to partially switch lane and only the corners of the bumpers of both cars made the contact. The sudden stop problem could NOT be reproduced afterward by the driver. No dealer/car shop has been contacted on this issue. Warning light(s) status on dashboard of car #1 was UNKNOWN . However, driver of car#2 did…”
NHTSA complaint #11432159, 2021 · crash

“OUR RECENT PURCHASE OF A 2018 SUBARU LEGACY HAS LEFT US WITH A VERY UNHAPPY REALIZATION. WE HAVE A SUBARU OUTBACK AND LIKE THE CAR BUT VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE CRUISE. WE DID NOT REALIZE THE CRUISE CONTROL ADVANCES 1 OR 5 MPH RATHER THAN THE CONVENTIONAL CRUISE OF 1 MPH. WE HAVE FOUND THIS FEATURE TO BE NOT ONLY ON SUBARU BUT MANY OTHER MAKES OF VEHICLES. FROM RESEARCHING ONLINE AND TALKING TO OTHERS HAVE FOUND WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT DO NOT LIKE IT AND FEEL IT IS UNSAFE. THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A REASON TO ADVANCE 5 MPH RATHER THAN 1 MPH. WHEN USING THIS TYPE OF CRUISE IT IS NECESSARY TO…”
NHTSA complaint #11048499, 2017

Equipment 2

“Back side of the display has condensation bubble circles”
NHTSA complaint #11676286, 2022

“THE RADIO/NAVIGATION SCREEN WENT BLANK. THE REAR VIEW CAMERA, NAVIGATION, STEREO. ETC. NO LONGER WORK. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TODAY AND WAS TOLD THE RADIO HEAD NEEDS REPLACED. PROBLEM IS THEY ARE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER AND NO ONE CAN SAY HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO GET IT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE BACK UP CAMERA NO LONGER WORKS AND CROSS TRAFFIC WARNING NO LONGER WORKS AND THE NAVIGATION NO LONGER WORKS.”
NHTSA complaint #11164470, 2019

Exterior Lighting 2 1 fire

“The Driver Side Rear View when I started the Car back in January of 2024 after car had been running for 30 Seconds smoke and Fire flames were seen coming through that rear view mirror immediately contacted Subaru of America and was called back with urgency and they fixed this issue but since then I haves a few other issues I believe relate to the wiring inside the vehicle and due to the wiring, which caused the fire. I have tried to contact Subaru of America and let them know this and have had no luck with any type of help with other repairs.”
NHTSA complaint #11687253, 2024 · fire

“The computer screen has an issue where there is bubbling in the lamination causing the screen to go nuts and become a distracting hazard that you can not shut off. It's a known Subaru Legacy issue and should be a recall. A new screen is $2000 plus, which is not feasable for the average person to pay and it's become a safety hazard, ect.”
NHTSA complaint #11745102, 2024

Forward Collision Avoidance 2

“The driver’s side airbag of 2018 Subaru Legacy deployed as I was reversing out of a parking lot going approximately 5mph. It has not been fixed due to the company’s negligence. One of Subaru’s accident advocate specialist claimed the engineer found a mysterious brown liquid that caused the airbag to deploy although I had not been in the car for two hours nor was I drinking any substances; especially “brown”. My and other’s safety was put at risk to a degree that is fatal, I was a short distance from the highway to head home. Had I been driving at the normal highway speed in my city (55mph) wit…”
NHTSA complaint #11580183, 2023

“DRIVING TO WORK EARLY THIS AM NO VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A HEAR A SMALL POP AND LOOK OVER TO NOTICE MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD HAS A CRACK IN IT.”
NHTSA complaint #11416397, 2021

Suspension 2 1 crash

“I was going down the hill in my development, I made it approximately 2-300ft at 7-10MPH when suddenly there was a loud “bang”. I could not see anything, my airbags had deployed and blocked my field of vision. I ended up hitting an electrical pole. There was no need for the airbags to go off. I could have been killed. There is no airbag recall on my VIN number.”
NHTSA complaint #11491503, 2022 · crash

“Replaced steering rack 2/12/20 Replaced steering rack 12/07/22 Replaced sway bar links 11/09/23 Inspection found rear Lateral Link Bushings torn and alignment hardware seized in bushings torn and seized/replaced bushings and hardware to complete a proper alignment. 01/23/24 Replaced front sway bar links and strut mounts and performed alignment”
NHTSA complaint #11627936, 2024

Tires 2

“225/50R18. Factory OEM, serious dry-rot necessitating replacement due to safety concerns. Tires are slightly older than 3.5 years (2018 model year purchased 04/18) with less than 40k miles. All four tires exhibit the dry rot, but the photo is representative of the most serious case of concern. No concerns related to tread wear depth.”
NHTSA complaint #11435634, 2021

“P225 / 50 R 18 On 8/28/2021, I noticed my front drivers tired looked weird. Upon inspection, it looked like dry rot. I do have a picture of the tire. I immediately went to Tire Kingdom and purchased a set of of 4 new tires. Tire Kingdom confirmed that the tire looked defective. Still plenty of tread, but the side was separating causing it to not be safe. There was no warning on the car system as the tire had not yet completely separated.”
NHTSA complaint #11431524, 2021

Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 1 1 crash

“TL* THE CONTACT STATED THEY RENTED A 2018 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM ACTIVATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP INDEPENDENTLY AND THE WHEEL TO TURN. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE HIT A CURB. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE BUMPER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE RENTAL AGENCY WAS NOT INFORMED. NEITHER A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED OR MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE VIN W…”
NHTSA complaint #11206421, 2019 · crash

Parking Brake 1

“The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the headlights failed to illuminate, and the rearview camera was intermittently flashing and displaying a blank image. The contact stated that on various occasions when the vehicle was parked, the parking brake failed to activate as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the head unit software needed to be updated; however, the part for the repair was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired and occasionally failed to start. The…”
NHTSA complaint #11513614, 2022

Power Train 1

“WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AS SOON AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I PROCEEDED TO ACCELERATE AND HEARD A RATTLE AND THEN A LOUD BOOM EXPLOSION SOUND. MY TORQUE CONVERTER, ENGINE, AND FLEXPLATE EXPLODED CAUSING IT IN OPERABLE AND PLACED ME IN AN UNSAFE LOCATION STRANDED ON THE ROADWAY. SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS NOW HAD THE CAR SINCE THANKSGIVING THIS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM,I STILL DON'T HAVE MY CAR.”
NHTSA complaint #11292333, 2019

Seat Belts 1

“PURCHASED A NEW SUBARU LEGACY FEB. 28, 2018. AFTER ONLY 70 MILES THE WARNING LIGHT FOR SEAT BELTS AND AIRBAG MALFUNCTION APPEARED ON A STARLINK SYSTEM AND DASH. AFTER IMMEDIATELY TAKING IT IN AT THE LOCAL CAR DEALER, SERVICE AGENTS CLAIMED THAT A "RODENT" HAS CAUSED THE DAMAGE. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, WE HAVE DISCOVERED A NATIONAL CIVIL SUIT AGAINST SUBARU. APPARENTLY THEY ARE USING BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS ON THE WIRING OF MANY NEW CARS THAT ATTRACTS SQUIRRELS AND MICE. WE HAVE LIVED AT OUR CURRENT RESIDENCE FOR OVER 35 YEARS WITH NUMEROUS CARS IN THE DRIVEWAY WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM. CONSU…”
NHTSA complaint #11076906, 2018

Wheels 1

“I front passenger window stop working and does not roll up and down. I had this issue and reported the issue since I bought it brand new from the lot. I main main audio console has been replacement 2 times already from defectives. My tires TMPS is flashing now but my tire pressure are fine. My incline break button comes on by itself from time to time and does not allow for me to move the car.”
NHTSA complaint #11682969, 2025

How we read this (methodology)

How to read this: raw complaint totals are not a clean reliability score — a model year with more cars sold, or simply more years on the road, accumulates more complaints regardless of how good it is. So this page leans on two signals that are not distorted by sales volume: the share of complaints falling on each vehicle system (the breakdown above) and NHTSA's own crash / fire / injury / death flags. When we compare model years of the same model, we normalise by years on the road (complaints ÷ vehicle age) rather than comparing raw totals. Age-normalised, the 2018 Subaru Legacy draws about 12.9 complaints per year on the road, ranking 5 of 15 among the Subaru Legacy model years we have ingested (1 = most complaints per year on road).

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