Subaru Legacy — the 15 years we've written up
2010–2024, side by side: what goes wrong on each, what the fix costs, and what they typically ask. 11 of the 15 carry a high-severity issue.
What this page is
These are the 15 Subaru Legacy model years Kestrel has done the homework on — not every year Subaru built one. A year that isn't listed here isn't a year we're warning you off; it's one we haven't written up yet. Ranking a whole model run would mean telling you about years we've never looked at.
Subaru Legacy by year
How many owner complaints NHTSA holds. A big number usually means a lot were sold; the shape matters more than the total.
Year by year
EyeSight braking for parked or turning cars, and safety features switching off mid-drive — $0–$500 for dealer software updates and camera recalibration; a replacement stereo camera outside warranty runs well into four figures
Driveshaft centre support bolts can loosen and let the front of the shaft disconnect (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Passenger airbag occupant sensor can short and switch the airbag off (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
CVT control unit could let the drive chain slip and break — loss of drive (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $7,000–$9,000 for a CVT replacement outside it
Low-pressure fuel pump can fail and stall the engine while driving (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Low-pressure fuel pump can fail and stall the engine with no restart (two recalls) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Lineartronic CVT shudder and failure — $4,000-$6,500
Windshield cracks without impact — on the third one in a year — $500–$1,100 including EyeSight calibration
Steering column machined wrong — turning the wheel may not turn the car (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Oil consumption (FB25) — $0-$2,500 if severe
Takata passenger inflator (six campaigns) and a passenger occupancy sensor that fails and disables the airbag — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $800–$3,300 for the occupancy sensor module
CVT failures on the highway — torque converter solenoid, valve body, sudden loss of drive — $1,200–$2,500 for a torque converter or valve body; $5,000–$8,000 for a replacement CVT
Stall on a hard stop — the CVT torque converter lockup clutch will not let go — $1,200–$2,500 for a torque converter; $5,000–$8,000 for a replacement CVT
Engine shudders and dies coming to a stop — the CVT torque converter lockup clutch — $1,200–$2,500 for a torque converter; $5,000–$8,000 for a replacement CVT
CVT torque converter lockup makes the car shudder and stall coming to a stop — $1,200–$2,500 for a torque converter; $5,000–$8,000 for a replacement CVT
4 of these 15 have no high-severity issue in our write-up. That means we didn't find an expensive recurring fault — not that one cannot exist on the specific vehicle you're looking at.
Looking at one in particular?
This page covers the Subaru Legacy in general. The Kestrel report covers the one you're looking at — the asking price against the market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.
Get My Verdict — $7.99Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for that year.
Known issues are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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