Subaru Legacy - Problems, Statistics, and Analysis

Subaru Legacy owners have reported a total of 3,401 problems for their cars built in the 30 model years listed in the chart below. The chart shows the number of problems reported across all service years for each given model year of the Subaru Legacy. The 2005 Subaru Legacy cars have the most problems reported (244 problems).

Table 1. Total number of problems by model year for Subaru Legacy

🔍 Common problems of Subaru Legacy

The following chart shows the 31 most common problems for Subaru Legacy cars. The number one most common problem is related to the vehicle's engine and engine cooling (406 problems). The second most common problem is related to the vehicle's electrical system (383 problems).

Table 2. Common problems of Subaru Legacy

📉 Compare Reliability Across Model Years Using PPMY Index

It would not be fair to compare the Subaru Legacy of an older model year to newer model years since older vehicles have been in service longer and thus are expected to have more problems. In order to compare the reliability across Legacy model years, we use the PPMY index which is defined as the problems reported per thousand vehicles per Year. A smaller PPMY index indicates greater reliability of the given model year cars.

    PPMY = P / S / Y * 1000,

where P = total problems reported during the life of a Subaru Legacy model year; S = total units sold of the model year; Y = years since the debut of the model year (the age of the vehicle).

The results are shown in Table 3.

Table 3. Use PPMY Index to Compare Reliability Across Legacy Model Years

Legacy
Model Year
Problems Sales [1] Vehicle
Age
PPMY Index
  2022 3726,0534    
0.36
  2021 3918,7065    
0.42
  2020 13731,3256    
0.73
  2019 13837,8547    
0.52
  2018 15243,1048    
0.44
  2017 13964,6849    
0.24
  2016 18159,44110    
0.30
  2015 23270,37211    
0.30
  2014 7234,73512    
0.17
  2013 8545,06913    
0.15
  2012 11639,09414    
0.21
  2011 22755,23015    
0.27
  2010 21237,99716    
0.35
  2009 7526,94117    
0.16
  2008 8327,26218    
0.17
  2007 4516,87119    
0.14
  2006 13024,36020    
0.27
  2005 24439,35921    
0.30
  2004 5567,34922    
0.04
  2003 6891,95723    
0.03
  2002 7195,04524    
0.03
  2001 89108,02125    
0.03
  2000 119106,31726    
0.04
  1999 11597,43927    
0.04

📊 Number of Problems Reported During the First Year

Another way to measure the reliability across the model years of the Subaru Legacy is to use the total number of problems reported during the vehicle's first year in service, as shown in the Table 4.

Table 4. Number of problems in vehicle's; first service year

Model YearProblems Reported
  2025 Legacy
9
  2024 Legacy
10
  2023 Legacy
3
  2022 Legacy
10
  2021 Legacy
9
  2020 Legacy
35
  2019 Legacy
24
  2018 Legacy
20
  2017 Legacy
8
  2016 Legacy
15
  2015 Legacy
70
  2014 Legacy
5
  2013 Legacy
11
  2012 Legacy
6
  2011 Legacy
23
  2010 Legacy
35
  2009 Legacy
3
  2008 Legacy
3
  2007 Legacy
1
  2006 Legacy
8
  2005 Legacy
32
  2004 Legacy
4
  2003 Legacy
5
  2002 Legacy
8
  2001 Legacy
13
  2000 Legacy
20
  1999 Legacy
28
  1998 Legacy
25
  1997 Legacy
13
  1996 Legacy
15


Legacy Service Bulletins
Legacy Safety Recalls
Legacy Defect Investigations
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