1995 Subaru Legacy recalls & problems

Recent owner complaints

• Dec 22, 2017 · 190,000 milesSuspension
  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL SPRING WAS FRACTURED AND GOUGED THE TIRE DOWN PAST THE STEEL BELT. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT CALL THE CONTACT BACK. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V216000 (SUSPENSION). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.
• Oct 16, 2017 · 218,877 miles · 1 injuryAir bags
  10/162017 - I WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET TO MEET MY WIFE FOR DINNER AFTER PARKING MY CAR. AS I WATCHED HER PULL INTO THE PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF ME IN THE LEGACY I SAW THE WINDSHIELD GET BLOWN OUT BY THE PASSENGER AIRBAG BEING DEPLOYED. SHE WAS STOPPED WAITING FOR TRAFFIC ON A CITY STREET TO CLEAR TO PULL IN AND WAS NOT MOVING VERY FAST AT ALL, APPROX 5 MPH. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND MY WIFE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES FROM FLYING GLASS. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE THE FOLLOWING DAY OUR MECHANIC SAID HE BELIEVED THAT THE AIRBAG RECALL # 96V315000 PERFORMED ON 12/11/1998 APPARENTLY WAS NOT PERFORMED PROPERLY AND HE SUSPECTED THAT THE POORLY REMOVED TOW-HOOK WAS NOT CUT OFF…
• Oct 28, 2011 · 125,000 milesStructure › Frame and members › Underbody shields
  THE LEFT REAR STRUT TOWER ON THE CAR ROTTED ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF . THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING AS THE CAR WAS INSPECTED. OUT THAT ALMOST ALL OF THE REAR CROSSMEMBER WAS ROTTED AWAY ON THE LEFT REAR SIDE AND THE RIGHT REAR SIDE HAS A COUPLE OF ROT HOLES IN IT GETTING READY TO DO THE SAME THING THE LEFT SIDE DID. IF THE LEFT STRUT TOWER HAD COMPLETELY BROKE OFF THE TIRE WOULD HAVE GONE RIGHT INTO THE ROTTED WHEEL WELL PROBABLY CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOW BECAUSE I'M SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SLICED OPEN FROM THE JAGGED RUSTED METAL WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE CAR BODY ON THE LEFT SIDE TO DROP AND START TO SCRAP ON THE PAVEMENT. IF YOUR NOT FAMILIAR WITH A SUBARU THE GAS TANK IS LOCATED JUST IN…
• Sep 7, 2013 · 201,000 milesTires
  VEE RUBBER VITRON TIRES PURCHASED NEW 12/23/2011. ONE TIRES STEEL BELT SEPARATED, POPPED THROUGH THE TIRE IN TWO PLACES ON 09/07/2013. TIRE HAS LESS THAN 5K MILES ON IT. TWO SERVICE STATIONS (PEP BOYS, AND VINCE'S AUTO IN RESEDA, CA) INSPECTED THE TIRE AND ADVISED IT IS A DEFECTIVE TIRE. NEITHER COULD ADVISE OF ANY SCENARIO TO JUSTIFY WHAT HAPPENED. VINCE'S AUTO IS REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE TIRE FOR "NO CHARGE"; HOWEVER, THERE ARE 3 REMAINING TIRES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD INVESTIGATE. I'M SURPRISED THERE IS NO MENTION OF VEERUBBER NOR VITRON ON YOUR DROPDOWN LIST FOR RECALL SEARCH. TIRES ARE VEE RUBBER VITRON 195/60 R15 88H DOT 6MSJ 4910. PLEASE HELP. [XXX]…
• Nov 28, 2012 · 121,100 milesService brakes
  THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUBARU LEGACY MODELS ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER THAT A MAN OF AVERAGE SHOE SIZE, WEARING BOOTS OF ANY KIND, IS LIABLE TO INADVERTENTLY APPLY PRESSURE TO BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. THE "FIX" IS SIMPLE: SUBARU OF AMERICA SHOULD HANG THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION BRAKE PEDAL, WITH ITS SMALLER PAD FOOTPRINT, ON ALL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEGACY MODELS. PROBLEM SOLVED. WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, AND IF WEARING BOOTS, I MUST MAINTAIN CONSTANT VIGILANCE TO AVOID THE POTENTIALLY LETHAL CONSEQUENCE OF APPLYING PRESSURE TO BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. *TR
• Aug 14, 2007 · 166,116 milesSuspension › Rear › Springs › Coil springs
  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE FRACTURED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V216000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS), THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,116. UPDATED 02/09/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR COIL SPRINGS FAILED IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO THE FAILURE OF THE…
• Aug 12, 2011 · 209,000 milesSuspension
  THE LEFT REAR STRUT TOWER ON THE CAR ROTTED ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF CAUSING THE INTERIOR OVER THE STRUT TOWER TO BULGE WAY UP INSIDE THE CAR. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. I REMOVED THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR AND FOUND OUT THAT ALMOST ALL OF THE STRUT TOWER WAS ROTTED AWAY ON THE LEFT REAR SIDE AND THE RIGHT REAR SIDE HAS A COUPLE OF ROT HOLES IN IT GETTING READ TO DO THE SAME THING THE LEFT SIDE DID. IF THE LEFT STRUT TOWER HAD COMPLETELY BROKE OFF THE TIRE WOULD HAVE GONE RIGHT INTO THE ROTTED WHEEL WELL PROBABLY CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOW BECAUSE I'M SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SLICED OPEN FROM THE JAGGED RUSTED METAL WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE CAR BODY ON THE LEFT SIDE…
• Jul 22, 2011 · 180,000 miles · fireEngine and engine cooling
  WE HAD A SLOW OIL LEAK AND OUR CATALYTIC CONVERTER STARTED GOING BAD AT THE SAME TIME. THE OIL LEAKED DOWN THE EXHAUST TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH WAS OVER HEATING AND CAUSED A FLASH FIRE BURNING UP MY ENTIRE CAR. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• PE99067 · opened Nov 1, 1999 · closed May 31, 2000 · led to recall 00I002000ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
  ODI HAS RECEIVED 5,820 COMPLAINTS CONCERNING A VARIETY OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES THAT RESULT IN THE VEHICLE STALLING.OUR COMPLAINT ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE COMPAINTS ARE CAUSED BY ALTERNATOR FAILURE.IN SOME INSTANCES, THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY DEAD AND WILL NOT RESTART.BASED ON OUR INVESTIGATION AND THE MANUFACTURER'S RESPOMSE, ODI IS CLOSING THIS INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER HAS AGREED TO PERFORM THE OWNER NORTIFICATION PROGRAM CITED ABOVE, INCLUDING QUARTERLY NOTIFICATIONS TO ODI.THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS OWNERS TO GET THEIR ALTERNATOR REPLACED FOR FREE.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS MATTER CLOSELY, AND THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION ON THESE MODELS IF…
• EA97010 · opened Apr 30, 1997 · closed Dec 23, 1998 · led to recall 98V315000OVERSENSITIVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT
  IN ITS LETTER DATED DECEMBER 21, 1998, SUBARU STATED THAT THE VEHICLES IDENTIFIED ABOVE WILL BE RECALLED.SUBARU DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FRONT TOWING/TIE-DOWN HOOKS.REFER TO NHTSA RECALL NO. 98V-315 FOR DETAILS.
• PE96075 · opened Dec 18, 1996 · closed Apr 30, 1997OVERSENSITIVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT
  ODI HAS REVIEWED 33 COMPLAINTS OF OVERSENSITIVE' AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT (I.E., ANY NON-CRASH DEPLOYMENT) RECEIVED BY ODI AND SUBARU INVOLVING MODEL YEAR 1995 SUBARU IMPREZA & LEGACY VEHICLES AND ALL OTHER IMPREZA & LEGACY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIR BAG SYSTEMS IDENTICAL OR SIMILAR TO THOSE IN THE 1995 IMPREZA & LEGACY; THEY ARE LATE 1994-1996 IMPREZA AND ALL1995 & 1996 LEGACY (33 COMPLAINTS OUT OF 165,385 VEHICLES).ODI'S ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT CERTAIN IMPREZA & LEGACY VEHICLES - - LATE 1994 & EARLY 1995 IMPREZA AND ALL 1995 & EARLY 1996 LEGACY (29 COMPLAINTS OUT OF 95,678 VEHICLES) -- HAVE MUCH HIGHER COMPLAINT RATE THAN THE REMAINING VEHICLES WHICH ARE DIFFERENT IN VEHICLE STRUCTURE OR EQUIPPED WITH DIFFERENT AIR BAG SENSING SYSTEM.MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS (26 OF THE 29) INDICATE THAT THE VEHICLE'S DUAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FROM AN UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACT WITH A CURB, BUMP, DIP, POTHOLE, ETC.IN…