What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2003 Subaru Legacy

Typical pattern

5.9% of complaints about the 2003 Subaru Legacy came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2003 vehicle — around the middle of the 228 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 8.1 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (16 complaints), typically at 14.1 yr or about 132,800 miles.

Complaints
68
Median age at failure
8.1 yr
Median mileage
88,000 n=49
Crash / fire / tow
8.8% of reports
Safety recalls
10

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Air bags
16 reports · 132,800 mi
14.1 yr
25%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

20V001000 2020-01-02
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same de

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

20V002000 2020-01-02
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

20V003000 2020-01-02
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall us

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

16V361000 2016-05-25
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, and Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, or "Zone C.". These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

16V358000 2016-05-25
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

16V359000 2016-05-25
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2006-2008 Impreza, Tribeca, 2006 Saab 9-2x, and 2003-2006 Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

15V323000 2015-05-28
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to July 21, 2004, 2004-2005 Impreza vehicles manufactured January 28, 2003, to May 31, 2005, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to May 2, 2008, 2003-2008 Subaru Outback vehicles manufactured February 18, 2003, to May 5, 2008, and 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to March 17, 2005. The affected vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, c

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

14V763000 2014-12-01
Air bags

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy and Outback vehicles, and 2003-2005 Baja vehicles sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Florida and adjacent counties in southern Georgia, as well as the coastal areas of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger’s frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

13E065000 2013-11-29
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

Airtex Products LP (Airtex) is recalling certain model E8598M, E8518M, E8600M, E8596M, and E8597M fuel pumps manufactured July 26, 2013, and July 29, 2013 and used as aftermarket replacements on Subaru Baja's, Outback's and Legacy's. The affected fuel pumps were sold or installed into the aftermarket applications on or after July 26, 2013, and may may leak fuel from the base of a fuel line connection when the gas tank is full.

A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

04V128000 2004-03-16
Vehicle speed control:cables

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER SEDANS, WAGONS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE COULD COME OUT OF ITS TRACK ON THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER AND LODGE ON THE CONTROL LEVER TAB WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, THE THROTTLE WILL NOT RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION AND WILL REMAIN IN AN OPEN POSITION.

IF THIS OCCURS DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

In owners’ own words

Air bags 30 mi 10 mo in service crash / fire / tow
AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN MVA THAT PROBABLY TOTALED MY 2003 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON(NO OFFICIAL WORD FROM ADJUSTER YET). HIT BY A DRUNK DRIVER(BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL.3). HIT BY AN '83 CHEVY CITATION WITH NO FRONT BUMPER. HE WAS GOING 40-45 MPH, I WAS BRAKING MADLY FROM 42 MPH. SUBARU SAYS SENSORS ARE MOUNTED ON BUMPER, BUT EVEN SO, WHAT ABOUT SUVS AND TRUCKS. I WAS VERY LUCKY AND WALKED AWAY WITH MINIMAL INJURIES, BUT THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE ELSE. PLEASE LOOK INTO IT ASAP. *JB+
Air bags 79,800 mi 7.4 yr in service crash / fire / tow
TRAVELING WEST ON I90 NEAR MENTOR OHIO I ATTEMPTED TO STOP MY 2003 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON ON A SNOW COVERED PORTION OF THE ROAD. MY SPEED WAS ABOUT 45 MPH. TRAFFIC STOPPED SUDDENLY, AND WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. ALSO, THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM DID NOT ACTIVATE. FURTHER, UPON IMPACT WITH THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
Air bags 158,000 mi 8.1 yr in service crash / fire / tow
VEHICLE INVOLVED IN ONE CAR CRASH ON A GRADED DIRT ROAD AT NIGHT; OVERCORRECTED TO THE LEFT AFTER RIGHT PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL WENT SLIGHTLY INTO SHALLOW DITCH ON RIGHT SIDE OF ROAD. EXTENSIVE RIGHT FRONT BUMPER DAMAGE, CRUSH TO RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER DOOR, AND DISPLACEMENT OF CONSOLE TOWARD DRIVER SEAT BELT ANCHOR. AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY RESULTING IN THE DRIVERS FOREHEAD HITTING STEERING WHEEL WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (CONCUSSION) AND POSSIBLE LINEAR SKULL FRACTURE. SEAT BELT WAS WORN. (PICTURES OF POST-CRASH VEHICLE, DRIVER AND HEAD STRIKE-ZONE AVAILABLE). UPDATED 05/12 /11 *BF

Other Legacy model years

20222020201920182017201620152013201220112010200920082006200520042003200120001998

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