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

2006 Subaru Legacy

Typical pattern

5.9% of complaints about the 2006 Subaru Legacy came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2006 vehicle — around the middle of the 250 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 9.0 yr in service. The most-reported system is speed control (30 complaints), typically at 9.3 yr or about 107,300 miles.

Complaints
135
Median age at failure
9.0 yr
Median mileage
93,000 n=120
Crash / fire / tow
11.9% of reports
Safety recalls
7

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Speed control
30 reports · 107,300 mi
9.3 yr
3.3%
Electrical system
17 reports · 100,000 mi
8.7 yr
11.8%
Engine
16 reports · 133,000 mi
10.2 yr
6.2%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

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.

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.

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.

19V297000 2019-04-11
Electrical system:ignition:switch

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.

The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.

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.

14V311000 2014-06-10
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines.

Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

13V110000 2013-03-27
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Subaru is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy vehicles manufactured from December 2003, through April 2009 and currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines.

Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

In owners’ own words

Speed control 4,470 mi 11 mo in service
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS DOWNHILL WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT WAS THE WAY THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DESIGNED TO FUNCTION. THE DEALER INSTRUCTED THE CONTACT TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHILE DESCENDING DOWNHILL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 9/13/2006 - THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET AT 58 MPH BUT WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 77 MPH *NM
Speed control 103,800 mi 7.3 yr in service
VEHICLE FAILED TO SUSTAIN HIGHWAY SPEED ALTHOUGH PEDAL WAS PRESSED STEADILY AND THEN VARIABLY TO REGAIN THROTTLE CONTROL. VEHICLE STALLED ON FREEWAY, VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. MECHANIC TEST SHOW ERROR CODE P2138. REPLACED ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR SWITCH ASSEMBLY TO RESOLVE ISSUE. NO PRIOR EVIDENCE OF FAILURE TO PROVIDE WARNING PRIOR TO THROTTLE SYSTEM FAILURE. COST TO REPAIR: $282.00 P&L, 296.26 WITH TAX. *TR
Speed control 100,000 mi 7.8 yr in service
DRIVING AT 35MPH I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE TO GO UP A HILL AND NOTHING HAPPENED. STEERING BECAME VERY TIGHT. HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHUT CAR OFF AND WAITED THEN TURNED BACK ON. HAS HAPPENED 1 OTHER TIME SINCE FIRST INCIDENT, WITH NO WARNING OR INDICATION. RESEARCHED ONLINE TO FIND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE'S THROTTLE/PEDAL POSITION SWITCH. HAD I BEEN ON A MORE BUSY STREET OR ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED, NUMEROUS VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN EFFECTED. *TR
Electrical system 85,000 mi 5.7 yr in service
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH, MY LEGACY'S THROTTLE BECAME UNRESPONSIVE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE CRUISE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY COAST OFF THE ROAD AND A SUBSEQUENT CODE CHECK REVEALED A CODE 2138 (THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR). IN THE ENSUING MONTHS I REPLACED THE TPS, WHICH DIDN'T HELP, THEN RESEATED THE CONNECTION ON THE THROTTLE ITSELF, WHICH WORKED FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS. THE PROBLEM HAS RECENTLY RECURRED AND SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

Other Legacy model years

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