IllustrationTHE CV BOOTS ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY NEED REPLACING. *AK
1990 Subaru Legacy
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 Subaru Legacy do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 77.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Legacy years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 81 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports
Power Train complaints
14 reportsI ALSO PURCHASED AN 1992 SUBARU SVX THAT HAS A FAILED TRANSNISSION (SAME STYLE TRANNY) THIS CAR HAS 146000 MILES ON IT, II'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS AND IT APPEARS THESE TRANSMISSIONS ARE PRONE TO FAILURE, OUR LEGACY'S WENT OUT ON THE INTERSTATE, AND COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN FATAL
DESIGN FLAW OF RIGHT FRONT AXLE CAME OFF THE WHEEL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO DEPEND ON REAR WHEEL DRIVE ONLY AND ALLOWED THE FRONT RIGHT DRIVE LINE SPIN AIMLESSLY, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO COMPONENTS IN TRANSFER CASE. *AK
WHEN DRIVING 55 MPH OR ABOVE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONS. VEHICLE DOES NOT DOWNSHIFT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
TRANSAXLE FAILED.
TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONS.
FRONT AND REAR STRUTS FAILED.
CV JOINT FAILURE.
BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AT THE REAR AXLE, OVERHEAT FAILURE PART VISCOUS COUPLER IN THE TRANSMISSION. *AK
Official recalls
494V052000 · Power Train:manual Transmission
Mar 23, 1994
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN CONTINUOUSLY UNDER EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES (-22 DEGREES F.) AND HIGH HUMIDITY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION BREATHING (AIR) VENT CAN BE BLOCKED DUE TO MOISTURE FREEZING AT THE OIL LEVEL GAUGE. IF THIS OCCURS, PRESSURE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION CASE WILL INCREASE AND PUSH OUT THE REAR OIL SEAL, CAUSING TRANSMISSION OIL LEAKAGE. THE LACK OF LUBRICATION CAN BURN THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS OF THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO SEIZE AND THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SUDDEN STOPS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING CAN CAUSE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS TO BE THROWN AROUND THE VEHICLE AND CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WHICH CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE OIL GAUGE PIPE AND MODIFY THE OIL LEVEL GAUGE (DIPSTICK) OR REPLACE IT, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF DIPSTICK IN THE VEHICLE.
91V082000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
May 30, 1991
UNDER CERTAIN LOAD CONDITIONS, THE PARK GEAR MAY NOT DISENGAGE IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION LEVER IS MOVED FROM PARK TO REVERSE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DELAYED RELEASE OF TRANSMISSION FROM PARK CAUSES DELAYEDAND POSSIBLY ABRUPT VEHICLE MOVEMENT THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLECONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: INSTALL A MODIFIED PARKING BRAKE PAWL TO PREVENT DELAYED RELEASE INTO REVERSE GEAR.
90V184000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Oct 16, 1990
TORQUE OF LATCH SCREWS ON FRONT DOORS MAY LOOSEN OVER TIME DUE TO A GAP BETWEEN THE LATCH BASE PLATE AND INNER DOOR PANEL UNDER THE SCREW HEAD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE AFFECTED DOOR MAY NOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE,PREVENTING EXIT FROM THAT DOOR.
Remedy: REPLACE FRONT DOOR LATCH SCREWS WITH "LOCK-TIGHT" SCREWS.
90V110000 · Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System
Jun 4, 1990
THE DEFROSTER LEVER PIN OF THE DEFROSTER SHUTTER DOOR MAY BECOME DISLOCATED AND ALLOW THE SHUTTER TO CLOSE, PREVENTING DEFROSTER FROM FUNCTIONING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: NON-FUNCTIONING DEFROSTER WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT DRIVERVISIBILITY.
Remedy: INSTALL A POSITIONING STOPPER DEVICE TO PREVENT DISLOCATION OF DEFROSTER LEVER PIN TO ASSURE DEFROSTER OPERATION.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2PE94051 · Hood Latch Failure
Opened Jun 29, 1994 · Closed Oct 31, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
PE91039 · Reverse Delayed Engagement
Opened Jan 23, 1991 · Closed May 30, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:automatic Transmission
There is no summary currently available
Power Train:automatic Transmission
There is no summary currently available