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1992 Subaru Legacy

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1992 Subaru Legacy do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 77.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 3 of 55 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.

  • Seat Belts. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

55 reports
Mileage unknown · Oct 14, 2001
Power Train

VIN # JF2 BJ65C3 NH903488. NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #753221

Mileage unknown · Jul 26, 2001
TiresCrash

FRONT RIGHT TIRE COMPLETELY FELL OFF THE WHEEL WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE TIRES HAD ONLY BEEN PUT ON 6 MONTHS PRIOR, AND THEY WERE NOT BALD. MY CAR SPUN OUT OF CONTROL, AND MY HUB CAP ROLLED OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY, CAUSING A CAR TO HIT THE BACK OF A CAR IN FRONT OF IT. THE TIRE LOOKS AS THOUGH IT HAD …

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FRONT RIGHT TIRE COMPLETELY FELL OFF THE WHEEL WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE TIRES HAD ONLY BEEN PUT ON 6 MONTHS PRIOR, AND THEY WERE NOT BALD. MY CAR SPUN OUT OF CONTROL, AND MY HUB CAP ROLLED OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY, CAUSING A CAR TO HIT THE BACK OF A CAR IN FRONT OF IT. THE TIRE LOOKS AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN PEELED OFF OF THE WHEEL. I'M SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR NOW.*AK (DOT NUMBER: 1857014 TIRESIZE: FT70C 87S)

NHTSA ODI #749270

Mileage unknown · May 25, 2001
Electrical System

WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL ALL OF ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS STOPPED, AND VEHICLE STOPPED OPERATING. A BLACK FUSE CABLE IN FUSE BOX, FUSE LINK: 82301GA060 BURNED UP, AND BURNED A MARK ON COVER OF FUSE BOX. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #889161

Mileage unknown · May 21, 2001
Seat Belts

INTERMITTENTLY DRIVER AND PASSENGER RESTRAINTS BECOME INOPERABLE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #888681

Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2000
Electrical System

ENGINE STALLS WHEN GOING UPHILL, BACKFIRES, PINGS AND COME TO A STOP. APPEARS TO HAPPEN WHEN ENGINE IS UNDER VERY MODEST STRAIN. MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN ON COLD ENGINE BUT NOT NEARLY ALL THE CASE. CAN'T TELL IF CHOKE IS IMPLEMENTED FOR SOME REASON.*AK

NHTSA ODI #734533

Mileage unknown · Mar 29, 2000
Seat Belts

DRIVER'S SIDE MOTOR BELT FAILED TO OPERATE, LEAVING DRIVER WITHOUT ANY RESTRAINT WHILE DRIVING. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ODI #859411

Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHEN ACCELERATING OR BACKING UP I NOTICED THE CAR WAS SLUGGISH. WHEN THE HOOD WAS POPPED, THE PART HOLDING THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY IN PLACE HAD ALMOST FALLEN OFF. IT TOOK QUIT A WHILE TO OBTAIN THE PART NEEDED. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE PART IMFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM FOR THE 92 MODEL AS WELL AS EITHER THE 9…

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WHEN ACCELERATING OR BACKING UP I NOTICED THE CAR WAS SLUGGISH. WHEN THE HOOD WAS POPPED, THE PART HOLDING THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY IN PLACE HAD ALMOST FALLEN OFF. IT TOOK QUIT A WHILE TO OBTAIN THE PART NEEDED. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE PART IMFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM FOR THE 92 MODEL AS WELL AS EITHER THE 91 OR 93 MODEL. MY MECHANIC BUILT A BRACE TO KEEP THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FROM FALLING OFF. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED NO RESPONSIBILITY AND I WAS TOLD THE PART HAD NOT BEEN RECALLED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #719517

Mileage unknown · Feb 25, 2000
Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY FILLER, NOT MADE FROM STAINLESS STEEL, HAS ROTTED OUT, CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK .PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #857541

Mileage unknown · Dec 15, 1999
Visibility

I HAVE SPENT $60 EACH TIME TO REPLACE SUN VISORS THAT APPEAR TO BE MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. PLEASE IMPROVE THE SUN VISORS THIS IS A SAFEY ISSUE AND COULD LEAD INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716065

Mileage unknown · Dec 15, 1999
Seat BeltsVisibility

THE AUOTMATIC SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED LAST APRIL 1999 AND FAILED AGAIN. WE ALSO REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT 11/1999. WE WOULD LIKE ASSISTANCE FROM THE MANUFACTURER WITH THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT AS IT WAS PROVIDE THROUGH A MANUFACTURER. DEALER AGREEMENT WITH EACH PARTY PAYING $250 TO REPLACE IT THE 1ST TIME. THERE HAS ONL…

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THE AUOTMATIC SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED LAST APRIL 1999 AND FAILED AGAIN. WE ALSO REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT 11/1999. WE WOULD LIKE ASSISTANCE FROM THE MANUFACTURER WITH THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT AS IT WAS PROVIDE THROUGH A MANUFACTURER. DEALER AGREEMENT WITH EACH PARTY PAYING $250 TO REPLACE IT THE 1ST TIME. THERE HAS ONLY BEEN 7,800 MILES SINCE THE LAST BELT WAS REPAIRED. ALSO WE KEEP HAVING TO REPLACE THE SUNVISOR WHICH OF COURSE FAILED WHEN YOU NEED THEM THE MOST. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE. WE HAVE REPLACED 6 OF THEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716064

Official recalls

2

94V052000 · 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.

92V044000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

Apr 1, 1992

A MISALIGNMENT OF THE REAR SEAT CUSHION LATCHING BRACKET REINFORCEMENT PLATE TO THE FLOOR REQUIRED A MACHINE TAP TO CLEAR THE OPENING FOR A MOUNTING BOLT. THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK MAY HAVE BEEN PUNCTURED WHEN THE TAP WAS USED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE PUNCTURE IN THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK COULD CAUSE FUELTO LEAK, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE WHEN LEAKS OCCUR NEAR A SOURCE OFIGNITION.

Remedy: INSPECT THE FUEL TANKS; REPLACE THEM IF THEY ARE PUNCTURED.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.