← New search

1993 Subaru Legacy

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1993 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

Other model years Selected 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: 3 of 77 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

9 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

17 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Mar 8, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

TRAVELED FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 HOURS AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 45 - 65. CAR LOADED WITH EQUIPMENT AND PASSENGERS. TRAVELING UP MOUNTAIN. CAR LOST COMPRESSION, WHITE "SMOKE" BEGAN COMING OUT FROM HOOD. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD. POPPED HOOD. SMOKE APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM BACK OF ENGINE. ALLOWED CAR TO REST FOR 15-20 MINUTES. DI…

Read full complaint

TRAVELED FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 HOURS AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 45 - 65. CAR LOADED WITH EQUIPMENT AND PASSENGERS. TRAVELING UP MOUNTAIN. CAR LOST COMPRESSION, WHITE "SMOKE" BEGAN COMING OUT FROM HOOD. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD. POPPED HOOD. SMOKE APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM BACK OF ENGINE. ALLOWED CAR TO REST FOR 15-20 MINUTES. DID NOT PROCEED UP MOUNTAIN AS WE WERE ONLY 1/2 WAY UP THE MOUNTAIN. TURNED AROUND TO HEAD HOME. CAR RAN FINE GOING HOME. MECHANIC THOROUGHLY CHECKED OUT VEHICLE WITH DIAGNOSTIC AND VISUAL CHECK. COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG ALTHOUGH THE CAR DIED ON HIM ON A SHORT DISTANCE RUN _3-8 MILES. AFTER ALLOWING CAR TO REST, IT STARTED UP FINE. THIS YEAR VEHICLE HAS REQUIRED A 5-10 MINUTE WARMING UP PERIOD BEFORE DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER. HAS BEGUN CHOKING AND STALLING ON SHORT DISTANCE TRIPS. MECHANIC INSPECTED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. CHECKED FINE ON DIAGNOSTIC AND VISUAL INSPECTION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #719822

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

TRAVELLING ON INTERSTATE 66 - FOR APPROXIMATELY 1/2 HOUR TO 45 MINUTES.....AT NIGHT.....INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ALL ON AND ENGINE LOST COMPRESSION....ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE OF THE ROAD......CHECKED OIL....FINE.....WAITED 15-20 MINUTES. CAR STARTED UP AND RAN FINE REST OF TRIP HOME ABOUT 2 HOURS.

NHTSA ODI #719820

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

TRAVELLED OPEN ROAD FOR TWO HOURS. TRAVELING UP A MOUNTAIN WITH CAR LOADED FOR CAMPING, AND 3 PASSENGERS. CAR LOST COMPRESSION AND WHITE "SMOKE" NOT STEAM WAS POURING FROM UNDERNEATH HOOD. PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF CAR AND POPPED HOOD. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE BLACK BOX ON TOP OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WAITED…

Read full complaint

TRAVELLED OPEN ROAD FOR TWO HOURS. TRAVELING UP A MOUNTAIN WITH CAR LOADED FOR CAMPING, AND 3 PASSENGERS. CAR LOST COMPRESSION AND WHITE "SMOKE" NOT STEAM WAS POURING FROM UNDERNEATH HOOD. PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF CAR AND POPPED HOOD. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE BLACK BOX ON TOP OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WAITED 15-20 MINUTES FOR SMOKE TO EVAPORATE. STARTED CAR AND CONTINUED 10 - 20 MINUTES TO DESTINATION. NO FURTHER MISHAPS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #719819

Mileage unknown · Nov 24, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

THIS CAR HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY CARED FOR; WE HAVE FULL RECORDS. THIS SHOULD OCCUR AT THIS MILEAGE.

NHTSA ODI #715228

Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE ENGINE HARD TO START. CRANKS BUT DOES NOT TURN OVER UNTIL 6 OR 7 TIMES TRYING, IF THEN. STRONG SMELL OF GAS. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT WHEN ENGINE IS WARM. NO PROBLEM WHEN ENGINE IS COLD OR HOT.

NHTSA ODI #707707

Mileage unknown · Jan 11, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolinePower Train

VEHICLE BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE TWO SEPARATE TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AT 43,000 MILES, FOR SUSPECTED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WAS TOLD THAT THE OIL PUMP, TIMING BELT, AND IDLE CONTROL VALVE WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT UNDER WARRANTY. AT 60,000 MILES THE CAR WAS SERVICED FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, AND TOLD TO CHECK THE T…

Read full complaint

VEHICLE BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE TWO SEPARATE TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AT 43,000 MILES, FOR SUSPECTED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WAS TOLD THAT THE OIL PUMP, TIMING BELT, AND IDLE CONTROL VALVE WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT UNDER WARRANTY. AT 60,000 MILES THE CAR WAS SERVICED FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, AND TOLD TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION, AS IT WAS STILL NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. FOUR THOUSAND MILES LATER, AT 64,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED WHILE DRIVING WITH TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND ONE PASSENGER. THE DEALER REFUSES TO PAY FOR REPAIR AT THIS TIME. RETRIEVED INFORMATION REGARDING THE RECALL ON 1993 LEGACY TRANSMISSIONS, CONCERNED THAT I NEVER RECEIVED THE RECALL INFORMATION, NOR WAS TOLD BY ANY OF THE LAST THREE DEALERS THAT I HAVE DELT WITH ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL LIFE-THREATENING DEFECT!

NHTSA ODI #702139

Mileage unknown · Mar 27, 1996
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

TRANSMISSION OCCASIONALLY JUMPS OUT OF GEAR, CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION.

NHTSA ODI #503045

Official recalls

1

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.

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.