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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.

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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 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

Tires complaints

8 reports
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114,385 miles · Oct 15, 2007
Tires

TWO YEAR OLD TIRES (ALL 4, PURCHASED AT SAME TIME) HAVE CIRCUMFERENTIAL CRACKS IN TREAD GROOVES - TIRE SELLER SAYS THESE ARE VERY ABNORMAL AND IS REPLACING ALL OF THEM. HAVE ONLY 20,000 MILES OF WEAR ON TIRES RATED FOR 80,000. NO CATASTROPHIC FAILURES. TIRES A GOODRICH TRACTION T/A 195/60R15 88H. DOT CODE ON ALL 4 TIRES: AN…

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TWO YEAR OLD TIRES (ALL 4, PURCHASED AT SAME TIME) HAVE CIRCUMFERENTIAL CRACKS IN TREAD GROOVES - TIRE SELLER SAYS THESE ARE VERY ABNORMAL AND IS REPLACING ALL OF THEM. HAVE ONLY 20,000 MILES OF WEAR ON TIRES RATED FOR 80,000. NO CATASTROPHIC FAILURES. TIRES A GOODRICH TRACTION T/A 195/60R15 88H. DOT CODE ON ALL 4 TIRES: ANRBMC112705. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10205715

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2005
Tires

THE CONSUMER PURCHASED FOUR NEW FIRESTONE TIRES. THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WENT FLAT. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE CORD THAT MEETS THE RIM OF THE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WAS TOLD SHE COULD PURCHASE ANOTHER TIRE FOR HALF PRICE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10096555

Mileage unknown · Sep 21, 2004
Tires

DEAR SIR/MADAM: THANKS FOR HELP. IT IS THREATEN TO THOUSANDS SUBARU CAR DRIVERS, LIKE FIRESTONE TIRES THREATEN TO THOUSANDS CAR DRIVERS USING FIRESTONE TIRES. I HAVE A 1993 4D LEGACY SEDAN, IT HAVE A PROBLEM FOR 4 MONTH, SOME TIME CAR UNCONTROLLABLE TO SLOWDOWN TO 10 TO 20 MPH AND SOME TIME ENGINE STOPPED, PUT ME IN VERY DANG…

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DEAR SIR/MADAM: THANKS FOR HELP. IT IS THREATEN TO THOUSANDS SUBARU CAR DRIVERS, LIKE FIRESTONE TIRES THREATEN TO THOUSANDS CAR DRIVERS USING FIRESTONE TIRES. I HAVE A 1993 4D LEGACY SEDAN, IT HAVE A PROBLEM FOR 4 MONTH, SOME TIME CAR UNCONTROLLABLE TO SLOWDOWN TO 10 TO 20 MPH AND SOME TIME ENGINE STOPPED, PUT ME IN VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION: MY CAR UNCONTROLLABLE STOPPED WHEN OTHER CARS DRIVE 65+ MILES ON FREE WAY OR 45+ MILS ON LOCAL ROAD. I THINK THIS A CONTROLLER DESIGN PROBLEM, IT SHOULD NOT SLOW DOWN AND STOP ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING LIGHT FIRST AND SHOULD NEVER STOP ENGINE. I STILL THINK SUBARU HAVE FOLLOWING OBLIGATIONS: 1. AFTER SO MANY COMPLAINTS FROM SUBARU CAR OWNERS ABOUT THE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER, SUBARU SHOULD REPLACE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER BEFORE THE DANGEROUS UNCONTROLLABLE SITUATION HAPPEN. CHECK WEB: HTTP://HOME.EARTHLINK.NET/~HOBIEGARY/HESITATION.HTM YOU CAN SEE THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER. 2. SUBARU SHOULD REPLACE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER FREE WHEN A CUSTOMER COMPLAIN THE PROBLEM. NOW SOME DEALERS JUST DENY THE PROBLEM IF THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT FOR SOME CAR THE PROBLEM ONLY HAPPEN ON CERTAIN ROAD AND CERTAIN SPEED AND DIFFICULT TO DUPLICATE. SOME DEALER ALSO LIKE TO CHARGE HOURS TO CHECK THE PROBLEM AND FIX THE PROBLEM. 3. SUBARU SHOULD DEVELOP SOME METHODS AND TOOLS TO CHECK THE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER INSTEAD OF ASKING CAR OWNER TO RISK LIFE TO TEST DRIVE THE CAR. 4. SUBARU SHOULD EDUCATE THE CAR OWNERS HOW TO HANDLE THE CAR WHEN THE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER MAKING CAR UNCONTROLLABLE. I HOPE SUBARU CAN HELP ME: 1. FREE REPLACE THE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER AND FREE REPAIR MY CAR IF ANY DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE MALFUNCTION CONTROLLER. 2. OR TRADE ME ANOTHER SUBARU CAR. 3. OR SUBARU BUY BACK MY CAR BASED ON RESIDUE VALUE.. THANKS ZHONGMIN SUN 18666 REDMOND WAY, RR2141 REDMOND, WA 98052 TEL:4258369419 EMAIL: ZHONGMINSUN@MSN.COM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10092987

Mileage unknown · Sep 21, 2004
Tires

DEAR SIR/MADAM: THANKS FOR HELP. T IS THREATEN TO THOUSANDS SUBARU CAR DRIVERS, LIKE FIRESTONE TIRES THREATEN TO THOUSANDS CAR DRIVERS USING FIRESTONE TIRES.*AK I HAVE A 93 4D LEGACY SEDAN, IT HAVE A PROBLEM FOR 4 MONTH, SOME TIME CAR UNCONTROLLABLE TO SLOWDOWN TO 10 TO 20 MPH AND SOME TIME ENGINE STOPPED, PUT ME IN VERY DANG…

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DEAR SIR/MADAM: THANKS FOR HELP. T IS THREATEN TO THOUSANDS SUBARU CAR DRIVERS, LIKE FIRESTONE TIRES THREATEN TO THOUSANDS CAR DRIVERS USING FIRESTONE TIRES.*AK I HAVE A 93 4D LEGACY SEDAN, IT HAVE A PROBLEM FOR 4 MONTH, SOME TIME CAR UNCONTROLLABLE TO SLOWDOWN TO 10 TO 20 MPH AND SOME TIME ENGINE STOPPED, PUT ME IN VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION: MY CAR UNCONTROLLABLE STOPPED WHEN OTHER CARS DRIVE 65+ MILES ON FREE WAY OR 45+ MILS ON LOCAL ROAD. I THINK THIS A CONTROLLER DESIGN PROBLEM, IT SHOULD NOT SLOW DOWN AND STOP ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING LIGHT FIRST AND SHOULD NEVER STOP ENGINE. I STILL THINK SUBARU HAVE FOLLOWING OBLIGATIONS: 1. AFTER SO MANY COMPLAINTS FROM SUBARU CAR OWNERS ABOUT THE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER, SUBARU SHOULD REPLACE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER BEFORE THE DANGEROUS UNCONTROLLABLE SITUATION HAPPEN. CHECK WEB: HTTP://HOME.EARTHLINK.NET/~HOBIEGARY/HESITATION.HTM YOU CAN SEE THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER. 2. SUBARU SHOULD REPLACE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER FREE WHEN A CUSTOMER COMPLAIN THE PROBLEM. NOW SOME DEALERS JUST DENY THE PROBLEM IF THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT FOR SOME CAR THE PROBLEM ONLY HAPPEN ON CERTAIN ROAD AND CERTAIN SPEED AND DIFFICULT TO DUPLICATE. SOME DEALER ALSO LIKE TO CHARGE HOURS TO CHECK THE PROBLEM AND FIX THE PROBLEM. 3. SUBARU SHOULD DEVELOP SOME METHODS AND TOOLS TO CHECK THE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER INSTEAD OF ASKING CAR OWNER TO RISK LIFE TO TEST DRIVE THE CAR. 4. SUBARU SHOULD EDUCATE THE CAR OWNERS HOW TO HANDLE THE CAR WHEN THE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER MAKING CAR UNCONTROLLABLE. I HOPE SUBARU CAN HELP ME: 1. FREE REPLACE THE MALFUNCTIONED CONTROLLER AND FREE REPAIR MY CAR IF ANY DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE MALFUNCTION CONTROLLER. 2. OR TRADE ME ANOTHER SUBARU CAR. 3. OR SUBARU BUY BACK MY CAR BASED ON RESIDUE VALUE.. THANKS ZHONGMIN SUN 18666 REDMOND WAY, RR2141 REDMOND, WA 98052 TEL:4258369419 EMAIL: ZHONGMINSUN@MSN.COM

NHTSA ODI #10092985

Mileage unknown · Feb 5, 2002
Tires

CONSUMER STATED THAT ON JULY 1,2000, THERE WAS A BLOWOUT OF THE GOOD YEAR EAGLE GA TIRES, PRODUCT CODE 113-938-444-0, DOT #MKJ6FJOR206 AND MKJ6FJOR393, WHILE DRIVING, AT THAT TIME IT WAS 88,000 MILES ON THE CAR, ON NOVEMBER 6, 2000, THE SECOND BLOWOUT OCCURED ON A BUSY FREEWAY, AT THAT TIME IT WAS 93,837 MILES ON THE CAR. ON SEP…

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CONSUMER STATED THAT ON JULY 1,2000, THERE WAS A BLOWOUT OF THE GOOD YEAR EAGLE GA TIRES, PRODUCT CODE 113-938-444-0, DOT #MKJ6FJOR206 AND MKJ6FJOR393, WHILE DRIVING, AT THAT TIME IT WAS 88,000 MILES ON THE CAR, ON NOVEMBER 6, 2000, THE SECOND BLOWOUT OCCURED ON A BUSY FREEWAY, AT THAT TIME IT WAS 93,837 MILES ON THE CAR. ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, THE THIRD BLOWOUT OCCURED ON A BUSY FREEWAY AT THAT TIME IT WAS 103,214 MILES ON THE CAR. AT CONSUMERS REQUEST, THE DEALER EXAMINED THE BLOWN OUT TIRES, HE DETERMINED THAT BOTH THE BLOWN TIRES AND THE REMAINING TIRE ON THE CAR THAT WAS PURCHASED WERE EXPERIENCING BELT EDGE SEPARATION. DEALER REMOVED THE TIRES AND GAVE TREAD LIFE CREDIT FOR THE BLOWN TIRE AND TWO TIRES THEY REMOVED FROM THE CAR. CONSUMER STATING THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE. *YD

NHTSA ODI #564268

Mileage unknown · Oct 12, 2000
Tires

THREATEN TO THOUSANDS SUBARU CAR DRIVERS, LIKE FIRESTONE TIRES THREATEN TO THOUSANDS CAR DRIVERS USING FIRESTONE TIRES.

NHTSA ODI #734184

Mileage unknown · Sep 14, 2000
Tires

TREAD SEPARATION, 2ND TIRE REPLACED FOR THIS REASON. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/60R15 )

NHTSA ODI #731477

Mileage unknown · Aug 16, 2000
Tires

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH VEHICLE STARTED VIBRATING. THEN PULLED OFF THE ROAD, AND FOUND OUT THAT TREAD SEPARATED. FIRESTONE F570. *AK THE TIRE TREAD WAS FOUND DANGLING FROM THE AXLE. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, ANOTHER TIRE PEELED OFF THE STEEL LAYERS UNDERNEATH AND WAS REPLACED. *YH

NHTSA ODI #867964

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.