IllustrationLEFT CV JOINT MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
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
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
What owners actually said
77 reportsFALSE DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIRBAG.
IN WET AND DRY WEATHER THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND THERE ARE NO ABS ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM BECAUSE THE LIGHT GOES OFF. *AK CONSUMER STATES WHILE ON VACATION THE ABS FAILURE WARNIGN LIGHT CAME ON, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM FROM THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER, BUT THE ABS FAILU…
Read full complaint
IN WET AND DRY WEATHER THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND THERE ARE NO ABS ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM BECAUSE THE LIGHT GOES OFF. *AK CONSUMER STATES WHILE ON VACATION THE ABS FAILURE WARNIGN LIGHT CAME ON, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM FROM THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER, BUT THE ABS FAILURE LIGHT STAYED ON AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM PERFORMED HAPHAZARDLY LOUD CLUNKING NOISES AT WHEELS WHEN BRAKE WERE APPLIED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATED UP AND DOWN UNDER CONSUMER'S FOOT WHEN HE STEPPED ON THE PEDAL,.*JB
PURCHASED CAR AS A PROGRAM CAR, THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE LOCKED UP . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK
SEAT BELT PLASTIC BUCKLE CONNECTOR FALLS INSIDE DOOR FRAME. *SD
FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE KEY WAS TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING. *AK
THE ENGINE IS SMOKING AND THE SMOKE COMES THROUGH THE VENTS AND CAUSES THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT TO FILL WITH SMOKE AND BLINDS THE DRIVER. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
REAR DEFROSTER DOES NOT HAVE AUTO SHUT OFF EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF DEFROSTER IS STILL ON WHEN VEHICLE IS RESTARTED/GLASS REACHS HIGH TEMP/SHATTER. *SD
TRANSMISSION OCCASIONALLY JUMPS OUT OF GEAR, CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION.
ANTILOCK BRAKES LOCK UP GOING DOWNHILL ON SNOW, CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL. *DSH
Official recalls
194V052000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.