IllustrationSPRING BROKE WHEN I SAT DOWN INTO SEAT OF THE CAR. *AK
1995 Subaru Legacy
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Legacy years
Owner complaints for the 1995 Subaru Legacy are substantially higher than 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: 19 of 182 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
33 crash reports3 fire reports25 injury reports
What owners actually said
182 reportsOIL LEAKS OUT OF CAMS AND GET ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD, CAUSES ENGINE TO SMOKE WHEN STOPPED WITH ENGINE RUNNING, BROUGHT TO SHOP 3 TIMES BACK IN SHOP NOW, CONTINUES TO LEAK OIL.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING FRONT HOOD FLEW OFF. WINDSHIELD AND HOOD WERE SMASHED, AND T ROOF HAD A DENT ON TOP HOOD. HOOD HAD A DOUBLE LATCH FOR SECURITY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 IN DELAWARE NEAR PA BORDER, IN A HIGH WIND, MY CAR SUDDENTLY SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. I DONT KNOW IF IT WAS CAUSED BY WIND OR NOT. IN TRYING TO STRAIGTEN OUT CAR, I SEEMED TO HAVE OVERCORRECTED AND SWERVED LEFT, ACROSS A LANE AND INTO A GUARDRAIL, GIVING ME NECK AND BACK INJURIES, TRAUMA, AND 28000 WORTH OF D…
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WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 IN DELAWARE NEAR PA BORDER, IN A HIGH WIND, MY CAR SUDDENTLY SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. I DONT KNOW IF IT WAS CAUSED BY WIND OR NOT. IN TRYING TO STRAIGTEN OUT CAR, I SEEMED TO HAVE OVERCORRECTED AND SWERVED LEFT, ACROSS A LANE AND INTO A GUARDRAIL, GIVING ME NECK AND BACK INJURIES, TRAUMA, AND 28000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO CAR. I REMEMBERED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT SOMETHING SIMILAR HAD HAPPEND ON A RAINY DAY A WHILE BACK ( I HAVE HD THIS CAR A YEAR OR SO) . I WAS AT AN INTERSECTION AND THE CAR SUDDENTLY SWERVED LEFT ( DIFFERENT DIRECTION THIS TIME). I WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THAT SUCCESSFULLY. I CONTACTED SUBARU WHICH HAS NO RECORD OF PROBLEMS LIKE I AM DESCRIBING. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR ON A HIGHWAY, SINCE IT FELT UNTRUSTWORTHY. WHILE THERE WAS HIGH WIND THAT DAY, I DID NOT SPECIFICALLY FEEL A GUST CARRY THE CAR- THE SWERVING SEEMED TO BE FOR NO REASON.*AK
NEWLY-ACQUIRED ABS/AWD MODEL OF OTHERWISE SIMILAR SUBARU WAGON THAT HAD TAKEN SAME DESCRIBED TURN HUNDREDS OF TIMES: DESCENDING WET GRAVEL ROAD IN 2ND GEAR, WHILE BRAKING SIMULTANEOUSLY AND APPROACHING A TIGHT TURN, THE CAR ACTUALLY BEGAN TO SPEED UP -- SO, INSTEAD OF SLOWING TO POINT WHERE BRAKES ALONE WOULD TAKE ME AROUND TUR…
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NEWLY-ACQUIRED ABS/AWD MODEL OF OTHERWISE SIMILAR SUBARU WAGON THAT HAD TAKEN SAME DESCRIBED TURN HUNDREDS OF TIMES: DESCENDING WET GRAVEL ROAD IN 2ND GEAR, WHILE BRAKING SIMULTANEOUSLY AND APPROACHING A TIGHT TURN, THE CAR ACTUALLY BEGAN TO SPEED UP -- SO, INSTEAD OF SLOWING TO POINT WHERE BRAKES ALONE WOULD TAKE ME AROUND TURN AS USUAL, I PUSHED IN CLUTCH TO DOWNSHIFT TO 1ST - WHICH POINT I NEVER REACHED, SINCE THE WAGON SWUNG AROUND TO OUTSIDE OF ROAD, AND SLID DOWN A STEEP 30' EMBANKMENT, ROLLING OVER. ALTHOUGH NEITHER I NOR PASSENGER [DOG!] WERE HURT, THERE WAS EXTENSIVE GLASS AND BODY DAMAGE. PHONE CALL FROM NEARBY NEIGHBORS TO TOW COMPANY HAD THE WAGON BACK UP ON THE ROAD WITHIN CA. 90 MINUTES, ON SECOND TRY [FIRST TRY POPPED BOTH TOW HOOKS ON REAR, CAUSING ANOTHER 10-15' NOSEFIRST DIVE THAT DENTED FRONT FENDER ON SOFT SOIL]. I CALLED TOW TRUCK OPERATOR'S ATTENTION TO APPARENT LACK OF SKID/BRAKING MARKS, BUT THE WHOLE ROAD HAD BEEN GRADED BY THE TIME I RETURNED WITH MY CAMERA THE NEXT DAY. AFTER REINFLATING TIRE, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT 1.5 MI. BACK UP MOUNTAIN ROAD TO HOUSE, BUT ABS LIGHT AND WARNING FLASHERS REMAINED ON UNTIL I DISCONNECTED BATTERY. GLASS REPLACEMENT [WINDSHIELD, HATCH, REAR QUARTER] ALONE OVER $1000, PLUS WHATEVER BODY WORK [REAR QUARTER CLIP, ROOF, HOOD, FENDERS] AND PAINT NEEDED. BUT MAINLY, I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS WAGON DOWNHILL AGAIN, AS AWD/ABS WERE THE TOUTED SAFETY REASONS FOR BUYING IT: SUBARU'S RECENT BYLINE IS "BECAUSE SAFETY IS NOT AN OPTION".*AK
WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH HOOD POPPED OPEN AND FLEW UP OVER WINDSHIELD. SEVERE BODY DAMAGE TO VEHICLE, 1 OCCUPANT AND NO INJURIES. *AK THE INCIDENT CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO HOOD, HINGES AND THE ENTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR TO DETACH AND FALL. *YH
FLOOR MATS REPEATEDLY SLIDE UP UNDER THE ACCELERATOR AND POTENTIALLY IMPEDE ACCELERATION. APPARENTLY, SUBARU HAS NOW ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM, IN LATER MODELS, BY INSTALLING A HOOK IN THE FLOOR THAT ATTACHES TO THE MAT, TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING. HOWEVER, THIS CONTINUES TO REMAIN A PROBLEM IN EARLIER MODELS WITH MANUFACTURER …
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FLOOR MATS REPEATEDLY SLIDE UP UNDER THE ACCELERATOR AND POTENTIALLY IMPEDE ACCELERATION. APPARENTLY, SUBARU HAS NOW ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM, IN LATER MODELS, BY INSTALLING A HOOK IN THE FLOOR THAT ATTACHES TO THE MAT, TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING. HOWEVER, THIS CONTINUES TO REMAIN A PROBLEM IN EARLIER MODELS WITH MANUFACTURER SUPPLIED FLOOR MATS.*AK
MOTOR OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD, THE DEALER REPLACED ENGINE PLUGS. NLM
MANUFACTURER'S RECALL WX0-72; EARLIER DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS DUE TO WHEEL/TOW HOOK APPARATUS.. WHEN HITTING A PEBBLE AIRBAGS WOULD DEPLOY ON POINT OF CONTACT. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS AGAINST REMOVING OF THE TOW HOOK AS A SOLUTION TO AIR BAG PROBLEM. TOWING WITH OUT THE TOW HOOK WOULD DAMAGE THE ENTIRE FRONT DRIVE SYSTEM ACC…
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MANUFACTURER'S RECALL WX0-72; EARLIER DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS DUE TO WHEEL/TOW HOOK APPARATUS.. WHEN HITTING A PEBBLE AIRBAGS WOULD DEPLOY ON POINT OF CONTACT. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS AGAINST REMOVING OF THE TOW HOOK AS A SOLUTION TO AIR BAG PROBLEM. TOWING WITH OUT THE TOW HOOK WOULD DAMAGE THE ENTIRE FRONT DRIVE SYSTEM ACCORDING TO THE CONSUMER. *YH
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND HEARD A NOISE, LIKE SOMETHING FELL, DASHBOARD LIT UP AND THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, VEHICLE STARTED COASTING LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, CONSUMER SHUT VEHICLE OFF AND IT WOULD NOT SHUT START UP AGAIN, VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND FOUND THAT THE CAMSHAFT HAD BROKEN, DEALER CLAIMED THERE…
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CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND HEARD A NOISE, LIKE SOMETHING FELL, DASHBOARD LIT UP AND THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, VEHICLE STARTED COASTING LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, CONSUMER SHUT VEHICLE OFF AND IT WOULD NOT SHUT START UP AGAIN, VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND FOUND THAT THE CAMSHAFT HAD BROKEN, DEALER CLAIMED THERE WAS BLOCKAGE ON THE RIGHT SIDE WHICH CAUSED CAMSHAFT TO LOCK AND THEN BREAK BECAUSE NO OIL WAS ABLE TO FLOW ON THAT SIDE. *SLC
Official recalls
201V216000 · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs
Jun 25, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN, AND IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE SALT, CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE SPRING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE FRACTURE, A BROKEN SPRING COULD MOVE PAST THE SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT A FRONT TIRE. SOME TIRES HAVE DEFLATED DUE TO CONTACT WITH A BROKEN SPRING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL NOTIFIY CUSTOMERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE A SPRING GUARD INSTALLED ON BOTH FRONT STRUTS TO PREVENT TIRE PUNCTURE AND REPLACE ANY BROKEN SPRINGS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 18, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.
98V315000 · Air Bags
Dec 11, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN OCCUR AFTER UNDERCARRIAGE CONTACT OF THE TOW HOOKS WITH CURBS, DIPS, SPEEDBUMPS, POTHOLES, ETC.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT COULD RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FRONT TOW HOOKS.
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
3PE99067 · Electrical System
Opened Nov 1, 1999 · Closed May 31, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
ODI HAS RECEIVED 5,820 COMPLAINTS CONCERNING A VARIETY OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES THAT RESULT IN THE VEHICLE STALLING.OUR COMPLAINT ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE COMPAINTS ARE CAUSED BY ALTERNATOR FAILURE.IN SOME INSTANCES, THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY DEAD AND WILL NOT RESTART.BASED ON OUR INVESTIGATION AND THE MANUFACTURER'S RESPOMSE, ODI IS CLOSING THIS INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER HAS AGREED TO PERFORM THE OWNER NORTIFICATION PROGRAM CITED ABOVE, INCLUDING QUARTERLY NOTIFICATIONS TO ODI.THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS OWNERS TO GET THEIR ALTERNATOR REPLACED FOR FREE.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS MATTER CLOSELY, AND THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION ON THESE MODELS IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
EA97010 · Oversensitive Air Bag Deployment
Opened Apr 30, 1997 · Closed Dec 23, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
IN ITS LETTER DATED DECEMBER 21, 1998, SUBARU STATED THAT THE VEHICLES IDENTIFIED ABOVE WILL BE RECALLED.SUBARU DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FRONT TOWING/TIE-DOWN HOOKS.REFER TO NHTSA RECALL NO. 98V-315 FOR DETAILS.
PE96075 · Oversensitive Air Bag Deployment
Opened Dec 18, 1996 · Closed Apr 30, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
ODI HAS REVIEWED 33 COMPLAINTS OF OVERSENSITIVE' AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT (I.E., ANY NON-CRASH DEPLOYMENT) RECEIVED BY ODI AND SUBARU INVOLVING MODEL YEAR 1995 SUBARU IMPREZA & LEGACY VEHICLES AND ALL OTHER IMPREZA & LEGACY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIR BAG SYSTEMS IDENTICAL OR SIMILAR TO THOSE IN THE 1995 IMPREZA & LEGACY; THEY ARE LATE 1994-1996 IMPREZA AND ALL1995 & 1996 LEGACY (33 COMPLAINTS OUT OF 165,385 VEHICLES).ODI'S ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT CERTAIN IMPREZA & LEGACY VEHICLES - - LATE 1994 & EARLY 1995 IMPREZA AND ALL 1995 & EARLY 1996 LEGACY (29 COMPLAINTS OUT OF 95,678 VEHICLES) -- HAVE MUCH HIGHER COMPLAINT RATE THAN THE REMAINING VEHICLES WHICH ARE DIFFERENT IN VEHICLE STRUCTURE OR EQUIPPED WITH DIFFERENT AIR BAG SENSING SYSTEM.MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS (26 OF THE 29) INDICATE THAT THE VEHICLE'S DUAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FROM AN UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACT WITH A CURB, BUMP, DIP, POTHOLE, ETC.IN THE REMAINING 3 COMPLAINTS, THE DRIVER ALLEGED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY OR WITHOUT ANY IMPACT.IN 13 OF THE 29 CASES, ONLY THE VEHICLE'S FRONT TOW HOOKS REPORTEDLY WERE FOUND DAMAGED OR SHOWED EVIDENCE OF IMPACT, AND IN 6 OTHER CASES BOTH TOW HOOKS AND OTHER UNDERCARRIAGE COMPONENTS WERE REPORTEDLY DAMAGED OR IMPACTED; NO DETAILS WERE GIVEN IN THE 10 REMAINING CASES.THIS PE HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO EA97-010