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1999 Subaru Legacy

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Subaru Legacy do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 77.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

29 reports with mileage · 65 unknown

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.

  • Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

18 crash reports1 fire reports11 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

11 reports
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Mileage unknown · Dec 30, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

I RECENTLY BOUGHT A USED 1999 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON. THE PREVIOUS OWNER TOLD ME THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK THAT RESULTED FROM THE OIL FILTER FRACTURING. THIS CAUSED SMOKE TO COME FROM OIL BURNING ON THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS, I HAD THE OIL CHANGED AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE STILL SMOKES AROUND THE …

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I RECENTLY BOUGHT A USED 1999 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON. THE PREVIOUS OWNER TOLD ME THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK THAT RESULTED FROM THE OIL FILTER FRACTURING. THIS CAUSED SMOKE TO COME FROM OIL BURNING ON THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS, I HAD THE OIL CHANGED AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE STILL SMOKES AROUND THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AFTER DRIVING IT. I CAN ALSO HEAR OIL DRIPPING FROM THE FILTER ONTO THE MANIFOLD. WHILE ONLINE REVIEWING MY CAR INSURANCE, I NOTICED THAT THIS VERY PROBLEM IS A RECALL DEFECT. I FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS AND CALLED SUBARU ABOUT THIS. THE REPRESENTATIVE NAMED PATRICIA SAID THAT THERE WAS NO RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE AND QUICKLY ENDED THE CONVERSATION. I KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND NEED THIS ADDRESSED. MY WIFE AND BABY RIDE IN THIS CAR. THE RECALL # IS -98V127000. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10253222

Mileage unknown · Mar 29, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

CAR OVERHEATED RANDOMLY. HAVE REPLACED RADIATOR, WATER PUMP, 3 THERMOSTATS, HEAD GASKETS, AND HAD HEADS MACHINED AT SHOP. STILL OVERHEATED AND DIED FREQUENTLY. HAD IT TO MECHANIC MULTIPLE TIMES. EACH TIME THEY SAY IT WAS FIXED. BEING TOWED BACK TO REPAIR SHOP TODAY BECAUSE IT WON'T EVEN START NOW. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10186451

Mileage unknown · Nov 15, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID #98V127000 CONCERNING THE ENGINE. THIS CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10142699

40,000 miles · Mar 27, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

CAR HESITATES TO ACCELERATE UNTIL 2500 RPM, THEN JUMPS.

NHTSA ODI #10114821

66,000 miles · Sep 24, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingStructure

COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES TO DEALER THAT CAR HAD NO POWER, POOR GAS MILEAGE, HESITATION UPON STARTING OUT, MOTOR FELL APART AT 66,000 MILES ON INTERSTATE. CAR, ALTHOUGH A NEW MOTOR, CONTINUES TO HAVE NO POWER, POOR GAS MILEAGE, HESITATION UPON STARTING OUT. WHAT'S GOING TO KEEP THE MOTOR FROM BLOWING UP AGAIN, AND MAYBE WE BE K…

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COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES TO DEALER THAT CAR HAD NO POWER, POOR GAS MILEAGE, HESITATION UPON STARTING OUT, MOTOR FELL APART AT 66,000 MILES ON INTERSTATE. CAR, ALTHOUGH A NEW MOTOR, CONTINUES TO HAVE NO POWER, POOR GAS MILEAGE, HESITATION UPON STARTING OUT. WHAT'S GOING TO KEEP THE MOTOR FROM BLOWING UP AGAIN, AND MAYBE WE BE KILLED. O2 AND PT SENSORS CONTINUES TO BLOW. SUNROOF WILL NOT OPEN;ADVISED A NEW ONE WOULD BE $975. SUNROOF COMPLAINT AT 13,680 MILES.

NHTSA ODI #10039507

Mileage unknown · Jun 2, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER SAID I HAD A BURNED CYLINDER. THIS WAS AT 108,000 MILES. A SECOND MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT MISFIRING IN CYLINDER NO. 4 WAS OCCURRING AND FURTHER STATED THAT COMPRESSION IN ALL FOUR CYLINDERS WAS BELOW SPECIFICIATIONS. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE DEFECT OCCURRED DURING MANUFACTURING AND WAS NOT A …

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ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER SAID I HAD A BURNED CYLINDER. THIS WAS AT 108,000 MILES. A SECOND MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT MISFIRING IN CYLINDER NO. 4 WAS OCCURRING AND FURTHER STATED THAT COMPRESSION IN ALL FOUR CYLINDERS WAS BELOW SPECIFICIATIONS. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE DEFECT OCCURRED DURING MANUFACTURING AND WAS NOT A RESULT OF ANYTHING I DID OR DID NOT DO TO THE CAR. SUBARU OF AMERICAN CONTACTED AND OFFERED $1,000 TOWARD A NEW CAR, BUT SAID OTHERWISE IT WAS MY PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #762553

Mileage unknown · Apr 22, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #761045

Mileage unknown · Jun 18, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE LEAKS OIL, AND THE OIL FLAWS ALL OVER ENGINE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #890603

Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 1999
Air BagsEngine And Engine CoolingEquipmentCrash

CAR HAS PULLED TO THE RIGHT SINCE PURCHASE. PURCHASED VEHICLE LATE SEPT., 1998. AC DID NOT WORK VERY WELL, BUT WEATHER WAS COOL AND IT WAS NOT A PRESSING ISSUE. THE FOLLOWING SPRING/SUMMER, TOOK IN FOR REPAIRS TO DEALER IN EVANSVILLE. AC STILL WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. ACCIDENT 5/19/99 WHERE I REAR-ENDED A VAN AT APPROX. 20 MP…

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CAR HAS PULLED TO THE RIGHT SINCE PURCHASE. PURCHASED VEHICLE LATE SEPT., 1998. AC DID NOT WORK VERY WELL, BUT WEATHER WAS COOL AND IT WAS NOT A PRESSING ISSUE. THE FOLLOWING SPRING/SUMMER, TOOK IN FOR REPAIRS TO DEALER IN EVANSVILLE. AC STILL WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. ACCIDENT 5/19/99 WHERE I REAR-ENDED A VAN AT APPROX. 20 MPH., AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. AC STILL ONLY WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. ON 9/17/99, AFTER DRIVING THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES AT 65 MPH, I NOTICED THE TEMP GAUGE WAS ABOVE THE "H" AND PULLED OVER. THE CAR DIED AND NEVER RESTARTED. OVERHEATED TO THE EXTENT THAT AFTER ENGINE DIED, SMOKE BILLOWED OUT THE EXHAUST/TAIL PIPE AND OVER 3 HOURS AFTER THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF, RADIATOR FLUID STILL BOILED OVER WHEN ADDED. DEALER UNABLE TO PROVIDE EXPLANATION FOR OVERHEATING OR AC PROBLEMS. SUBARU REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE HAS REFUSED TO RETURN MY CALLS FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REPAIRS.

NHTSA ODI #712565

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

REPEATED COLD ENGINE HESITATION; HAZARDOUS WHEN TURNING ONTO BUSY STREET.

NHTSA ODI #710639

Official recalls

3

01V216000 · 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.

99V040000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder

Mar 3, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS). (THE 1999 2.2 LITER LEGACY VEHICLES ARE EXCLUDED). IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE IS INCREASED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAUSES THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE TO BE INCREASED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER.

98V127000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

Jun 8, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, ALSO SERVICE PARTS SUPPLIED TO SUBARU DEALERS ARE INVOLVED (LOT NUMBERS F01 J21D2, F01 J30D2, F02 J09D1, F02 J09D2, AND F02 J20D1). THE PUROLATOR OIL FILTER CANS USED ON THESE VEHICLES CAN FRACTURE CAUSING A VAPORIZED OIL SPRAY AND SUBSEQUENT OIL LEAK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS VAPORIZED OIL SPRAY CAN RESULT IN OIL VAPOR IGNITION BY THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THESE ENGINE OIL FILTERS.

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.