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2002 Subaru Legacy

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 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

32 reports with mileage · 22 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

9 reports
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126,955 miles · May 17, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 2 1/2 DAYS. ON COLD START IT MADE A HORRIBLE NOISE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR DIED. I TOWED IT TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THEY SAID NOISE WAS INTERNAL MOTOR NOISE. I AUTHORIZED R&R OF THE OIL PAN AND THE FOUND THE #3 ROD BEARING SPUN. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED NOR NEGLECTED AND I HAVE SERV…

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CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 2 1/2 DAYS. ON COLD START IT MADE A HORRIBLE NOISE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR DIED. I TOWED IT TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THEY SAID NOISE WAS INTERNAL MOTOR NOISE. I AUTHORIZED R&R OF THE OIL PAN AND THE FOUND THE #3 ROD BEARING SPUN. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED NOR NEGLECTED AND I HAVE SERVICE RECORDS SHOWING EVERY SERVICE DONE ON TIME. ALL OIL CHANGES WERE DONE EVERY 3500 MILES. ALSO.. AT 92K MILES MY CAR DEVELOPED A HEAD GASKET LEAK. SUBARU HAS A WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR 99-2002 SUBARU LEGACY HEADGASKETS UP TO 8 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES. SUBARU DECLINED COVERAGE ON MY VEHICLE DUE TO VIN # BEING OUTSIDE OF VIN # GROUP THEY HAD EXTENDED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10330889

40,000 miles · Aug 18, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE BEGAN LEAKING COOLANT AT AN ACCELERATED LEVEL. ONLINE RESEARCH YIELDED A CAMPAIGN FOR REPAIRS THAT EXTENDS THE WARRANTY OF THE KNOWN ISSUE. THE WWP-99 CAMPAIGN COVERAGE WAS DENIED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10238795

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

STARTED WITH A BURNING SMELL, WHEN HAVING MY CAR INSPECTED, I WAS ADVISED THAT I HEAD A SMALL HEAD GASKET LEAK. (MY CAR WAS RECALLED AND HAD THE STOP LEAK PUT IN IT) OBVIOUSLY IT DIDN'T WORK. THE LEAK IS WORSE AND I AM SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT, WONDERING WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING TO COME FROM TO FIX A PROBLEM SUBARU WAS AWARE O…

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STARTED WITH A BURNING SMELL, WHEN HAVING MY CAR INSPECTED, I WAS ADVISED THAT I HEAD A SMALL HEAD GASKET LEAK. (MY CAR WAS RECALLED AND HAD THE STOP LEAK PUT IN IT) OBVIOUSLY IT DIDN'T WORK. THE LEAK IS WORSE AND I AM SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT, WONDERING WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING TO COME FROM TO FIX A PROBLEM SUBARU WAS AWARE OF , IE. THE RECALL! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10197408

65,501 miles · Apr 17, 2006
Engine And Engine CoolingInjury

COOLANT LEAK. DEALER UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO SEAL. DEALER REPLACED ONE OF TWO HEAD GASKETS($1328.00). DEALER DENIED ANY RECALL. FOUND SUBARU SERVICE PROGRAM WWP-99 ON INTERNET, SAME MODEL YEAR, ENGINE AND PROBLEM. DEALER AND SUBARU ARE DENYING ANY RESPONSIBILITY SAYING CAR NOT INCLUDED IN VIN RANGE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10155500

93,000 miles · Feb 26, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

LEAKING HEAD GASKET. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10151252

30,000 miles · Jul 1, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

FOR 30000 MILES MOTOR WAS QUIET THEN DEVELOPED A SEVERE KNOCK ON COLD START UP THAT ALWAYS LASTS UNTIL THE CAR WARMS UP. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10079133

19,374 miles · May 24, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

1) CHECK ENGINE LIGHT LIT;2) HESITATION AT DANGEROUS TIMES, ESPECIALLY THROUGH TURNS, OCCASIONAL BACKFIRING;3) THREE TIMES IN SHOP FOR WARRANTY WORK, REPLACING AIR/FUEL RATIO SENSOR AND REPROGRAMMING ECM/ECU/PCM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10073078

12,000 miles · Nov 12, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE CONSUMER MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *PH

NHTSA ODI #10047812

Mileage unknown · Sep 12, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingSeatsService Brakes, Hydraulic

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S BRAKING SYSTEM, REAR TIRE, WHISTLING NOISES COMING FROM DOOR AND OIL LEAK.*MR THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE WHEEL. THE REAR HATCH WAS ADJUSTED FOR WHISTLING NOISES, AND THE BRAKES WERE DUSTED OFF TO REPAIR THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE OIL FILTER WAS REPLACED AND THE SEAT BOLTS WERE TIGHTENED TO…

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PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S BRAKING SYSTEM, REAR TIRE, WHISTLING NOISES COMING FROM DOOR AND OIL LEAK.*MR THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE WHEEL. THE REAR HATCH WAS ADJUSTED FOR WHISTLING NOISES, AND THE BRAKES WERE DUSTED OFF TO REPAIR THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE OIL FILTER WAS REPLACED AND THE SEAT BOLTS WERE TIGHTENED TO ELIMINATED THE SEATS FROM MOVING WHILE DRIVING. *PH *JB

NHTSA ODI #10040384

Official recalls

4

04V128000 · Vehicle Speed Control:cables

Mar 16, 2004

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER SEDANS, WAGONS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE COULD COME OUT OF ITS TRACK ON THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER AND LODGE ON THE CONTROL LEVER TAB WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, THE THROTTLE WILL NOT RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION AND WILL REMAIN IN AN OPEN POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A CRUISE CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP TO THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER TAB ON THE THROTTLE SHAFT IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE FROM COMING OUT OF ITS TRACK. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 12, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

03V153000 · Suspension:rear

Apr 22, 2003

THIS RECALL APPLIES TO CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. CERTAIN REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME COMPONENTS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE ROAD SALTS FOR A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS, COULD RESULT IN RUST-OUT OF THE COMPONENT AND POSSIBLE BREAKAGE OF THE SUBFRAME.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF SUCH BREAKAGE OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED, CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE AFFECTED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL CLEAN AND RUST-PROOF THE REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 14, 2003. 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.

02V282000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Oct 30, 2002

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "P" (PARK) POSITION, THE TRANSMISSION PARK MECHANISM, THAT IS INTENDED TO HOLD YOUR VEHICLE, MAY NOT ENGAGE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE VEHICLE COULD THEN MOVE/ROLL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION JANUARY 8, 2003. AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE SENT DURING NOVEMBER 2002. 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.

02V079000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder

Mar 12, 2002

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDERS MAY NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY IN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING 32 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND LOWER).

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AT THESE TEMPERATURES, THE BRAKES MAY NOT RELEASE AFTER BEING APPLIED, EVEN WHEN THE DRIVER'S FOOT IS NO LONGER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS CAN OCCUR WITHOUR PRIOR WARNING, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDERS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 21, 2002. 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.

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.