1995 Subaru LEGACY problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
113 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
166,116 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1995 model year. Data snapshot: . 19 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 20 of 113 complaints (17.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 16 | 14.2% |
| Steering behavior | 7 | 6.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 4.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 2.7% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 2.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 2.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | 20 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 7 |
| Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | 7 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 5 |
| Suspension | 5 |
| Air Bags | 4 |
Air Bags:Frontal: 20; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 7; Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs: 7; Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 5; Suspension: 5; Air Bags: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 13 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 13
150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 94 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 26 |
| 1996 | 18 |
| 2000 | 18 |
| 2001 | 13 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 7 |
| 2004 | 6 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
1995: 26; 1996: 18; 2000: 18; 2001: 13; 2002: 5; 2003: 7; 2004: 6; 2005: 4; 2006: 2; 2007: 1; 2008: 1; 2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2011: 4; 2012: 2; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2017: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10105556 · 2004-12-30 (December 30, 2004)
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED/TAPPED THEY SUDDENLY TIGHTEN AND GET HOT AS TIME PROGRESSES. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THIS FAILURE RESULTED IN A FIRE DUE TO MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER FAILURE. BRAKE PADS AND CALIPERS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10105556 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10259793 · 2009-02-24 (February 24, 2009)
CAR SHAKES AND STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. GIVES SENSATION OF INABILITY TO BRAKE. FEELING OF INSECURITY. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THE FOLLOWING HAVE BEEN DONE: RESURFACED FRONT AND BACK ROTORS AT 17,002 MILES. REPLACED FRONT AND REAR PADS AND FRONT ROTORS AND RESURFACED REAR ROTORS AT 29,154 REPLACED REAR ROTORS AND RESURFACED FRONT ROTORS AT 42,325. NOW AT ABOUT 53,000, FRONT ROTORS NEED REPLACING AGAIN! A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH FOUND ONE REPORTED FAILURE OF ABS IN 2005 LEGACY THAT POTENTIALLY…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10259793 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10207282 · 2007-10-29 (October 29, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE VEHICLE HAS COOPER LIFELINER TOURING SLE, SIZE 185/70R14 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL VEERED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WOBBLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT AS EXTENSIVE WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH OR GREATER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRES CAUSED THE FAILURE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06T016000 (TIRES: TREAD/BELT) WAS REFERENCED. AS OF OCTOBER 29, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000 AND CURRENT MI…
Owner-reported narrative. 155,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10207282 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10139658 · 2005-10-14 (October 14, 2005)
DT: THE CONTACT DETECTED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE IN THE GARAGE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE GENERATOR AND HIS WIFE'S VEHICLE IN WHICH NOTHING WAS FOUND. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED VEHICLE BACK INTO THE GARAGE HE NOTICED A GASOLINE STAIN WHERE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A SUBARU DEALER, WHO NOTICED THE LEAK IMMEDIATELY WHICH WAS COMING FROM THE FILLER NECK OF THE GASOLINE STORAGE TANK ASSEMBLY ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE FROM WHERE GASOLINE GAS PUMP NOZZLE GOES INTO THE GAS TANK ITSELF. THIS WAS CONSIDERED A COMMON PROBLE…
Owner-reported narrative. 184,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10139658 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10176253 · 2006-12-15 (December 15, 2006)
LEAKING FUEL FILLER NECK, LINES AND TANK ON OLDER SUBARU'S. OWNED 2 SUBARUS A 1993 IMPREZA AND A 1995 LEGACY BOTH GAS TANK SEAMS GET RUSTED OUT DUE TO CLIMATIC CONDITIONS AND LEAK SAME AS FILLER NECKS AND LINES. CAUSES EMISSION PROBLEMS, TRIGGERS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON OBD2 CARS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 198,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10176253 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10058257 · 2004-02-16 (February 16, 2004)
DRIVEABILITY CONCERN: THERE IS A VALVE GUIDE MOVEMENT ON THE CYLINDERS THAT LEAD TO VERY HEAVY CARBON DEPOSITS ON VALVES AND INTAKE/COMBUSTION CHAMBERS. THE VALVE GUIDE WEAR OCCURS BECAUSE THE HEADS ARE MADE OF ALUMINUM. UNDER LOAD, THE ENGINE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO HIGH GEAR, MISFIRES RANDOMLY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR "BUCKS." THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE THE CAR IS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND IT "BUCKS." THE GAS MILEAGE IS VERY POOR (17 MPG). MY GARAGE (WORKS EXCLUSIVELY ON JAPANESE CARS) THEY SEE SIMILAR PRO…
Owner-reported narrative. 135,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10058257 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10486460 · 2012-11-29 (November 29, 2012)
THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUBARU LEGACY MODELS ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER THAT A MAN OF AVERAGE SHOE SIZE, WEARING BOOTS OF ANY KIND, IS LIABLE TO INADVERTENTLY APPLY PRESSURE TO BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. THE "FIX" IS SIMPLE: SUBARU OF AMERICA SHOULD HANG THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION BRAKE PEDAL, WITH ITS SMALLER PAD FOOTPRINT, ON ALL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEGACY MODELS. PROBLEM SOLVED. WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, AND IF WEARING BOOTS, I MUST MAINTAIN CONSTANT VIGILANCE TO AVOID THE POTENTIALLY LETHAL CONSEQUENCE OF APPLYING …
Owner-reported narrative. 121,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10486460 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10040341 · 2003-09-23 (September 23, 2003)
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10040341 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10056626 · 2004-02-05 (February 5, 2004)
MY VEHICLE, A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY L STATION WAGON, HAD STALLED AT A RED LIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I WAS REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I WAS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF MY VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SEAT "COLLAPSED" TO A FULLY-RECLINED POSITION. I SUFFERED MUSCLE AND LIGAMENT STRAIN IN MY NECK AND BACK, AND MY DAUGHTER (WHO WAS SEATED BEHIND ME) SUSTAINED A LARGE BRUISE ON HER RIGHT THIGH AS A RESULT OF BEING STRUCK BY MY SEAT WHEN IT COLLAPSED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 101,287 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056626 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10018686 · 2003-05-14 (May 14, 2003)
ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR THAT HOLDS THE HEAD LIGHT INTO SOCKET HAS SHORTED OUT 4 TIMES. THIS ACTUALLY MELTS AND SMELLS LIKE A ELECTRICAL FIRE. WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH HEAD LIGHT CONNECTOR'S 2 TIMES. THIS IS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE DEALER IN ANGLES CAMP,CA HAS TOLD US HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES FOR THE MODEL AND YEAR OF OUR CAR. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10018686 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 737635 · 2000-12-11 (December 11, 2000)
SINCE CAR WAS PURCHASED IT HAS BEEN INTO VARIOUS DEALERSHIPS REGARDING A WATER LEAK INTO THE MAIN CABIN. EACH DEALERSHIP HAS CLAIMED THE CAR WAS REPAIRED ONLY TO HAVE IT LEAK AGAIN SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE CAR ONLY LEAKS DURING A HEAVY RAIN AND WHILE SITTING IN A PARKED POSITION. I HAVE BECOME QUITE CONCERNED WITH THIS PROBLEM. A CONCERN IS IF THE WATER IS GOING INTO THE CABIN WHERE ELSE IS IT POSSIBLY GOING AND AFFECTING. IS WIRING BEING AFFECTED? THE LAST DEALERSHIP TO TRY AND TACKLE THIS ISSUE HAS CLAIMED THAT THE CAR'S DRAIN HOLES WER…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 737635 at NHTSA ↗