1999 Subaru LEGACY problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
69 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
101,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 29 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 10 of 69 complaints (14.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 13 | 18.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 13.0% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 2.9% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 1.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 1.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.4% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 7 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 5 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 |
| Power Train | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 3 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 10; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 7; Air Bags:Frontal: 5; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 5; Fuel System, Gasoline: 4; Power Train: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 3
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 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 9 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 6
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 40 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 |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 9 |
| 2001 | 7 |
| 2002 | 13 |
| 2003 | 9 |
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2000: 9; 2001: 7; 2002: 13; 2003: 9; 2004: 4; 2005: 5; 2006: 1; 2007: 3; 2008: 4; 2009: 2; 2010: 2; 2011: 2; 2012: 2; 2014: 3; 2015: 1; 2017: 1; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 13 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 9 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 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 10026024 · 2003-07-14 (July 14, 2003)
I HAVE A 1999 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON WITH 4 WHEEL DISC BRAKES AND 15 INCH WHEELS. EVERY TIME THE FRONT DISK PADS ARE REPLACED, THE MECHANIC GETS THE PADS FOR 15 INCH WHEELS THE ARE INSTALLED AND THE CAR WILL NOT STOP. WHAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED IS THAT THE FRONT TAKE THE DISK PADS FOR 14 INCH WHEELS AND THE REAR TAKE THE DISK PADS FOR 15 INCH WHEELS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026024 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10056555 · 2004-02-04 (February 4, 2004)
97000 MILES - AUTOMATIC W CRUISE - VEHICLE JUST STARTED EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT HIGH IDLE CONDITIONS. THE FIRST CONDITION HAS PERSISTED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. VEHICLE (EVEN WHEN WARM) IDLES AT ~1.5K RPM IN PARK. WHEN COASTING IN DRIVE, VEHICLE DOES NOT SLOW DOWN AS IT NORMALLY SHOULD. IT IS ALMOST AS IF VEHICLE IS DRIVING ITSELF. WHEN STOPPING ABRUPTLY,THE ABS DID NOT SEEM TO ENGAGE AND THE CAR WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP (I PAST THE TOLL BOOTH GUY BY A FOOT). FUEL ECONOMY HAS BEEN REDUCED. THE SECOND CONDITION IS MORE INTERMITTENT AND COU…
Owner-reported narrative. 97,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056555 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10024108 · 2003-07-11 (July 11, 2003)
VEHICLE HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHEN DRIVING IN 5TH GEAR, TRANSMISSION WILL "DROP" OUT OF GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. *AK THE 5TH GEAR WAS REPAIRED ON THE AND THERE WAS A PACKING NUT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PEENED ON THE GEAR SHAFT TO KEEP IT FROM BACKING OFF. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROPERLY PEEN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW 5TH SLIDER NUT, RETIGHTENED, AND PEENED CORRECTLY. ALSO IN CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE VEHICLE DROPPED OUT OF THE 5TH GEAR, IT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO RACE. (OUTBACK) *SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 77,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10024108 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10091338 · 2004-09-20 (September 20, 2004)
DOWNSHIFTING ON INCLINES: PURCHASED A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK LEGACY WAGON NEW ON NOV. 11/11/98, AT FUCILLO IMPORTS, WATERTOWN, NY. THE DOWNSHIFTING PROBLEMS OCCUR WHEN GOING DOWN LARGE HILLS AROUND 60 MPH, GENTLY APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW THE VEHICLE, LETTING OFF THE BRAKES, AND THE DOWNSHIFT JERKS YOU FORWARD. WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE WAS BRAND NEW, THE ABRUPT JERK WOULD PUT MY HEAD INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE SALESPERSON TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE WAY I DROVE THE CAR. ODOMETER FAILURE DURING AUGUST, 2002, THE VEHICLE STARTED INTERMITTENT ODOMETE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10091338 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10592787 · 2014-05-20 (May 20, 2014)
I WAS STOPPED AT THE INTERSECTION OF 23RD AND UNION IN SEATTLE ON MY WAY TO WORK. I WAS GOING NORTH. IT WAS ABOUT 7:40 A.M. ON TUESDAY, 5/20/2014. I LOOKED IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR AND SAW A CAR COMING UP BEHIND ME AND IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO FAST TO STOP. THE DRIVER DIDN'T EVEN SEEM TO SLOW DOWN. MY CAR WAS HIT PRETTY HARD. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. AS FAR AS I CAN RECALL MY HEAD OR FACE DID NOT HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. WE GOT OUT OF OUR CARS. I DID NOT SEE A LICENSE PLATE ON HIS CAR EITHER ON THE FRONT OR BACK OF HIS CAR. I THINK…
Owner-reported narrative. 155,134 miles reported. Look up ODI 10592787 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 739529 · 2001-01-17 (January 17, 2001)
I WAS ON AN ENTRY RAMP TO INTERSTATE 95 AND FOUND MYSELF A BIT OUT OF LINE IN THE ROAD AFTER I HAD TURNED TO CHECK ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I TRIED TO CORRECT, AND LOST STEERING CONTROL. CAR WENT INTO FISHTAIL FROM WHICH I WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER, AND EVENTUALLY SPUN OUT INTO ONCOMING INTERSTATE TRAFFIC, WHERE I WAS HIT BY A TRACTOR-TRAILER. ROADWAY WAS DAMP, WEATHER MISTY, TEMP MID-FORTIES, AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS SAND ON RAMP LEFT OVER FROM PREVIOUS SNOW/ICE TREATMENT. I MUST SAY OCCUPANT PROTECTION WORKED WELL. I HAVE CRACKED STERNUM (PROBABLY F…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 739529 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 8020823 · 2002-10-15 (October 15, 2002)
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, IT WAS LATER FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS A RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. MR *YH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8020823 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 768498 · 2002-10-15 (October 15, 2002)
FUEL WARNING LIGHT HAS NEVER WORKED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS, WHICH IS WITH 2.5 GALLONS REMAINING IN THE TANK. TYPICALLY, MINE ONLY COMES ON WITH LESS THAN 1 GALLON REMAINING, AND EVEN THEN USUALLY ONLY AFTER I'VE STOPPED THE CAR AND THEN RESTARTED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINED. I CONTACTED SUBARU NATIONAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND AFTER CONSULTING WITH THEIR TECH SUPPORT PERSONNEL (ATLANTA?), I GOT A LOT OF DOUBLE TALK ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL FACTORS INVOLVED IN MY TESTING (I.E., REPEATED …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 768498 at NHTSA ↗