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2001 Subaru LEGACY problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

77 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

62,540 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 39 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Fuel System, Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 77 complaints (10.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior1215.6%
Engine operation67.8%
Fuel system concerns67.8%
Transmission and shifting11.3%
Electrical and battery issues11.3%
Steering behavior11.3%

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.

Fuel System, Gasoline
8
Vehicle Speed Control
8
Tires
6
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
5
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
4
Engine
3
Engine And Engine Cooling
3
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
3
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Fuel System, Gasoline8
Vehicle Speed Control8
Tires6
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings5
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline4
Engine3
Engine And Engine Cooling3
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine3

Fuel System, Gasoline: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 8; Tires: 6; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 4; Engine: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
5
25,000 to 49,999
10
50,000 to 74,999
8
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
14
150,000 and above
2
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0005
25,000 to 49,99910
50,000 to 74,9998
75,000 to 99,9990
100,000 to 149,99914
150,000 and above2

Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 14; 150,000 and above: 2

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (14). 38 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.

2000
1
2001
11
2002
13
2003
7
2004
8
2005
4
2006
2
2007
4
2008
2
2009
2
2010
3
2011
9
2013
1
2014
4
2018
1
2019
1
2020
2
2021
1
2025
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20001
200111
200213
20037
20048
20054
20062
20074
20082
20092
20103
20119
20131
20144
20181
20191
20202
20211
20251

2000: 1; 2001: 11; 2002: 13; 2003: 7; 2004: 8; 2005: 4; 2006: 2; 2007: 4; 2008: 2; 2009: 2; 2010: 3; 2011: 9; 2013: 1; 2014: 4; 2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2025: 1

Pattern summary

Fuel System, Gasoline leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 6 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 6 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 10055074 · 2004-01-28 (January 28, 2004)

DRIVING ON SECONDARY ROAD - WELL KNOW TO ME - AT DUSK @ 45 MPH APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION WITH A MAJOR ROAD. BEGAN TO TAP GENTLY ON BRAKE TO EASE TO MY "YIELD" OR STOP IN CASE DRIVER ON OTHER ROAD DID NOT DO SO. EACH TIME I HIT BRAKES, THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP & PULL FORWARD @ INCREASED SPEED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO BRAKE, I ATTEMTED TO DOWNSHIFT, PUT IN PARK AND PULL UP PARKING BRAKE -- ALL TO NO AVAIL, EXCEPT ENGINE AND FRONT END MADE LOUD GRINDING NOISES. THE CAR WOULD STILL NOT STOP AND WHEN I WAS ABOUT 25' FROM THE INTERSECTION, I HAD…

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055074 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10115997 · 2005-03-29 (March 29, 2005)

EXCESSIVE BRAKE REPAIRS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY BRAKES EVERY 30,000 MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR OR TRUCK THAT HAS NEEDED TO HAVE ALL THE COMPONENTS OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM REPLACED WITH SUCH FREQUENCY. WHILE AT THE DEALER ANOTHER OWNER WAS COMPLAINING TO SERVICE ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE

Owner-reported narrative. 31,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10115997 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10020970 · 2003-06-03 (June 3, 2003)

FUEL SYSTEM ISSUE. I HAVE OWNED MY VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 9 MONTHS. I BOUGHT IT AS A USED CAR FROM SLOANE IN PHILADELPHIA. IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 17000 MILES ON IT AND IS CONSIDERED STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE HAD TO TAKE IT IN FOR SERVICE 4 TIMES FOR THE VEHICLE HESITATING UPON ACCELERATION. THE SERVICE CENTER FIRST SAID THE HESITATION CAME FROM A BAD BATTERY, SECOND INCIDENT THEY STATED THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, THIRD INCIDENT, WHEN I ALMOST GOT IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE STARTED TO STALL UP ENTERING THE FREEWAY TRAFFI…

Owner-reported narrative. 17,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020970 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10054321 · 2004-01-16 (January 16, 2004)

CAR AT ISSUE IS A 2001 SUBARU LEGACY GT LIMITED. ON TWO OCCASIONS IN THE PAST MONTH, A STRONG RAW GAS SMELL FILLED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS BELOW 10 DEGREES. AFTER THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, CAR WAS LEFT AT DEALER WHO FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE CAR WAS FINE FOR NEXT 5 DAYS (WEATHER WAS 10 TO 30 DEGREES). ON DAY 6, WEATHER DROPPED TO ABOUT 8 DEGREES AND GAS SMELL RETURNED. CAR WAS LEFT IN GARAGE AFTER DRIVING AND GARAGE FILLED WITH VERY STRONG GAS SMELL. THERE IS …

Owner-reported narrative. 34,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054321 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10054789 · 2004-01-24 (January 24, 2004)

2001 SUBARU LEGACY GT LIMITED. THIRD INSTANCE OF FUEL LEAK IN ENGINE. THIS TIME, VISIBLE FUEL LEAK FROM FUEL LINES UPON STARTING CAR IN 15 DEGREE WEATHER. SUBARU OF AMERICA AND RYE SUBARU HAD BEEN INFORMED OF PROBLEM ON PRIOR OCCASION AND RYE SUBARU WAS EXPECTING CAR TO COME IN FOR SERVICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. DROVE CAR TO RYE SUBARU. DURING DRIVING GAS FUMES ENTERED PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. UPON ARRIVAL AT RYE SUBARU, DEALERSHIP WAS NOT PREPARED TO IMMEDIATELY DEAL WITH PROBLEM AS SERVICE MANAGER WORKING ON CASE HAD LEFT TOWN AND HAD NOT LEFT…

Owner-reported narrative. 35,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054789 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 885537 · 2001-04-10 (April 10, 2001)

VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND ENGINE WAS OFF. CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, AND VEHICLE OVERACCELERATED AND "LANDED ON TOP" OF CAR BEHIND HER. DEALERSHIP HAS VEHICLE AND REPAIRING DEFECT. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT INFORMED CONSUMER AS TO WHY DEFECT OCCURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 885537 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10036723 · 2003-08-27 (August 27, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 46,466 miles reported. Look up ODI 10036723 at NHTSA ↗