2012 Subaru LEGACY problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
90 owner complaints analyzed
16 distinct recall campaigns
87,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 66 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 32 of 90 complaints (35.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 35 | 38.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 30 | 33.3% |
| Braking behavior | 27 | 30.0% |
| Steering behavior | 11 | 12.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 2.2% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 32 |
| Engine | 23 |
| Unknown Or Other | 12 |
| Air Bags | 11 |
| Steering | 7 |
| Service Brakes | 6 |
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Suspension | 4 |
Power Train: 32; Engine: 23; Unknown Or Other: 12; Air Bags: 11; Steering: 7; Service Brakes: 6; Electrical System: 4; Suspension: 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 | 10 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 6 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 12 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 12 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 19 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 10; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 19; 150,000 and above: 7
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (19). 24 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 |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2019 | 21 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2012: 1; 2013: 4; 2014: 4; 2015: 2; 2016: 9; 2017: 10; 2018: 15; 2019: 21; 2020: 5; 2021: 2; 2022: 6; 2023: 5; 2024: 1; 2025: 3; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 35 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 30 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 27 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 10461249 · 2012-06-11 (June 11, 2012)
PURCHASED BRAND NEW SUBARU LEGACY OCTOBER 31ST OF 2011. AFTER ONLY FIVE MONTHS AND 14,000 MILES BEGINNING IN MARCH OF 2012 I WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM(S) WITH MY LEGACY: LOW IDLING, BOGGING DOWN, AT OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND NEARLY STALLING OUT. THIS ISSUE IS STILL CONTINUING TO THIS DAY, SPORADICALLY. I NOW HAVE 25,500 MILES AND THERE IS NO SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. I EXPERIENCED THIS LOW IDLE, BOGGING DOWN, AND NEARLY STALLING OUT- AT THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTED MILEAGES: 14,989 MILES, 15,120 MILES,17,007 MILES, 17,714…
Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10461249 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10524776 · 2013-07-14 (July 14, 2013)
ENGINE STUMBLES AND ALMOST STALLS. I HAVE NOW 8500 MILES ON THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 10 TIMES SPORADICALLY TO THIS POINT. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 2,515 miles reported. Look up ODI 10524776 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10615541 · 2014-07-23 (July 23, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A WHINING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS OR IDLING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURES WERE REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10615541 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10925382 · 2016-11-10 (November 10, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED ABNORMALLY AND STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,100.
Owner-reported narrative. 106,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10925382 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10491717 · 2013-01-07 (January 7, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT ENTERED HER CAR, AND WHEN SHE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, WHICH IS REQUIRED TO SHIFT THE GEAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE, THE BRAKE WAS FROZEN AND SUDDENLY THE CAR WENT QUICKLY BACKWARDS DOWN THE HILL, THEN IT WENT FASTER AND FASTER AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED BACKWARDS, UNTIL IT CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO HER HOME. THE POLICE WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED …
Owner-reported narrative. 4,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10491717 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10583494 · 2014-04-18 (April 18, 2014)
VEHICLE VIBRATES AND PULSATES EVERY TIME YOU APPLY THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH- VIBRATIONS ARE FELT THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL. ON MARCH 11TH; SUBARU DEALERSHIP TECHNICIANS TOOK A LOOK AT THE PROBLEM AND DROVE THE VEHICLE AND CONFIRMED THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATIONS WHILE BRAKING ON SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH, THEY ALSO FOUND ALL BRAKES AT 7MM AND FRONT ROTORS WITH ADDED MATERIAL TO IT MEASURING ABOVE 0.0008" - TECHNICIANS RECOMMENDED A SIMPLE RESURFACE OF ROTORS (CHARGED AT OWNERS EXPENSE) OR TO WAIT UNTIL THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 21,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10583494 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10491772 · 2013-01-08 (January 8, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO KEEP ALIGNED, CAUSING IT TO VEER FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING A TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SEIZE AND WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE DEFAULT POSITION ONCE THE TURN WAS COMPLETED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THE FAILURE AND WAS TEST DRIVEN BY A TECHNICIAN, WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE PRESENT WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTI…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10491772 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10983522 · 2017-05-04 (May 4, 2017)
VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE THAT CAUSES THE DASH CHECK ENGINE, BRAKE, CRUISE AND OTHER LIGHTS TO ACTIVATE. WHILE DRIVING, THE FAILURE CAUSES: ONE OR BOTH HEADLIGHTS TO SUDDENLY FAIL MAKING THE VEHICLE ILLEGAL AND DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT, CRUISE CONTROL TO SUDDENLY FAIL, AND STABILITY CONTROL TO BECOME NON-FUNCTIONAL. THE MAIN FAILURE BEING THE HEADLIGHTS/DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH DUE TO SUDDEN LACK OF VISIBILITY AT NIGHT. SUBARU WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE/FIX THE FAILURE ON 2 SERVICE OCCASIONS. THIS FAILURE OC…
Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10983522 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11258640 · 2019-09-27 (September 27, 2019)
THE CAR IS STALLING WHEN COMING TO A STOP. AS YOU SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE SHUTTERS, AND THEN STOPS. THE AWD, CHECK ENGINE, TRACTION, BATTERY, OIL, AT OIL TEMP ALL LIGHT UP. YOU HAVE TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THIS HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THIS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE DAY.
Owner-reported narrative. 111,504 miles reported. Look up ODI 11258640 at NHTSA ↗