U.S. public vehicle records

2015 Subaru LEGACY problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

159 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

16,070 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2015 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 104 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 37 of 159 complaints (23.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	28	17.6%
Electrical and battery issues	23	14.5%
Transmission and shifting	15	9.4%
Engine operation	4	2.5%
Fuel system concerns	3	1.9%
Steering behavior	2	1.3%

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.

Electrical System

Visibility/Wiper

Unknown Or Other

Engine

Power Train

Fuel/Propulsion System

Vehicle Speed Control

Service Brakes

Electrical System: 37; Visibility/Wiper: 36; Unknown Or Other: 27; Engine: 23; Power Train: 15; Fuel/Propulsion System: 14; Vehicle Speed Control: 13; Service Brakes: 12

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 62; 25,000 to 49,999: 17; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 9; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 3

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (62). 55 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.

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2026

2014: 2; 2015: 46; 2016: 18; 2017: 11; 2018: 13; 2019: 11; 2020: 10; 2021: 19; 2022: 12; 2023: 7; 2024: 7; 2026: 3

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 28 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 23 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 15 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 10667636 · 2014-12-22 (December 22, 2014)

DRIVING ON FREEWAY WITH CRUISE SET AT 72MPH, REACHED DOWN TO THE CENTER COUNCIL TO GRAB AN ITEM, AND PULLED UP ON THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE BUTTON. THE BUTTON IS LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO REACHABLE PLACES. THE CAR CAME TO A SCRATCHING HALT, LUCKY THE VEHICLES BEHIND ME WERE ABLE TO SWERVE OUT OF THE WAY IN TIME. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10667636 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10715800 · 2015-05-11 (May 11, 2015)

I THINK THERE IS A POTENTIAL RECALL PROBLEM WITH EYESIGHT-EQUIPPED 2015 LEGACY MODELS. I TOOK MY CAR IN SEVERAL WEEKS AGO BECAUSE ONE DAY ALL OF THE HAZARD LIGHTS CAME ON, INCLUDING THE ABS LIGHT AND THE BRAKE LIGHT (FLASHING RED) ON THE SPEEDOMETER GAUGE, THE EYESIGHT AND THE ANTI-SKID LIGHT ON THE CENTER CONSOLE, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT, AND THE LANE DEPARTURE LIGHT ON THE TACHOMETER. I STOPPED DRIVING IT FOR TWO DAYS WHILE I WAITED FOR MY SERVICE APPOINTMENT DAY TO ARRIVE. THE LIGHTS DID NOT COME BAC…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,412 miles reported. Look up ODI 10715800 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10692096 · 2015-03-04 (March 4, 2015)

2015 LEGACY 3.6R PURCHASED 12/18/14 TWO MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES: 1) SNOW / WATER ENTERING ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSING A BURNING SMELL INSIDE CABIN AND EXTERIOR. 2) WATER LEAK INSIDE CABIN AT DRIVER FOOT WELL AREA. ENGINE BURNING SMELL: 1/7 NOTIFIED DEALER OF BURNING SMELL WHICH APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM ENGINE/UNDER CAR AND INSIDE CABIN WHILE CAR WAS IDLING. DEALER REVIEWED AND WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE. 2/23/15 RETURNED TO DEALER AGAIN, ONCE AGAIN UNABLE TO REPLICATE 2/28/15 3255 MILES - BROUGHT TO ANOTHER SUBARU DEA…

Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10692096 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10716439 · 2015-05-14 (May 14, 2015)

JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR (2015 SUBARU LEGACY PREMIUM) A MONTH AGO. AM GETTING WATER INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FROM MERELY CAR WASHING AND I ASSUME FROM RAIN AS WELL. THIS IS DUE FROM THE LACK OF PROPER WEATHER STRIPPING ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE OF THE HOOD. MY DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN ADVISED AND I AM AWAITING TO HEAR IF ANY RESOLUTION. THE FOLLOWING WAS LISTED ON A WEBSITE FROM ANOTHER CURRENT OWNER: 2015 LEGACY - WATER / SNOW ENTERING TOP OF ENGINE BAY & BURNING SMELL HI FELLOW 2015 LEGACY OWNERS. HAS ANYONE ELSE DISCOVERED THIS DE…

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10716439 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10680632 · 2015-02-02 (February 2, 2015)

UPON LOW SPEEDS TRANSMISSION HOWLS, HESITATION FOLLOWED BY FAST ACCELERATION. KEY INSERTION INTO IGNITION IS DIFFICULT AND ROUGH. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10680632 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10723943 · 2015-06-08 (June 8, 2015)

MY 2015 SUBARU LEGACY HAS A VERY ABRUPT THROTTLE TIP-IN (THE MANNER IN WHICH POWER IS DELIVERED UPON DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL). PUSH THE THROTTLE A LITTLE AND NOTHING HAPPENS AND THEN A LITTLE MORE AND IT TAKES OFF LIKE A SHOT! NOT SAFE WHEN PULLING INTO TIGHT PARKING SPACES. I CALLED MY SUBARU DEALER AND I WAS TOLD IT IS CAUSED BY THE CVT TRANSMISSION DESIGN. SUBARU NEEDS TO REDUCE THE ABRUPTNESS OF THE THROTTLE TIP-IN FOR SAFE OPERATION. THIS IS UNSAFE AND SCARY IN TIGHT PARKING SITUATIONS.

Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10723943 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10783002 · 2015-10-16 (October 16, 2015)

CAR ENGINE STALLED WHILE IN MOTION ON A CITY STEET. CAR WAS RESTARTED BUT ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. TOOK CAR TO DEALER WHO REPLACED O2 SENSOR. CONCERN IS WHY CAR STALLED WHEN A SENSOR FAILED . ON A FREEWAY THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10783002 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11194396 · 2019-04-07 (April 7, 2019)

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 70MPH & CAR ACTED AS IF IT WENT INTO NEUTRAL. RPM'S WERE MAINTAINED AT APX 4000. LOW FUEL LIGHT HAD JUST GONE MOMENTS BEFORE INDICATING 80 MILES LEFT IN TANK. CAR ACTED LIKE IT HAD NO GAS HOWEVER RPM WAS WORKING AS I PULLED ON TO SHOULDER OF HIGHWAY, LUCKILY.ONCE PULLED OVER & BRAKING ENGINE STOPPED. TRIED RESTARTING & ENGINE ACTED LIKE IT HAD NO GAS. WAS IN THE PROCESS OF WAITING FOR AAA WHEN I TRIED RESTARTING IT. IT STARTED AFTER ABOUT A HALF HOUR FROM INCIDENT, ALTHOUGH I DID NOT TRY TO START IT AFTER THE 1ST 5 M…

Owner-reported narrative. 92,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11194396 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10810556 · 2015-12-15 (December 15, 2015)

MAY 8TH 2015 WE PURCHASED OUR 2015 SUBARU LEGACY 2.5I PREMIUM. #1. VERY PROMINENT COOLANT SMELL FROM PASSENGER SIDE ENGINE AREA. LOOSING COOLANT. #2. 600 MILES- TRANSMISSION/ ECU /THROTTLE DELAY , A 3-5 SEC DELAY IN THE RESPONSE WHEN GOING FROM (R) INTO (D) AND THE SAME 3-5 SEC DELAY IS DUPLICATED WHEN GOING FROM A STOP TO ACCELERATING THE CAR. CONCERNING. #3 3000 MILES, LOUD WIND NOISE IS HEARD FROM ALL WINDOWS. WINDOWS WERE REPLACED BY DEALER, BUT NOISE STILL EXISTS. #4 THE GAS DOOR WILL NOT RELEASE AND CONTINUES TO GET STUCK. …

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10810556 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10864744 · 2016-05-13 (May 13, 2016)

FUEL FILLER DOOR FREEZES SHUT. GAS TANK CANNOT BE REFILLED UNTILL ICE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR IS MELTED. THIS HAPPENS BOTH WHILE MOVING AND/OR STATIONARY.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10864744 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10820859 · 2016-01-18 (January 18, 2016)

1.5 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING CAR, NOTICED VERTICAL ~1 INCH CRACK (WHILE DRIVING, BUT ONLY BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING INTO THE SUN) IN WINDSHIELD ABOVE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS NO AUDIBLE CRACKING NOISE WINDSHIELD WAS ON BACKORDER, AND GOT REPLACED. NOTICED NEW CRACK IN SAME AREA, ON INSIDE OF WINDSHIELD. (WAS DRIVING INTO SUN, BUT NO AUDIBLE NOISE) 12/11/2015 MILEAGE 6323 REPLACED WINDSHIELD 1/18/2015. MILEAGE 6508 PARKED VEHICLE UNDER LIGHT, AND NOTICE APPROXIMATELY 3 INCH SCRATCH (VERTICAL, IN SAME AREA AS THE LAST 2. WINDSHIELD WAS LESS THA…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10820859 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11093270 · 2018-05-10 (May 10, 2018)

CLOCK SPRING IN STEERING COLUMN IS BAD. HORN DOES NOT WORK. DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG MAY BE INOPERABLE. CONDITION EXISTS WHEN VEHICLE IS STATIONARY WITH IGNITION OFF AND WHILE IT IS IN MOTION.

Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11093270 at NHTSA ↗