1998 Subaru LEGACY: complaints, problems and recalls

ENGINE NOISE WHEN COLD. SOUNDS LIKE A LIFTER IS STICKING. IT DISAPATES WHEN THE ENGINE WARMS UP, HOWEVER, CAN LAST UP TO 15 MINUTES OR LONGER DEPENDING OH HOW COLD THE ENGINE WAS WHEN STARTED. WHEN I DROVE THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ITS 30000 SERVICE, I THOUGHT A ROD WAS GOING TO SHOOT THROUGH THE ENGINE WALL..IT WAS THAT NOISY. IT LASTED AT LEAST 10 MILES OF DRIVING UNTIL THE NOISE DISAPATED. THIS AUTO WAS PURCHASED BY MY MOTHER IN LAW (NOW DECEASED), IS IN HER ESTATE AND HAS TWO MONTHS BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRES. THE DEALER WILL NOT R…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10013603 at NHTSA ↗

ASKED DEALERSHIP TO LOOK AT KNOCKING NOISE IN ENGINE 2 YEARS AGO, NO PROBLEM IDENTIFIED. ASKED ANOTHER AUTOMOBILE REPAIR FACILITY ABOUT THE NOISE AND THEY CLAIM SUBARU HAD A HISTORY OF PISTON SLAP THAT WILL EVENTUALLY GET WORSE RESULTING IN BURNING OIL AND ENGINE DAMAGE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016264 at NHTSA ↗

AT THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY, 2003, BLOWN ENGINE IN A 1998 SUBARU LEGACY 2.5 GT. DEALER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO COLD WEATHER IN THE NORTHEAST, AND THAT THERE WERE 4 OTHER SUBARU'S WITH BLOWN ENGINES IN HIS LOT AWAITING REPAIR. I HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED WITH A 1999 SUBARU AT A TRUSTED MECHANIC'S (AT A COST OF $4000), AND TODAY THE ALTERNATOR ON THIS 1999 ENGINE DIED ( THIS HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE '98 SUBARU'S). *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021448 at NHTSA ↗

DEALER WROTE: "NOISE FROM VALVE TRAIN...ADVISED OWNER THESE ARE SOLID LIFTERS AND ARE NOISY WHEN COLD, ALSO CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS ENGINE IS 'CAM WALK' WHICH ALSO WILL BE NOISY FOR A FEW MINUTES WHEN COLD THEN GOES AWAY." THAT WA AT 48.5 K MILES, NOW AT 53000 MILES, NOISE IS MUCH LOUDER WHEN COLD, AND STILL PERCEPTABLE WHEN WARM. BOUGHT CAR USED FORM DEALER--RESALE VALUE IS NOW MUCH LOWER DUE TO NOISE. THEIR EXPLANATION IS NONSENSICAL. OBVIOUSLY DUBARU DOES NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE--I WROTE TO SUBARU USA AND THEY REFERED ME BACK TO DEAL…

Owner-reported narrative. 48,528 miles reported. Look up ODI 10058763 at NHTSA ↗

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 108,096 miles reported. Look up ODI 10060040 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF HEAD GASKETS, AS PART OF THE ENGINE COOLANT SYSTEM. ORIGINAL SERVICE COMPLAINT WAS THE " CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON". AFTER THREE DAYS AT DEALER SERVICE, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKETS NEEDED REPLACEMENT FOR THE COST OF $ 2,700.00. BECAUSE THE ENGINE HAS TO BE REMOVED TO ACCESS THE GASKETS. LABOR WILL INVOLVE 3 DAYS. THE DEALER HAS ADMITTED THAT THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE SUBARU AND MODELS FROM 1999 WILL BE COVERED. I FEEL THE COST IS EXCESSIVE BECAUSE OF A DESIGN DEFECT. I AM WILL TO PAY BUT N…

Owner-reported narrative. 149,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10060570 at NHTSA ↗

COOLANT LEAKED FROM THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE GASKET HEAD/GAS, AND HOLES. *AK *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 108,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10061225 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANT FREEZE, WHICH WAS SPLASHING ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS RESULTED IN THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READING HOT. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, AND WAS REPLACED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 105,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10073575 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2001-06-25 (June 25, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN, AND IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE SALT, CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE SPRING.

Consequence: DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE FRACTURE, A BROKEN SPRING COULD MOVE PAST THE SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT A FRONT TIRE. SOME TIRES HAVE DEFLATED DUE TO CONTACT WITH A BROKEN SPRING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL NOTIFIY CUSTOMERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE A SPRING GUARD INSTALLED ON BOTH FRONT STRUTS TO PREVENT TIRE PUNCTURE AND REPLACE ANY BROKEN SPRINGS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 18, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

Reported: 1998-02-20 (February 20, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. DUE TO POOR WELDS, IGNITION KEYS CAN STICK, SHIFT LEVERS/LINKAGES CAN BREAK AND SHIFT LEVERS CAN MOVE.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE UNEXPECTED MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER ASSEMBLIES (EXCEPT THE HANDLE GRIP).

Reported: 1998-06-08 (June 8, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, ALSO SERVICE PARTS SUPPLIED TO SUBARU DEALERS ARE INVOLVED (LOT NUMBERS F01 J21D2, F01 J30D2, F02 J09D1, F02 J09D2, AND F02 J20D1). THE PUROLATOR OIL FILTER CANS USED ON THESE VEHICLES CAN FRACTURE CAUSING A VAPORIZED OIL SPRAY AND SUBSEQUENT OIL LEAK.

Consequence: THIS VAPORIZED OIL SPRAY CAN RESULT IN OIL VAPOR IGNITION BY THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THESE ENGINE OIL FILTERS.

Reported: 1999-03-03 (March 3, 1999)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS). (THE 1999 2.2 LITER LEGACY VEHICLES ARE EXCLUDED). IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE IS INCREASED.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAUSES THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE TO BE INCREASED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER.