2017 Subaru LEGACY: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
119 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
31,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2017 model year. Data snapshot: . 60 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Visibility/Wiper is the most frequently named component, appearing in 33 of 119 complaints (27.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 29 | 24.4% |
| Steering behavior | 9 | 7.6% |
| Braking behavior | 8 | 6.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 5 | 4.2% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 0.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.8% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Visibility/Wiper | 33 |
| Electrical System | 29 |
| Unknown Or Other | 21 |
| Steering | 9 |
| Air Bags | 7 |
| Structure:Body | 6 |
| Engine | 5 |
| Service Brakes | 5 |
Visibility/Wiper: 33; Electrical System: 29; Unknown Or Other: 21; Steering: 9; Air Bags: 7; Structure:Body: 6; Engine: 5; Service Brakes: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 22 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 25 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 9 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 22; 25,000 to 49,999: 25; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (25). 59 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 |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 22 |
| 2021 | 23 |
| 2022 | 28 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 | 4 |
2016: 1; 2017: 8; 2018: 5; 2019: 8; 2020: 22; 2021: 23; 2022: 28; 2023: 14; 2024: 3; 2025: 3; 2026: 4
Pattern summary
Visibility/Wiper leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 29 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 8 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10898435 · 2016-08-25 (August 25, 2016)
TWO WEEK OLD VEHICLE WITH 980 MILES. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SINCE DELIVERY. THE BRAKES ARE SOFT AND GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH NO FURTHER PEDAL TRAVEL AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS IS REPEATABLE AND OCCURS EVERY TIME YOU COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN AND MAINTAIN THE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE PEDAL WILL SLOWLY SINK TO THE FLOOR IF PRESSURE IS MAINTAINED. SUBARU OF AMERICA IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND IS UNABLE TO FIX PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. THEY HAVE ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER TO MY ISSUE WITH THIS VE…
Owner-reported narrative. 8 miles reported. Look up ODI 10898435 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10945396 · 2017-01-15 (January 15, 2017)
SUNROOF GLASS SPONTANEOUSLY BROKE WHILE DRIVING ON A TWO LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THIS CAUSED GLASS TO FALL DOWN ONTO ALL THE PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10945396 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10954247 · 2017-02-13 (February 13, 2017)
AFTER PURCHASING MY VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER, MY STEERING FELT OFF IN DECEMBER. A COUPLE WEEKS LATER MY TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND THERE WAS A NAIL IN MY TIRE. SUBARU REPAIRED THE TIRED. UPON LEAVING SUBARU, STEERING CONTINUED TO FEEL OFF . PULLING TO ONE SIDE CONSTANTLY. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO SUBARU AGAIN FOR A WHEEL ALIGNMENT ON JANUARY 23RD. THEY CONFIRMED IT WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND FIXED IT. THE CAR DROVE GREAT FOR 2 WEEKS AND AGAIN IT IS OFF. CAR IS EXTREMELY HARD TO KEEP IN THE LANE; IF IT IS WINDY IT IS EVEN…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10954247 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10980237 · 2017-04-24 (April 24, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT OPERATED NORMALLY; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE LATER OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE DEALER PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC AND FUEL TESTING, WHICH PRODUCED A CODE OF P1603 AND A GOOD FUEL READING; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO USE A DIFFERENT FUEL STATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 800.
Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10980237 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10986373 · 2017-05-18 (May 18, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT RELEASED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UP A HILL AND CRASHED INTO A WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300.
Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10986373 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11003498 · 2017-07-06 (July 6, 2017)
HELLO, I HAVE NOTICED AN ISSUE WITH 2017 SUBARU LEGACY WINDSHEILDS. WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 88F AND THE "AUTO" CLIMATE CONTROL IS SET TO 68C THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TEMPERATURE BETWEEN THE OUTSIDE AIR, AND THE COOLING INSIDE AIR DRAMATICALLY INCREASES THE WEAKNESS AND BRITTLENESS OF THE WINDSHEILD, SUCH THAT WHEN SOMETHING HITS IT, IT ALMOST INSTANTANEOUSLY CRACKS MORE THAN 7-8 INCHES IN LENGTH. I AM NIW HAVING MY SECOND WINDSHEILD REPLACED IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. BOTH TIMES I WAS DOING ABOUT 70MI/HR ON I-9…
Owner-reported narrative. 19,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11003498 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11016509 · 2017-08-21 (August 21, 2017)
HAD A FRONTAL IMPACT HITTING A DEER IN CENTER OF FRONT GRILL AT 45-50 MPH. DURING IMPACT STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND ALL SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PASSENGER SIDE DID NOT DEPLOY. CANNOT GET ANSWER AS TO WHY...SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED?? SUBARU DEALER SAID THEY WILL ONLY DEPLOY WHEN YOU HAVE A ROLL OVER OR SIDE IMPACT. MECHANIC STATED THAT NONE OF THE SENSORS WERE EFFECTED AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11016509 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11039358 · 2017-10-24 (October 24, 2017)
WINDSHEILD- THE MATERIALS USED FOR THE WINDSHIELD IN THIS VEHICLE ARE SUBSTANDARD. I LEASED THE VEHICLE ON 4/18/2017 AND IT IS NOW 10/24/2017 AND MY WINDSHEILD HAS CRACKED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME IT CRACKED I HAD IT REPLACED RIGHT AWAY. THIS TIME I DECIDED TO WAIT A WEEK OR SO TO SEE IF IT WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE ISSUES THE WINDSHIELD HAS NOW CRACKED IN THREE DIFFERENT PLACES. I HAVE NOT CHANGED MY DRIVING HABITS AND MY PREVIOUS VEHICLES HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. I DID SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND SPOKE TO SOME OTHER SUBARU OWNERS AND THIS IS A KNOWN…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 11039358 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
16V292000 · Steering:Column
Reported: 2016-05-11 (May 11, 2016)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.
Consequence: The loss of steering ability would increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting http://www.wtd65.service-campaign.com. Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65. Note: Until the vehicles have been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles.
NHTSA campaign record ↗16V716000 · Air Bags:Knee Bolster | Steering:Column
Reported: 2016-10-06 (October 6, 2016)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured September 21, 2016, to September 23, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be properly attached to the steering beam assembly.
Consequence: If the knee guard is not properly attached and the driver is not wearing a seatbelt, the knee guard may not be able to properly restrain the driver's lower body in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the knee guard welding on each vehicle's steering beam, replacing the beam as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTL-72.
NHTSA campaign record ↗