Your vehicle report

2001 Subaru Legacy

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
77
Received Oct 2000 to Jul 2025
Official recalls listed
7
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline17 complaints · 22% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Tires blow out or tread separates8 complaints · 10% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Frame rusts and corrodes through4 complaints · 5.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #04V128000On certain passenger sedans, wagons, and sport utility vehicles, the cruise control cable could come out of its track on the cruise control lever and lodge on the control lever tab when the accelerator pedal is released. If this condition occurs, the throttle will not return to the idle position and will remain in an open position.
  • Recall #03V153000This recall applies to certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Certain rear suspension subframe components were produced with poor paint quality which, after continued exposure to corrosive road salts for a period of several years, could result in rust-out of the component and possible breakage of the subframe.
View recall details

BrakeNews signals

Flagged complaint patterns

Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.

No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.

How flags are identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 11 crashes, 2 fires, 5 people injured, 0 deaths.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 8 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

1 more problem

Brakes

Electrical & lights

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Airbags, belts & seats

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Steering, suspension & tires

Body, doors & glass

Driver assistance

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Other

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Complaint history

When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.

Complaints received about the 2001 Subaru Legacy
13
Show as a table
YearComplaints
20001
200111
200213
20037
20048
20054
20062
20074
20082
20092
20103
20119
20120
20131
20144
20150
20160
20170
20181
20191
20202
20211
20220
20230
20240
20251
2026 (to Oct 2026)0
Total77

Problems owners report

Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline1722%–NHTSA recall #00V393000
Tires blow out or tread separates810%–
Frame rusts and corrodes through45.2%–NHTSA recall #03V153000
Unintended acceleration despite braking45.2%–NHTSA recall #04V128000
Engine suddenly shuts off while driving45.2%–
Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines33.9%–
Wheel bearings fail prematurely33.9%–
Head gasket leaks coolant into engine33.9%–

AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.

Recalls

  • NHTSA recall #04V128000March 16, 2004127,580 vehicles affected

    vehicle speed control: cables

    On certain passenger sedans, wagons, and sport utility vehicles, the cruise control cable could come out of its track on the cruise control lever and lodge on the control lever tab when the accelerator pedal is released. If this condition occurs, the throttle will not return to the idle position and will remain in an open position.

    If this occurs during vehicle operation, the driver could lose control of the vehicle, which could result in a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will install a cruise control cable retaining clip to the cruise control lever tab on the throttle shaft in order to prevent the cruise control cable from coming out of its track. Owner notification began on april 12, 2004. Owners should contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.

  • NHTSA recall #03V153000April 22, 2003170,000 vehicles affected

    suspension: rear

    This recall applies to certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Certain rear suspension subframe components were produced with poor paint quality which, after continued exposure to corrosive road salts for a period of several years, could result in rust-out of the component and possible breakage of the subframe.

    If such breakage occurs while the vehicle is being operated, control of the vehicle could be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will clean and rust-proof the rear suspension subframe. Owner notification began july 14, 2003. 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.

  • NHTSA recall #02V282000October 30, 2002172,564 vehicles affected

    power train: automatic transmission

    Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions were produced with an improperly manufactured transmission parking rod. When the transmission selector lever is placed in the "p" (park) position, the transmission park mechanism, that is intended to hold your vehicle, may not engage.

    The vehicle could then move/roll without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the automatic transmission parking rod assembly. Owner notification january 8, 2003. An interim owner notification will be sent during november 2002. 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.

  • NHTSA recall #01V034000February 7, 20013,627 vehicles affected

    seats

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with manually-adjustable (non-powered) seats. Certain inner front slide rail latch mechanisms may have been improperly welded.

    If an inner slide rail latch mechanism breaks due to improper welding, forward and rearward seat adjustment will no longer be possible. In the event of a crash, the slide rails could break, exposing the occupant to a risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace one or both front seat inner slide rails. Owner notification began march 30, 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.

  • NHTSA recall #00V391000November 21, 20001,977 vehicles affected

    steering: linkages

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A casting flaw in the right front bearing housing could result in loss of steering if the casting flaw should exist in the tie-rod arm.

    This casting flaw could cause grease leakage, front wheel bearing failure due to loss of grease, or loss of steering due to tie-rod end separation.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace all front bearing housings with a lot number of OF15.

  • NHTSA recall #00V392000November 21, 2000368 vehicles affected

    seat belts: rear/other

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Incorrect beige rear center seat belt webbing was installed. The belt length is too short.

    The seat occupant would not be properly restrained in the event of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace all beige colored rear center lap/shoulder belts with lot number 0171.

  • NHTSA recall #00V393000November 21, 20001,456 vehicles affected

    fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Possible fuel leakage of under-hood fuel hoses at low ambient temperatures (-40 degrees c) once the fuel hoses age and become less flexible.

    Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect for under-hood fuel hoses with lot numbers 0804 and 0806 and all fuel hoses with those numbers will be replaced.

Other model years

About this data

NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2001 Subaru Legacy.

Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.

Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN