1995 Subaru Legacy Owner Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL SPRING WAS FRACTURED AND GOUGED THE TIRE DOWN PAST THE STEEL BELT. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT CALL THE CONTACT BACK. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V216000 (SUSPENSION). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

NHTSA ID

11056841

Incident

Dec 22, 2017

Mileage

190,000 mi

10/162017 - I WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET TO MEET MY WIFE FOR DINNER AFTER PARKING MY CAR. AS I WATCHED HER PULL INTO THE PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF ME IN THE LEGACY I SAW THE WINDSHIELD GET BLOWN OUT BY THE PASSENGER AIRBAG BEING DEPLOYED. SHE WAS STOPPED WAITING FOR TRAFFIC ON A CITY STREET TO CLEAR TO PULL IN AND WAS NOT MOVING VERY FAST AT ALL, APPROX 5 MPH. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND MY WIFE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES FROM FLYING GLASS. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE THE FOLLOWING DAY OUR MECHANIC SAID HE BELIEVED THAT THE AIRBAG RECALL # 96V315000 PERFORMED ON 12/11/1998 APPARENTLY WAS NOT PERFORMED PROPERLY AND HE SUSPECTED THAT THE POORLY REMOVED TOW-HOOK WAS NOT CUT OFF SHORT ENOUGH (NOT TO THE RECALL SPEC) TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL INFLATION OF THE AIRBAG. I BELIEVE THAT THE REMAINING STUB OF THE TOW-HOOK MAY HAVE IMPACTED THE DRIVEWAY AS SHE PULLED IN DEPLOYING THE AIRBAG, WE CONTACTED SUBARU AND THEY BASICALLY SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. SEE ATTACHED PICTURES FROM OUR MECHANIC AND EMAIL CORRESPONDENCES FROM SUBARU.

NHTSA ID

11045189

Incident

Oct 16, 2017

Mileage

218,877 mi

THE LEFT REAR STRUT TOWER ON THE CAR ROTTED ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF . THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING AS THE CAR WAS INSPECTED. OUT THAT ALMOST ALL OF THE REAR CROSSMEMBER WAS ROTTED AWAY ON THE LEFT REAR SIDE AND THE RIGHT REAR SIDE HAS A COUPLE OF ROT HOLES IN IT GETTING READY TO DO THE SAME THING THE LEFT SIDE DID. IF THE LEFT STRUT TOWER HAD COMPLETELY BROKE OFF THE TIRE WOULD HAVE GONE RIGHT INTO THE ROTTED WHEEL WELL PROBABLY CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOW BECAUSE I'M SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SLICED OPEN FROM THE JAGGED RUSTED METAL WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE CAR BODY ON THE LEFT SIDE TO DROP AND START TO SCRAP ON THE PAVEMENT. IF YOUR NOT FAMILIAR WITH A SUBARU THE GAS TANK IS LOCATED JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRES AND IT JUST ABOUT POKES INTO THE WHEEL WELL AREA. IN MY CALCULATIONS THE GAS TANK WOULD HAVE BEEN SCRAPPING THE PAVEMENT AND IT WAS FULL BY THE WAY. I HAVE EMAILED SUBARU ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THEY DID A VIN# CHECK AND TOLD ME THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY STATED PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10655042

Incident

Oct 28, 2011

Mileage

125,000 mi

VEE RUBBER VITRON TIRES PURCHASED NEW 12/23/2011. ONE TIRES STEEL BELT SEPARATED, POPPED THROUGH THE TIRE IN TWO PLACES ON 09/07/2013. TIRE HAS LESS THAN 5K MILES ON IT. TWO SERVICE STATIONS (PEP BOYS, AND VINCE'S AUTO IN RESEDA, CA) INSPECTED THE TIRE AND ADVISED IT IS A DEFECTIVE TIRE. NEITHER COULD ADVISE OF ANY SCENARIO TO JUSTIFY WHAT HAPPENED. VINCE'S AUTO IS REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE TIRE FOR "NO CHARGE"; HOWEVER, THERE ARE 3 REMAINING TIRES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD INVESTIGATE. I'M SURPRISED THERE IS NO MENTION OF VEERUBBER NOR VITRON ON YOUR DROPDOWN LIST FOR RECALL SEARCH. TIRES ARE VEE RUBBER VITRON 195/60 R15 88H DOT 6MSJ 4910. PLEASE HELP. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10542773

Incident

Sep 7, 2013

Mileage

201,000 mi

THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUBARU LEGACY MODELS ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER THAT A MAN OF AVERAGE SHOE SIZE, WEARING BOOTS OF ANY KIND, IS LIABLE TO INADVERTENTLY APPLY PRESSURE TO BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. THE "FIX" IS SIMPLE: SUBARU OF AMERICA SHOULD HANG THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION BRAKE PEDAL, WITH ITS SMALLER PAD FOOTPRINT, ON ALL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEGACY MODELS. PROBLEM SOLVED. WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, AND IF WEARING BOOTS, I MUST MAINTAIN CONSTANT VIGILANCE TO AVOID THE POTENTIALLY LETHAL CONSEQUENCE OF APPLYING PRESSURE TO BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10486460

Incident

Nov 28, 2012

Mileage

121,100 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE FRACTURED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V216000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS), THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,116. UPDATED 02/09/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR COIL SPRINGS FAILED IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO THE FAILURE OF THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS. THE DEFECT RELATES TO AN EXISTING RECALL CAMPAIGN REGARDING THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS. UPDATD 02/13/12

NHTSA ID

10442554

Incident

Aug 14, 2007

Mileage

166,116 mi

THE LEFT REAR STRUT TOWER ON THE CAR ROTTED ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF CAUSING THE INTERIOR OVER THE STRUT TOWER TO BULGE WAY UP INSIDE THE CAR. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. I REMOVED THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR AND FOUND OUT THAT ALMOST ALL OF THE STRUT TOWER WAS ROTTED AWAY ON THE LEFT REAR SIDE AND THE RIGHT REAR SIDE HAS A COUPLE OF ROT HOLES IN IT GETTING READ TO DO THE SAME THING THE LEFT SIDE DID. IF THE LEFT STRUT TOWER HAD COMPLETELY BROKE OFF THE TIRE WOULD HAVE GONE RIGHT INTO THE ROTTED WHEEL WELL PROBABLY CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOW BECAUSE I'M SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SLICED OPEN FROM THE JAGGED RUSTED METAL WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE CAR BODY ON THE LEFT SIDE TO DROP AND START TO SCRAP ON THE PAVEMENT. IF YOUR NOT FAMILIAR WITH A SUBARU THE GAS TANK IS LOCATED JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRES AND IT JUST ABOUT POKES INTO THE WHEEL WELL AREA. IN MY CALCULATIONS THE GAS TANK WOULD HAVE BEEN SCRAPPING THE PAVEMENT AND IT WAS FULL BY THE WAY. I HAVE EMAILED SUBARU ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THEY DID A VIN# CHECK AND TOLD ME THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY STATED PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

10422116

Incident

Aug 12, 2011

Mileage

209,000 mi

WE HAD A SLOW OIL LEAK AND OUR CATALYTIC CONVERTER STARTED GOING BAD AT THE SAME TIME. THE OIL LEAKED DOWN THE EXHAUST TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH WAS OVER HEATING AND CAUSED A FLASH FIRE BURNING UP MY ENTIRE CAR. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10415336

Incident

Jul 22, 2011

Mileage

180,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL FROZE AND WAS RESISTANT TO ENGAGEMENT. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT PLACE OF RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE FAILURE OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 174,278.

NHTSA ID

10398037

Incident

Feb 1, 2011

Mileage

174,278 mi

VEHICLE IS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY L WAGON WITH AUTO. TRANS. GAS PEDAL AND BRAKE PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER, AND AT THE SAME HEIGHT. ONE'S FOOT CAN INADVERTENTLY APPLY BOTH PEDALS AT ONCE, CAUSING ACCELERATION AND BRAKING SIMULTANEOUSLY. ALSO, CLEARANCE BETWEEN PEDALS AND LOWER DASH PANEL JUST ABOVE, IS MINIMAL. THIS CAN CAUSE FOOT (ESPECIALLY IN A WINTER BOOT) TO JAM IN THE LIMITED SPACE, RESULTING IN DIFFICULTY LIFTING FOOT FROM A PEDAL. IN AN OTHERWISE PRAISEWORTHY CAR, THESE FLAWS ARE AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10376756

Incident

Jan 14, 2011

Mileage

113,419 mi

FUEL TANK FILLER NECK LEAK AND FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10366871

Incident

Apr 24, 2007

Mileage

164,135 mi

CAR SHAKES AND STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. GIVES SENSATION OF INABILITY TO BRAKE. FEELING OF INSECURITY. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THE FOLLOWING HAVE BEEN DONE: RESURFACED FRONT AND BACK ROTORS AT 17,002 MILES. REPLACED FRONT AND REAR PADS AND FRONT ROTORS AND RESURFACED REAR ROTORS AT 29,154 REPLACED REAR ROTORS AND RESURFACED FRONT ROTORS AT 42,325. NOW AT ABOUT 53,000, FRONT ROTORS NEED REPLACING AGAIN! A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH FOUND ONE REPORTED FAILURE OF ABS IN 2005 LEGACY THAT POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I AM CONCERNED AND WORRIED THAT THIS CAR COULD PROVE UNSAFE FOR MY FAMILY IF OUR BRAKES FAIL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10259793

Incident

Feb 24, 2009

SEAT BELT WEBBING STARTED DISINTEGRATING IN LAST 6 MONTHS. I HAVE SHORT VIDEO CLIP SHOWING THE DEFECT THAT I CAN FORWARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233131

Incident

Jan 1, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE VEHICLE HAS COOPER LIFELINER TOURING SLE, SIZE 185/70R14 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL VEERED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WOBBLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT AS EXTENSIVE WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH OR GREATER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRES CAUSED THE FAILURE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06T016000 (TIRES: TREAD/BELT) WAS REFERENCED. AS OF OCTOBER 29, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000. UPDATED 01/11/08. *LJ

NHTSA ID

10207282

Incident

Sep 28, 2007

Mileage

155,000 mi

LEAKING FUEL FILLER NECK, LINES AND TANK ON OLDER SUBARU'S. OWNED 2 SUBARUS A 1993 IMPREZA AND A 1995 LEGACY BOTH GAS TANK SEAMS GET RUSTED OUT DUE TO CLIMATIC CONDITIONS AND LEAK SAME AS FILLER NECKS AND LINES. CAUSES EMISSION PROBLEMS, TRIGGERS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON OBD2 CARS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10176253

Incident

Nov 12, 2006

Mileage

198,000 mi

FAX ON BEHALF OF CONSUMER (ME) PERTAINING TO HIS DIFFICULTY IN OBTAIN A PART FOR THE DEFECTIVE GASOLINE TANK FILLER NECK OF HIS 1995 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON. *TS THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO LEAK FUEL UNTIL THE PART IS REPLACED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10147588

Incident

Oct 10, 2005

FAX PERTAINING TO CONSUMER'S DIFFICULTY IN OBTAIN A PART FOR THE DEFECTIVE GASOLINE TANK FILLER NECK OF HIS 1995 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON. *TS THE FAULTY FILLER NECK CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10143214

Incident

Oct 1, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT DETECTED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE IN THE GARAGE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE GENERATOR AND HIS WIFE'S VEHICLE IN WHICH NOTHING WAS FOUND. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED VEHICLE BACK INTO THE GARAGE HE NOTICED A GASOLINE STAIN WHERE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A SUBARU DEALER, WHO NOTICED THE LEAK IMMEDIATELY WHICH WAS COMING FROM THE FILLER NECK OF THE GASOLINE STORAGE TANK ASSEMBLY ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE FROM WHERE GASOLINE GAS PUMP NOZZLE GOES INTO THE GAS TANK ITSELF. THIS WAS CONSIDERED A COMMON PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WAS PLASTIC AND BREAKING DOWN. THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER AT FOUR SEPARATE SUBARU DEALERS, THE FILLER NECK PART NUMBER WAS 42066FA030. OUT OF FEAR OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, SUCH AS AN EXPLOSION AND DEATH THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF THE GARAGE. THE CONTACT ADDED THIS WAS THE SAME PART THAT WAS USED IN THE 1995-1997 SUBARU LEGACY VEHICLES. THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON. *AK

NHTSA ID

10139658

Incident

Oct 10, 2005

Mileage

184,000 mi

APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY HOOD WAS PARTIALLY UNLATCHED (HELD BY SAFETY). I EXITED THE HIGHWAY, CLOSED THE HOOD AND MADE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. *AK THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE LATCH, BUT RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT. ANOTHER SERVICE TECH AT THE DEALERSHIP RELAYED THAT HE ALSO HAD A HOOD LATCH FAILURE ON A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON. PLAN TO REPLACE HOOD MECHANISM.

NHTSA ID

10114482

Incident

Feb 15, 2005

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON I-90 AT 65 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE HOOD OF MY 1995 LEGACY SUBARU WAGON FLEW UP AND BROKE THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR TO FLY OFF INTO THE CAR. THE LATCH AND THE SAFETY LATCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAPPENED LAST WEEK AND I HAVE DONE NOTHING TO REPAIR THE CAR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10112344

Incident

Feb 25, 2005

Mileage

170,000 mi

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED/TAPPED THEY SUDDENLY TIGHTEN AND GET HOT AS TIME PROGRESSES. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THIS FAILURE RESULTED IN A FIRE DUE TO MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER FAILURE. BRAKE PADS AND CALIPERS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10105556

Incident

Dec 30, 2003

Mileage

150,000 mi

CONSUMER STATED ALTERNATOR FAILED. AS A RESULT, TAIL LIGHTS BECAME INOPERABLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10091814

Incident

Sep 2, 2004

Mileage

22,000 mi

NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 01V216000 FAILED. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE SALT, CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE SPRING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10089269

Incident

Aug 19, 2004

DRIVEABILITY CONCERN: THERE IS A VALVE GUIDE MOVEMENT ON THE CYLINDERS THAT LEAD TO VERY HEAVY CARBON DEPOSITS ON VALVES AND INTAKE/COMBUSTION CHAMBERS. THE VALVE GUIDE WEAR OCCURS BECAUSE THE HEADS ARE MADE OF ALUMINUM. UNDER LOAD, THE ENGINE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO HIGH GEAR, MISFIRES RANDOMLY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR "BUCKS." THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE THE CAR IS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND IT "BUCKS." THE GAS MILEAGE IS VERY POOR (17 MPG). MY GARAGE (WORKS EXCLUSIVELY ON JAPANESE CARS) THEY SEE SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON MANY SUBARU MODELS AND YEARS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10058257

Incident

Mar 1, 2003

Mileage

135,000 mi

MY VEHICLE, A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY L STATION WAGON, HAD STALLED AT A RED LIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I WAS REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I WAS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF MY VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SEAT "COLLAPSED" TO A FULLY-RECLINED POSITION. I SUFFERED MUSCLE AND LIGAMENT STRAIN IN MY NECK AND BACK, AND MY DAUGHTER (WHO WAS SEATED BEHIND ME) SUSTAINED A LARGE BRUISE ON HER RIGHT THIGH AS A RESULT OF BEING STRUCK BY MY SEAT WHEN IT COLLAPSED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10056626

Incident

Jan 25, 2004

Mileage

101,287 mi