Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Subaru Legacy submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
DEFECTIVE FRAME ON 1998 SUBARU LEGACY. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES AND TIE RODS WERE REPLACED. AND A ALIGNMENT WAS DONE AS WELL. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE A RUMBLING SOUND, AS WELL A STRONGER PULL TO THE RIGHT WHEN BRAKING. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THE FRONT LEFT CROSS-MEMBER WAS SEVERED IN THE CENTER. *JB
CONSUMER REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL REPAIRS EXPENSES FOR 1998 SUBARU LEGACY.*MR DURING REGULAR MAINTENANCE THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT HE VEHICLE'S STEERING CENTER DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION COIL. SINCE THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 38,000 MILES THE CONSUMER FEELS SUBARU SHOULD REIMBURSE HIM FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIRS. *NM
THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE'S HOOD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK COMING FROM RACK AND PENION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
OVER SENSITIVE KNOCK SENSOR, CAUSES ACCELERATION HESITATION. IT'S BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR YEARS (SEE TSBS 115899 & 115398), BUT ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL ACCIDENT LAST WEEKEND.*AK
COMMENTS FROM THE DEALERS INVOICE: 671 MILES: CHECKED FOR OIL LEAK, FOUND FLUID LEAKING FROM POWER STEERING RACK. REMOVED AND REINSTALLED RACK ASSEMBLY.671 MILES: I COMPLAINED ABOUT SMELL IN VENTS. ADVISED IT WAS POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST. 944MILES: OIL LEAKING FROM ENGINE DOWN ONTO EXHAUST. FOUND LEAK AT TOP OF ENGINE ON THE RIGHT SIDE NEAR REAR OIL GALLEY PLUG. DISASSEMBLE ENGINE COMPLETE DOWN TO SHORT BLOCK. REPLACE SHORT BLOCK AND ALL NECESSARY GASKETS AND SEALS. REASSEMBLE ENGINE. 944 MILES: I COMPLAINED ABOUT SMELL IN VENTS. THIS TIME TOLD IT WAS BURNING OIL GETTING INTO VENTS BEFORE ENGINE REPAIR.6195 MILES,03/27/98: COMPLAINED ABOUT SMELL IN VENTS. DASH ASSEMBLY DISASSEMBLED, CLEANED, REASSEMBLED. 7173 MILES: COMPLAINED ABOUT SMELL IN VENTS. WORKING WITH ZEXEL REP. ON A/C SYSTEM LOCATED LEAK AT EVAPORATOR COOLING UNIT. REMOVE AND REPLACE RECEIVER DRIER AND A/C COMPRESSOR. REASSEMBLE. 8009 MILES: I COMPLAINED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON WHILE DRIVING. TOLD POSSIBLE THAT FUEL TANK CAP WAS NOT ON TIGHT. 10185MILES 08/06/98: I COMPLAINED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL STAYS ON: FOUND REAR 0-2 SENSOR TO HAVE SLOW RESPONSE TIMES. REMOVE AND REINSTALL REAR 0-2 SENSOR. 8485 MILES COMPLAINED OF BURNING SMELL FROM UNDER HOOD. TOLD INNER AXLE BOOT LEAKING. INNER AXLE CV BOOT GREASE IN FRONT REPLACED. 29901MILES: RECALL CAMPAIGN WXQ74 MASTER CYLINDER. PERFORM WXQ-74 AND INSTALL LABEL. 39150 MILES: COMPLAINED ABOUT RATTLING NOISE FROM REAR AXLE. CHECKED REAR DIFFERENTIAL, HEARD PINION BEARING TO BE NOISY. REPLACED REAR DIFFERENTIAL. WARRANTY EXPIRED. 45330 MILES: MY ALTENATOR FAILED. I WAS TOWED 15 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP, AT A COST OF $140 DOLLARS, AND PAID 294.35 DOLLARS TO HAVE IT REPLACED. AT THE TIME I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL ON BOTH 1996 AND 1997 ALTENATORS BUT NOTHING ON THE 1998'S. LAST WEEK I GOT A LETTER FROM SUBARU INFORMING ME THAT SOME 1998'S MAY REQUIRE ALTENATOR REPLACEMENTS. *AK
FAILURE OF BOLT IN SHEAR RESULTED IN LACK OF POWER STEERING. YH
GEAR BOX SEAL FAILED. YH
LUBRICATION IN FRONT STEERING LEAKS ONTO EXHAUST SYSTEM, CAUSING FUMES TO ENTER CABIN AIR. *YC
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .