RoadVitals

1999 Subaru Legacy Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest Dec 12, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
14%
of 94 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Subaru Legacy submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Dec 12, 2017

LEAKING COOLANT AND REPLACED RADIATOR, THERMOSTAT AND STILL LEAKING AND STARTED TO OVERHEAD. FOUND OUT IT WAS HEAD BASKETS AND DID RESEARCH ON RECALLS FOR THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL. FOUND OUT ON FORUMS THAT THERE WERE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH BOTH TYPES OF ENGINES THAT YEAR THE SINGLE AND DUAL OVERHEAD CAM ENGINES AND ALL AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE, BUT ONLY THE SINGLE OVERHEAD CAM ENGINE HAD THE RECALL. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE DUAL OVERHEAD CAM ENGINE AS WELL.

NHTSA ID
11054207
Incident
Dec 1, 2017
Mileage
175,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Dec 27, 2014

STARTED NOTICING A PROBLEM WHEN COMING DOWN A LONG, STEEP HILL WITH EXTENSIVE SHUDDERING WHEN BRAKING. WHEN I GOT INTO TOWN, THERE WAS A EVEN MORE SHUDDERING WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT. I HAD TO PULL ON THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. WHEN WE STARTED UP AGAIN, IT PULLED VERY HARD SO WE PULLED OVER AND WHEN I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE RACED UP ABOVE 4,000 RPM. I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, BUT WHEN IT WAS STARTED AGAIN, IT RACED AGAIN. I EASED IT SAFELY HOME A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY WITH THE UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION PROBLEM CONTINUING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10668510
Incident
Dec 27, 2014
Mileage
141,000 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 30, 2008

I RECENTLY BOUGHT A USED 1999 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON. THE PREVIOUS OWNER TOLD ME THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK THAT RESULTED FROM THE OIL FILTER FRACTURING. THIS CAUSED SMOKE TO COME FROM OIL BURNING ON THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS, I HAD THE OIL CHANGED AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE STILL SMOKES AROUND THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AFTER DRIVING IT. I CAN ALSO HEAR OIL DRIPPING FROM THE FILTER ONTO THE MANIFOLD. WHILE ONLINE REVIEWING MY CAR INSURANCE, I NOTICED THAT THIS VERY PROBLEM IS A RECALL DEFECT. I FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS AND CALLED SUBARU ABOUT THIS. THE REPRESENTATIVE NAMED PATRICIA SAID THAT THERE WAS NO RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE AND QUICKLY ENDED THE CONVERSATION. I KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND NEED THIS ADDRESSED. MY WIFE AND BABY RIDE IN THIS CAR. THE RECALL # IS -98V127000. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID
10253222
Incident
Dec 30, 2008
Engine
Filed Mar 29, 2007

CAR OVERHEATED RANDOMLY. HAVE REPLACED RADIATOR, WATER PUMP, 3 THERMOSTATS, HEAD GASKETS, AND HAD HEADS MACHINED AT SHOP. STILL OVERHEATED AND DIED FREQUENTLY. HAD IT TO MECHANIC MULTIPLE TIMES. EACH TIME THEY SAY IT WAS FIXED. BEING TOWED BACK TO REPAIR SHOP TODAY BECAUSE IT WON'T EVEN START NOW. *AK

NHTSA ID
10186451
Incident
Aug 24, 2006
Engine
Filed Nov 15, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID #98V127000 CONCERNING THE ENGINE. THIS CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10142699
Incident
Nov 8, 2005
Engine
Filed Mar 27, 2005

CAR HESITATES TO ACCELERATE UNTIL 2500 RPM, THEN JUMPS.

NHTSA ID
10114821
Incident
Apr 5, 2003
Mileage
40,000 mi
Body & structureEngine
Filed Sep 24, 2003

COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES TO DEALER THAT CAR HAD NO POWER, POOR GAS MILEAGE, HESITATION UPON STARTING OUT, MOTOR FELL APART AT 66,000 MILES ON INTERSTATE. CAR, ALTHOUGH A NEW MOTOR, CONTINUES TO HAVE NO POWER, POOR GAS MILEAGE, HESITATION UPON STARTING OUT. WHAT'S GOING TO KEEP THE MOTOR FROM BLOWING UP AGAIN, AND MAYBE WE BE KILLED. O2 AND PT SENSORS CONTINUES TO BLOW. SUNROOF WILL NOT OPEN;ADVISED A NEW ONE WOULD BE $975. SUNROOF COMPLAINT AT 13,680 MILES.

NHTSA ID
10039507
Incident
May 16, 2003
Mileage
66,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 2, 2002

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER SAID I HAD A BURNED CYLINDER. THIS WAS AT 108,000 MILES. A SECOND MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT MISFIRING IN CYLINDER NO. 4 WAS OCCURRING AND FURTHER STATED THAT COMPRESSION IN ALL FOUR CYLINDERS WAS BELOW SPECIFICIATIONS. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE DEFECT OCCURRED DURING MANUFACTURING AND WAS NOT A RESULT OF ANYTHING I DID OR DID NOT DO TO THE CAR. SUBARU OF AMERICAN CONTACTED AND OFFERED $1,000 TOWARD A NEW CAR, BUT SAID OTHERWISE IT WAS MY PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY.*AK

NHTSA ID
762553
Incident
Dec 1, 2001
Engine
Filed Apr 22, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
761045
Incident
Mar 29, 2002
Engine
Filed Jun 18, 2001

VEHICLE LEAKS OIL, AND THE OIL FLAWS ALL OVER ENGINE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
890603
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
AirbagsHeating & air conditioningEngine+1 more
Filed Sep 30, 1999
Crash reported

CAR HAS PULLED TO THE RIGHT SINCE PURCHASE. PURCHASED VEHICLE LATE SEPT., 1998. AC DID NOT WORK VERY WELL, BUT WEATHER WAS COOL AND IT WAS NOT A PRESSING ISSUE. THE FOLLOWING SPRING/SUMMER, TOOK IN FOR REPAIRS TO DEALER IN EVANSVILLE. AC STILL WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. ACCIDENT 5/19/99 WHERE I REAR-ENDED A VAN AT APPROX. 20 MPH., AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. AC STILL ONLY WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. ON 9/17/99, AFTER DRIVING THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES AT 65 MPH, I NOTICED THE TEMP GAUGE WAS ABOVE THE "H" AND PULLED OVER. THE CAR DIED AND NEVER RESTARTED. OVERHEATED TO THE EXTENT THAT AFTER ENGINE DIED, SMOKE BILLOWED OUT THE EXHAUST/TAIL PIPE AND OVER 3 HOURS AFTER THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF, RADIATOR FLUID STILL BOILED OVER WHEN ADDED. DEALER UNABLE TO PROVIDE EXPLANATION FOR OVERHEATING OR AC PROBLEMS. SUBARU REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE HAS REFUSED TO RETURN MY CALLS FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REPAIRS.

NHTSA ID
712565
Engine
Filed Aug 28, 1999

REPEATED COLD ENGINE HESITATION; HAZARDOUS WHEN TURNING ONTO BUSY STREET.

NHTSA ID
710639
Body & structureEngineSuspension
Filed Jun 23, 1999

ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO CRACKED #2 PISTON; CROSS MEMBER WAS MIS-MANUFACTURED-CAMBER COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED TO SPEC.

NHTSA ID
707825
Incident
Apr 20, 1999

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .