Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
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 2005 Subaru Legacy submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 33 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.
The 25 most recent of 33, in the owner's own words
AS WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, WE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A AIRPLANE PROPELLER WHIRLING. THE CAR THEN STOPPED. THE MECHANIC AT THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP SAID WE BLEW A CYLINDER. THE CAR IS NOW IN NEED OF A NEW ENGINE OR WILL BE SCRAPPED. WE KEPT THE CAR SERVICE RELIGIOUSLY AND WAS IN GREAT SHAPE. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? I THOUGHT WE HAD A RELIABLE CAR.
THE 2005 SUBURU SUDDENLY STOPS NO MATTER WEATHER GOING 35 MPH OR 70MPH WITHOUT WARNING! LATER THE ENGINE WARNING FLASHES, THEN THE CRUISE CONTROL FLASHES, AFTER ABT. 20 SECONDS IT STARTS, BUT STOPS INTERMITTENTLY W/O WARNING. LIFE/DEATH RISK.JUST BOUGHT IT 5 MOS. AGO. THE TURBO MALFUNCTIONS--CRACKS. *TR
THE VEHICLES TURBO FAILED AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE. THE TURBO AND ENGINE WERE ALL FACTORY ORIGINAL. I REPLACED THE PART THAT I THOUGHT WAS CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE AND TURNED THE CAR ON AND BLACK SMOKE CAME OUT OFF THE EXHAUST. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC SHOP I TOOK IT TO THE OIL UNION BOLTS ARE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM TO STARVING OIL TO THE TURBO AND THEN THE TURBO FAILS. I THINK IT IS UNCLEAR THAT THESE ENGINES HAVE A MAJOR FLAW IN THEM. MOST PEOPLE HAVE THESE PROBLEMS WAY BEFORE THE 100,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER MARK. I WOULD NEED A COMPLETELY NEW ENGINE FOR THE VEHICLE. I DID OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000 MILES AND DID THE RECOMMENDED SERVICES AT EACH TIME OR MILEAGE INTERVALS. *TR
CAR HAS BEEN VERY SLOW TO REDUCE RPMS WHEN SHIFTING GEARS OR WHEN STOPPED (AND IN NEUTRAL) FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS. TODAY, WHEN PULLING INTO A STARBUCKS, THE CAR SURGED FORWARD. LUCKILY I HAVE A STICK SHIFT AND JUST PUSHED THE CLUTCH IN. AFTER SURGING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. USING A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL, I FOUND THAT THE CAR IS THROWING ERROR CODE P2138. THIS INDICATES THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION (APP) SENSOR IS EITHER BAD OR HAS A POOR CONNECTION. THE DETAIL ON THE ERROR STATS "THE ECM HAS DETECTED THAT THE APP SENSOR 1 AND APP SENSOR 2 DISAGREE MORE THAN 4.5% FOR LESS THAN 1 SECOND." ESSENTIALLY, ONE OR BOTH THROTTLE-BY-WIRE CIRCUITS ISN'T FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS IS AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM AND SOME FOLKS HAVE FOUND THAT THEIR CARS ARE SURGING FORWARD, THREATENING SAFETY. *TR
THIS IS THE SECOND WELL MAINTAINED SUBARU LEGACY THAT THE ENGINE HAS BLOWN IN UNDER 150,000 MILES. FIRST A 1999 AND NOW A 2005. RESEARCH ONLINE SHOWS THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND HAS ALSO BEEN CONFIRMED BY INDEPENDENT MECHANICS. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT RECOURSE I CAN TAKE LEGALLY AS SUBARU HAS NOT OFFERED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED FOR AN INSPECTION. THE LAST TIME THEY OFFERED A $500 CREDIT TOWARDS A PROPOSED REPAIR THAT WAS ESTIMATED AT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OVER THE CLOSEST INDEPENDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT IF THE GOVERNMENT HAS HAD ANY SUCCESS IN GETTING SUBARU TO ADMIT THE PROBLEM AND DO SOMETHING MEANINGFUL TO ADDRESS IT, OR IF THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT I CAN JOIN TO GET SOME SATISFACTION. THANKS YOU. *KB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, HE WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REPLACED THE TURBO MECHANISM. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 62,000.
I WAS DRIVING AT THE SPEED LIMIT. I HEARD NOISES START TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR, AND THE CAR LOST POWER. AS SOON AS I SAFELY COULD, I PULLED OVER AND PARKED THE CAR. I HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILED TURBOCHARGER. IT REPLACED THE TURBOCHARGER AND RETURNED THE CAR TO ME. IT TOOK THE DEALER FOUR DAYS TO RETURN THE CAR TO ME. APPROXIMATELY 150 MILES LATER, I EXPERIENCED THE SAME SYMPTOMS. I DROVE STRAIGHT TO A DEALERSHIP JUST A MILE OR TWO FROM WHERE I WAS LOCATED, BY COINCIDENCE, AT THE ONSET OF THIS SECOND PROBLEM. THIS SECOND DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM: THE REPLACEMENT TURBOCHARGER FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE WAS NOW DAMAGED. NOW THE ENTIRE ENGINE, INCLUDING YET ANOTHER TURBOCHARGER, IS BEING REPLACED, ALONG WITH OTHER ANCILLARY PARTS. THE DEALER HAS HAD THE CAR FOR FOUR DAYS THUS FAR. *TR
LTR FWD FM (VA) OWNER OF A 2005 SUBARU LEGACY GT CONCERNED THAT SERVICE BULLETIN RELEASED BY SUBARU ONLY ALERTED DEALERSHIPS NOT THE VEHICLE OWNERS RE TURBOCHARGER DEFECT, REPLY TO ROANOKE, VA OFC. *TGW WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKE A WHINING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE WHINING QUICKLY TURNED TO A RATTLE AND THEN RAPIDLY TO A CLANGING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THE TURBOCHARGER WAS BLOWN. APPARENTLY, SUBARU ENGINEERS DECIDED TO ROUTE LUBRICATING ENGINE OIL TO THE TURBOCHARGER THROUGH A BANJO BOLT. THE BANJO BOLT HAS AN INTERNAL MESH SCREEN THAT FILTERS THE OIL AND ENSURES THAT THE OIL FLOWING TO THE TURBO IS CLEAN. IF THE SCREEN IS CLOGGED OR BLOCKED IN ANY WAY, THIS WILL RESULT IN DECREASED FLOW OF OIL TO THE TURBO. A TURBO WITH INADEQUATE OIL FLOW WILL BASICALLY SELF-DESTRUCT AND SEND TINY SHARDS OF METAL INTO THE ENGINE'S COMPRESSIONS CHAMBER.*JB
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND CHECKED OIL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ALSO LOOKED THROUGH OWNERS MANUAL. THE OIL WAS A QUART LOW, TURBO MAKING SUCTION NOISES, PICK UP FROM A STOP OR QUICK THROTTLE TO PASS ON HIGH WAY WAS GONE. ADDED A QUART OF OIL AND HAD AN OIL CHANGE & CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DIAG DONE THE NEXT DAY ( DROVE MAYBE 60 MILE WITH LIGHT ON). AFTER THE OIL CHANGE METALLIC NOISE FROM PASSENGER SIDE OF ENGINE COULD BE HEARD AND EXHAUST WAS POURING OUT THICK SMOKE. THE CODE WAS P011 TIMING ISSUE, TURBO BANJO (OIL LINE FILTER) CLOGGED. CAR HAS 64K ON IT OIL CHANGED EVERY 4000. FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE THAT IS A VERY HOT TOPIC ON MANY SUBARU FORUMS. SUBARU WILL NOT COVER UNDER THIS ISSUE WARRANTY SIGHTING THAT CONSUMER MAINTENANCE CAUSED SLUDGE TO BUILD UP ON THE BANJO BOLT FILTER. YET SUBARU HAS NO MENTION OF CLEANING OR MAINTENANCE OF THE TURBO BANJO BOLT FILTER IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. THIS ISSUE CAUSED MY CAR AND OTHERS TO HAVE ENGINE DAMAGE REQUIRING THE CUSTOMER TO FIT A 4 TO 11 THOUSAND DOLLAR BILL TO FIX. SUBARU SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND REFUND CUSTOMERS THAT HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. *TR
TO NHSTA THREE TURBOS HAVE FAILED WITHIN A 2 MONTH SPAN ON A 2005 SUBARU LEGACY GT SEDAN. LEADING UP TO EACH FAILURE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN CONSISTENTLY AT ~60 MPH FOR 15 TO 20 MILES. THE CONSEQUENCE OF THESE FAILURES HAS BEEN LOSS OF POWER ON THE HIGHWAY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A WRECK (BUT LUCKILY DID NOT). TO CORRECT THIS FAILURE THE TURBO WAS REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. IT FAILED AGAIN THE SAME DAY DUE TO THE NUT HOLDING THE TURBO TOGETHER FALLING OFF. SUBARU REPLACED THAT TURBO BUT IT FAILED AGAIN AFTER 2 WEEKS. I TOOK IT TO A SUBARU DEALERSHIP THIS TIME WHERE THEY SAID IT FAILED BECAUSE A SMALL MESH SCREEN BECOME BLOCKED BY SLUDGE AND WOULD NOT HONOR THEIR MECHANICAL FAULT WARRANTY. I PAID TO HAVE IT REPLACED BUT I HAVE NOT YET PICKED UP THE VEHICLE SINCE I CANNOT TRUST IT NOT TO BREAK (NOR WILL SUBARU WARRANTY THE PART IF THE SCREEN BECOMES BLOCKED AGAIN, THIS SLUDGE COULD BE CAUSED BY THE INITIAL TURBO FAILURE, SINCE THE BROKEN TURBOS THROW METAL THROUGH THE OIL SYSTEM.) THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE INSTEAD OF A MAINTENANCE ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE CONSISTENT FAILURES UNDER THE SAME CONDITION WHICH IS NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE FAILURE RATE FOR THIS SPECIFIC SUBARU VEHICLE IS MUCH GREATER THAN NORMAL WITH AN EPA REPORT (REF #GR08-054C EPA # 3595) SHOWING "UNSCREENED WARRANTY CLAIMS" (MINIMAL FAILURE RATE?) OF 4.55% AS OF SEP 12, 2008. THIS RATE IS ON AVERAGE 3 TIMES HIGHER THAN OTHER TURBO VEHICLES PRODUCED BY SUBARU AT THE TIME. (INCIDENTLY MAZDA HAS JUST RECALLED THEIR NEW 2010 TURBO MAZDA3'S DUE TO TURBO FAILURE FROM PERIODS OF IDLE OR LIMITED ACCELERATION DUE TO OIL POOLING IN THE TURBO, THESE ARE THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THE SUBARU TURBO'S HAVE FAILED)
THE TURBO IN MY 2005 SUBARU LEGACY GT SPLIT IN HALF WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. IT MADE A SQUEALING NOISE, WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS PRIOR TO THE TURBO GOING, HOWEVER EXACTLY WHEN IT HAPPENED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE CRUISE LIGHT BLINKING. I WAS TOLD BY A CERTIFIED SUBARU TECHNICIAN THAT THE TURBOS IN THESE CARS DO NOT JUST SPLIT IN HALF AND RARELY HAVE PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, I WAS TOLD ABOUT THE BANJO BOLT OIL FILTER LOCATED UNDER THE TURBO, UNSEEABLE WHEN GETTING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, HOWEVER THIS FILTER NEEDS TO BE CLEANED OTHERWISE IT CLOGS AND STARVES THE TURBO OF ANY OIL. I WAS NEVER AWARE WHEN PURCHASING THIS CAR OF THAT PROBLEM, AND NOWHERE IN MY VEHICLES MANUAL DOES IT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE BANJO BOLT OIL FILTER AND HOW IT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE TURBO IN MY CAR IS THE ONLY PART THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, HOWEVER FINDING A TURBO FOR THE 05 LEGACY GT IS PRETTY EXPENSIVE, AND THE USED TURBOS ARE EVEN HARDER TO LOCATE THAN ANY OF THE OTHER 05 SUBARU MODELS. I AM CURRENTLY STILL WITHOUT A CAR AND I BELIEVE THE TURBOS IN THE 05 LEGACY GT'S ARE DEFECTIVE DUE TO THE BANJO BOLT OIL FILTER CLOGGING EXCESSIVELY. *TR
TURBO FAILURE WITH NO WARNING. DRASTIC LOSS OF POWER IMMEDIATELY UPON FAILURE. TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ NORMAL. NO INDICATING/WARNING LIGHTS SHOWED UP. *TR
AT 74,000 MILES THE TURBO BLEW IN MY 2005 SUBARU LEGACY TURBO WAGON. UPON REQUEST OF THE COMPANY I HANDED IN AS MANY MAINTENANCE RECORDS AS I COULD FIND. THE COMPANY REPAIRED THE TURBO, SPLITTING THE COST WITH ME, 50/50 ($900 EACH). THEY FAILED TO CHANGE THE OIL, AS I ASKED THEM TO DO, AND TO FIX WHATEVER THEY HAD TO FIX TO MAKE THE CAR RIGHT AGAIN. ONCE REPAIRED, AFTER DRIVING MY CAR ABOUT 15 MILES, THE TURBO BLEW AGAIN. AFTER ADMITTING THEY DIDN'T CHANGE THE OIL, THE DEALER REPAIRED THE TURBO AGAIN, UNDER WARRANTY THIS TIME, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE 2 OIL CHANGES THEY CHARGED ME. WHEN I FINALLY WENT TO PICK UP THE CAR AND I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR, AS THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE MOTOR. THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND THE CAR WAS SHAKING. THEY FAILED TO TELL ME THE CAR WAS STILL BROKEN, OR THAT THERE WAS A NEW PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. NOW THEY TELL ME THE MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, TO THE COST OF $4,800.00. THEY ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR THE PARTS, $3,000.00, AND WANT TO CHARGE ME FOR THE LABOR, $1,800.00. I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN LIED TO, CHEATED AND THE INTEGRITY OF MY CAR HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. I DON'T FEEL SATISFIED WITH THE QUALITY OF SERVICE AND SECURITY OF THIS VEHICLE SINCE IT'S BEEN IN THE HANDS OF THE RAMSEY SUBARU, SINCE DECEMBER 23, 2008. *TR
THE LETTER I SENT TO SUBARU OF AMERICA (EDITED): I AM THE OWNER OF A 2005 LEGACY GT. ON AUGUST 5TH, 2008 MY FAMILY AND I WERE HEADED TO BOISE, IDAHO FROM BEND, OREGON. ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF FROM HOME I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS REVVING ABNORMALLY HIGH TO MAINTAIN SPEED. I CALLED THE SHOP BACK IN BEND (THOMAS SALES AND SERVICE) AND THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I HAVE THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THEM. WHEN WE ARRIVED BACK IN BEND THE TECH AT THE DEALER INSPECTED THE CAR AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A TURBO ISSUE, AS I HAD SUSPECTED. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THE ISSUE WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. PARTS WERE ORDERED AND SERVICE WAS SCHEDULED. SEVERAL DAYS LATER I WAS CONTACTED AGAIN BY THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO INFORMED ME THAT SINCE MY CAR WAS AT 74K MILES (BUT STILL INSIDE THE 5 YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD) IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED AND THAT THE REPAIR COSTS WOULD BE RIGHT AROUND $2000. NATURALLY I WAS UPSET WITH THIS NEWS. I AM A MEMBER OF THE WEBSITE LEGACYGT.COM AND STARTED LOOKING AROUND FOR INFORMATION REGARDING MY PROBLEM AND FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THE BANJO BOLT SCREEN IN THE TURBO GETTING CLOGGED. AT NO TIME WAS I EVER CONTACTED BY SUBARU OR MY DEALER REGARDING THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM OR I WOULD HAVE HAD IT CHECKED OUT. I AM ALSO A MEMBER OF MYSUBARU.COM AND WAS NOT INFORMED THERE EITHER. I HAVE HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES PERFORMED AND HAVE PERFORMED SEVERAL MYSELF (I HAVE NO RECORD OF THIS IN THE FORM OF RECEIPTS, SEE ATTACHED COPIES) AND THE NIGHT BEFORE WE LEFT FOR BOISE I CHECKED ALL THE FLUIDS AND THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRES AND FOUND EVERYTHING WAS GOOD. I WAS PLANNING ON HAVING THE OIL CHANGED AGAIN IN BOISE. I HAVE ALWAYS USED HIGH QUALITY SYNTHETIC OIL SINCE AFTER THE FIRST COUPLE OF CHANGES. WHAT IS REALLY TROUBLING IS THAT AT NO TIME DID I EVER GET A WARNING FROM A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ERROR CODE, YET I SEEMED TO HAVE HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. *TR
SUBARU LEGACY GT WAGON - TURBO FAILURE DUE TO OIL STARVATION AT 51,000 MILES. OIL ALWAYS CHANGED AT 3,000 MILES/ 3 MONTHS. EXPLANATION FROM MECHANIC IS THAT SUBARU INSTALLED OIL SCREEN IN LINE LEADING TO TURBO, BUT THIS IS NOT CHECKED OR CHANGED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS. OVER TIME, SCREEN CLOGS AND LEADS TO OIL STARVATION AND TURBO FAILURE. TURBO REPLACED BY SUBARU UNDER POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. NO REMEDY FOR SCREEN WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY CLOG AGAIN. *TR
WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. WE THOUGHT THAT A BELT HAD BROKEN OR SOMETHING. SHE WAS ON HER WAY TO THE MECHANIC WHEN IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND WAS MAKING A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE BAY, ALL OF THE GAUGES STOPPED WORKING. THE ABS, SPORT SHIFT AND E-BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE DASH ALL TURNED ON EACH TIME SHE STOPPED. THE CAR DIED JUST PAST AN INTERSECTION AND WAS PUSHED INTO THE OPEN AREA OF A PARKING LOT. SINCE IT WAS HOT SHE, MY DAUGHTER AND MY DOG ALL GOT OUT AND WENT INTO THE SHADE OF SOME NEARBY TREES. WITHIN 5 MINUTES A BYSTANDER POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS A FIRE UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. THEY ARRIVED WITHIN THE NEXT 10 MINUTES AND THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE CHIEF SAID THAT IT WAS A COMPLETE LOSS AND THAT THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED IT. *TR
2005 SUBARU LEGACY VIN# (LAST 8)54327514. CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY BUT SUBARU IS REFUSING TO FIX THE TURBO. SUBARU HAS A BULLETIN # 02-103-07 OUT ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH TURBO'S OIL STARVATION DUE TO FACTORY OIL FEED BANJO BOLT. I ALSO USED AMSOIL OIL AND THEY INDICATED THAT VOIDS THE WARRANTY. THE LAW PASS BY CONGRESS "MAGNUSON-MOSS ACT" SAID THAT SUBARU CAN'T VOID THE WARRANTY. *TR
TURBO CHARGER AND ENGINE BLOWN WITH 63,000 MILES. HAPPENED ON A FREEWAY WHILE TRAVELING AT A STEADY (NOT ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING) 45 MPH. PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM DEALERSHIP AT TIME OF PURCHASE, BUT AM TOLD THAT THEY WILL NOT COVER THE DAMAGES BECAUSE I CHANGED THE OIL (FULL SYNTHETIC) MYSELF AT THE TIME OF LAST OIL CHANGE, WHILE I WAS DOING A BRAKE JOB. IT TOOK THE DEALERSHIP OVER TWO WEEKS TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND WAS NOT INITIALLY GIVEN A RENTAL OR LOANER. AFTER CONTACTING SUBARU OF AMERICA, I WAS APPROVED FOR A RENTAL FOR 3 DAYS, BUT HAD TO RETURN THE CAR AFTER THAT TIME PERIOD. IT HAS NOW BEEN MORE THAN A MONTH AND A HALF, AND I STILL DO NOT HAVE MY VEHICLE, OR A RENTAL. *TR
TURBO CHARGER SEIZED AND FAILED @ 32,000 MILES WITH APPROXIMATELY $2000 IN DAMAGE. VEHICLE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES OVERDUE ON OIL CHANGE (100% SYNTHETIC) PER OWNERS MANUAL, AND THEREFORE SUBARU WILL NOT HONOR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY AND CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY. TURBO FAILURE IS A DOCUMENTED PROBLEM NOT ONLY WITH THE LEGACY, BUT ALSO WITH SEVERAL OTHER SUBARU MODELS EQUIPT WITH THIS TURBO. A RECENT SUBARU TECHINICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (#02-103-07) ADDRESS' THIS ISSUE. *CN
AT DIFFERENT THROTTLE INPUTS THERE IS AN ENGINE STUTTER/STUMBLE. THIS HAPPENS MOSTLY DURING (2000-3000 RPMS) AND IS WORSE DURING COLD AND RAINY WEATHER, AS WELL AS DRIVING UP HILL. THIS FAILURE IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IF IT HAPPENS AT THE WRONG TIME ESPECIALLY IN VERMONT, SOMEONE COULD GET KILLED. SUBARU SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE AT LEAST 40 OTHER PEOPLE THAT I KNOW OF, THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I AS ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE DID NOT GET WHAT I PAID FOR. SUBARU SHOULD ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM TELL US WHAT IT IS AND FIX IT BEFORE IT IS TO LATE. *TR
EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY CAR, IT STUTTERS. IN ANY GEAR ( SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY OF A 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION) NO MATTER CONDITIONS NOR DRIVING STYLE. SPOKEN TO ALL LOCAL DEALERS AND S.O.A. OFFICIAL RESPONSE IS "TURBO LAG" THE SYMPTOMS ARE NOT THAT OF TURBO LAG, NOR CAN S.O.A. PROVIDE A DEFINITION OF TURBO LAG. MAY BE TURBO SURGE, WHICH IS DETRIMENTAL TO A TURBO CHARGERS LIFE. THIS DRAWS SERIOUS CONCERNS FROM LEGACY GT OWNERS. I THINK SUBARU MAY HAVE A "SERIOUS" ISSUE. THEY HAVE BEEN THROWING MONEY AT CUSTOMERS TO AVOID LEMON LAW'S. THIS CAR IS NOT ENJOYABLE TO DRIVE WITH THIS ISSUE. PRESS THROTTLE, STUTTER, STUTTER, STUTTER, GO. SUBARU PROVIDED NO RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OTHER THAN A NEW MODEL. S.O.A. PROVIDED $6000.00 TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A NEW SUBARU. MIND YOU THAT RESOLUTION WAS EASY TO GET, BUT DID ME NO GOOD, AS THAT OFFER WAS MADE SIX MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED THAT VEHICLE. LEAVING A DIFFERENCE OUT OF POCKET OF $3,200.00 NOT A PROPER SOLUTION. BUT IT WAS BETTER THAN NOTHING. I ASSUME SUBARU OS COVERING UP A LARGE AND EXPENSIVE REPAIR FOR THIS ISSUE. ONLY TIME, OR THE NHTSA WILL TELL. *NM
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING HEAVY RAIN STORMS, MY 2005 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON HAD PROBLEMS STARTING AND RUNNING. THE ENGINE 'STUTTERS' OR 'MISFIRES' UNTIL THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED AND LEFT FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES, THEN RECONNECTED. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN TO THE SUBARU DEALER ON APPROXIMATELY FOUR OCCASIONS FOR THIS PROBLEM, WHERE ECU CODES HAVE BEEN CLEARED, AND I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. IT INVARIABLY RETURNS WITH THE NEXT RAINSTORM. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD EMERGE WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY CONDITIONS, LEADING TO AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB
ABRUPT ACCELERATION AND HESITATION. THIS IS A WIDELY KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2005-2006 SUBARU LEGACY GT'S. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ODOR OF GASOLINE WAS NOTICED INTERMITTENTLY UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SMELL OF GASOLINE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE STEERING AREA. THE LEAK WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE ODOR OF GASOLINE CONTINUED. THE ODOR IS STRONGEST AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A PERIOD OF TWO HOURS OR MORE. THE ODOR DISAPPEARS AFTER DRIVING A HUNDRED YARDS OR MORE. THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK DOES NOT HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AGAIN, IT WAS DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY AND THE DEALER ONLY SUGGESTED MAKING AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE BRAND OF GASOLINE BEING USED. UPDATED 03/03/06. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE, NEAR THE BUMPER AND WHEEL. THE OTHER VEHICLE IMPACTED THE VEHICLE AT 40 MPH. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE ENGINE DID NOT SHUT OFF. THE MANUFACTURER DETERMINED DUE TO THE ANGLE OF IMPACT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEATBELT, BUT SUSTAINED WHIPLASH. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP.
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.
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