2007 Subaru Legacy Owner Complaints

Brake line failed unexpectedly and catastrophically while driving 2007 Subaru Legacy. Vehicle would have been covered per recall [XXX]; however, it was registered in Virginia so was not 'included' in the recall despite being exposed to comparable levels of snow and road salt in a rural southwestern part of Virginia less than 50 miles from the original recall region. Car was purchased new from a dealership in West Virginia (part of the recall region) and frequently operated in that region. Failing to include parts of Virginia that receive just as much, if not more, snow and corrosive road treatment in recall [XXX] was an error that resulted in a major safety hazard. The brake line failed at the exact location described in recall [XXX], at the 4-way connector block under the fuel-tank protector. The location of the failure is not visible during normal brake service, leading to corrosion in that location going unnoticed and unrepaired. Other substantial portions of the brake line system are polymer-coated to prevent corrosion; however, the small section at the 4-way connector block is not, permitting hazardous corrosion to the point of failure in this case. The recall notice [XXX] should be extended to include additional regions where roads are treated with corrosive salt anti-ice products so owners of these vehicles can have them inspected and/or repaired prior to an unexpected catastrophic failure as I experienced. The design of the braking system with substantial portions of polymer coated lines leads owners and repair staff to believe there is no problem with corrosion of the brake lines and no need for additional inspection or repair, and removal of the fuel-tank protector to expose the portion of the non-coated and corrosion-prone brake line system in the recall is not included as part of the standard maintenance program per the manufacturer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11578758

Incident

Mar 20, 2024

Rear driver side wheel bearing is bad at 75,000 miles

NHTSA ID

11438076

Incident

Nov 15, 2020

The dash pad has deteriorated, become sticky and shinny. My daughter owns a Mazda 3 with a similar problem, Mazda had a recall and the dash pad was replaced by the dealer. This is a safety issue because the shinny finish that has formed creates glare in the inside windshield in the sunlight. It is very dangerous as it obscures vision. I have not taken the car to the dealer and have not reported it to any other authority. Its a car we recently purchased and my first step was to see if there was a recall. Like I said, the same exact issue happened to another car and it was resolved by the manufacturer.

NHTSA ID

11421853

Incident

Jun 22, 2021

VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY AND STREET, THE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING HEAVILY AND CAUSING THE OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. THE PISTONS WILL SEIZE. THE RODS WILL BREAK AND A BLOWN ENGINE WILL OCCUR.

NHTSA ID

11413090

Incident

Apr 20, 2021

Mileage

112,000 mi

I HAVE RECEIVED OVER 40 NOTICES REGARDING MY 2007 SUBARU LEGACY THAT I HAVE NOT OWNED SINCE 2015. THE CAR IS SITTING IN A JUNK YARD AND I HAVE CALLED THE NUMBER ON THESE NOTICES ROUGHLY 15 TIMES AND EACH TIME I AM TOLD SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I DO NOT OWN THIS CAR. PLEASE TAKE ME OFF THIS LIST. I AM BEING HARASSED FOR A VEHICLE I HAVE NOT OWNED IN OVER 5 YEARS. PLEASE WORK ON YOUR PROCESSES SO THAT I AM NOT BEING HARASSED ANYMORE.

NHTSA ID

11374096

Incident

Nov 11, 2020

VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE CAUSING WHILE ACCELERATING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. FIRE CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO CV SHAFT BOOT, WIRE HARNESS AND TRANSMISSION. CAUSE OF FIRE IS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11351123

Incident

Aug 23, 2020

Mileage

125,000 mi

SUBARU USA AND THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION HAVE ISSUED A RECALL ON SPECIFIC SUBARU'S THAT IDENTIFIES THE BRAKE SYSTEM WILL FAIL WITHOUT NOTICE. THE BRAKE LINES ON MY VEHICLE THAT FALL UNDER THE RECALL HAVE FAILED AND I DID ENCOUNTER A "NO BRAKE" SITUATION. AFTER BRINGING THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR OF THE RECALL, THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED ME BACK AND CLAIMED IT WAS NOT THE BRAKE LINES THAT CAUSED THE ISSUE. I CONFIRMED AND TESTED MY CLAIM PRIOR TO BRINGING IN THE VEHICLE THAT THE ISSUE WAS 100% DUE TO THE REAR BRAKE LINE LEAKING. DOYLE FALSIFIED THE ISSUE DURING THEIR EXPLANATION INDICATING IT WAS THE FRONT CALIPER THAT WAS LEAKING, WHICH WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I HAVE MULTIPLE PICTURES THAT SHOW BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM THE HIGHLY CORRODED REAR BRAKE LINES. I HAD INDICATED EXACTLY WHERE THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM IN PRINTED DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED TO THE DOYLE SUBARU SERVICE MANAGER. SUBARU STATED THE LEAK WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11317158

Incident

Mar 9, 2020

Mileage

135,000 mi

CAR SHUDDERS WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. SUBARU HAS OTHER MODELS ON RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. NOTICED IT AT FIRST WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT SPACE

NHTSA ID

11297385

Incident

Dec 1, 2019

Mileage

93,800 mi

UNLOCKED DOORS SUDDENLY WON'T OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. VEHICLE IS PARKED, TRYING TO ENTER CANT OPEN DOOR. IF VEHICLE IS IN AN ACCIDENT NO ONE WILL HAVE ACCESS TO ENTER OR EXIT PASSENGERS. ON A SUBARU FORUM I WAS ADVISED THAT ITS A COMMON PROBLEM. WELL, FORD HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH FIESTA AND FOCUS AND THEY HAD A SAFETY RECALL FIX FOR THE SAME IDENTICAL CONCERNS.

NHTSA ID

11120975

Incident

Aug 18, 2018

1. TAKATA -TRIED TO SEE IF MY CAR IS PART OF CLASS ACTION AUTOAIRBAGSETTLEMENT.COM WOULDN'T TAKE MY VIN; GLITCH. 2. HEAD GASKETS - IT WAS KNOW THAT THEIR HEAD GASKETS ARE AN ISSUE CAUSING (ME & MANY) TO HAVE TO HAVE THEM REPLACED COSTING $2000+; IT SEEMS THIS SHOULD BE REIMBURSABLE AND A RECALLED ITEM. RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOU CONSIDER THIS.

NHTSA ID

11013856

Incident

Sep 1, 2003

THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS CONNECTING THE BODY AND REAR LIFT GATE WHICH CONTAINS 14 WIRES WITHIN A RUBBER ACCORDIAN BOOT SUFFERED A BREAKAGE OF ALL 14 WIRES AT THE BODY SIDE OF THE BOOT. THIS AFFECTED THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT, DEFROST WIRES, AND THE REAR WIPER MOTOR AS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND REAR BACKUP LIGHTS, LIFTGATE LOCK, AND SECURITY SYSTEM AS AN INCONVENIENCE. FIRST ITEM THAT WAS NOTICED WAS LIFT LATCH LOCK NOT WORKING, THEN OTHER ITEMS FAILED IN SUCCESSION. I LOOKED AT AFFECTED COMPONENTS BUT ONLY SOLVED PROBLEM BY ACCESSING A LEGACY OWNERS WEBSITE WHERE THIS WAS FOUND TO BE A FREQUENT ISSUE IN VARYING DEGREES. PROBLEM WAS FIXED, NOT REPAIRED, BY RUNNING 14 NEW HIGHER QUALITY WIRES THROUGH THE RUBBER BOOT AND MAKING CONNECTIONS AT EITHER SIDE. REPLACEMENT HARNESS FROM SUBARU HAD SAME TYPE OF WIRES WHICH IN MY OPINION WOULD HAVE EVENTUALLY FAILED AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

10994278

Incident

May 20, 2012

Mileage

70,000 mi

HOOD LATCH FAILURE ON HIGHWAY. FLEW UP AND BROKE WINDSHIELD. SAME THING HAPPENED TO OUR 2004 SUBARU LEGACY EXACTLY A WEEK BEFORE. WINDSHIELDS AND HOODS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE LATCH IS LIKE A TOY, NOT STURDY AT ALL. CONTACT ME ASAP FOR PHOTOS [XXX] COULDN'T GET THE PHOTOS TO LOAD. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

10955741

Incident

Feb 20, 2017

Mileage

93,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A BURNT RUBBER AND PLASTIC ODOR EMITTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE DASHBOARD BECAME EXTREMELY HOT AND CAUSED THE FUSES TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V738000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

NHTSA ID

10920261

Incident

Jun 11, 2016

Mileage

44,000 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS). HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 10/07/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID

10899701

Incident

Aug 31, 2016

TAKATA RECALL: MY COMPLAINT #10894596, JUST SUBMITTED, SEEMS TO BE PART OF THE TAKATA RECALL

NHTSA ID

10894600

Incident

Jun 9, 2016

Mileage

38,000 mi

SAFETY|SERVICE CAMPAIGN: WQR53|NHTSA CAMPAIGN: 15V323000 05-08 LEG/OUT PASS. AIR BAG INFLATOR:: SENT THIS EMAIL TO SUBARU TODAY: BEEN CALLING ALBANY SUBARU (ALBANY, CA) AND DOWNTOWN SUBARU (OAKLAND CA) FOR 2 MONTHS FOR SERVICE ON THIS RECALL. BOTH SAY THEY HAVE NO PARTS, WILL CALL ME, I'M ON THE LIST, THEY GET PARTS TO DO 2 SERVICES A MONTH, THERE ARE OVER 400 ON THE LIST... DON'T YOU THINK THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A SAFETY RECALL? WHEN CAN I DRIVE WITH A PASSENGER AGAIN? CC: NHTSA

NHTSA ID

10894596

Incident

Jun 9, 2016

Mileage

38,000 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000(AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED IN DECEMBER OF 2015. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE GIVEN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10865739

Incident

Dec 1, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS) AND 14V311000 (SERVICE BRAKES AND HYDRAULIC) BUT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACTS VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10862171

Incident

Feb 22, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10852210

Incident

Mar 29, 2016

THE RED AIR BAG LIGHT ON MY CAR'S DASH IS CONSTANTLY ON, AND WILL NOT TURN OFF. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE MY CAR IS A 2007 SUBARU LEGACY, AND I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON CARS THAT HAVE THE TAKATA AIR BAGS INSTALLED IN THEM. I AM NOT SURE WHY MY CAR'S YEAR AND MODEL HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS NATIONAL RECALL. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TOMORROW WITH A SUBARU DEALER TO HAVE THEM DIAGNOSE THIS ISSUE. AT THIS TIME THE PROBLEM IS UNKNOWN. I WAS TOLD THAT MY AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY BECAUSE THE RED AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON.

NHTSA ID

10789273

Incident

Nov 9, 2015

SUBARU KNOWS THEY HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH THEIR HEAD GASKETS AND THEY HAVE NEVER RECALLED THEM. I HAD TO PUT HEAD GASKETS IN AT 100,000 NOW THE HEAD GASKETS NEED TO BE DONE 20,000 MILES LATER. WHY WERE THEY NEVER FORCED TO RECALL THEIR CARS WITH THIS ISSUE?

NHTSA ID

10734923

Incident

Jul 15, 2015

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ID

10622198

Incident

Jan 1, 2012

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A HUMMING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS A REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,785 AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,800.

NHTSA ID

10535357

Incident

Aug 7, 2013

Mileage

60,785 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE BEING SERVICED, THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURED WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10501273

Incident

Mar 2, 2013

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND PROPERLY TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER AND WAS AGAIN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 58,503. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,000.

NHTSA ID

10492260

Incident

Apr 19, 2011

Mileage

58,503 mi