RoadVitals

2007 Subaru Legacy Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
33
Latest Mar 21, 2024
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
11
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
5

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2007 Subaru Legacy, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Airbags1229.3%
  • Engine922.0%
  • Electrical512.2%
  • Visibility37.3%
  • Brakes37.3%
  • Other / unspecified24.9%
  • Suspension24.9%
  • Body & structure24.9%
  • Exterior lighting12.4%
  • Steering12.4%
  • Transmission12.4%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

12
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Nov 11, 2020

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 · filed Aug 9, 2017
All 12 reports naming airbags

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

9
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Apr 20, 2021

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 · filed Aug 25, 2020
All 9 reports naming engine

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

5
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Aug 25, 2020

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 · filed Jun 10, 2017

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Visibility

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jun 22, 2021

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 · filed Jun 10, 2017

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Mar 21, 2024

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 · filed Mar 9, 2020

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Other / unspecified

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Aug 14, 2013

FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY, SO IT WAS REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. AT APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES THE REAR LEFT WHEEL BEARING STARTED TO FAIL. THE CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND SUBARU WANTS IN EXCESS OF $400 TO REPLACE (INCLUDING LABOR). I KNOW SUBARU HAS EXTENDED THEIR WARRANTY FOR WHEEL BEARINGS ON 2005-2006 LEGACY/OUTBACK MODELS TO 100,000 MI / 8 YEARS. OBVIOUSLY THE WHEEL BEARING ISSUES HAVE NOT BEEN RESOLVED ON THE 2007 MODELS. SUBARU CLAIMS IT'S A GREAT CAR COMPANY THAT CARES FOR IT'S CUSTOMERS. IF THIS IS SO, THEN SUBARU NOW NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION AND OFFER THE SAME WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 2007 MODEL OWNERS. *TR

NHTSA ID 10427036 · filed Sep 24, 2011

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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

NHTSA ID 11438076 · filed Oct 25, 2021

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 · filed Aug 14, 2013

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Aug 20, 2018

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 · filed Feb 21, 2017

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Exterior lighting

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jun 10, 2017

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

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 · filed Jan 6, 2020

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Transmission

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TEMP SENSOR LIGHT GOES ON FOR SOME REASON, BUT NO ONE KNOWS WHY. IT COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID 10347980 · filed Aug 8, 2010

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .