Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Subaru Legacy submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 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
The week after purchase: The car shuts off when braking and needs to be put into park to be started again. Also the check engine light came on and I wonder if it has electrical issues.
WAS WARNED BY OTHER DRIVERS THAT MY TAIL LIGHTS WERE OUT SEVERAL TIMES. CLOCK AND SAVED RADIO STATIONS WENT OUT AND NOW BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR YEARLY INSPECTION AND MAJOR OIL LEAK FROM GASKET. 16,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. NEVER HAVE I HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS.
BRAKE LIGHT FLASHES WHEN IT RAINS AND THE UNDERCARRIAGE GETS WET. LIGHT REMAINS ON AND CONTINUOUSLY FLASHES WHEN THE CAR IS WET. THE PARKING BRAKE IS OFF. THE PARKING BRAKE CANNOT BE TURNED ON WHEN IT IS RAINING EITHER.
THE ENGINE TURNING OFF UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN I AM DRIVING. ESPECIALLY WHEN I GO TO SLOW DOWN. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. FROM DAY ONE.
RECALL #WTV81 10-12 LEG&OUT EPB ACTR ASSY REPLACE STATUS: REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE. THIS RECALL HAS BEEN OUT SINCE SEPTEMBER AND STILL HAVE NO IDEA WHEN IT WILL BE FIXED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE AT A STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED BUT DID NOT SHUT DOWN. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED.
STEERING WHEEL REMOTE RADIO VOLUME CONTROL INTERMITTENT TO NON-OPERATIONAL. PROBLEM BEGAN WHILE PARKED AND RUNNING AFTER ADJUSTING STEERING WHEEL TO FULL LENGTH POSITION (CLOSER TO DRIVER).
FREQUENT REPLACEMENT OF LOW BEAM BULBS. NOT EASY TO REPLACE AND SUBARU SERVICE BEST EQUIPPED TO DO PROCEDURE. LABOR COSTS AT VARIOUS DEALERS FOR THIS SERVICE WIDELY VARY AND CAN INCREASE WITHOUT REASON. SUBARU OF AMERICA RECENTLY SENT OUT LETTER SAYING WARRANTY ON BULBS HAS BEEN EXTENDED (NOT THAT THERE IS ISSUE WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). SOA WILL REPLACE OR REFUND, HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE OF CONTINUED (PERCEIVED) DEFICIENCY IN THE LIGHTING SYSTEM OVERALL AND REFUND REQUIREMENTS ARE VERY STRINGENT PER THE LETTER THEY SENT. I CONSIDER THIS ISSUE AS A SAFETY DEFECT. WE HAVE BOTH AN OUTBACK AND LEGACY THAT ARE BOTH AFFECTED BY THIS. HAVE OWNED LEGACY SINCE NEW AND REPLACED BOTH BULBS FOUR TIMES SINCE TAKING OWNERSHIP. HAVE TRIED OTHER BRAND BULBS TO NO BETTER RESULT (HENCE MY BELIEF IT IS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). PER ONE OF THE SERVICE ADVISORS I'VE SPOKEN TO IN THE PAST, THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED SUCH THAT WHEN ONE BULB BURNS OUT, MORE CURRENT FLOWS TO THE ONE BULB STILL WORKING AND WILL BURN IT OUT PREMATURELY (FURTHERING MY BELIEF THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE). THEY SAID THIS IN RECOMMENDING REPLACEMENT OF BOTH BULBS AT ONCE. WOULD LIKE TO SEE RECALL OR GREATER EFFORT ON SOA'S PART.
THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT 4 TIMES IN THE 4 YEARS SINCE WE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. UNUSUAL. THE FUSE TO THE SEAT WARMERS HAS GONE OUT, REPLACED AND WENT OUT AGAIN. DEALER SAYS REPLACE HEATER MODULE FOR $440.+. SOUND LIKE ELECTRICAL ISSUE TO US. ALSO LOST AUDIO ON STEERING WHEEL. DEALER CONFIRMED NEED TO REPLACE AUDIO SWITCH $300.+ AGAIN, SOUNDS LIKE A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. SO FAR THE ONLY SAFETY ISSUE HAS BEEN THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS, BUT I WORRY ABOUT SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS AS OTHER POSTERS HAVE MENTIONED.
01/07/2016 SHORTLY AFTER TAKING THE FREEWAY EXIT WIFE NOTICED THE BATTERY LIGHT TURNED ON AND POWER STEERING GOT HEAVY. ALL OTHER WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH STARTED TO FLICKER AS THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT QUICKLY FILLED WITH SMOKE. SHE THEN PULLED OVER AND HAD JUST ENOUGH TIME TO GET BOTH KIDS OUT BEFORE THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE ORIGINATED FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF HER 2011 SUBARU LEGACY 3.6R LIMITED. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS.
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH LOW BEAM BULBS SIX TIMES IN A YEAR. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 93,000 MILES ON IT. THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A TRIGGERING EVENT AND THE BULBS GO OUT, SEEMINGLY, AT RANDOM - WHICH CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF IT'S DARK OUTSIDE.
WHENEVER THE BRAKE IS PRESSED HARD TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE CAR STALLS AND ALL ELECTRICAL SHUT OFF. IT DOESNT SEEM TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU BRAKE VERY SLOW BEFORE COMING TO A FULL STOP. BUT IF YOU BRAKE SLOWLY AND THEN PRESSED THE PEDAL FULL, THE PROBLEM WILL OCCUR. THIS CAN CAUSE PANIC AND ALSO DELAY ON CARS RUNNING BEHIND THE CAR. IT APPEARS THIS IS SIMILAR PROBLEM REPORTED UNDER 10395739. I ALSO FOUND A NUMBER OF SIMILARLY REPORTED PROBLEMS ONLINE WITH SUBARU CARS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIO BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V283000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. UPON LIGHT ACCELERATION, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON (AND STAYED ON), PARKING BRAKE LIGHT BEGAN TO BLINK, CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR BEGAN TO BLINK, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. DRIVER DID NOT DETECT ANY SLIPPAGE. AUTHORIZED SUBARU DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH OIL CONTROL VALVE (OCV) DESPITE COMPUTER CODE INDICATING POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THAT PART. DEALER, HOWEVER, INDICATED OIL FLUSH, RATHER THAN SIMPLY AN OIL CHANGE, WAS NECESSARY DESPITE LESS THAN 5,000 MILES SINCE PREVIOUS OIL CHANGE. DEALER ASSERTED THAT OIL LEVEL WAS NOT LOW, HOWEVER. CAUSE OF WHAT TRIGGERED THE INDICATORS TO BE SET OFF REMAINS UNCLEAR. *TR
I HAVE A 2011 SUBARU LEGACY LE 3.6R, AND THE HEADLIGHTS KEEP BURNING OUT. I WORK AN HOUR AWAY FROM MY HOME AND HAD TO DRIVE MOST OF THE WAY WITHOUT HEADLAMPS BECAUSE THE 2ND ONE BLEW ON THE WAY HOME. WITH ONLY HIGH BEAMS AND DAYTIME RUNNER LAMPS, IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY. I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 2 YEARS AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS TWICE ALREADY. IN RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM, IT APPEARS THAT THE HEADLAMPS DRAW TOO MUCH POWER FROM THE WIRING/ELECTRONIC BOARD THAT EVENTUALLY OVERHEATS THE HEADLAMPS CAUSING THEM TO BURN OUT. IT ALSO APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE SUBARU INVESTIGATING IT AND HANDING THEIR CUSTOMERS A SOLUTION! *TR
6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE STALLS, AND ROUGH IDLES INTERMITTENTLY WHILE AT STOP LIGHT OR OTHER TRAFFIC CONTROL. VEHICLE ALSO STALLED WHILE ON HIGHWAY TWICE DISABLING POWER STEERING, AND POWER BRAKING. BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE ISSUE. ISSUE OCCURRED AGAIN, BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER 2ND TIME SAME RESULTS. 3RD TIME ISSUE WAS REPLICATED WHILE I WAS IN VEHICLE WITH TECH. TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THEY WILL ADDRESS IT. LEFT OVER WEEKEND. TUESDAY DEALER NOTIFIED ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING A POWER DRAW AFTER THE WINDOW OR ELECTRONIC BRAKE WERE USED, AND THE FACTORY ADVISED THAT THE COMPUTER WOULD NEED TO BE "RE-FLASHED" BUT CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO RE-FLASH PROGRAM DEVELOPED, AND THERE IS NO TIME LINE AS TO WHEN IT WOULD BE. CONTACTED SUBARU AMERICA CUST. SERV. DISTRICT MANAGER TEST DROVE AND WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE. SO AS FAR AS THE DEALER AND SUBARU ARE CONCERNED, THERE IS NO ISSUE. VEHICLE STILL STALLS INTERMITTENTLY. FILED COMPLAINT WITH CT DVM LEMON LAW, AND NOW WITH NHTSA. *TR
DASH TROUBLE LIGHTS FLASHING CONSTANTLY ON AND OFF CHECK ENGINE, BRAKE FAILURE, ALL WHEEL DRIVE FAILURE, CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, TEMPERATURE LIGHT, OIL WARNING LIGHT, ENGINE NOT ENGAGING WHEN GAS PEDAL DEPRESSED. CAR WOBBLES SIDE TO SIDE AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 60 MPH, STEERING WHEEL EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. CURRENTLY IN REPAIR FOR OVER ONE WEEK. APPEARS DEALERSHIP CAN NOT CORRECT. WHEN ORIGINALLY REPORTED TO SERVICE ADVISOR HE STATED TO BRING IN THE CAR IN ONE WEEK. TOOK CAR IN IMMEDIATELY PER OWNERS MANUAL AND HE THEN STATED HE COULD NOT RELEASE CAR BACK TO ME BECAUSE IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE WITH 1500 MILES. *KB
RADIO CONTROLS ON LEFT SIDE OF STEERING WHEEL STOP FUNCTIONING INTERMITTENTLY. HAS HAPPENED ON 2 OCCASIONS IN THE 2 1/2 MONTHS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. THE SYMPTOMS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE REPORTED WITH THE STEERING COLUMN ELECTRICAL ROLL CONNECTION RECALL (SUBARU RECALL WVR-28), HOWEVER, THAT RECALL WAS FOR 2010 MY VEHICLES AND I HAVE A 2011 MY VEHICLE. *TT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH IN SNOWY CONDITIONS, SHE NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE BATTERY, THE STARTER, THE CABLE AND THE ECM. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
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
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