The 2001 Subaru Legacy has 7 recalls, the most serious involving fuel hoses that can crack in extreme cold and leak fuel near ignition sources, a throttle that can stick open and prevent the driver from slowing down, and a front steering component that can separate and cause sudden loss of steering control.
The fuel hose concern affects aged hoses that lose flexibility at very low temperatures, allowing fuel to escape near heat sources under the hood. The throttle issue, which also affects Outback H-6 3.0L models, occurs when the cruise control cable slips off its track and catches on the control lever, holding the throttle open even after the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal. On the steering side, a flaw in the right front bearing housing can cause grease to escape, leading to front wheel bearing failure or the tie-rod end pulling free entirely, leaving the driver unable to steer.
Three recalls cover seats and seatbelts. The rear center seatbelt on certain sedan models with beige interiors was cut too short during production, meaning an occupant sitting in that position would not be properly held in a crash. This is a distinct issue that appears in two separate filings covering the same short rear center belt, so it affects sedans specifically. On the seat structure side, the inner front seat slide rail latch on vehicles with manually adjustable seats may have a poorly welded locking pawl that can break free after repeated adjustments, causing the seat to lose its ability to lock into position and potentially shift forward or rearward unexpectedly.
