The 2003 Subaru Legacy has 10 recalls, the most serious being a passenger-side airbag inflator that can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin, posing a risk of serious injury or death to occupants.
The airbag inflator issue accounts for the majority of these recalls. Multiple filings cover the same underlying defect in the Takata passenger frontal airbag inflator, some scoped to vehicles sold or registered in specific states where humidity levels are known to accelerate inflator degradation. In all cases, the risk is the same: the inflator can explode rather than deploy normally, turning the airbag module itself into a source of metal shrapnel directed at anyone seated in the front of the vehicle.
On the chassis side, the front suspension's lower transverse link can rust through on vehicles originally sold in or registered in certain high-rust states, particularly across the Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic regions. If the link breaks while driving, the front wheel loses its lower mounting point, and the driver can lose control without any warning. There is also a wheel concern that affects six-cylinder models only: aluminum wheels on some of these vehicles were manufactured slightly off-center, which causes the wheel hub nuts to gradually loosen during normal driving and raises the risk of a wheel separating from the vehicle.
The remaining recall affects four-cylinder models and involves the engine cooling system. The water pump pulley can work loose from its drive shaft, causing the pump to stop circulating coolant through the engine, which can lead to overheating.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown caused by long-term exposure to humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
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At a glance
What can fail
The passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown caused by prolonged exposure to high humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator with a different design at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown from exposure to high humidity, temperature changes, and heat over time.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may rupture during a crash because the explosive propellant degrades after prolonged exposure to heat and humidity in certain regions.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes in certain climate zones.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may rupture during a crash because the propellant degrades after exposure to humidity and temperature changes over time.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Moisture can seep into the passenger side front air bag inflator. Over time, this causes the inflator to rupture when the air bag deploys.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The left front transverse link has poor paint quality. In salt-belt areas, salt exposure can cause this component to rust and eventually break.
What the fix does
Dealers will apply anti-rust material to the left front transverse link to prevent rust and failure.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The water pump pulley center hole was machined incorrectly on certain sport utility and passenger vehicles with 4-cylinder engines.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the water pump at no cost. Contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783 if service is not completed within a reasonable time.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The aluminum wheels on some 6-cylinder models have an off-center diameter, which can cause imbalance.
What the fix does
Your dealer will replace all 4 aluminum wheels at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
