NHTSA (USA)Critical
At a glance
This page covers 17 recalls, 150 owner complaints and EPA fuel economy for the 2010 Subaru Legacy.
20–26 mpg combined
9–11.8 L/100km
Midsize Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 4 tested variants for this model year.
For the 2010 Subaru Legacy, the heaviest complaint volume falls on the powertrain and airbag systems. On the powertrain side, owners frequently report stalling, particularly at low speeds or when idling at traffic lights, with some noting the problem gets worse in cold or wet conditions. Transmission and drivetrain noise complaints also appear, with owners describing unusual sounds when driving over uneven road surfaces. The airbag complaints are notable, multiple owners report front airbags failing to deploy in frontal collisions. The engine category adds more stalling and rough-running reports consistent with the powertrain pattern. A secondary theme running across several complaints involves corrosion: owners describe heavy rust on subframe components and brake line junction hardware, with some reporting brake fluid leaks tied to corroded brake line fittings underneath the vehicle.
150
Total Complaints
10
Crash-Related
1
Fire-Related
7
With Injuries
By System
The 2010 Subaru Legacy has 17 recalls, the most serious being a Takata passenger-side airbag inflator that can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin, causing serious injury or death.
Multiple recalls cover this same airbag defect across various filings, all pointing to the same risk of metal fragments striking front-seat occupants in a crash. On the powertrain side, a CVT cooler hose can crack and leak transmission fluid near ignition sources, raising the risk of an engine compartment fire. On manual transmission models, a lubrication passage inside the transfer case was not machined correctly, which can cause third gear to break while driving and cut power to the wheels. Also on manual transmission vehicles, the electronic parking brake may not fully engage, allowing the car to roll away when parked.
Two separate wiper issues affect visibility: components inside the wiper motor can interfere with each other and cause the motor to overheat and stop working, and snow or ice buildup in the cowl area can prevent the wiper arms from returning to their rest position, leaving them parked mid-windshield. The ignition switch on vehicles where the switch was replaced as a service part can fail internally, causing the engine to shut off unexpectedly and potentially leaving the airbags inactive in a crash. There is also a recall for vehicles with a dealer-installed remote starter: a dropped key fob can trigger an unintended engine start or stop.
At a glance
We may earn a commission for purchases made through these links.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
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 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 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.
At a glance
What can fail
The ball spring inside the ignition switch may break, weakening it. Key ring weight or road conditions could then shift the switch from run to accessory position, shutting off the engine.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the ignition switch and replace it if needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator can explode during deployment due to propellant degradation from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost.
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 during deployment in a crash. This can happen because the propellant inside degrades over time when exposed to humidity and temperature changes.
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 explode during deployment due to propellant breaking down after long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front 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 electronic parking brake may fail to engage properly, which could allow the vehicle to roll away if the transmission is not in the correct gear when parked.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the electronic parking brake actuator assembly at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator can explode during deployment due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost.
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 during deployment in a crash. This can happen because the inflator's propellant degrades over time when exposed to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front 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 front passenger air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Contaminated components in the windshield wiper motor bottom cover may interfere with each other. If snow or ice buildup prevents the wiper arms from stopping in the parked position, the motor can overheat and the cover may melt.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor bottom cover assembly at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Snow or ice blocking the windshield cowl prevents wipers from returning to their normal park position. The wiper motor then overheats trying repeatedly to park the arms, potentially causing the wipers to stop working or a fire in the motor housing.
What the fix does
The dealer replaces the wiper motor bottom cover assembly with an updated part designed to prevent overheating.
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
A dealer-installed remote engine starter fob may malfunction if dropped. The internal battery clip can shift and damage the circuit board, causing the fob to send unwanted engine start or stop commands without button presses. This could make the engine start and run repeatedly for up to 15 minutes or until fuel runs out.
What the fix does
Your dealer will replace the remote engine starter fob with a new one.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A lubrication hole in the 6-speed manual transmission transfer case was not drilled during manufacturing. Without lubrication, third gear can wear prematurely or break, causing loss of power to the wheels.
What the fix does
Dealers will drill the missing lubrication hole in the transfer case and replace any damaged internal components if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The CVT transmission cooler hose can crack, causing transmission fluid to leak. A fluid leak near heat sources could start a fire in the engine compartment.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the cooler hose and replace it if cracked.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
