2012 Subaru LEGACY

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2012 Subaru LEGACY has 119 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (29% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2012 subaru legacy. while driving approximately 75 mph, the contact heard a whining sound coming from the engine. the vehicle would also stall when driving at low speeds or idling. the dealer stated that the transmission was faulty. the transmission was replaced and the failur.

9 crash reports 7 injuries

119

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

34 complaints

29%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A WHINING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS OR IDLING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILUR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED ABNORMALLY AND STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
• MY SUBARU LEGACY HAS BEEN RECENTLY STALLING WHEN COMING TO A STOP. IT SHUDDERS AND IF YOU DO NOT GIVE IT GAS OR PLACE IN NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE WILL DIE. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS CAUSED FROM A FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER THAT SUBARU IS AWARE OF BUT HAS FAILED TO ISSUE A RECALL. I'M NOT SURE I WOULD BUY

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A WHINING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS OR IDLING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILUR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

23 complaints

19%

• PURCHASED BRAND NEW SUBARU LEGACY OCTOBER 31ST OF 2011. AFTER ONLY FIVE MONTHS AND 14,000 MILES BEGINNING IN MARCH OF 2012 I WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM(S) WITH MY LEGACY: LOW IDLING, BOGGING DOWN, AT OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND NEARLY STALLING OUT. THIS ISSUE IS STILL CONTINUING
• ENGINE STUMBLES AND ALMOST STALLS. I HAVE NOW 8500 MILES ON THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 10 TIMES SPORADICALLY TO THIS POINT. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR
• THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND THEN CAUSES THE BRAKE, TRACTION AND CRUISE LIGHTS TO FLASH. THE LIGHTS WILL GO OFF AFTER SOME TIME, NOT CONSISTENTLY. NO AUTHORIZED SUBARU DEALER HAS BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OR EVEN RECORD THE EVENT. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“PURCHASED BRAND NEW SUBARU LEGACY OCTOBER 31ST OF 2011. AFTER ONLY FIVE MONTHS AND 14,000 MILES BEGINNING IN MARCH OF 2012 I WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM(S) WITH MY LEGACY: LOW IDLING, BOGGING DOWN, AT OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND NEARLY STALLING OUT. THIS ISSUE IS STILL CONTINUING ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

14 complaints

12%

• TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM ON ONE TIRE FAILED BEFORE 5 TO 7 YEAR EXPECTED LIFE SPAN THUS MAKING THE FAIL-SAFE SYSTEM INOPERABLE
• TORQUE CONVERTER - CAR STALLS WHEN BRAKING ABRUPTLY. CAN/WILL CAUSE ACCIDENT SOON...
• ENGINE TURNS OFF WHEN CAR COMES TO STOP. 5 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS MY CAR ENGINE HAS DIED. ON ONE OCCASION I MISSED A GREEN LIGHT AND ON ANOTHER OCCASION WAS ALMOST REARENDED AT A STOP SIGN.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM ON ONE TIRE FAILED BEFORE 5 TO 7 YEAR EXPECTED LIFE SPAN THUS MAKING THE FAIL-SAFE SYSTEM INOPERABLE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

11 complaints

• ON 2/19/14 I WAS DRIVING S ON INTER 99 IN LINDLEY, NY IN R LANE WHEN TOYOTA PASSED ME IN L LANE, LOST CONTROL, CRASHED INTO CONCRETE BARRIER ON L AND SLID ACROSS L AND R LANES CAUSING ME TO CRASH INTO HIS PASSENGER SIDE. MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND I WAS INJURED INCLUDING PERMANENTLY TO HAND. FR
• THE CAR WAS PULLING OUT FROM A STOP SIGN AND TRAVELING AT 5 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING 45-50 MPH WITH ENOUGH DAMAGE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR TOTAL LOSS AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE PASSENGER IN THE OTHER CAR WAS TAKE
• HIT HEAD ON DRIVING OUR 2012 SUBARU LEGACY BY A NISSAN MAXIMA BOTH TRAVELING OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AT 40 MILES PER HOUR. ALL AIR BAGS IN OTHER VEHICLE WERE DEPLOYED WHILE NONE DEPLOYED IN THE SUBARU CONTRIBUTING TO EXTENSIVE IMPACT INJURIES, SEAL/LAP BELT INJURIES AND CLOSED HEAD TRAUMA. THIS ACCIDENT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“ON 2/19/14 I WAS DRIVING S ON INTER 99 IN LINDLEY, NY IN R LANE WHEN TOYOTA PASSED ME IN L LANE, LOST CONTROL, CRASHED INTO CONCRETE BARRIER ON L AND SLID ACROSS L AND R LANES CAUSING ME TO CRASH INTO HIS PASSENGER SIDE. MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND I WAS INJURED INCLUDING PERMANENTLY TO HAND. FR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

7 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO KEEP ALIGNED, CAUSING IT TO VEER FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING A TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SEIZE AND WOULD NOT RETURN T
• VEHICLE VIBRATES AND PULSATES EVERY TIME YOU APPLY THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH- VIBRATIONS ARE FELT THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL. ON MARCH 11TH; SUBARU DEALERSHIP TECHNICIANS TOOK A LOOK AT THE PROBLEM AND DROVE THE VEHICLE AND CONFIRMED THE STEERING WHEEL VIB
• I OWN A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO KEEP ALIGNED, CAUSING IT TO VEER FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING A TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SEIZE AND WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE DEFAULT P

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO KEEP ALIGNED, CAUSING IT TO VEER FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING A TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SEIZE AND WOULD NOT RETURN T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 119 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A WHINING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS OR IDLING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILUR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: PURCHASED BRAND NEW SUBARU LEGACY OCTOBER 31ST OF 2011. AFTER ONLY FIVE MONTHS AND 14,000 MILES BEGINNING IN MARCH OF 2012 I WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM(S) WITH MY LEGACY: LOW IDLING, BOGGING DOWN, AT OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND NEARLY STALLING OUT. THIS ISSUE IS STILL CONTINUING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM ON ONE TIRE FAILED BEFORE 5 TO 7 YEAR EXPECTED LIFE SPAN THUS MAKING THE FAIL-SAFE SYSTEM INOPERABLE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: ON 2/19/14 I WAS DRIVING S ON INTER 99 IN LINDLEY, NY IN R LANE WHEN TOYOTA PASSED ME IN L LANE, LOST CONTROL, CRASHED INTO CONCRETE BARRIER ON L AND SLID ACROSS L AND R LANES CAUSING ME TO CRASH INTO HIS PASSENGER SIDE. MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND I WAS INJURED INCLUDING PERMANENTLY TO HAND. FR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)