2016 Subaru LEGACY

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2016 Subaru LEGACY has 192 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (27% of all complaints), specifically: eye site safety main wiring harness rodent damage harness insertion made with soybean so its made of food happened parked in driveway.

7 crash reports 1 injury

192

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

51 complaints

27%

• EYE SITE SAFETY MAIN WIRING HARNESS RODENT DAMAGE HARNESS INSERTION MADE WITH SOYBEAN SO ITS MADE OF FOOD HAPPENED PARKED IN DRIVEWAY
• IN LESS THAN 36,000 MILES IT DEVELOPED A GRINDING NOISE THAT CAN BE FELT ABOVE 50 MPH. DEALER FOUND A PROBLEM WITH THE AUTO TRANSMISSION. IT WILL BEING REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. STRANGE, I THOUGHT SUBARU IS KNOWN FOR BETTER TRANSMISSION. IN THE SAME CAR THE CD PLAYER STOPPED WORKING AND MAKING NO
• WIRES AND OTHER COMPONENTS ARE MADE OF SOY BASED MATERIALS THAT ATTRACT RODENTS SQUIRRELS CHIPMUNKS AND CATS APPARENTLY AND HAVE BEEN CHEWED; THE HARNESS WAS DESTROYED AND POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO THIS AND TO POWER STEERING LINE, EXHAUST HOSES AND OTHER WIRING AND PARTS WITH SOY EXIST. THE MANUFACTURER

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

“EYE SITE SAFETY MAIN WIRING HARNESS RODENT DAMAGE HARNESS INSERTION MADE WITH SOYBEAN SO ITS MADE OF FOOD HAPPENED PARKED IN DRIVEWAY”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

41 complaints

21%

• THE HEADREST ANGLE IS COMPLETELY UNCOMFORTABLE. IT WILL CAUSE PEOPLE DO ACCIDENT, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DRIVE WITH EASE.
• UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THREE EPISODES STARTING FROM AUGUST 2015. (DELIVERY MONTH OF CAR). WAS SLOWING DOWN,FOOT LIGHTLY ON BRAKE AT ENTRANCE GATE TO MY COMMUNITY,WHEN ENGINE SURGED AND CAR STARTED ACCELERATING. STOMPED HARD ON BRAKE TO STOP FORWARD MOTION. LASTED ONLY A FEW SECONDS AND WENT BACK T
• WE PICKED UP A BRAND NEW SUBARU LEGACY YESTERDAY AND DROVE IT APPROXIMATELY 75 HOME LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. AFTER I GOT ON THE INTERSTATE TRAVELLING EAST THERE WAS A TERRIBLE, BLINDING GLARE COMING OFF THE INFOTAINMENT/CLIMATE CONTROL AREA. IT IS COVERED WITH A VERY GLOSSY MATERIAL. SOME GLARE ALSO C

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

“THE HEADREST ANGLE IS COMPLETELY UNCOMFORTABLE. IT WILL CAUSE PEOPLE DO ACCIDENT, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DRIVE WITH EASE.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

VISIBILITY

18 complaints

• HIGH GLOSS NAVIGATION SCREEN AND HIGH GLOSS FINISH ON VENTS REFLECT SUN AT CERTAIN ANGLES AND RESULT IN SUN BEING REFLECTED INTO DRIVERS EYES CAUSING A BLINDING CONDITION. THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING DURING DAYLIGHT WHEN SUN IS OUT. THIS IS A SEVERE AND SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE DRIVEN SUBARU
• I BOUGHT THE CAR AS A DEALER CAR (THEY TOLD ME IT WAS REGISTERED TO A MANAGER AS A TEST CAR). IT HAD 4,810 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR JUST OVER 300 MILES. WHEN I TEST DRIVE IT, IT MADE A SOUND LIKE A STONE HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THEN ALMOST EVERY TIME I HAVE DRIVEN IT SINCE, INCLU
• FRONT WINDSHIELD GOT CRACK UPON BEING HITTING BY A FOREIGN OBSTACLE, MAYBE A PEBBLE. WITHIN A DAY, THE CRACK LINE EXTENDED TO MORE THAN 1 FOOT, WHICH AFFECTED FRONT VISIBILITY. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS, THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED TO MY 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK THAT SHARES THE SAME WINDSHIELD COMPONENT WITH LEGA

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

“HIGH GLOSS NAVIGATION SCREEN AND HIGH GLOSS FINISH ON VENTS REFLECT SUN AT CERTAIN ANGLES AND RESULT IN SUN BEING REFLECTED INTO DRIVERS EYES CAUSING A BLINDING CONDITION. THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING DURING DAYLIGHT WHEN SUN IS OUT. THIS IS A SEVERE AND SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE DRIVEN SUBARU”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

16 complaints

• EYESIGHT PACKAGES ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL WITH LANE-DEPARTURE AND AUTO-BRAKING DOESN'T WORK. DEALER REFUSES TO FIX.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE OPERAT
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VEERING RIGHT AND LEFT. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO DIAGNOSIS AND NO REPAIR SOLUTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V29

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

“EYESIGHT PACKAGES ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL WITH LANE-DEPARTURE AND AUTO-BRAKING DOESN'T WORK. DEALER REFUSES TO FIX.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

13 complaints

• 3.6 LITER 6-CYL ENGINE SURGES AFTER A COLD START. WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED, THE IDLE SPEED IS HIGH. WHEN THE CAR IS PUT INTO GEAR, AS THE BRAKES ARE RELEASED AND THE CAR BEGINS TO MOVE, THE IDLE SPEED DROPS. IF THE CAR IS BROUGHT TO A STOP OR A VERY LOW (CREEPING) SPEED, THE IDLE SPEED INCREASES, CAU
• FOLLOWING ARE TWO MAIN ISSUES, CAUSALITY/CORRELATION UNCERTAIN. AFTER THE "SUBARU EYESIGHT" FAILED FOR ABOUT TWO MINUTES WHILE UNDERWAY (DASHBOARD CLUSTER LIT UP IN NUMEROUS PLACES, TOO), THE EYESIGHT SYSTEM RESET WHILE DRIVING. THEREAFTER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO "BUCK (E.G. LURCH FORWARD SEVERAL IN
• WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THERE IS AN EXTENDED DELAY AND APPLICATION OF THROTTLE CAUSES A SEVERE LURCHING OF THE CAR WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

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

“3.6 LITER 6-CYL ENGINE SURGES AFTER A COLD START. WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED, THE IDLE SPEED IS HIGH. WHEN THE CAR IS PUT INTO GEAR, AS THE BRAKES ARE RELEASED AND THE CAR BEGINS TO MOVE, THE IDLE SPEED DROPS. IF THE CAR IS BROUGHT TO A STOP OR A VERY LOW (CREEPING) SPEED, THE IDLE SPEED INCREASES, CAU”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 192 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: EYE SITE SAFETY MAIN WIRING HARNESS RODENT DAMAGE HARNESS INSERTION MADE WITH SOYBEAN SO ITS MADE OF FOOD HAPPENED PARKED IN DRIVEWAY
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE HEADREST ANGLE IS COMPLETELY UNCOMFORTABLE. IT WILL CAUSE PEOPLE DO ACCIDENT, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DRIVE WITH EASE.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
VISIBILITY: HIGH GLOSS NAVIGATION SCREEN AND HIGH GLOSS FINISH ON VENTS REFLECT SUN AT CERTAIN ANGLES AND RESULT IN SUN BEING REFLECTED INTO DRIVERS EYES CAUSING A BLINDING CONDITION. THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING DURING DAYLIGHT WHEN SUN IS OUT. THIS IS A SEVERE AND SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE DRIVEN SUBARU
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: EYESIGHT PACKAGES ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL WITH LANE-DEPARTURE AND AUTO-BRAKING DOESN'T WORK. DEALER REFUSES TO FIX.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)