Total Complaints
119 filings
Subaru Legacy · model year
119 NHTSA complaints, 10 crash reports, and 4 recall campaigns listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The verdict
The 2000 Subaru Legacy posts above-average complaint volume among its own model-year siblings.
The 2000SubaruLegacy carries 119 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 10 crashes, 4 fires, 5 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2000 Legacy is tires with 16 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (9) and suspension (7). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2000 Legacy. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.
Total Complaints
119 filings
Crashes Reported
10 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| TIRES | 16 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 9 |
| SUSPENSION | 7 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 6 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 5 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 5 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 5 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 3 |
| AIR BAGS | 3 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Airtex Products LP (Airtex) is recalling certain model E8598M, E8518M, E8600M, E8596M, and E8597M fuel pumps manufactured July 26, 2013, and July 29, 2013 and used as aftermarket replacements on Subaru Baja's, Outback's and Legacy's. The affected fuel pumps were sold or installed into the aftermark
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LEFT-SIDE STEERING KNUCKLE ARM WAS INCORRECTLY ASSEMBLED.
SUSPENSION:REAR
THIS RECALL APPLIES TO CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CENTER SUPPORT BEARING
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SEDAN L MODEL PASSENGER VEHICLES. ANTI-RUST COATING WAS INCORRECTLY APPLIED TO THE TRANSVERSE LINK MOUNTING SURFACE OF THE VEHICLE BODY. OVER TIME THE COATING SHRINKS, CAUSING A TORQUE DECREASE OF THE BOLT THAT SECURES THE TRANSVERSE LINK BRACKET TO THE VEHICLE BODY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A STATE INSPECTION, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION SHOWED SEVERE RUST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED TWICE PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V153000 (SUSPENSION) BY PATRIOT SUBARU OF SACO (LOCATED AT 769 PORTLAND RD, SACO, ME 04072, (207) 284-7900). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE TWO SUB SECTIONS UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 182,159. *BF CONSUMER STATES THAT THE RECALLS THAT WERE PERFORMED WERE NOT DONE PROPERLY WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH UNDERCOATING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. *DL
Mileage: 182,159
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A STATE INSPECTION, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION SHOWED SEVERE RUST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED TWICE PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V153000 (SUSPENSION) BY PATRIOT SUBARU OF SACO (LOCATED AT 769 PORTLAND RD, SACO, ME 04072, (207) 284-7900). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE TWO SUB SECTIONS UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 182,159. *BF CONSUMER STATES THAT THE RECALLS THAT WERE PERFORMED WERE NOT DONE PROPERLY WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH UNDERCOATING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. *DL
Mileage: 182,159
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURE, THE CONTACT DETECTED AN ODOR OF FUEL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.
Mileage: 156,000
STRONG FUEL SMELL WHEN STARTING IN COLD WEATHER.
Mileage: 286,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A CONTINENTAL EXTREME CONTACT TIRE, SIZE: 205/55R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE SUSTAINED A BLOW OUT. THE CONTACT ALSO DISCOVERED A BLISTER ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED IN REFERENCE TO THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRE WAS 155. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,904.
Mileage: 135,904
CAR SLID ON BLACK ICE OFF THE ROAD, DOWN A VERY STEEP EMBANKMENT, INTO THE SIDE OF A BUILDING, AND TOTALED THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
Mileage: 90,130
DRIVING TO WORK CAR RUNNING FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MIN. THE WINDOW CONTROL SWITCH INSIDE THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR SMOKED AND QUICKLY CAUGHT FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED DOWN AND PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND TURNED OFF THE CARD. I OPENED THE DOOR AND STEPPED OUT. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE PANEL ON THE CAR DOOR ALSO CAUGHT FIRE AND STARTING MELTING. I HAD BEACH TOWEL IN THE BACK OF THE CAR, AND TRIED TO SMOTHER THE FIRE WITH THE TOWEL, BUT QUICKLY DECIDED THE FIRE WAS TOO LARGE, GROWING TOO QUICKLY AND WAS ACTUALLY INSIDE THE DOOR. I GAVE UP ON THE TOWEL, AND IN LAST DITCH EFFORT TO THE SAVE THE CAR I GRABBED, AND TORE OFF THE PLASTIC DOOR PANEL AND THREW IT TO GROUND. SOME OF THE MELTED PLASTIC FROM THE DOOR PANEL DID GET ON MY HANDS, AND I RECEIVED SEVERAL BURNS TO MY FINGERS THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. I WAS THEN ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE REMAINING FIRE. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT A BODY SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR APPEARS TO BE LIMITED TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. *TR
Mileage: 225,000
DRIVING TO WORK CAR RUNNING FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MIN. THE WINDOW CONTROL SWITCH INSIDE THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR SMOKED AND QUICKLY CAUGHT FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED DOWN AND PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND TURNED OFF THE CARD. I OPENED THE DOOR AND STEPPED OUT. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE PANEL ON THE CAR DOOR ALSO CAUGHT FIRE AND STARTING MELTING. I HAD BEACH TOWEL IN THE BACK OF THE CAR, AND TRIED TO SMOTHER THE FIRE WITH THE TOWEL, BUT QUICKLY DECIDED THE FIRE WAS TOO LARGE, GROWING TOO QUICKLY AND WAS ACTUALLY INSIDE THE DOOR. I GAVE UP ON THE TOWEL, AND IN LAST DITCH EFFORT TO THE SAVE THE CAR I GRABBED, AND TORE OFF THE PLASTIC DOOR PANEL AND THREW IT TO GROUND. SOME OF THE MELTED PLASTIC FROM THE DOOR PANEL DID GET ON MY HANDS, AND I RECEIVED SEVERAL BURNS TO MY FINGERS THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. I WAS THEN ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE REMAINING FIRE. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT A BODY SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR APPEARS TO BE LIMITED TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. *TR
Mileage: 225,000
DRIVING TO WORK CAR RUNNING FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MIN. THE WINDOW CONTROL SWITCH INSIDE THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR SMOKED AND QUICKLY CAUGHT FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED DOWN AND PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND TURNED OFF THE CARD. I OPENED THE DOOR AND STEPPED OUT. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE PANEL ON THE CAR DOOR ALSO CAUGHT FIRE AND STARTING MELTING. I HAD BEACH TOWEL IN THE BACK OF THE CAR, AND TRIED TO SMOTHER THE FIRE WITH THE TOWEL, BUT QUICKLY DECIDED THE FIRE WAS TOO LARGE, GROWING TOO QUICKLY AND WAS ACTUALLY INSIDE THE DOOR. I GAVE UP ON THE TOWEL, AND IN LAST DITCH EFFORT TO THE SAVE THE CAR I GRABBED, AND TORE OFF THE PLASTIC DOOR PANEL AND THREW IT TO GROUND. SOME OF THE MELTED PLASTIC FROM THE DOOR PANEL DID GET ON MY HANDS, AND I RECEIVED SEVERAL BURNS TO MY FINGERS THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. I WAS THEN ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE REMAINING FIRE. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT A BODY SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR APPEARS TO BE LIMITED TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. *TR
Mileage: 225,000
I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A VERY POWERFUL FUEL SMELL EMITTING FROM THE AREAS OF THE ENGINE. WHEN I POP THE HOOD THE SMELL IS THE STRONGEST. THE SMELL IS OF RAW GASOLINE (NOT EXHAUST OR ANYTHING OF THAT SORT) AND PERMEATES INTO THE CABIN AND ALL AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR EMERGES ONLY ON COLD DAYS, SPECIFICALLY TEMPERATURES THAT DROP BELOW 39 F. THE ODOR GROWS MORE POTENT AS THE CAR RUNS AND IF I ACTIVATE THE HEAT BLOWERS YOU AND SMELL IT EVEN MORE. THE ODOR EVEN LAST LONG AFTER THE CAR IS SHUT OFF, EXISTING AROUND THE ENGINE FOR HOURS AFTER SHUT DOWN. *TR
Mileage: 190,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V153000 (SUSPENSION), BUT THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 181,000. *TR
Mileage: 181,000
REAR SUBFRAME RUSTED AND BROKEN A PART - DEALER DEEMED CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR
Mileage: 144,889
REAR SUBFRAME RUSTED AND BROKEN A PART - DEALER DEEMED CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR
Mileage: 144,889
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V153000 (SUSPENSION:REAR) HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT PREVENT THE RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE SUB FRAME DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 72,204.
Mileage: 72,204
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUBARU LEGACY GT AWD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FIRE STARTED FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED FOR THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 154,000.
Mileage: 154,000
I HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE FREEWAY. PURCHASED REPLACEMENT TIRE AND DROVE 313 MILES ON THIS BRAND NEW TIRE AND IT DEVELOPED A BUBBLE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *TR
Mileage: 57,835
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2000 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE RADIO STOPPED FUNCTIONING ON ITS OWN AND THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE CHANGING UNCONTROLLABLY. THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED. THE GAUGES THEN STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND SHIFTED INTO PARK. THE CONTACT WAS THEN UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP OR DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 111,000.
Mileage: 111,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS AND THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID TEMPERATURE WARNING LAMPS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR SPORADICALLY AND ONCE IT DID, THE VEHICLE WOULD IMMEDIATELY DECELERATE WITHOUT THE CONTACT HANGING THE PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,000.
Mileage: 100,000
CHRONIC, AND DOCUMENTED, FAILURE OF HEAD GASKETS BY SUBARU. CAUSING A LARGE LEAK OF OIL THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE AND/OR ACCIDENT.
Mileage: 136,000
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
Front suspension control arm failure
FUEL PUMP LEAKS
FUEL LINE LEAK
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2000 Subaru Legacy; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.