Check a vehicle VIN check Latest recalls Latest complaints Common problems Rankings Compare vehicles Recall roundups All makes Guides Share your experience
Theme

Vehicle safety record

2008 Subaru Legacy Problems, complaints & recalls

Owners have filed 65 complaints about the 2008 Subaru Legacy with NHTSA, most often about the airbags (25) and the brakes (13). Those complaints describe 3 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury. It is covered by 9 recalls, the latest in January 2020 for the inflator module. For comparison, the 2007 has 33 and the 2009 has 65.

NHTSA data checked

CAbout as many problems as a typical Legacy year, for its age

#156 most complained-about 2008 vehicle

Complaints
65
Recalls
9
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Injuries
1
Deaths
0

Most common 2008 Subaru Legacy problems

Share of all 65 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.

2008 Subaru Legacy recalls 9

Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do

Air bags: inflator module

20V003000111,562 vehicles affected

The problem
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
The risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix
Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.

Air bags: inflator module

20V002000127,547 vehicles affected

The problem
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
The risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix
Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.

Air bags: inflator module

20V001000258,813 vehicles affected

The problem
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
The risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix
Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.

Electrical system: switch

19V297000511 vehicles affected

The problem
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
The risk
The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.

Electrical system

16V738000100,127 vehicles affected

The problem
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.
The risk
If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
The fix
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.

Air bags: inflator module

15V323000432,016 vehicles affected

The problem
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to July 21, 2004, 2004-2005 Impreza vehicles manufactured January 28, 2003, to May 31, 2005, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to May 2, 2008, 2003-2008 Subaru Outback vehicles manufactured February 18, 2003, to May 5, 2008, and 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to March 17, 2005. The affected vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.
The risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix
Subaru will notify their owners and General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The Subaru recall began on June 17, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. The Saab recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners of Saab vehicles may call 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is WQR-53. Note: The recall completely supersedes recall 14V-399 (WQL-48) and partially supersedes recall 14V-763 (WQP-51) in that model year 2004 through 2005 Subaru Impreza and model year 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles are now only part of this campaign. Note: On December 18, 2015 Subaru informed NHTSA of an expansion of this recall to include certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy and 2003-2008 Subaru Outback vehicles.

Service brakes: hoses, lines / piping, and fittings

14V311000461,338 vehicles affected

The problem
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines. Note that affected vehicles not currently, or formerly registered, in the salt belt states identified above are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.
The risk
Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected areas will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 2014 and second notifications will run through November 2014. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQK-47. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-110 which applied to certain 2005-2009 Legacy/Outback vehicles. Vehicles that were remedied under the previous campaign still need additional areas rust-proofed.

Service brakes: hoses, lines / piping, and fittings

13V110000274,402 vehicles affected

The problem
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy vehicles manufactured from December 2003, through April 2009 and currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines.
The risk
Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected area will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQG-43.

Engine

08V46000016,715 vehicles affected

The problem
Subaru is recalling 16,715 my 2007-2008 legacy sedans and wagons, my 2008 impreza sedans and wagons, and my 2009 forester vehicles. Some vehicles may have the cylinder head-side oil supply pipe and turbocharger-side pipe improperly assembled.
The risk
Vibration would occur while driving and, over time, could eventually result in cracking the pipe which would allow oil to leak. If leaking oil contacts components operating at high temperatures, an engine compartment fire could occur.
The fix
Dealers will inspect for cracking or an oil leak at the oil supply pipe at the cylinder head-side. An additional bracket will be installed to increase rigidity of the pipe and the pipe assembly will be replaced with a modified part. The recall began on october 20, 2008. Owners may contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.

What owners say

Be the first Legacy owner to share.

Problems or none - your experience is exactly what the next buyer is looking for. Write it now

65 complaints about the 2008 Subaru Legacy

Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 3.

Brakes

The issue occurred on a 08 Subaru Legacy GT Limited while the driver was driving the car with their family on a local street around 35-40mph. Initially, while the car was stopped at a traffic light, the driver noticed that the brake pedal seems off where it seems to be depressed much deeper than usual. While coming up on a second red traffic light, the driver noticed that the pedal has to be depressed all the way down to the floor before bringing the car close to a stop while using the emergency brake to complete...

Read the full complaint

the stop. The driver knows that this is a major issue given the symptoms and drove to a safe spot to stop the car and inspect the issue. At this time, the brake light has also came on in the dashboard. Upon the driver's preliminary inspection, there was brake fluid leakage coming from the rear passenger wheel area and the brake fluid in the reservoir has reached the minimum line which would confirm why the brake light came on. Given the situation, the vehicle was then brought to the Subaru official dealer immediately to be dropped off for a diagnostic on the next Monday since the dealer was closed when the driver arrived. After the diagnostic by the Subaru mechanic, they confirmed with the driver's suspicious where the brake line has been broken due to corrosion to a bare metal area of the rear brake line that was supposed to be addressed by the brake line corrosion recall, WQK-047. The line was broken at one of the clip point where the brake line has no sleeve over it to protect the line from corrosion. Subaru issued a recall on this area as they know that this was a design flaw where salt used on the road from the winter might get in accelerating the corrosion of the line causing it to leak or break. This is an serious issue since the car could have crashed if the brake fails completely without any brake fluid anymore. NHTSA should intervene on this as many owners have this issue and SOA, who boast about safety, did not address the issue with the recall.

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 11533570
Brakes

I had the recall done in 2017 and I was recently driving on the highway when my brakes had no pressure, I nearly crashed my car. Pulled over and realized my brake lines were leaking from where they said it had been fixed during the recall. I called the Subaru Stealership that did the recall and they informed me when I brought the vehicle in "it showed no signs of leakage" so they sprayed "anti corrosion" on the lines. I called Subaru of America and they want me to pay $200 to diagnose the issue and pay for the...

Read the full complaint

repair since the lines busted from "wear and tear". Spraying anti-corrosion does nothing when the rust has already ruined the integrity of the brake line. Subaru is trying to pull a fast one and scam their customers by spraying anti-corrosion when the lines need to be replaced instead.

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 11515278
Brakes

I received my Subaru legacy from the dealer after an unrelated repair. My wife got in the car and very slowly drove through the lot to exit the dealership. She was going 5-6 mph at most and luckily after putting the car into gear she had her hand resting on the center console literally right above the hand brake. As she approached the stop sign to exit the dealership, she put her foot on the brake pedal and it went immediately straight to the floor with no resistance or application of the brakes. She...

Read the full complaint

immediately grabbed and pulled the hand emergency brake to stop the vehicle from entering a busy route 3 (West Chester Pike.) After nursing the car back to service at very low mph she parked the car again using the hand brake. Service looked at the car and found ruptured brake lines. The lines were the subject of a recall in 2015 and were supposedly inspected and an anticorrosive was applied.

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 11475429
Other & unknown

Dashboard has melted from sun and heat, has become extremely shiney & sticky, plus sun & headlights reflect off the windscreen.

Filed Incident Unknown or otherNHTSA 11470670
Engine & cooling

I have a great suspicion that Kia has not only sold bad engined vehicles that are their own make and models but I believe they are selling used cars they buy like that as well. The car I bought has major engine problems that were hid from me at the time of the sales leading to a $5000 repair bill for a 7200$ car. I only had it for a couple weeks before it became un-drivable. Not only did they hide and lie about fact in the sales of their own cars , I have evidence showing that they are doing the same to used cars...

Read the full complaint

they're selling. They are barely doing the bare minimum to fix anything. They have lied to AUTOCAP on record about facts as well when I have recordings or them telling me other wise.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11441690
Fuel system

2008 Subaru legacy. Consumer writes in regards to issues with fuel pump. The consumer stated that the vehicle would turn over, but would not start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who stated the the metal of the pump harness was severly burned and melted due to extreme heat. The vehicle was repaired. *Js

Filed Incident Fuel system, gasoline · Fuel system, dieselNHTSA 11434020
Electrical systemDriver assistance

There is a parasitic drain on my car battery. I have replaced the alternator and battery twice, and the car can't hold a charge.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Forward collision avoidanceNHTSA 11430867
Transmission & drivetrainFire

The CV axle on the passenger side caught on fire. It was the rubber boot on the inner side over the catalytic converter. There were no warnings other than the smell of smoke. Fortunately, I caught it early and put out the fire with a fire extinguisher. I had been driving 25 to 40 MPH on city streets for about 5 miles before the incident.

Filed Incident Power trainNHTSA 11420204
Brakes

The contact owns a 2008 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated while driving approximately 30-35 mph, the brake pedal went to the floorboard while depressed. The contact was concerned that the brake was failing with her husband and four-month-old baby in the vehicle. The contact veered to the shoulder and turned off the vehicle. The contact's husband inspected the vehicle and saw that there was fluid dripping near the rear passenger's side tire, below the fuel tank. The contact's husband then drove the vehicle back to...

Read the full complaint

the residence. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the dealer had performed a recall repair on the brakes on January 22, 2021. The contact was informed that anti-corrosion wax was sprayed onto the brake line connectors as part of the remedy. The manufacturer referred the contact back to the same dealer where the vehicle was repaired under recall, to have the vehicle diagnosed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that rodents had chewed the brake line and the brake line was not part of the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not repairable. The manufacturer offered a $ 1,000 voucher for a newer vehicle. The failure mileage was 76,877.

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 11418809
Brakes

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 subaru legacy. The contact stated while inspecting the vehicle, he became aware of corrosion around the brake line. There was fluid leaking from the brake line. The contact stated that while driving, the brake pedal felt soft when depressed. A dealer was not contacted. There was no warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure however, informed the contact that the vin was not under recall. The contact referenced nhtsa campaign number: 14v311000 (service brakes, hydraulic) as a possible solution to the failure however, the vin was not included. The failure mileage was 183,000.

Filed Incident Service brakes, hydraulicNHTSA 11372899
Brakes

While driving the vehicle and trying to brake it lost the ability to apply the brakes almost causing an accident. After further inspection found this was a recall for this vehicle. I called the manufacturer and they said it was performed and they could not do anything further. The exact area pertaining to the brake lines failing as described in the recall is where it has failed. Their is no evidence of the recall being performed as the repair indicated spraying the vehicle with anti corrosion spray. It does not...

Read the full complaint

appear that was ever done. This is for the brake lines in the passenger rear of the vehicle next to the gas tank. Recall number they say was completed is wqk-47. Research shows many other people have this issue still and subaru has not repaired the vehicle as it should have been. Thank you

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 11366814
Brakes

I saw the brake light come on while driving on city street, I tapped the brakes lightly and checked if my ebrake was up a few times and the light went away for a bit before it finally stayed on while driving after doing that. I thought maybe it was a sensor since light taps and braking seemed fine. I guess when I was tapping and testing the brakes over and over, I was just pumping all the brake fluid out of the corroded brake line in the back and could barely stop when I actually had to use the brakes to come to a...

Read the full complaint

complete stop. The brake pedal went all the way to floor and I had to assist in braking with my e-brake and engine braking into 1st gear. When I got under the car and had someone pump the brakes, I can see fluid come out of a corroded hard brake line next to the gas tank. Looking online this is one of the spots where 2 previous recalls were issued for brake line corrosion. The recalls were taken care of in 11/2013 @~89k miles and 09/2014 @~97k miles by the dealer. My car is currently at ~125k miles and has only been driven in the summer for past few years. It looks like the recall does not fix the issue and still creates a dangerous driving situation.

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 11350930
Brakes

Driving car and had complete loss of brakes. Vehicle has had issues or random consumption of brake fluid. Passenger rear brake pipe burst open and failed due to corrosion not addressed by previous recalls. Subaru of america will not honor replacement and services cost because the legacy model is not specific to the recall and out of warranty. Soa did honor $350 credit for repairs that cost $1100. *Tr

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 11331442
Electrical systemAirbags

Red airbag indicator in instrument cluster begun coming on/off once or twice a week then became constant. Observed passenger airbag indicator had no lights on(no illumination at all) searched forums and found multiple similar cases with no resolve from the dealership. As a mechanic myself I began my own diagnosis, cause: removed overhead control panel and performed electrical testing on passenger airbag circuit. Found open circuits between component contacts. Correction: retinned contacts and added solder. ...

Read the full complaint

Haven't had an airbag light since the repair.. I have heard the dealer wants 300+$ to repair. This is such a common and serious issue that it should be considered for a recall... I have seen and performed far more trivial recalls. That said; if you take your car to a decent subaru or independent shop they should be able to diagnose this and fix it for alot less than the dealer

Filed Incident Electrical system · Air bagsNHTSA 11298303
Brakes

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 subaru legacy. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 mph and when attempting to press the brake pedal, brake fluid began to leak from the vehicle. The contact stated they were able to park the vehicle safely. The contact referred the failure to nhtsa campaign number: 14v311000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The vehicle was not taken to a local mechanic or a dealer for diagnosis or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 133,000.

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 11297718
Visibility & wipers

The dash has melted leaving it hard to see out of the windshield. The dash is also extremely sticky and shiny. I thought it just needed to be cleaned but realized shortly after that was not the case and have since found this is an issue with my make and model per subaru.

Filed Incident Visibility / wiperNHTSA 11290436
Brakes

This is in reference to subaru recall wqk-47: while driving vehicle, brake indicator on dashboard illuminated and within a few minutes of driving, I could feel something was a bit different with the brake pressure. Within a few moments of that while attempting to stop, I noticed the pedal went all the way down to the floor and on subsequent pumps of the brakes I got some pressure. Attempting to drive the vehicle further (slowly), resulted in very little, if any, braking power. I checked brake fluid reservoir...

Read the full complaint

and noticed it was below the min mark. I had some brake fluid in the trunk and filled it. I attempted to drive the vehicle a bit further and was able to recover brake functionality for a few more minutes before the same issue occurred. Thankfully this was done while on a road that had a low speed limit and there weren't many vehicles around. Losing brake power while on a highway for instance on a turn would not have been as good. I took the vehicle to a dealership where they found that the right rear line was leaking. I went in to look at the vehicle and inspected the four-way connector mentioned in the recall as well as the line that runs near the fuel tank where the clip holds on to it. This part of the line is exposed just as the recall mentions. I noticed that the 4-way connector was covered sufficiently in the wax component that the recall mentioned should be used but the area where the leak was does not appear to have any wax at all the work for the recall was performed in october 2018, so a little over a year later and the brake line corroded through where the recall wording indicated it could. If the lines had been sealed as indicated, perhaps this issue would not have occurred. The dealership quoted $1300 to replace a single brake line. Another concern is that if that one line was corroded enough to leak, then the others could too.

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 11289575
Electrical systemEngine & cooling

Vehicle dies. I know there is a recall out there for this reason but I'm told that my car is not part of this recall but my car is doing exactly what the recal is talking about

Filed Incident Electrical system · EngineNHTSA 11232581
Airbags

Airbag warning light on the dashboard comes on intermittently , but now stays on the majority of the time. Took car to dealer for passenger airbag recall and they told me the airbag light on the dash is fault code 26. Many other subaru owners reporting this exact same issue, which is related to faulty soldering of components in the overhead map light console. As this is a critical safety issue (passenger airbag may not deploy in an accident), subaru should issue a recall to repair or replace the faulty...

Read the full complaint

component(s). Beware- serious safety issue. Also feel that the takata inflators is related to theis issuse. I have had this airbag issue since I owened the subaru complained to the dealership but I would have to pay for the fix when I no that there is fault in the way the components were welded.

Filed Incident Air bagsNHTSA 11190972
Electrical system

Had the recall for brakes done & recall for air bag, & catalytic converter. Never recieved post card for electricl recall , had all kinds of work done & the engine light, cruise control,etc will not turn off. Why havent I recieved recall notice so that I can bring it to subaru dealer, thank you [[redacted]] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *Pm

Filed Incident Electrical systemNHTSA 11183796
Electrical systemVisibility & wipers

When the rear window defrost is turned on the radio no longer works. I believe this to be a safety concern in the event of trying to hear important broadcasts in poor weather. This is a well known issue, but has been poorly addressed by subaru. This affects many models in this year range. Leaving the consumer to pay to replace a poorly made part to repeatedly occur even after replacement in some cases.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Visibility / wiperNHTSA 11170679
Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemDriver assistance

All of my dash lights are on (stationary & in motion) cruise control lights blinks consistently (stationary & in motion), my car cruise control also feels like it goes on and off constantly (in motion), and my cruise controls on my steering do not work (stationary & in motion) . Also my radio is consistently going on/off, changing stations, volume controls go in/out (stationary & in motion). Also my review mirror displays the wrong direction on the compass, and the auto dim and compass feature it's self goes...

Read the full complaint

on/off consistently (stationary & in motion). Under the hood will smoke after I've driven at highway speeds, or gone up steep hills.I read online where other people are having these issues with their subaru legacy's and outbacks as well. Note: these issues happen consistently without regard to the type of road on with the exception of under the hood smoking. That only happens as described above.

Filed Incident Power train · Electrical system · Electronic stability control (ESC)NHTSA 11099062
Airbags

TAKATA RECALL

Filed Incident Air bagsNHTSA 11079870
Airbags

"TAKATA RECALL"

Filed Incident Air bagsNHTSA 11034212
Airbags

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 subaru legacy. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Suburban subaru (14 hartford turnpike, vernon, ct) diagnosed that an air bag sensor was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and provided case number: 1-27240483127. The failure mileage was 110,099.

Filed Incident Air bagsNHTSA 11032890

Subaru Legacy: every year compared

YearComplaintsRecallsCrashesFiresTop problemGrade
2012901670Transmission & drivetrainD
20111671672Transmission & drivetrainD
201015118101Transmission & drivetrainD
2009651331AirbagsC
200865931AirbagsC
200733914AirbagsB
200687761Acceleration & cruise controlC
20051849114Engine & coolingF
2004491150AirbagsC
All Legacy years

2008 Subaru Legacy vs rivals

More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.

Own a 2008 Subaru Legacy? Share your experience.

Your experience goes live straight away and helps every owner and buyer who checks this vehicle. Anonymous, free, no account.

Overall, how would you rate it? *

0/4000 · Please leave out names, phone numbers and your full VIN.

By posting you confirm it's your own, honest experience and agree to the rules. Safety defect? Also report it to NHTSA - that's how recalls start.

Questions about the 2008 Subaru Legacy

Does the 2008 Subaru Legacy have any recalls?

Yes - NHTSA lists 9 recalls for the 2008 Subaru Legacy: inflator module (January 2020); inflator module (January 2020); inflator module (January 2020); switch (April 2019) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Subaru Legacy?

By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the airbags (25), brakes (13), electrical system (9).

How many complaints has the 2008 Subaru Legacy had?

65 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on October 12, 2007 and the latest on July 21, 2023. Of these, 3 describe a crash and 1 a fire, and together they report 1 injury and 0 deaths.

Is the 2008 Subaru Legacy a reliable vehicle?

Its Safety Index is 57 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Subaru Legacy year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.

Which Subaru Legacy years have the most complaints?
What should I do if my 2008 Subaru Legacy has a problem?

If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

Owners helping owners

Know before you drive.

Every experience you share - good or bad - shows on that vehicle's page and helps the next owner and buyer. Two minutes, anonymous.

Share your experience