10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 1
Average Mileage:
79,038 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2010 Subaru Legacy engine problems

engine problem

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2010 Subaru Legacy Owner Comments

problem #8

Feb 012023

Legacy

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I had a episode of sudden unintended acceleration while I was driving in the highway. If I would let the brake pedal go, my car would probably escalate its speed to maximum until it crashes. The RPM was almost 5 even though I was applying the brake. I could not make it stop by applying the brakes at all. I only could make it finally stop when I changed the gears to neutral and them to park and finally turn the engine off. I was lucky I was in the highway and when I got in the first light it was green, other wise an accident would've happened.

- Newington, CT, USA

problem #7

Feb 192019

Legacy

  • 272,000 miles
While turning into a parking lot, the check engine light, emergency brake light, the cruise control light and the stability control light all came on and started blinking. Parked the car and shut off the engine. Let set for an hour. Started again. Ran it home and all lights previously indicated stayed on doing the same thing. Car ran fine though in all instances.

- Reedsville, PA, USA

problem #6

Nov 102018

Legacy

  • 125,000 miles
While driving the car, it frequently jolts, makes a screeching noise and it is scary because it also feels as though it may simply turn off. I have contacted the dealership from which I purchased the vehicle and I was informed that Subaru is aware of the issue and that they would likely take care of repairing the transmission ($7,000). However, Subaru has contacted me with the offer to pay only $2,500 of the total amount of the repair. My major concern is that Subaru recalled these (cvt) transmissions, beginning with 2012 models; however, they are aware that the problem also exists in the 2010 outback and Legacy, both of which my husband and I own and drive, respectively.

- Plainfield, NJ, USA

problem #5

Nov 012015

Legacy

  • 100,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle will shudder and stall when coming to a stop most often in the uphill position, it will also stall when coming to a stop after braking hard. This problem is avoided if you place the car in neutral but that is the only way. Engine idle will drop drastically and the vehicle has a hard time reengaging into drive after coming to a complete stop. I assume it is the cvt transmission or the torque convertor.

- Wareham, MA, USA

problem #4

Dec 072014

Legacy

  • 37,000 miles
I had a major safety issue with my 2010 Subaru Legacy while driving on the freeway. The car was doing approximately 50 mph and I accelerated to change lanes and all of a sudden the car lost all power and eventually came to a complete halt right in the middle of fast moving traffic. I turned on my hazard light, put the car to park and restarted. The car would start but would shut down slowly in the next 2-3 seconds even before I could put it to drive and accelerate. I noticed that all the lights in the dash like traction control, check engine, etc all lit up and the car just slowly died. After trying it one more time (with same results) I shut off the car completely and started calling aaa for towing. After about a minute when I tried to re-start the car, it sprang up to life normally (I.e. without a slow shut-down like the prior two times) and accelerated when I put it to drive like nothing had happened. I was then able to get off the freeway for safety and popped the hood to see if there was anything on the surface that I could find wrong. Everything looked fine, I was even able to get back home all on the freeway normally. I tried to stay on the right lane and simulate the same (I.e. doing decent speed and then accelerating), but everything was normal. Sunday being mandatory dealership closures in NJ I was not able to bring it to the dealership. The whole incident was completely random and was needless to say extremely dangerous and stressful. I have contacted Subaru of America and waiting for their response. In the interim I wanted to post this to NHTSA in case other such incidents have been reported.

- Secaucus, NJ, USA

problem #3

Nov 192014

Legacy 6-cyl

  • 34,000 miles
On Wednesday, November 19, 2014 my son left for work at his usual time and started the Subaru. Immediately, the engine roared at full throttle, and the vehicle took off down the street, where it jumped the curb and crashed into a tree at 45 mph. Distance traveled was less than 400 feet from where it started. Based on an eyewitness account, it is presumed that the vehicle suffered an unintended acceleration mechanical issue outside of the driver's control. Emergency service personnel arrived within minutes, and he was taken to the major metro-area 833 bed hospital (level 1 trauma center) where he was admitted to critical care. He died peacefully and without pain on Wednesday afternoon, November 26, 2014, at age 37. Subaru of America was notified of this incident on Friday, November 21, 2014; a detailed description, police crash report, and 18 pictures were provided, with a request for them to inspect the totaled vehicle and download available information from the black box recorder/event data recorder. (note: As of today, November 29, 2014 no action has been taken).

- Vienna, VA, USA

problem #2

Jun 052013

Legacy

  • 63,500 miles
My Subaru is equipped with cvt, when fuel is appealed engine revs, pause, then drop in rev and acceleration. This is a safety concern when passing, cornering, or any other point when in a rolling start.

- Wise, VA, USA

problem #1

Sep 242009

Legacy

  • 800 miles
Subaru 2010 Legacy 3.6 has a dealer- acknowledged severe hesitation in acceleration. The car fails to accelerate when the gas pedal is initially engaged, there is a prolonged hesitation and then the car lurches forward unpredictably. It's particularly severe in a slow rolling situation such as accelerating upon turning at an intersection. The car simple "can't get out of it's own way" in a timely, reliable and predictable fashion. Dealer was notified within the week of sale, acknowledged that Subaru of America was aware of the problem and promised to do something about it. No remedy appears to be forthcoming (or even known) by Subaru of America.

- Saratoga Springs, NY, USA

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