Head-to-head reliability
Subaru Forester vs Subaru Legacy
How the Subaru Forester and Subaru Legacy compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports β and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Subaru Forester vs Subaru Legacy: Over 10 years, the Forester averaged 305 complaints per year and had 176 crash-related reports, while the Legacy averaged 72.4 complaints per year with 36 crash-related reports. Both have visibility and electrical issues, but the Forester's are more frequent and severe. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Subaru Forester or Subaru Legacy more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester is a compact SUV that has averaged 305 NHTSA complaints per year over the past decade, with 17 recalls. The most common owner-reported trouble spots are visibility/wiper (992 complaints), electrical system (476), and engine (319), including windshield shattering and oil leaks that can lead to fires. With 176 crash-related reports, 99 injuries, and 2 deaths, the data suggests some defects may have serious consequences. Buyers should expect to inspect glass, electronics, and engine seals carefully.
Subaru Legacy
The Subaru Legacy is a midsize sedan with a much lower complaint rate: 724 total complaints over 10 years (72.4 per year) and 24 recalls. Owners most often report visibility/wiper issues (207), electrical problems (185), and unknown/other concerns (161), such as sun visor inadequacy and infotainment glitches. Crash-related reports are far fewer (36) with 14 injuries and no deaths. Overall, the Legacy appears to generate fewer and less severe owner complaints than the Forester.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Subaru Forester | Subaru Legacy |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 3,050 | 724 Better |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 17 Better | 24 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 176 | 36 Better |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 305.0 | 72.4 Better |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 99 | 14 Better |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 2 | 0 Better |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle β what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Subaru Forester
- 01VISIBILITY/WIPER992
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER544
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM476
- 04ENGINE319
- 05AIR BAGS313
Owners report windshields that shatter or crack easily, sometimes from small impacts like a thrown bottle or during rain, sending glass shards into the cabin. This is the most frequent complaint category and a safety concern because it can impair driver vision and cause injury.
Complaints include side mirrors melting, vehicles dying repeatedly with multiple dashboard warnings, and failure to restart. These issues can leave a driver stranded and may require costly diagnostic and repair work.
Reported problems include oil leaks after oil changes, with at least one case where leaking oil ignited on the catalytic converter and totaled the car. Buyers should check for oil seepage and ask about any fire-related recalls or repairs.
Owners describe sudden unintended acceleration and a low-hanging HVAC duct in the driver-side footwell that could interfere with pedals. These are serious because they may cause loss of control or crashes.
βI was driving down the road and a bottle was thrown out of a vehicle going the opposite direction as me. Upon impact my windshield shattered and sent shards of glass flying into the cabin of my vehicle. The shards of glass were thrown into my face and would hβ¦β
βWindshield cracked during rainstorm [XXX] in San Diego in upper right corner, After 3 days crack appeared which has now spread to 4 inches Dealer has confirmed that winsheild needs reapir and is not covered by bumper to bumber warranty Vehicle only has mileagβ¦β
Subaru Legacy
- 01VISIBILITY/WIPER207
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM185
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER161
- 04ENGINE39
- 05STEERING35
Complaints focus on sun visors that are too short or narrow to block glare, and windshields that crack from small road debris. While less severe than shattering, these issues can still distract the driver and reduce visibility.
Owners report infotainment system problems, such as muting phone calls and warning lights for EyeSight and transmission oil. These glitches can force drivers to take their eyes off the road to troubleshoot.
Some owners report windows rolling down on their own when the vehicle is off, and unexpected noises or events. This can lead to security or water-damage concerns if the car is left outside.
There are reports of unintended acceleration while parking and, in one case, a brand-new Legacy needing a full engine replacement. These are rare but potentially costly and dangerous if they occur.
βSafety Hazard: Subaru Sun Visor I own a 2022 Subaru Legacy, the first new car I've ever owned. The visor (to protect eyes from the sun) is too short and not wide enough. The seat is raised as high as it will go. I CAN'T position myself to protect my eyes fromβ¦β
βIn 2022, a piece of small gravel fell off the back of a dump truck, bounced off the road, and struck the windshield of my 2022 Subaru Legacy. Based on past experience with other vehicles, this should have resulted in a round or star-shaped crack to the glassβ¦β
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns β the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Subaru Forester β 17 recalls
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2024 Forester vehicles. The engine water pipe may have loose attachment bolts, allowing the pipe to lose its seal and leak coolant.
The risk: Leaking coolant can contact a hot exhaust pipe, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: SubaruΒs independent distributor processing facilities will tighten the water pipe attachment bolts. The affected vehicles have not been delivered to dealers or sold to owners and therefore, no owner notification letters will be sent. Owneβ¦
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2024 Crosstrek, Impreza, 2023-2024 Forester, and 2023 WRX vehicles. The front driveshaft assemblies' outer race may develop cracks and break.
The risk: A broken driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power while driving or vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake engaged. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the left and right front driveshafts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number forβ¦
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2024 Crosstrek, Impreza, 2023-2024 Forester, and 2023 WRX vehicles. The front driveshaft assemblies' outer race may develop cracks and break.
The risk: A broken driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power while driving or vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake engaged. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the left and right front driveshafts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number forβ¦
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
The risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
Subaru Legacy β 24 recalls
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2023 Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza vehicles. The center support bolts for the driveshaft may loosen, resulting in the disconnection of the front end of the driveshaft.
The risk: Separation of the front end of the driveshaft increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will clean the bolt mounting surfaces of the center support brace and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaβ¦
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
The risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2021 Crosstrek, 2022 Forester, 2021-2023 Legacy, and Outback vehicles. An insufficient weld may allow water to enter the inhibitor switch, causing it to fail.
The risk: An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the inhibitor switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 8, 2024. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WRQ-23.
The defect: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A capacitor in the sensors for the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may crack and short circuit, which can prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the ODS sensors on the front passenger seat, free of charge. Owner notifications were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRA-24.
Buyer analysis
Subaru Forester or Subaru Legacy: which should you buy?
The Subaru Legacy has far fewer complaints per year (72.4 vs. 305.0) and fewer crash-related reports (36 vs. 176) than the Forester. In practice, this means a used Legacy is likely to generate fewer owner headaches and may be less likely to be involved in a safety-related incident. However, both models have their own recurring issues, so a pre-purchase inspection is still essential.
Key differences
- The Forester has over four times as many complaints per year (305.0) as the Legacy (72.4), with visibility/wiper issues being the top category for both but far more frequent on the Forester.
- Forester owners report serious engine oil leaks that can lead to fires, while Legacy engine complaints are less common and include unintended acceleration and a rare engine replacement.
- The Forester has 176 crash-related reports, 99 injuries, and 2 deaths; the Legacy has 36 crash-related reports, 14 injuries, and 0 deaths.
- Electrical problems on the Forester include melting mirrors and repeated stalling, while Legacy electrical issues are mostly infotainment and warning-light glitches.
- Inspect the windshield for cracks, chips, or prior replacement, and test the wipers and defroster; owners report shattering and cracking from minor impacts.
- Check for oil leaks around the engine, especially after an oil change, and look for any signs of fire damage or a strong oil smell near the catalytic converter.
- Test the infotainment system thoroughly, including phone pairing and volume, and check for any warning lights related to EyeSight or transmission oil.
- Verify that all windows roll up and stay up when the vehicle is off, and check the sun visors for adequate coverage; owners report windows lowering on their own and visors that are too small.
Before you buy
- Ask for the vehicle's complete NHTSA recall history and confirm that all open recalls have been repaired.
- Take the car to a trusted mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the engine, transmission, electrical system, and windshield.
- During a test drive, test all electronics: infotainment, windows, mirrors, lights, and driver-assist features like EyeSight.
- Check for any signs of oil leaks, especially around the engine and under the car, and ask about the date and quality of the last oil change.
- Review the owner's manual and online forums for common complaints specific to the model year you are considering, and avoid years with known major defects.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles β lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Subaru Forester | Subaru Legacy |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 95 | 6 |
| 2024 | 29 | 17 |
| 2023 | 73 | 10 |
| 2022 | 98 | 33 |
| 2021 | 207 | 31 |
| 2020 | 600 | 121 |
| 2019 | 833 | 123 |
| 2018 | 496 | 117 |
| 2017 | 586 | 119 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Subaru Forester or Subaru Legacy in front of you β accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Subaru Forester vs Subaru Legacy
- Subaru Forester total complaints
- 3,050
- Subaru Legacy total complaints
- 724
- Subaru Forester total recalls
- 17
- Subaru Legacy total recalls
- 24
- Subaru Forester avg complaints/year
- 305.0
- Subaru Legacy avg complaints/year
- 72.4
- More reliable overall
- Subaru Legacy
- Subaru Forester top complaint area
- VISIBILITY/WIPER
- Subaru Legacy top complaint area
- VISIBILITY/WIPER