Head-to-head reliability
Subaru Legacy vs FORD F 150
How the Subaru Legacy and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Subaru Legacy vs FORD F 150: The Legacy averaged 72.4 complaints per year over 10 years, while the F-150 averaged 1,162.1, with the F-150 also having more crash-related reports (330 vs 36) and injuries (297 vs 14). Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Subaru Legacy or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Subaru Legacy
The Subaru Legacy is a midsize sedan that, over the past decade, has generated 724 owner complaints—about 72 per year—along with 24 recalls. The most common trouble spots are visibility and wiper issues, electrical glitches, and unspecified problems, with fewer engine and steering complaints. For a used-car buyer, this suggests a car that may have annoying but often non-catastrophic issues, though the 36 crash-related reports and 14 injuries mean some problems can escalate.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup that has racked up 11,621 complaints over 10 years—roughly 1,162 per year—plus 151 recalls. Power train and electrical system complaints dominate, with many owners reporting transmission limp mode, lead frame failures, and sudden electrical faults. The 330 crash-related reports and 297 injuries indicate that some of these issues can contribute to dangerous situations, making a thorough pre-purchase inspection critical.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Subaru Legacy | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 724 Better | 11,621 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 24 Better | 151 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 36 Better | 330 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 72.4 Better | 1162.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 14 Better | 297 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Subaru Legacy
- 01VISIBILITY/WIPER207
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM185
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER161
- 04ENGINE39
- 05STEERING35
Owners complain that the sun visor is too short and narrow, making it hard to block glare even with the seat raised. Another report describes a windshield cracking from a small piece of gravel that would normally cause only a minor chip, suggesting glass may be fragile.
Infotainment problems are common: one owner says the system mutes iPhone calls, forcing the driver to handle the phone, and another reports warning lights for EyeSight and transmission oil issues appearing on the screen. These glitches can distract the driver and may signal deeper electronic faults.
Some complaints are hard to categorize, such as windows rolling down on their own when the car is off, which happened four times for one owner. Another describes a strange noise while sitting in the back seat, leaving the cause unclear. Such unpredictable behavior can be frustrating and hard to diagnose.
A few owners report unintended acceleration, like a sudden rapid forward surge while parking, and one had to replace the engine in a brand-new 2024 Legacy at their own expense. These are serious, though less frequent than the visibility and electrical complaints.
“Safety 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 from…”
“In 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 glass…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,648
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,100
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,431
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,224
- 05ENGINE880
Many owners describe a 'lead frame' issue that causes transmission problems, including limp mode and getting stuck in 5th gear, sometimes nearly causing collisions. One 2017 F-150 owner reported daily limp mode and a failure to shift, requiring costly repairs.
The same lead frame defect often shows up as an electrical complaint, with one owner saying it 'nearly ended my life' and another reporting a highway limp mode due to an output speed sensor failure. These electrical faults can disable the truck unexpectedly.
A rear window defroster short caused one owner's back window to explode outward shortly after turning off the defroster. This kind of sudden shattering is rare but dangerous, and it points to possible electrical or glass defects.
Although no sample complaint text is provided for this category, the high number of complaints (1,224) suggests owners frequently report lighting failures. Buyers should check all exterior lights, including brake and turn signals, for intermittent operation.
“This lead frame issue is never ending. Well over a decade without a proper remedy. I’m very familiar with it. but this one nearly ended my life. After the near collision I called my mechanic and bought a new ford lead frame from a dealership. It’s doing fine…”
“My 2017 Ford F-150 V8 with the 6-speed automatic transmission has been experiencing a serious and recurring transmission malfunction. The truck has consistently, almost on a daily basis, gone into limp mode and become stuck in 5th gear. It also frequently fai…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Subaru Legacy — 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. Suba…
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.
FORD F 150 — 151 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block he…
The risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
The risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch. Either condition can result in the do…
The risk: A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer…
Buyer analysis
Subaru Legacy or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Subaru Legacy has far fewer complaints per year (about 72) compared to the Ford F-150 (about 1,162), and also fewer crash-related reports and injuries. In practice, this means a used Legacy is likely to have fewer reported problems overall, while the F-150's higher volume of power train and electrical complaints suggests a greater chance of encountering costly or safety-related repairs.
Key differences
- The Ford F-150 has about 16 times more complaints per year than the Subaru Legacy, with power train and electrical issues dominating.
- Subaru Legacy owners most often report visibility/wiper and electrical infotainment problems, which are typically less severe than the F-150's transmission limp mode and lead frame failures.
- The F-150 has 330 crash-related reports and 297 injuries versus 36 crash-related and 14 injuries for the Legacy, indicating a higher rate of serious incidents in the truck.
- Recalls are also much higher for the F-150 (151) than the Legacy (24), meaning more frequent trips to the dealer for safety fixes.
- Check the sun visor for adequate coverage and test the windshield for any cracks or chips, as owners report glare issues and fragile glass.
- Test the infotainment system thoroughly, including phone pairing and warning lights, and verify that windows do not roll down on their own when the car is off.
- During a test drive, watch for transmission shudder, delayed engagement, or limp mode, especially in 2017 and similar model years with the 6-speed automatic.
- Inspect the rear window defroster and all electrical functions, and ask if the lead frame or output speed sensor has been replaced under recall.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all recalls have been performed, especially for the F-150's power train and electrical recalls.
- Take a long test drive that includes highway speeds and stop-and-go traffic to check for transmission issues in the F-150 and unintended acceleration in the Legacy.
- Have a trusted mechanic inspect the specific components mentioned in complaints: sun visor and infotainment for the Legacy; transmission, lead frame, and rear defroster for the F-150.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records and any warranty or repair paperwork related to the reported issues.
- Check for active recalls by VIN with a dealer or on the NHTSA website before purchase.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Subaru Legacy | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 345 |
| 2024 | 17 | 638 |
| 2023 | 10 | 1527 |
| 2022 | 33 | 3493 |
| 2021 | 31 | 5349 |
| 2020 | 121 | 44 |
| 2019 | 123 | 52 |
| 2018 | 117 | 79 |
| 2017 | 119 | 59 |
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 Legacy or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Subaru Legacy vs FORD F 150
- Subaru Legacy total complaints
- 724
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,621
- Subaru Legacy total recalls
- 24
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 151
- Subaru Legacy avg complaints/year
- 72.4
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1162.1
- More reliable overall
- Subaru Legacy
- Subaru Legacy top complaint area
- VISIBILITY/WIPER
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN