The 1997 Subaru Legacy has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 309,673 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 179 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SUSPENSION01V2160002001-06-25180,000 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE…
Consequence
DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE FRACTURE, A BROKEN SPRING COULD MOVE PAST THE SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT A FRONT TIRE. SOME TIRES HAVE DEFLATED DUE TO CONTACT WITH A BROKEN SPRING.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL NOTIFIY CUSTOMERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE A SPRING GUARD INSTALLED ON BOTH FRONT STRUTS TO PREVENT TIRE PUNCTURE AND REPLACE ANY BROKEN SPRINGS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 18, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN…
SUSPENSION98V0910001998-05-0429,442 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER STATION WAGON, SEDAN AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER WELDING, FRACTURES CAN OCCUR ON THE SUPPORT BRACKET OF THE FRONT TRANSVERSE LINK.
Consequence
SUCH FRACTURES CAN RESULT IN PARTIAL OR COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE BRACKET CAUSING A FAILURE OF THE LOWER SUSPENSION MOUNTING, LEADING TO A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE IF NECESSARY THE FRONT SUSPENSION SUPPORT BRACKETS.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE THROTTLE SHAFT BALL BEARING ON THE SENSOR SIDE OF THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY WAS NOT INSTALLED IN CERTAIN THROTTLE BODIES.
Consequence
OPERATION OF A VEHICLE WITH A MISSING THROTTLE SHAFT BEARING CAN EVENTUALLLY LEAD TO AN INCOMPLETE RETURN OF THE THROTTLE VALVE RESULTING IN A HIGH IDLING CONDITION.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE THROTTLE BODY AND REPLACE THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY IF THE BEARING IS MISSING.
POWER TRAIN98V0420001998-02-2019,386 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. DUE TO POOR WELDS, IGNITION KEYS CAN STICK, SHIFT LEVERS/LINKAGES CAN BREAK AND SHIFT LEVERS CAN MOVE.
Consequence
THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE UNEXPECTED MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER ASSEMBLIES (EXCEPT THE HANDLE GRIP).
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE WITHIN THE HAZARD WARNING LIGHT SWITCH HOUSING CAN CAUSE A BINDING BETWEEN THE ACTUATING BUTTON AND THE HOUSING.
Consequence
THE SWITCH COULD STICK IN AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION WHEN DEACTIVATING, RESULTING IN THE TURN SIGNALS BECOMING INOPERABLE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A MODIFIED HAZARD WARNING SWITCH.
Complaints by component
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
14
6crashes
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
10
1fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
10
1injuries
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
8
3crashes1injuries
SUSPENSION
7
1crashes1injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
6
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
6
AIR BAGS
5
2crashes2injuries
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
5
5crashes3injuries
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
5
Total complaints179
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Car was sometimes difficult to start, other times it would stall/hesitate when in motion on city street. Discovered to be caused by aged/worn fuel pump causing overcurrent draw that fails to blow fuse causing meltdown in wiring harness connector where pigtail from pump connects to the chassis side…”
“Car was sometimes difficult to start, other times it would stall/hesitate when in motion on city street. Discovered to be caused by aged/worn fuel pump causing overcurrent draw that fails to blow fuse causing meltdown in wiring harness connector where pigtail from pump connects to the chassis side…”
“1997 subaru legacy outback. Came out to my parked vehicle with the right front tire flat due to part of the suspension spring being snapped and sticking into inside of the tire. Spring was intact when I parked it. Frightening to think if that had happened while driving on the highway of which I…”
“1997 subaru legacy outback. Came out to my parked vehicle with the right front tire flat due to part of the suspension spring being snapped and sticking into inside of the tire. Spring was intact when I parked it. Frightening to think if that had happened while driving on the highway of which I…”
“1997 subaru legacy outback. Came out to my parked vehicle with the right front tire flat due to part of the suspension spring being snapped and sticking into inside of the tire. Spring was intact when I parked it. Frightening to think if that had happened while driving on the highway of which I…”
“1997 subaru legacy gt 2.5l engine, approx. 92k miles, engine started overheating. Car was taken to two different repair facilities and diagnosed as blown head gasket after pressure test, block test, no signs of leaking. Car had been serviced faithfully by original owner at subaru dealerships since…”
“1997 subaru legacy gt 2.5l engine, approx. 92k miles, engine started overheating. Car was taken to two different repair facilities and diagnosed as blown head gasket after pressure test, block test, no signs of leaking. Car had been serviced faithfully by original owner at subaru dealerships since…”
“When the gas tank is filled above half a tank, fuel leaks onto the ground in large amounts near the rear of the vehicle. This is extremely dangerous since a spark or cigarette would cause an explosion. *tr”
Defect investigations
InvestigationPE99067 Opened 1999-11-01 · closed 2000-05-31
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ODI HAS RECEIVED 5,820 COMPLAINTS CONCERNING A VARIETY OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES THAT RESULT IN THE VEHICLE STALLING.OUR COMPLAINT ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE COMPAINTS ARE CAUSED BY ALTERNATOR FAILURE.IN SOME INSTANCES, THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY DEAD AND WILL NOT RESTART.BASED ON OUR…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1997 Subaru Legacy as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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