How many recalls does the 2004 Subaru Legacy have?

The 2004 Subaru Legacy has 10 NHTSA safety recall campaigns on record.

How do I check if my 2004 Subaru Legacy has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's official recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see open, unrepaired recalls for your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are free.

What do owners complain about most on the 2004 Subaru Legacy?

Of 55 NHTSA complaints on file, the most-reported component is air bags.

2004 Subaru Legacy Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2004 Subaru Legacy has 10 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,580,644 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 55 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

AIR BAGS 20V001000 2020-01-02 258,813 affected

Defect

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,…

Consequence

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

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…

AIR BAGS 20V002000 2020-01-02 127,547 affected

Defect

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,…

Consequence

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

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…

AIR BAGS 20V003000 2020-01-02 111,562 affected

Defect

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,…

Consequence

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

AIR BAGS 16V359000 2016-05-25 146,010 affected

Defect

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2006-2008 Impreza, Tribeca, 2006 Saab 9-2x, and 2003-2006 Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland,…

Consequence

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 24, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-16. Note: This notice is…

AIR BAGS 16V361000 2016-05-25 62,940 affected

Defect

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, and Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode…

Consequence

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 24, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-16. Note: This recall covers vehicles that were not previously…

AIR BAGS 16V358000 2016-05-25 302,127 affected

Defect

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, 2009-2011 Legacy, Outback, Forester, 2006-2011 Impreza, Tribeca, 2003-2006 Baja, and 2006 Saab 9-2x vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana,…

Consequence

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 26, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Saab owners may contact GM at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for…

AIR BAGS 15V323000 2015-05-28 432,016 affected

Defect

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…

Consequence

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.

Remedy

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…

AIR BAGS 14V763000 2014-12-01 4,175 affected

Defect

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Legacy and Outback vehicles, and 2003-2005 Baja vehicles sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin…

Consequence

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengerÂ’s frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

Subaru will notify their owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQP-51. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-471. This recall has been partially…

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 04V128000 2004-03-16 127,580 affected

Defect

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER SEDANS, WAGONS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE COULD COME OUT OF ITS TRACK ON THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER AND LODGE ON THE CONTROL LEVER TAB WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, THE THROTTLE WILL NOT RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION AND WILL REMAIN IN…

Consequence

IF THIS OCCURS DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A CRUISE CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP TO THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER TAB ON THE THROTTLE SHAFT IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE FROM COMING OUT OF ITS TRACK. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 12, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 03V303000 2003-08-20 7,874 affected

Defect

CERTAIN PASSENGER OR SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES MAY HAVE A LOOSE OR OUT OF POSITION FUEL FILLER HOSE CLAMP.

Consequence

THIS COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND TIGHTEN THE CLAMP ON THE FUEL FILLER HOSE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 27, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS

ENGINE

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Total complaints55

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“At 26,469 miles the harmonic balancer separated into two pieces while driving causing sudden loss of power steering. I contacted subaru for assistance with this know problem. They refused a free repair. I have been a master ase mechanic for over 25 years at a dealership and know repairs of this…”

ENGINE · reported 2023-05-22

“A smell of gas was present in the passenger area. I took it to my mechanic. He said the damper fuel assembly (part # 42086ae040) was leaking. It is a high pressure gas hose. Subaru no longer makes the part, making the car valueless. We tried junkyards, etc, but that part seems to be leaking on…”

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM · reported 2023-01-30

“I keep receiving safety recall letters about the airbag in this vehicle. This vehicle has been scrapped since july 2017. I could no longer get it to pass emissions. I have since then called the number on the letters several times to remove me from the notice list but I keep receiving them. I…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2020-08-14

“I keep receiving safety recall letters about the airbag in this vehicle. This vehicle has been scrapped since july 2017. I could no longer get it to pass emissions. I have since then called the number on the letters several times to remove me from the notice list but I keep receiving them. I…”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2020-08-14

“Tl* the contact owns a 2004 subaru legacy. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v000000 (air bags) however, the part for the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2019-12-20

“Tl* the contact owns a 2004 subaru legacy. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at 45 mph, the driver attempted to depress the brake paddle which went to the floor while the brake warning light illuminated. The contact depressed the parking brake to come to a complete stop…”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2019-12-10

“Takata recall: my car's been listed since last june. No contact whatsoever from subaru even though that's what I was told to expect. This is unacceptable. Luckily no incident so far, but the fields in this complaint form require dates, etc. So I'll use today's date.”

AIR BAGS · reported 2017-03-31

“Takata recall: my car has been listed for the recall since june 2016, but I have never been once contacted by subaru to come in for replacement. I have no incident, fortunately, but the field below requires a date, so I'll enter today's.”

AIR BAGS · reported 2017-03-31