The 2021 Subaru Legacy has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 214,735 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the unknown or other. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
AIR BAGS24V2270002024-03-22118,723 affected
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.
Consequence
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
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.
POWER TRAIN23V7550002023-11-0995,830 affected
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.
Consequence
An inoperative inhibitor switch may prevent the reverse lights from illuminating and the rearview camera image from displaying, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
POWER TRAIN22V4850002022-07-08182 affected
Defect
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Outback and Legacy vehicles. A programming error in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) may allow the clutch to engage before the drive chain is completely clamped.
Consequence
An improperly secured drive chain may slip and break, causing a loss of drive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will reprogram the TCU, inspect TCU data for chain slip, and visually inspect the chain guide. If evidence of chain slippage or damage is found, the transmission will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2022. Owners may…
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Vehicle: 2021 subaru legacy base 2.5i mileage:~65,000 miles my engine suddenly began making loud internal knocking/tapping noises with no warning lights, no overheating, and no prior symptoms. The vehicle immediately became unsafe to operate. I had it towed to a subaru dealership, where…”
“Car intermittently will studder and not go into first gear or go into second gear dangerously having car bog down and almost stall and then it violently downshifts having car rmp hague go very high then slip and have no power to wheels and then a few seconds later go into second gear violently…”
“See attached document for complaint.”
“The contact owns a 2021 subaru legacy. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds during colder weather, the heater failed to operate as intended. Additionally, the eyesight system was inoperable. The check engine and other unknown warning lights were displayed. In addition, the…”
“The contact owns a 2021 subaru legacy. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds during colder weather, the heater failed to operate as intended. Additionally, the eyesight system was inoperable. The check engine and other unknown warning lights were displayed. In addition, the…”
“Subaru has released a service bulletin regarding concerns with the thermo control valve in specific vehicles. Unfortunately, individuals with vehicles bearing a rebuilt title, including myself, are required to cover expenses exceeding $2,000 out of their own pockets. Despite evidence indicating…”
“Cvt transmission failure. Failure occurred at approximately 66,706 miles on 5/16/25. The check engine and at temp lights appeared in the instrument cluster. The driving conditions when this happened were a safety concern. First, the vehicle would crawl, shutter, and almost stall with high rpms…”
“Dear nhtsa team, I am writing to report a recurring and distressing issue with my subaru legacy 2021 which I believe raises significant safety concerns. Since purchasing the vehicle, I have experienced consistent problems with the battery. Despite replacing the battery five times, the vehicle has…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2021 Subaru Legacy as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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