There are 8 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2010 Subaru Legacyin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I’m having an issue with my vehicle stalling when I brake and when I come to a stop slowly or on an incline. I haven’t had it tested at a dealership but I have read about the issue among other Subaru owners stating it is possible the torque converter in the CVT and that Subaru isn’t recalling it. I see this as a major safety concern for myself and others on the road due to its stalling out at a stop or on an incline.
MANY WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD COME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. USUALLY THE LIGHTS FLASH OFF AND ON. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THE AUTO CHECKED BY A GARAGE SERVAL TIMES BUT THE VEHICLE INDICATES THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WHEN TESTED BY A TECHNICIAN. THIS PROBLEM HAS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE CAR. WHEN AN OIL CHANGE SHOP LEFT THE LID TO THE COOLANT SYSTEM OPEN I DID NOT RECOGNIZE THERE WAS A PROBLEM UNTIL I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND SAW STEAM COMING FROM THE ENGINE, IE MANY DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE FLASHING NOT JUST THE ONE FOR COOLANT SYSTEM. THE PROBLEM IS LIKE BOY WHO FALSELY CALLED "WOLF" TOO OFTEN.
THERE WAS A RECALL WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR AND THEY TOLD ME MY CAR WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL WHEN ITS DOING EXACTLY WHAT THE RECALL WAS FOR. I HAVE NO HORN, CRUISE CONTROL, NO RADIO CONTROLS AND I DON,T KNOW IF THE AIR BAG WORKS. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND SUBARU REFUSES TO REPAIR I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE $200. PLUS JUST TO DIAGNOSE IT WHEN THEY ALREADY KNOW WHAT IT IS. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
ANOTHER VEHICLE STOPPED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME ,HITTING THE FRONT OF MY CAR WITH FORCE. THEN THAT CAR ABRUPTLY LEFT THE SCENE. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF AND I WAS SEVERELY JOLTED. THEN THE CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES. I WAS IN A STATE OF SHOCK AND CONFUSION. LEFT THE SCENE AND RAN HOME AS MY BODY WAS IN TURMOIL. I HAD TO USE THE BATHROOM IMMEDIATELY. I THEN CALLED THE POLICE. REGARDING THE ACCIDENT. THE OTHER CAR HAS STILL NOT BEEN FOUND. PROGRESSIVE IS MY INSURANCE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A LOT IN TURNERSVILLE,N.J. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS ALL THE INFORMATION.
CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE BREAKING. USED TO HAPPEN WHEN STOPPED BUT NOW HAPPENS A FEW TIMES A DAY WHEN JUST TRYING TO BREAK. IT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT A FEW TIMES. THE CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE IN DRIVE, LIGHTS FLASH ON THE DASH, I HAVE TO PUT IN PARK AND TURN THE KEY OFF. IT STARTS UP FINE, BUT HAPPENS AGAIN AND AGAIN. IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT HALF A YEAR AND IS GETTING WORSE. NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIND ANY FAIL CODES OR ANYTHING.
CAR STALLS WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR BRAKING TO STOP. NO ERROR CODES OR ENGINE LIGHT WARNING. CAR STARTS RIGHT AFTER BUT STALLS AGAIN FREQUENTLY. CHECKED ALL FLUID LEVELS OK. HAPPENS WITH HOT OR COLD WEATHER.
ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014 MY SON LEFT FOR WORK AT HIS USUAL TIME AND STARTED THE SUBARU. IMMEDIATELY, THE ENGINE ROARED AT FULL THROTTLE, AND THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF DOWN THE STREET, WHERE IT JUMPED THE CURB AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AT 45 MPH. DISTANCE TRAVELED WAS LESS THAN 400 FEET FROM WHERE IT STARTED. BASED ON AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT, IT IS PRESUMED THAT THE VEHICLE SUFFERED AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION MECHANICAL ISSUE OUTSIDE OF THE DRIVER'S CONTROL. EMERGENCY SERVICE PERSONNEL ARRIVED WITHIN MINUTES, AND HE WAS TAKEN TO THE MAJOR METRO-AREA 833 BED HOSPITAL (LEVEL 1 TRAUMA CENTER) WHERE HE WAS ADMITTED TO CRITICAL CARE. HE DIED PEACEFULLY AND WITHOUT PAIN ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, NOVEMBER 26, 2014, AT AGE 37. SUBARU OF AMERICA WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS INCIDENT ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014; A DETAILED DESCRIPTION, POLICE CRASH REPORT, AND 18 PICTURES WERE PROVIDED, WITH A REQUEST FOR THEM TO INSPECT THE TOTALED VEHICLE AND DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE INFORMATION FROM THE BLACK BOX RECORDER/EVENT DATA RECORDER. (NOTE: AS OF TODAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2014 NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN).
THE 2010 SUBARU LEGACY GT HAS A DEFECT IN THE SENSOR THAT DETERMINES WEIGHT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS SENSORS FUNCTION IS TO TURN THE AIRBAG ON OR OFF DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT IN THE SEAT. WITH A 114 POUND WOMAN IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE AUTOMATIC AIRBAG SENSOR DOES NOT SIGNAL FOR THE AIRBAG TO BE READY TO DEPLOY AND CONTINUES TO BE IN THE OFF MODE. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO MULTIPLE SUBARU DEALERSHIPS, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE NEEDED WEIGHT TO TURN THE AIRBAGS TO THE ON MODE WAS 17 POUNDS. MY 114 POUND WIFE IS FAR MORE THAN 17 POUNDS BUT THE AIRBAG SENSOR STILL DOES NOT TRIP TO THE ON MODE. I AM WORRIED THAT A PASSENGER WILL NOT BE PROTECTED IN A POSSIBLE CRASH. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026