There are 13 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2012 Subaru Legacyin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Engine failed 3 cyclinders blew, car would not start, was able to drive car into parking lot (Einstein Bagels)before failure, otherwise could have been reared ended, as was in heavy traffic on westbound Dundee Road, in Palatine IL. Parking lot was near Dundee and Rand Road intersection
Car stalls when coming to a stop. This is a known problem with an active tsb but Subaru will not support repairs. This is dangerous when engine quits unexpectedly
A lot of the times when I am driving the car, it starts stallings until it turns off every time I try to stop. Sometimes when I am driving with my family I am afraid someone will hit my car, because it turn off. When im on freeways and alot of traffic jams im afraid because i have to stop alot and it turns off i have to always check behind so no one hits me. So please help on makeing this a recal, i see alot of people are having the same problems not just me. This can cause a bad accident so please do t wait for this to happen.
CAR INITIALLY BEGAN TO STALL EVERY TIME THE CAR WOULD COME TO A REST ON AN INCLINE, THEN BEGAN TO STALL WHILE TURNING (MOST OFTEN WHILE TURNING RIGHT AT LOW SPEEDS) AND THEN ADDITIONALLY BEGAN STALLING WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE TO BACK INTO PARKING SPACES. THIS PROGRESSION OCCURRED OVER THE PERIOD OF LESS THAN A MONTH. I CALLED DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT SERVICED. BEFORE I COULD GET AN APPOINTMENT FROM THE DEALER, THE ENGINE BEGAN CAUSING THE CAR TO MAKE A BUCKING MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY TO THE POINT I HAD TO PULL OFF AND DRIVE IT UNDER 10 MILES AN HOUR TO A SAFE LOCATION OFF THE ROAD. SINCE THE INITIAL DEALER COULDN'T GET ME IN (DUE TO SERVICING NUMEROUS AIRBAG AND WIPER RECALLS) I WENT TO A DIFFERENT DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS MISFIRING CYLINDERS 1,2, AND 3. THE ENGINE HAD HAVE THESE CYLINDERS RE-MACHINED, THE ENGINE WAS REBUILT, AND THE CAR GIVEN A TUNE-UP. THIS MADE THE BUCKING STOP, BUT THE STALLING PERSISTED- BUT WAS MORE INTERMITTENT. A MONTH LATER I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THE STALLING WAS DUE TO THE COMPUTER NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE ENGINE PROPERLY- AND THEY PERFORMED A "RE-LEARN TO SYSTEM" AND SAID THE CAR TESTED AS DESIGNED. IT IS STILL INTERMITTENTLY STALLING ON INCLINES AND WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE. TOTAL REPAIRS HAVE AMOUNTED TO OVER $4000 BETWEEN THE TOW, INITIAL ENGINE/CYLINDER REPAIR ATTEMPT, ENGINE REBUILD, AND SUBSEQUENT REPAIRS. IT SEEMS TO BE UNFIXABLE- AND I AM NOT THE ONLY SUBARU OWNER COMPLAINING OF IT. I HAVE HEARD FROM LEGACY AND OUTBACK OWNERS WITH SIMILAR STALL ISSUES (BUT NONE HAVE REPORTED THE BUCKING ISSUE THAT HAPPENED ON 7/5/19.
CAR STALLS WHEN BRAKING ABRUPTLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. IT SHUDDERS AND DIES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO COME TO A STOP. THE DEALER (MY AUTO IMPORT CENTER, 1860 E STERNBERG RD, MUSKEGON, MI 49444, (231) 799-2886) STATED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE ENGINE AND OFFERED TO ASSISTANT WITH 50% OF THE COSTS. THE PARTS THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY SINCE IT WAS 10,000 MILES OVER THE LIMIT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,700.
THE TORQUE CONVERTER OF MY CAR IS NOT SHUTTING OFF PROPERLY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL PERIODICALLY. THE CAR HAS STALLED WHILE I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING A TURN, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO LOCK UP, AND IT HAS STALLED WHILE I AM ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS CAR IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE, AND THE REPAIRS COST $2,200. MY CAR IS OVER 100,000 MILES SO THE WARRANTY WILL NO LONGER COVER THESE REPAIRS. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT SUBARU VIA THEIR WEBSITE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, BUT HAVE YET TO GET A RESPONSE. FOR NOW, MY CAR IS AT THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND I AM FORCED TO RELY ON FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOR TRANSPORTATION. I KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE 2012 SUBARU LEGACY VEHICLES, AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THAT THE COMPANY IS NOT OFFERING A RECALL ON THIS PART. I AM BEING FORCED TO JUMP THROUGH MULTIPLE HOOPS TO ATTEMPT TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED, AND SO FAR I HAVE NOT BEEN OFFERED ANY OPTION OTHER THAN TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET.
CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY 2.5. WHILE DRIVING AT LOWER SPEED AND APPROACHING A TURNING LANE AT A HEAVY TRAFFIC INTERSECTION FROM THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND SHUTTERED ABNORMALLY, THEN STALLED WITH ALL EARLY COMPUTER WARNING LIGHTS GOING OFF BEFORE ENGINE CUT. OWNER ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, BUT CAUTIOUSLY TAKEN TO DEALER TO DIAGNOSE WITH SAFETY CONCERNS WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OVER THREE HOURS LATER. MECHANIC STATED SYSTEMS ALL CHECKED OUT, BUT UNABLE TO SAY WHAT THE REASON WAS EVEN AFTER TEST DRIVING TWICE BY DIFFERENT WORKERS. MILEAGE JUST OVER 61,000. MULTIPLE SUBARU FORUMS LISTS THIS ISSUE WITH LEGACY, OUTBACK, AND OTHER MODELS (1998-CURRENT 2016) CITING HIGH SAFETY CONCERNS WARRANTING FURTHER INVESTIGATIVE REVIEW AND PLEASE BE ESCALATED.
HEAD GASKET BLOWN. WHILE VEHICLE WAS MOVING, COOLANT BACKED UP AND EVENTUALLY VENTED. COOLANT LEAKING HAPPENED BEFORE THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WARNED US ENGINE WAS HOT, AND WHEN IT SPLASHED, THE LIQUID AFFECTED THE FUNCTION OF THE BRAKES AND POWER STEERING. IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY. HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES BEFORE DIAGNOSIS
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND THEN CAUSES THE BRAKE, TRACTION AND CRUISE LIGHTS TO FLASH. THE LIGHTS WILL GO OFF AFTER SOME TIME, NOT CONSISTENTLY. SPARK PLUGS REPLACES TWO (2) COILS REPLACED STILL NO RESOLUTION. *TR
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND THEN CAUSES THE BRAKE, TRACTION AND CRUISE LIGHTS TO FLASH. THE LIGHTS WILL GO OFF AFTER SOME TIME, NOT CONSISTENTLY. NO AUTHORIZED SUBARU DEALER HAS BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OR EVEN RECORD THE EVENT. *TR
ENGINE STUMBLES AND ALMOST STALLS. I HAVE NOW 8500 MILES ON THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 10 TIMES SPORADICALLY TO THIS POINT. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR
PURCHASED BRAND NEW SUBARU LEGACY OCTOBER 31ST OF 2011. AFTER ONLY FIVE MONTHS AND 14,000 MILES BEGINNING IN MARCH OF 2012 I WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM(S) WITH MY LEGACY: LOW IDLING, BOGGING DOWN, AT OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND NEARLY STALLING OUT. THIS ISSUE IS STILL CONTINUING TO THIS DAY, SPORADICALLY. I NOW HAVE 25,500 MILES AND THERE IS NO SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. I EXPERIENCED THIS LOW IDLE, BOGGING DOWN, AND NEARLY STALLING OUT- AT THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTED MILEAGES: 14,989 MILES, 15,120 MILES,17,007 MILES, 17,714 MILES, 18,124 MILES I THEN BEGAN A MORE DETAILED LOG: 18,383 MILES, APRIL 19TH 2012, 3:23 P.M., 74 DEGREES. 20,074 MILES, MAY 2ND 2012, 12:37 P.M., 78 DEGREES, AND 80 MILES DRIVEN THAT MOMENT. 21,558 MILES, MAY 16TH 2012, 10:06 A.M., 74 DEGREES, AIR CONDITIONER ON, AND 50 MILES DRIVEN THAT MOMENT. 21,711 MILES, MAY 17TH 2012, 12:16 P.M., 67 DEGREES, 43 MILES DRIVEN THAT MOMENT. 22,899 MILES, MAY 25TH 2012, 2:20 P.M., 86 DEGREES, 107 MILES DRIVEN THAT MOMENT. 22,900 MILES, MAY 25TH 2012, 2:22 P.M., 86 DEGREES, 108 MILES DRIVEN THAT MOMENT. 23,454 MILES, DATE NOT LOGGED, 11:44 A.M., 84 DEGREES, 59 MILES DRIVEN THAT MOMENT. 24,977 MILES, JUNE 8TH 2012, 12:59 P.M. 75 DEGREES, 81 MILES DRIVEN THAT MOMENT. 25,378 MILES, JUNE 11TH 2012, 5:00 A.M., 64 DEGREES, 0 (ZERO) MILES DRIVEN THAT MOMENT. *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 25, 2026