NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Subaru Legacy. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Major fuel leak within engine bay
The battery has died several times and had to be replaced over the years due to a likely slow drain issue that Subaru is well aware of and was part of a class action suit against them.
My 2017 Legacy is on it's 3rd windshield this year. I had impact damage on July 17th, had it replaced the first week of August, and it cracked without impact damage in October. Subaru refused to replace it under warranty and it was replaced through insurance in December. The genuine Subaru replacement windshields for 2015-2019 Legacy and Outback models appear to be defective and this should be investigated.
I drove into the parking lot of Walgreens, then drove around and pulled into a parking spot facing the south side of the building and put my foot on the brake to stop and park. Instead of stopping, the car suddenly lurched forward violently and slammed into the brick wall of the building. My wife called 911 since I told her my chest really hurt. When the police came, I told them my foot must have slipped off the brake and hit the accelerator, since I had no idea what else might have caused the car to accelerate like that. My wife drove the car home and then drove to the ER where the EMTs had taken me. A CT scan showed that I had a fractured sternum, since my chest hit the steering wheel full force after the air bags failed to deploy. I was in excruciating pain for a few weeks, and after I felt better, we submitted a claim to our insurance company. We then took our 2017 Subaru Legacy to a certified Subaru collision repair center. We were shocked to find that the car was totaled, since it was still drivable. Something kept bothering us about the crash, since EyeSight should have applied the brakes if I had accidentally accelerated and it detected a brick wall in front of our car. After some research, we stumbled on the information about the Class-Action Lawsuit that was just settled by Subaru for reports of Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA). The description of what happens with SUA was exactly what I experienced, but this was the first we had heard of it. We were never notified about the lawsuit, even though our VIN number shows our car was involved. Our Subaru dealership had all our contact information since we bought our Legacy from them and they have done all the maintenance work on it. Unfortunately, we released our car to Copart as part of our insurance settlement, so there’s no way to check the EDR data. PLEASE let others know about this major safety issue before anyone else is seriously injured!
The OCS sensor is faulty and doesn’t detect a passanger and may cause the airbag not to deploy, this is common according to other Subaru owners. This is a common problem on many cars and those cars have been recalled
The mirror drivers side mirror wiggles. I. The even of a battery failure the electrical brake may fail
The key constantly stuck in ignition. Sometimes 10 minutes to get out. Then won’t start ignition Key broke off in ignition … your stuck with this situation that Subaru is pretending to not know about
The HOOD LATCH Failed, and hood came up at 70 mph on interstate. This has caused extensive damage.
Electric Power Steering failure
the key gets stuck in the ignition and you have to slide the shifter back in forth till it unlocks. I'm showing recall on other Subaru but not on mine ? or at least my year of car. why is that ? everyday its takes longer and longer to get the key to release.
The car had been going on several local stops. Car was in the middle of a main thoroughfare ready to turn on to interstate ramp when the car completely stopped functioning. Battery light came on briefly before the vehicle became completely non-responsive. Among other things non-functioning, Emergency lights would not work, electric park brake would not engage. Could not get out of car to flee danger as car would freely roll and no way to stop except to hold brake with foot pressed. Ultimately car was chocked and jumped by AAA tow truck. Technician said battery was dead but alternator was working when he started it up. After 3 days of diagnostics, Subaru dealer cannot find a fault which let the new auto battery simply drain to nothing state and thus make the car non-responsive. Thank the good Lord this did not happen after turning on to the interstate.
Hood released and blew open while doing 50 mph. After checking oil level, I closed and verified hood was latched, which it was. Driving about 2miles down road, hood blew up causing instant panic and stopping. After pulling over, I found that the hood would no longer latch. I had to use a hammer to bend the latch forward enough to have it latch again.
On May 16, 2023 I was driving a friend home. We were stopped at a red light and felt an impact. My friend said, "You've been hit." I went out to check. No one had hit the car. It had lurched forward while my foot was on the brake. On 6/1/23 I pulled out of a driveway, car was in drive, foot on brake, paused to set GPS, car lurched forward. I brought to the dealer. They said they drove it for seven miles and could not duplicate the problem. About a year prior, the car had also lurched, but at that time I was in drive doing approx 30 mph, and I used the brake to slow it back to my speed. At that time the dealer found some leak in the transmission and, I believe, changed a gasket. These problems are intermittent and did not register on the car's computer, according to the dealer. Have you had any such complaint? Is my car safe?
When i brought car in for an oil change. cam carrier leak, was reported to me that there was a cam carrier leak. When i look online there are countless reports of this. Seems like there could be something faulty with the engine. Subaru offered to cover the repair as a 1 time curtesy. But if there is an issue with the design of an engine then this should be looked at further. The rear brushings are also failing don't think this should happen so quickly, maybe faulty brushings. no warning lights.
When running on a highway and you press down on the accelerator hard to merge onto a highway or go around a vehicle to move out of the way of vehicles quickly coming up behind you, the engine takes over and speeds up on its own. It has occurred three times on a newly purchased used car and it will increase speed up to 100mph. You have to press intermittently on the brakes to pull over to the shoulder and turn off the car for five minutes for the car to reset. If you try to just break, you get a burning smell. I see two class action lawsuits on similar acceleration issues for 2015 to 2017 Outback/Legacy series.
Driving to work in the morning I began slowing down for a red light. When the vehicle get to ten miles an hour there was a loud bang and felt like the car downshifting. I stopped and checked nothing was abnormal , no warning lights or and signs of damage or failure and the vehicle continued to function normally. So I proceeded to work roughly 20 miles. About 30 minutes later as I was on the off ramp and at about the same speed of 10 miles per hour the vehicle had multiple loud bangs followed but screaching and metal grinding. I was at my job so I pulled into the parking lot as to not get stuck in the road. The vehicle made one more louder bang and all the warning light illuminated and the vehicle lost all ability to drive. Underneath was a puddle off oil. This vehicle has 89,000 miles and to have thus happen to the transmission for no apparent reason was a shock and disappointment. I felt my heart drop as this morning could have ended alot worse while I was on the road and express way surrounded by other motorist. Transmission should not disintegrate or complete fail at this mileage unless they are defective. This was not what was expected in safety and durability from this manufacturer.
Vehicle's batter discharges to the point where the vehicle has to be jumped or battery charged up. The vehilce had two batteries replaced in a span of 6 months and after the last repalcement I checked the batter about one month later and found the battery dead, 11.7 volts, I recharged the battery and made an appointment with the Subaru dealer in Santa Fe, NM. They checked the battery, which I could have done, said I needed to drive the vehicle once or twice a week for an hour to maintain the battery. This is not consistant with other Subaru's and other vehicle I have owned and I remind you that this is a brand new battery. In looking online I did notice there have been some complaints about the battery and charging systems drawdown above the normal levels. Subaru would not check the drawdown level of the vehicle.
The catalytic converter has been replaced twice and is now needing a third replacement. The car emits gas fumes, unsafe emissions, and the fuel causes the mechanism to be extremely hot and unsafe. Over time, the car has had reduced gas flow and will stop running. The dealer has confirmed the three converters installed have been defective. The manufacturer, Subaru, was contacted to inspect the car but refused. Precious years have recalls of the fuel mechanisms. The check engine light stays on when unsafe emissions are detected.
I have a problem of the car not starting several times now. If I do not drive it for several days the battery has to be jumped. I have purchased a jump starter to have in my car to make sure I am not stranded. If I do not have this I would be stuck. I noticed this after I bought the car and the dealer replaced the battery since it was under warranty in 2020. Now I have no warranty and the issue continues. I got a oil service last month at my dealership and my paperwork said everything is ok with my battery and connectors. I did not have the issue then since I was driving more. I noticed the other models have had the issue and got recalled for the part I think is called the (CAN ) that keeps the battery charged when it is parked. I believe the car has a problem I need to be checked. I told the dealership several years ago that I do not drive the car too much now and they told me to purchase a jump starter, but did not seem to take me seriously when I told them the car is still not starting when it sits for several days. I hope this is reported to the company too.
The car's battery does not recharge the battery adequately, or retain a charge for a reasonable amount of time. I have a jumpstarting device that I keep in the car because the battery dies so frequently. There are no after market parts in the car, or modifications apart from maintenance performed by Subaru.
Left town for 3 weeks and upon return the battery was dead. This happened the last time the car was not driven for several weeks, in Spring of 2020. A new battery was purchased at that time, even though the original battery was only ~3.5 years old. The current battery is only 2.5 years old and should be able to hold a charge for 3 weeks. Every time the car goes for an extended time without being driven, something in the electrical system drains the battery. Its very frustrating and time consuming to deal with.
Battery went dead had it charged - went dead shortly after. Replaced battery and within a year of replacing with a brand new battery it is dead again. Car was on side of the road where I parked it. There is a Class action suit on the battery life but if we need to keep doing this every year or so that is a problem. Called the dealer to see if there is anything they can do to alleviate the problem and they really have no answer. First battery lasted about 2-3 years Second battery lasted about a year and will probably go two with several jump starts along the way as was the case with the first.
Feb 2020 dead battery April 2020 dead battery April bought new battery 2020 April 2022 dead battery Oct 2022 dead battery
Battery is draining and going dead even though battery and starter are new and battery is good. Needs to be jumped to start randomly, leaving me stranded. Has been happening for over a year despite battery replacement and starter replacement. No warning lamps or messages prior to failure, just won't turn over. Understand class action saying its a software problem, but Subaru never contacted us to correct this. Last time it occured is listed below
The battery frequently dies. Has had to be replaced multiple times. The mechanic has checked and doesn’t know why.
Battery draining. Car won't start
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated while attempting to remove the key from the ignition, the key remained stuck in the ignition. The contact restarted the vehicle, shifted to reverse and back to park, and was able to remove the key from the ignition. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but the vehicle was not diagnosed. The mechanic stated that sometimes the key might get rusted, causing it to be difficult to remove from the ignition. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
Unexplained battery drain on my 2017 Subaru Legacy. Had to jump the vehicle on two different occasions. Brought the vehicle to the dealer and was told I needed a new battery. Cost to me was $235.78. I now hear that there has been an issue with Subaru batteries and a class action lawsuit has been filed. How do I join the lawsuit or file for a reimbursement for the battery I had to buy?
This vehicle has had two batteries replaced since it was bought in 5/2016. I believe is the same issue with the other newer models already in a lawsuit. I has left me stranded by failing to start without any warning, over four times because the car will charge work fine and then it died.
Driving on the highway all of a sudden my windshield cracked. It was due to stress nothing hit the window
My battery is constantly draining and having corrosion. I have replaced the battery 3 times in 5 years
Windshield on this vehicle cracked for no reason.
Windshield glass cracks very easily from rocks. In the last year I’ve had 7 cracks form. I’ve never had this trouble with any other vehicle including a 2012 Subaru that I own and drive just as much. This impairs my vision and decreases the windshield integrity. I have claimed all windshield through my insurance and it has been very expensive. The only glass I can replace the windshields with is Subaru glass. The quality is very poor. I will upload the 2 most recent cracks.
Crack appeared starting from below the passenger windshield wiper on the windshield out of the blue, while sitting in driveway.
The original windshield cracked starting at the bottom left corner and quickly spread across the entire window. I went to Subaru and paid to replace the window. Within 2 weeks the window had cracked again and spread across the entire window.
A 2017 Subaru Legacy was stopped on a hill, on the shoulder of a two lane service road. The driver, who was the car owner, placed the gear selector in park, left the motor idling, exited the vehicle, closed the driver side door, loaded several logs into the trunk, and slammed the trunk. The passenger remained in the vehicle, seated in the passenger seat. The motor idled for about 10 minutes after the driver exited the vehicle. No alarms sounded to alert the driver or passenger that the car was not left as intended—motor running and in park. The vehicle remained completely stationary for about 10 minutes until the passenger reached over and pushed the ignition button to turn off the engine. At this time, the vehicle started to roll forwards down the hill. The passenger was not able to climb over the center console into the driver seat, but found she was was able to steer the vehicle. The passenger steered the vehicle by reaching over from the passenger seat. The passenger steered the vehicle onto the service road and away from a group of people standing on the shoulder in front of the car down-hill from the vehicle. She steered the vehicle through an open chain-link gate. The service road ends at the bottom of the hill in a T with a public road— Glenallen Avenue. The car crossed the public road that momentarily was without traffic. The car continued onto the shoulder on the far side of Glenallen Avenue where it finally was stopped by crashing into a tree. The air bags deployed. The passenger sustained a fractured left hand, a fracture of the right shoulder and sprained right foot. The passenger pushed the ignition again and the gear selector in case the engine was still running, because she feared a potential explosion. Her injuries required medical attention, and she was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The car manufacturer was contacted. The insurance company determined that the vehicle was destroyed and not able to be repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 16,100.
Hello! We have a 2017 Subaru Legacy 2.5I LM that was purchased used in 2018. Since the purchase of the vehicle, we have had to replace the battery 3x. The vehicle cannot seem to hold a charge, despite frequent use. Neither the car dealership we sold the vehicle to nor the Subaru dealership can seem to figure out what the issue is, however, it does seem to possibly align with this vehicle having battery charge issues. Feel free to connect for service records or additional info.
The windshield cracked for no apparent reason. Because my wife works from home the car sat in the driveway for over a week and when she went out to use the car she noticed the windshield was cracked.
The contact owned a 2017 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 - 45 MPH on a two-lane road, he attempted to overtake the driver in front and crashed head-on into a vehicle coming in the opposite direction. The contact stated that the driver's front air bag failed to deploy however, both side curtain air bags deployed as needed. The contact stated that he suffered two fractures to his sternum along with other chest injuries. The contact stated that he was informed by the police officer that the other driver did not require medical attention. The contact was transported from the scene by ambulance to the local hospital. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The contact stated that the insurance provider declared the vehicle a total loss. The contact attempted to reach the manufacturer on several occasions but was unable to speak with a representative. The approximate failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
MY WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED WHILE THE CAR WAS SITTING IN MY GARAGE. THE CRACK IS IN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD JUST ABOVE THE DEFROSTER. IT IS APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET LONG WITH 2 PERPENDICULAR CRACKS RADIATING FROM IT. I AM CONTACTING THE SUBARU DEALER FOR REPAIR.
Vehicle is difficult to control, especially when driving on uneven roads, or when it is windy. It takes a lot of effort to keep the car in one lane. The ride is rough, and you can hear and feel every little bump in the road. More than a rough ride, this will oftentimes throw my vehicle off path which feels like the car is not in my control momentarily. For instance, it will follow the direction of any cracks/grooves in the road, despite both my hands being on the wheel. This deviation requires immediate correction or risk collision. A passing vehicle moving at a high rate of speed will also push my car off track, which is obviously dangerous on the freeway.
Windshield cracked in the bottom left corner
Make noise in the front driver site every time when I drive over bad roads
Car seems to have an electrical issue. Battery dies several times a year. Sometimes, you can jump it, but not always.
Vehicle has not release the key three times so I had to figure things out in 30 minutes each time
Repeated failure to start due to dead battery. Original battery replaced and replacement battery continued to die 2 or 3 more times. $250 electrical testing by Subaru specialty shop found nothing out of spec. Two American Automobile Association service calls found nothing out of spec. Concerned about getting stranded when traveling outside of your home area. No warning lights during drives prior to battery failing to start car. Most recent failure was in September, 2021.
The windshield formed a crack towards the bottom of the passenger side and was about 3-5inches to start. Over time, the crack grew to approximately over 1ft. Later on, another crack began forming on the drivers side of the windshield, also starting at only a few inches, and now has grown into almost 1ft long. Am in process of looking to have it repaired, but have not set a date yet. Having a cracked windshield is an overall safety risk any time you drive the car due to it's ability to impact visibility as it grows/becomes worse. The windshield has not yet been inspected by: manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, but has been seen during State Inspection. There were no warnings/messages/symptoms before seeing the crack - They first appeared a day or two after I had recently had my car's oil changed at an autobody shop. My friend noticed it when sitting in the car when we got in at my driveway. There are no signs of malicious or accidental damage present where the crack begins, and no signs of a dent from a rock chipping the windshield.
In 4 1/2 years of ownership I have had to replace the battery three times and the front window twice. My other car travels more miles over similar roads and has had no issues. The Subaru has been in the shop for window replacement and the recalibration of the safety system twice. It has been in the shop at least four times for battery issues.
I do not know what caused the fire, but maybe the battery or something electrical. The car stalled and the. I re-started the car and no warning lights came on the dashboard. I then parked the car. Upon exiting I noticed the front driver’s hood smoking. I went into the bank was parked at and within minutes my car was in flames. The entire engine burned and my car is totaled. A fire marshal was coincidentally on scene and documented the entire event. Currently, this car is under investigation by both my insurance company Liberty Mutual and also Subaru. No warning lights were lit on the car. A fire and police report have been filed, and I have many pictures. If this car had gone on fire in my garage my house would also have burned.
Almost hit a deer on Meredith Center road New Hampshire my display warning did not go off cost $12,000 worth of impact on the front end of the car the airbags did not go off deploy broke ribs
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026