2003 Subaru Legacy Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Subaru Legacy.

20022004
Complaints
69
Crashes
5
Fires
0
Injuries
5
Fatalities
Recalls
8

Worst 2003 Subaru Legacy Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#115 complaints

AIR BAGS

Avg mileage:120,972 mi
Crash-related:2
#27 complaints

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Avg mileage:131,699 mi
#35 complaints

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Avg mileage:13,444 mi
Considering a 2003 Subaru Legacy?

Check the actual VIN — every car is different.

This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).

Check VIN Free

All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Subaru Legacy.

AIR BAGS
15
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
120,972
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
131,699
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
13,444
ENGINE
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
120,048
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
68,678
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
21,368
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
33,681
TIRES
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
107,009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
100,000
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
113,500
SERVICE BRAKES
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
135,000
STRUCTURE
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
58,524
SUSPENSION
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
160,000
WHEELS
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
107,009
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
79,800
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
65,000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
200,000
POWER TRAIN
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
60,000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
79,800
STEERING
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
201,000
STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
58,000
TIRES:BEAD
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
1,500
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
20,000

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Subaru Legacy. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2003 Subaru Legacy

8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,445,190 vehicles.

20V001000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~258,813 affected

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, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

20V003000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~111,562 affected

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, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

20V002000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~127,547 affected

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, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

16V359000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~146,010 affected

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, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

16V358000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~302,127 affected

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, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

16V361000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~62,940 affected

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 Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, or "Zone C.". These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

15V323000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~432,016 affected

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 Outback vehicles manufactured February 18, 2003, to May 5, 2008, and 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to March 17, 2005. The affected vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.

14V763000AIR BAGS
~4,175 affected

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 Islands, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Florida and adjacent counties in southern Georgia, as well as the coastal areas of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Other Subaru Legacy Years

Wider context: See the full Subaru Legacy reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

Check Your Specific 2003 Subaru Legacy

Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.

Check Any VIN — $4.99