Last updated: 2026-10-10
2019 Subaru Legacy Reliability Report
The 2019 Subaru Legacy has good reliability, but windshields that crack with little impact are its most common owner complaint.
Recalls
3
Complaints
123
Complaint Rate
35.1per 10,000 sold
Est. Repair Cost
$563
Annual Fuel Cost
$2,050–$2,600
Detailed Score Breakdown
Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume
Independent repair cost ratings
Recall count weighted by severity
Breadth of reported problem categories
The Verdict
Close to average among 2019 sedans but weaker than most Legacy years, with frequent windshield cracking and touchscreen failures.
Top Issues to Watch
- VISIBILITY/WIPER (46)
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (34)
- ENGINE (5)
Generation & Refresh (US)
2019 is year 5 of the Sixth generation (BN/BS).
- Redesigned for the 2015 model year.
- Well-established in its generation — most early issues should be resolved.
- 6th generation Legacy (US).
What this means for buyers
Well into the generation cycle — most design and manufacturing issues should be resolved by now.
2015: Sixth generation (BN/BS) Launch
Generation start — new platform.
2019: This Model Year
2019 is year 5 of the Sixth generation (BN/BS).
Should You Buy the 2019 Subaru Legacy?
Good, but not the best of its run. Reliability is good and close to average among 2019 sedans, yet it sits among the weaker of the eight scored Legacy years. The 2018 and 2020 models rate about the same. It earns 5 of 5 federal crash stars, and model-wide repair costs run slightly above its class.
Windshields are the main problem, with 46 complaints. Glass cracks with little or no impact, sometimes overnight, with early cracks at about 3,300 to 5,500 miles. Some owners are on a third or fourth windshield. Touchscreens delaminate at roughly 34,000 to 50,000 miles and then register phantom touches. A few owners report hesitation pulling away from a stop at 56,000 to 65,000 miles. Federal records show 3 recalls, two for the fuel system.
Ask for windshield replacement history and recall completion records. Check the screen for bubbles and confirm the battery holds after the car sits a few days.
Compared to the 2020 Subaru Legacy, which scored 2 points lower. See also the 2018 Subaru Legacy for an earlier comparison.
Pros
- +Acceptable reliability score
- +Infrequent unscheduled repairs
- +Low major repair risk (12%)
Cons
- −Moderate recall count
- −Above-average complaint rate for Sedan
- −VISIBILITY/WIPER: Windshields crack with little or no impact, often while the car sits parked... (46 complaints)
Compare 2019 Subaru Legacy With
2019 Toyota Camry
Reliability: 70/100
2019 Honda Accord
Reliability: 70/100
2019 Nissan Altima
Reliability: 72/100
2019 Hyundai Sonata
Reliability: 71/100
2019 Chevrolet Malibu
Reliability: 74/100
Common Problem Categories
Safety
LOW RISK- 3 manufacturer recalls issued
Other
HIGH RISK- VISIBILITY/WIPER (46)
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (34)
Recall Overview
3
recalls on record
A moderate 3 recalls are on file for the 2019 Subaru Legacy. Each one points to a specific safety or compliance issue identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA — check the list below before buying.
NHTSA.gov →Complaint Breakdown
35.1
per 10,000 soldSegment avg: 19.1
Safety Incidents
2
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
NHTSA 5/5 Stars
Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.
2019 Subaru Legacy Recall Details
3 recalls have been issued for the 2019 Subaru Legacy. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.
Consequence
If the low pressure fuel pump fails, the engine may stall without the ability to restart the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-20.
STRUCTURE
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Legacy and Outback vehicles. Spot welds located on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, impacting the vehicle's body strength.
Consequence
In the event of a crash, the reduced strength of the vehicle body may increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and repair or repurchase the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUH-93.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
Buying a used 2019 Subaru Legacy? Check its history first
Visibility/wiper problems lead owner complaints about the 2019 Subaru Legacy, and 3 recalls were issued for it. A VIN check shows whether this car's recall work was done, plus accident, title, and odometer history.
- Accidents
- Open Recalls
- Title History
- Odometer Rollback
2019 Subaru Legacy NHTSA Safety Ratings
Overall Safety Rating
Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)
Gas Powertrain
Rollover risk: 10.1%
Safety Technologies
Subaru LegacyRepair Costs & Maintenance
Maintenance Rating
4Maintenance rating: 4 out of 5Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.
Est. Annual Maintenance
$563
vs $526 avg for midsize cars
vs $652 avg for all vehicles
Repair Frequency
0.3
unscheduled repair visits per year
Severe Repair Probability
12%
chance of a major repair
Annual Cost Comparison
Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.
MPG & Annual Running Costs
Gas
23–29 MPG
Running cost: $2,600–$3,150/yr
Fuel + repair
20–25 city / 28–34 hwy MPG
Running cost includes EPA fuel-cost estimate and independent repair-cost data (repair cost estimated at model level). Excludes routine maintenance, depreciation, and insurance. Data as of 2019 EPA label cycle.
Gas trims
| Trim | Drive | Trans. | City | Hwy | Comb | Fuel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy AWD 2.5L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AV-S7) | 25 | 34 | 29 | $2,050 |
| Legacy AWD 3.6L 6-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AV-S6) | 20 | 28 | 23 | $2,600 |
Used Buying Checklist
Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2019 Subaru Legacy.
Inspect the whole windshield, especially the lower corners, for chips and cracks, and ask how many times it has been replaced.
After any windshield replacement, ask for proof that EyeSight was recalibrated and check that no EyeSight warnings appear.
Use the touchscreen for several minutes and look for bubbles, white spots, phantom touches, station skipping, or a blocked backup camera view.
Ask for battery receipts. Several batteries in a short span suggest a parasitic drain from the DCM module.
Pull away gently from a stop several times and feel for hesitation, shaking, or a near stall.
Drive highway curves and straight stretches, and watch for a dead spot on center or a wheel that pulls on its own.
Look under the engine for oil seepage and ask the owner whether the car burns oil between changes.
Check that the driver's mirror can be set to show the blind spot and that the blind spot warning light works every time.
2019 Subaru Legacy Common Problems by Component
123 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
46 complaintsWindshields crack with little or no impact, often while the car sits parked overnight or in a garage. Reports describe a pop followed by a crack running from the lower edge across the glass, and a tiny chip can spread to a foot or more within hours. Repeat failures are common. Some cars are on a third or fourth windshield, and replacement glass cracks too. Early cracks appear around 3,300 to 5,500 miles. Dealers often decline coverage, owners pay out of pocket, and many see the weakened glass as a safety risk.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
34 complaintsThe infotainment touchscreen delaminates, with bubbles or white spots behind the glass. It then registers phantom touches, skips radio stations, refuses to turn off, and dials phone contacts unprompted. Spots can block the backup camera view. Reports place this between 34,000 and 50,000 miles. A second pattern is a battery that dies after the car sits for a few days. New batteries do not fix it, and owners and shops point to a parasitic drain from the DCM module. One report describes the engine racing past 6000 RPM at a stop while the brakes held the car.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
15 complaintsSafety-relatedWindshields crack repeatedly without a clear impact. One owner reports three cracks within 18 months, and another paid $500 for glass plus EyeSight calibration. The infotainment screen also delaminates and turns erratic, changing screens, switching stations, and calling contacts on its own until it freezes. One report blames a battery drain on the DCM. More serious cases are rare. One car caught fire after a small front collision and was a total loss. Another revved and lurched forward at a red light with every dash warning lit.
ENGINE (5 complaints)
ENGINE
5 complaintsReports are few and scattered. A plugged catalytic converter at 56,000 miles overheated and damaged the O2 sensors, lit the check engine light, and switched off safety features. Another car leaks oil from the cam carrier seal at 80,000 miles, and its owner worries about oil dripping onto the exhaust. Other complaints describe oil burning without a visible leak, brief stalls with an odd engine noise at about 15,000 miles, and repeated dead batteries from a parasitic drain.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (4 complaints)
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
4 complaintsPower drops off when pulling away from a stop. The engine hesitates, shakes, and feels close to stalling, sometimes in the middle of an intersection with traffic behind. Reports place this around 56,000 to 65,000 miles, and owners suspect the fuel pump. In one case the pump failed outright and the car shut down near a busy intersection without warning. The remaining complaint is a dealer dispute over which service bulletin steps to perform during fuel tank work.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (3 complaints)
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
3 complaintsSafety-relatedEyeSight driver aids fail to prevent low-speed collisions. Two of the three complaints involve crashes. In one, reverse automatic braking did not stop the car before it backed into a parked vehicle. In the other, adaptive cruise accelerated into the car ahead without a warning. The third describes a sudden loss of speed control in heavy highway traffic. The driver later traced it to cruise control switched on by accidentally pressing a steering wheel button.
STEERING (3 complaints)
STEERING
3 complaintsThe wheel can lose power assist or move on its own. One report describes power steering that stops working. Another describes the wheel turning left unprompted at 30 mph, then jerking left and stiffening during a turn at 45 mph, at only 2,400 miles. The dealer could not reproduce it, and warning lights appeared later. A third describes a dead spot on center and a change in feel while unwinding out of highway curves, with the car turning in harder than expected.
VISIBILITY (2 complaints)
VISIBILITY
2 complaintsWindshield glass cracks without any impact. In one report this happened at about 50,000 miles, and the manufacturer said it could not help after the glass was replaced. The other complaint concerns the driver's side mirror, which cannot be angled to show a car in the blind spot, and a blind spot warning light that comes on inconsistently. With only two reports, no broader pattern is visible here.
POWER TRAIN (1 complaints)
POWER TRAIN
1 complaintCVT failed at 85,000 miles. It started slipping and squealing and had to be replaced by the dealership. The car was never driven rough, in mountainous terrain, etc. Very disappointing.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES (1 complaints)
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
1 complaintMy husband was driving on [XXX] and the hood of the Subaru flew up, cracking the entire windshield, damaging the exterior of the roof and interior of the roof, the whole hood and frame where the hood meets the car. The car was driven but escorted by local PD to body shop. Less than 48 hrs before the incident, the car was at Paul Miller Subaru for a routine oil change. They were the last people to touch the hood of the car. Paul Miller Subaru has been an absolute nightmare to work with and is avoiding all contact. We are out of a vehicle entirely and they did not even offer to give us a loaner. They were incredibly defensive and rude and all of our friends and family that have leases or cars with them are pulling out of them for their safety and lives. Subaru Customer Advocacy and their Quality Assurance team went out to do an inspection on the vehicle after I opened up a case with them. Case # [XXX] 1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783) Ext.119109. They reported that the the secondary/safety latch was "damaged and destroyed by an outside source". The technician at the dealership destroyed the latch during the oil change. The body shop also confirmed the cause of the incident as well. Our vehicle is currently being repaired so the old/destroyed parts would be available for inspection if needed. My husbands safety was at risk because if he was going faster, or if there was a car infront or behind him when he came to a full stop after the flew up, it would have been fatal. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. They first appeared once the hood flew up. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
When Do 2019 Subaru Legacy Problems Start?
Based on owner complaint patterns, here's when common issues tend to appear.
Best & Worst Subaru Legacy Years
Best Subaru Legacy Years to Buy
Based on reliability index scoreSubaru Legacy Years to Avoid
2020
2019
(Current Model)
Subaru Legacy Reliability Score Trend
Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.
| Year | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 70/100 | Good |
| 2019 | 69/100 | Good |
| 2020 | 67/100 | Good |
| 2021 | 75/100 | Good |
| 2022 | 77/100 | Good |
| 2023 | 77/100 | Good |
| 2024 | 81/100 | Excellent |
| 2025 | 80/100 | Excellent |
Subaru Legacy Reliability Compared to Other Years
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2019 Subaru Legacy reliable?
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Subaru Legacy?
Does the 2019 Subaru Legacy have windshield problems?
Does the 2019 Subaru Legacy have infotainment screen problems?
How many recalls does the 2019 Subaru Legacy have?
Don’t buy a 2019 Subaru Legacy without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.
How we score the 2019 Subaru Legacy
Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2019 Subaru Legacy does best on repair costs (80/100) and worst on complaint severity (53/100). Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.
Get notified when new recalls or reliability data is added for the Subaru Legacy.
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