Most common 1999 Subaru Legacy problems
Share of the 94 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Subaru Legacy complaints by model year
Best Legacy years: 2023, 2025, 2021. Years to avoid: 2015, 2016, 2011, 2020, 2019. Compare all years →
1999 Subaru Legacy recalls (3)
Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with front coil springs originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new york, new jersey, new hampshire, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island,…
Remedy: Dealers will notifiy customers to bring their vehicle to an authorize dealership to have a spring guard installed on both front struts to prevent tire puncture and replace any broken springs free of charge.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder
Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles equipped with anti-lock braking system (ABS). (the 1999 2.2 liter legacy vehicles are excluded). In extremely cold weather, the brake pedal goes to the floor and the vehicle stopping distance is increased.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, also service parts supplied to Subaru dealers are involved (lot numbers f01 j21d2, f01 j30d2, f02 j09d1, f02 j09d2, and f02 j20d1). The purolator oil filter cans used on these vehicles can fracture causing a vaporized oil spray and subsequent oil leak.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace these engine oil filters.
What 1999 Subaru Legacy owners say
Transmission & drivetrain
Tl contact owns a 1999 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that the transmission will shift into neutral without warning. There is a 15-20 second delay when shifting the vehicle from park to drive. The vehicle was diagnosed as needing a new transmission. The purchase date was unknown. The current mileage is 86,000 and failure mileage was 83,000. The consumer stated lou thomas suburu informed him the transmission could be repaired for $3400 close to the value of the car, but the consumer never had the car fixed at that repair shop. The consumer shopped at other transmission shops one informed could rebuild the transmission but would results May not be good. The consumer purchased a transmission from the salvage yard had it installed and found that it was infact defective. The consumer stated the vehicle has not been fixed to satisfaction and been parked ever since. Updated 07/06/07
Automatic transmission problem: hesitates going into gear. Get stuck in neutral. Shift through the gears to see if it will go into gear. Then try revving engine to slip it into gear. It can suddenly catch into gear and then the car surges forward or backwards, causing a dangerous situation. According to complaint sites on the internet, this is a common problem in 5 years of Subaru vehicles. This is not acceptable. Repair shop said the seals are "going" and I will likely need a new or rebuilt transmission. Subaru should acknowledge the problem and offer a free fix. The car slipped into gear in a parking lot the other day (finally) and my car surged forward, almost hitting another car. I am no longer driving this vehicle (too dangerous).
Engine & cooling
Leaking coolant and replaced radiator, thermostat and still leaking and started to overhead. Found out it was head baskets and did research on recalls for this year make and model. Found out on forums that there were multiple problems with both types of engines that year the single and dual overhead cam engines and all around the same mileage, but only the single overhead cam engine had the recall. I feel there should be a recall on the dual overhead cam engine as well.
Car has pulled to the right since purchase. Purchased vehicle late sept., 1998. Ac did not work very well, but weather was cool and it was not a pressing issue. The following spring/summer, took in for repairs to dealer in evansville. Ac still worked intermittently. Accident 5/19/99 where I rear-ended a van at approx. 20 MPH., airbags did not deploy. Ac still only working intermittently. On 9/17/99, after driving the car approximately 25 miles at 65 MPH, I noticed the temp gauge was above the "h" and pulled over. The car died and never restarted. Overheated to the extent that after engine died, smoke billowed out the exhaust/tail pipe and over 3 hours after the car was shut off, radiator fluid still boiled over when added. Dealer unable to provide explanation for overheating or ac problems. Subaru regional representative has refused to return my calls for questions about the repairs.
Speed control & acceleration
Tl contact owns a 1999 Subaru Legacy. While driving 2 MPH, the contact released the accelerator pedal. Before the brake could be applied, the vehicle lunged forward and crashed into a building. The vehicle was towed to the insurance company. Both the vehicle and building were damaged. A police report was filed. The cause of the failure had not been determined. The mileage was low on the vehicle because the odometer was replaced at 50,000 miles. The current and failure mileages were 16,000.
I have a 1999 Subaru Legacy. On 2 separate occasions I experience sudden acceleration. Once driving on expressway. Lasted a few seconds. 2nd instance stopped at stop sign, foot on brake, car accelerated. Foot was on brake & then put gear in neutral. I called dealership & was told that this happened because heater/ac was on dual m (feet & chest) & this was normal. I have had car checked & there is nothing wrong with it. So they say. Based on service mgrs response, others have complained about the acceleration. Given the events with Toyota --there should be further investigation.
1999 Subaru Legacy engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 20 / 27 / 22 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 24 / 21 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 24 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Subaru Legacy a good car?
Based on 94 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 Legacy rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Legacy at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Subaru Legacy?
The transmission & drivetrain — 18 complaints, 19% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the engine & cooling (13) and speed control & acceleration (12).
How many recalls does the 1999 Subaru Legacy have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1999 Subaru Legacy, the most recent from June 25, 2001 (coil springs). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Subaru Legacy?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2023, 2025 and 2021. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2015, 2016, 2011, 2020 and 2019. See the full Subaru Legacy years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Subaru Legacy problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 101,000 miles; 14% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.