Most common 2003 Subaru Legacy problems
Share of the 60 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 →
2003 Subaru Legacy recalls (14)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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,…
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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,…
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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,…
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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,…
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 26, 2016.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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…
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 24, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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,…
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 24, 2016.
Show 8 more recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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…
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners and General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The Subaru recall began on June 17, 2015.
Air bags
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.
Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
Vehicle speed control › Cables
On certain passenger sedans, wagons, and sport utility vehicles, the cruise control cable could come out of its track on the cruise control lever and lodge on the control lever tab when the accelerator pedal is released.
Remedy: Dealers will install a cruise control cable retaining clip to the cruise control lever tab on the throttle shaft in order to prevent the cruise control cable from coming out of its track.
Suspension › Front
On some passenger and sport utility vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west…
Remedy: Dealers will apply anti-rust material to the left front transverse link. Owner notification began August 1, 2003. Owners should contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
Suspension › Rear
This recall applies to certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west…
Remedy: Dealers will clean and rust-proof the rear suspension subframe. Owner notification began July 14, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free…
Power train › Automatic transmission
Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions were produced with an improperly manufactured transmission parking rod. When the transmission selector lever is placed in the "p" (park) position, the transmission park mechanism, that is intended to hold your vehicle, May not engage.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission parking rod assembly. Owner notification January 8, 2003. An interim owner notification will be sent during November 2002.
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
On certain sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder engines, the water pump pulley center hole was improperly machined.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the water pump. Owner notification began September 12, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Wheels
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 6-cylinder engines, the aluminum wheels May have an off-center diameter.
Remedy: Dealers will replace all 4 aluminum wheels. Owner notification began September 12, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2003 Subaru Legacy:
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
What 2003 Subaru Legacy owners say
Air bags
Are the dealers required to turn in the old air bags that they replace on recall? After the dealer "checked" my airbag serial number, which took all day, even though all they had to do is open the glove compartment and look, the dealer had me sign two identical pieces of paper with large dollar amounts on them. The piece of paper I received had all zeros for the dollar amounts, since the dealer lied to me about having to remove the dashboard to check the airbag, I am suspicious. Could the dealer use the papers I signed to claim to have replaced the airbag, but not done so??? The likelihood of them getting caught would be very low. I know that the dashboard was not removed because of cobwebs that were not disturbed between the dash and the car. The dealer told me that the airbag did not need to be replaced after they checked the serial number.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 Subaru Legacy. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V358000 (air bags). The vehicle was taken to suburban Subaru (14 hartford turnpike, vernon, ct 06066, [phone]) where the contact stated that the air bag was inspected, but was not replaced. Approximately one month later, when the vehicle was started, the air bag indicator illuminated. The dealer was not called. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the air bag illumination was unrelated to the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 132,800.
Engine & cooling
The contact owns a 2003 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the vehicle began to stall and then seized. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated a police officer assisted to push the vehicle out of the roadway. The contact stated he was able to restart the vehicle and drive to his destination. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated he and his daughter continued to experience the failure while driving the vehicle. The contact then took the vehicle to Fairway Subaru (2209 Laurens Rd, Greenville, SC 29607, [phone]) and the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated he continued to experience the failure. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that there was an abnormal fuel odor within the vehicle without warning. In addition, the contact observed a leak of fluid located under the front passenger side of the hood. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact mentioned that the odor was more stringent when the vehicle was idling. The dial for the air/heat was fractured and could not be turned off. The failure mileage was approximately 175,192.
Fuel & propulsion system
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that there was an abnormal fuel odor within the vehicle without warning. In addition, the contact observed a leak of fluid located under the front passenger side of the hood. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact mentioned that the odor was more stringent when the vehicle was idling. The dial for the air/heat was fractured and could not be turned off. The failure mileage was approximately 175,192.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that during colder weather, gasoline fuel fumes emitted into the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
2003 Subaru Legacy engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 19 / 26 / 22 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Subaru Legacy a good car?
Based on 60 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Legacy rates better than average: 58% fewer complaints than 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 2003 Subaru Legacy?
The air bags — 16 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the engine & cooling (13) and fuel & propulsion system (9).
How many recalls does the 2003 Subaru Legacy have?
There are 14 recalls for the 2003 Subaru Legacy, the most recent from January 2, 2020 (inflator module). 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 2003 Subaru Legacy problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 80,000 miles; 32% 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.