Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Subaru Legacy owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The vehicle was parked on a city street. My son went out in the morning to move it to find the driver side seat burned completely out and soot all over the car. His insurance (liability only) would not cover the damage and was told by Subaru to have it towed to a dealer at his expense for them to inspect it. After over a month he was told that the fire by their determination was not caused by the heated seats but by another source. It is obvious by the pictures and by inspection that the fire was caused and started by faulty wiring on the heated seats.
I had owned the car for not even a year yet back in 2012, and the only accident I've ever been in happened on my way to school(college). The air bag did not come out of the steering wheel, but should have. Luckily I only experienced mild whip lash, and very large body shop bill. Also when they finally brought me in to get it replaced this past summer(2017) they pushed my car around the lot, and messed up my transmission amongst some other things. But when I asked the technicians about it, they got defensive, and denied any claim of wrong doing.
Tl contact owns a 2005 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that while the heating system activated, the front driver's side seat was smoldered. The contact mentioned that the front driver's side seat was severely burned. The vehicle was diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 134,000. Updated 04/10/15 updated 6/26/2015
I recently noticed that some elements of my rear hatch on my Subaru Legacy wagon were not working. Specifically, the lights that illuminate the license plate, the rear defroster, center brake light, hatch locking mechanism, and radio antenna were not working. An inspection of the area where the wires enter the hatch door from the body of the vehicle reveals that several of the wires in the harness were broken completely with some wires in various states of deterioration. I believe this is an unusual failure and not a typical wear item. I am concerned as I have lost the ability to properly lock and secure my vehicle, to clear frost and ice from the rear glass for proper visibility, lost the ability to illuminate my license plate which could result in being pulled over by law enforcement. …
In the 2005 wagon, the rear wiring harness that goes through the hatch and is subject to a lot of bending (it connects the rear wiper, backup lights, etc) uses cheap wiring that wears out. This problem has been extensively documented by Subaru owners at http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/wagons-beware-tailgate-electricals-161086.html. Today, my rear wiper stopped working, and several other wires are about to break. This could affect rear wipers, backup lights, rear license plate lights, etc. These wires are of very poor quality - I have owned 2 other cars with hatches, and even in harsh canadian winters, had no issues. These wires broke just due to use in very mild california conditions.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Subaru Legacy. When the vehicle was started, the contact heard an abnormal noise. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 19V297000 (electrical system). The vehicle was taken to Subaru of jacksonville (located at 10800 atlantic blvd, jacksonville, fl 32225, [phone]) to be diagnosed, but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 105,000.
I am the owner of a 2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5gt. Last night, when I was trying to start the vehicle, it shut off in the middle of starting and the vehicle completely went dead. This morning, I noticed that there was a large and deep burn mark in the headliner surrounding the map light panel and that part of the map light as well as the auto-dimming mirror were melted.
The wiring harness that goes to the hatch is made out of undersized wire and from opening and closing the hatch the wires have broken. I have reported this previously, but at that time, the only problem was that the hatch would not lock. Now I do not have backup lights. This is clearly a design defect. What do we need to do to get Subaru to fix this?
The cd player turns on by itself when radio is on. Nothing specifically makes it happen like hitting a bump or anything it does it while car is still. Car was takin on to be looked at but they said nothing could be done. Also, gear shift doesn't always lock in place. Which makes the car not able to start and/or move if on a slightly hill.
Car did not have backup lights, electronic lock for rear hatch did not work. Tested bulbs and switch for backup lights and they were fine. Uncovered wiring harnesses left and right of rear hatch 6 broken wires right side 1 broken wire right. Spliced temporarily until I get the time and money to make permanent repair.
Related recalls
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019.
Electrical complaints in other Legacy years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2005 Subaru Legacy?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the electrical system of the 2005 Subaru Legacy, 14% of the model year's 184 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2005 Subaru Legacy electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 19V-297 (switch, Apr 11, 2019). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2005 Subaru Legacy electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 93,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 3 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.