Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
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).
Wife was driving the car on the freeway and the power steering went out. We thought that a belt had broken or something. She was on her way to the mechanic when it seemed as though the car would not accelerate and was making a loud clunking noise in the engine bay, all of the gauges stopped working. The ABS, sport shift and e-brake lights on the dash all turned on each time she stopped. The car died just past an intersection and was pushed into the open area of a parking lot. Since it was hot she, my daughter and my dog all got out and went into the shade of some nearby trees. Within 5 minutes a bystander pointed out that there was a fire underneath the car and the fire department was called. They arrived within the next 10 minutes and the car was completely engulfed in flames. The fire chief said that it was a complete loss and that they have no idea what might have caused it.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving the vehicle was hit on the front passenger side, near the bumper and wheel. The other vehicle impacted the vehicle at 40 MPH. The airbags did not deploy and the engine did not shut off. The manufacturer determined due to the angle of impact the airbags should not deploy. The contact was wearing a seatbelt, but sustained whiplash. There was a police report taken at the scene. The vehicle was towed to the dealership.
As we were driving down the highway, we heard what sounded like a airplane propeller whirling. The car then stopped. The mechanic at the Subaru dealership said we blew a cylinder. The car is now in need of a new engine or will be scrapped. We kept the car service religiously and was in great shape. How does this happen? I thought we had a reliable car.
At 74,000 miles the turbo blew in my 2005 Subaru Legacy turbo wagon. Upon request of the company I handed in as many maintenance records as I could find. The company repaired the turbo, splitting the cost with me, 50/50 ($900 each). They failed to change the oil, as I asked them to do, and to fix whatever they had to fix to make the car right again. Once repaired, after driving my car about 15 miles, the turbo blew again. After admitting they didn't change the oil, the dealer repaired the turbo again, under warranty this time, with the exception of the 2 oil changes they charged me. When I finally went to pick up the car and I was unable to drive the car, as there was obviously something wrong with the motor. The engine was making a loud noise and the car was shaking. They failed to tell me the car was still broken, or that there was a new problem with the engine. …
The turbo in my 2005 Subaru Legacy gt split in half when I was driving home from work. It made a squealing noise, with no warning lights prior to the turbo going, however exactly when it happened the check engine light came on with the cruise light blinking. I was told by a certified Subaru technician that the turbos in these cars do not just split in half and rarely have problems. However, I was told about the banjo bolt oil filter located under the turbo, unseeable when getting a routine oil change, however this filter needs to be cleaned otherwise it clogs and starves the turbo of any oil. I was never aware when purchasing this car of that problem, and nowhere in my vehicles manual does it say anything about the banjo bolt oil filter and how it needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. …
Check engine light came on, pulled over immediately and checked oil on the side of the road also looked through owners manual. The oil was a quart low, turbo making suction noises, pick up from a stop or quick throttle to pass on high way was gone. Added a quart of oil and had an oil change & check engine light diag done the next day ( drove maybe 60 mile with light on). After the oil change metallic noise from passenger side of engine could be heard and exhaust was pouring out thick smoke. The code was p011 timing issue, turbo banjo (oil line filter) clogged. Car has 64K on it oil changed every 4000. Found this is a very common issue that is a very hot topic on many Subaru forums. Subaru will not cover under this issue warranty sighting that consumer maintenance caused sludge to build up on the banjo bolt filter. …
Every time I drive my car, it stutters. In any gear ( speaking specifically of a 5 speed transmission) no matter conditions nor driving style. Spoken to all local dealers and s.o.a. Official response is "turbo lag" the symptoms are not that of turbo lag, nor can s.o.a. Provide a definition of turbo lag. May be turbo surge, which is detrimental to a turbo chargers life. This draws serious concerns from Legacy gt owners. I think Subaru May have a "serious" issue. They have been throwing money at customers to avoid lemon law's. This car is not enjoyable to drive with this issue. Press throttle, stutter, stutter, stutter, go. Subaru provided no resolution to the problem other than a new model. S.o.a. Provided $6000.00 towards the purchase of a new Subaru. Mind you that resolution was easy to get, but did me no good, as that offer was made six months after I purchased that vehicle. …
I was driving at the speed limit. I heard noises start to come from under the hood of the car, and the car lost power. As soon as I safely could, I pulled over and parked the car. I had it towed to a dealership for repair. The dealership diagnosed the problem as a failed turbocharger. It replaced the turbocharger and returned the car to me. It took the dealer four days to return the car to me. Approximately 150 miles later, I experienced the same symptoms. I drove straight to a dealership just a mile or two from where I was located, by coincidence, at the onset of this second problem. This second dealership diagnosed the problem: the replacement turbocharger failed. In addition, the engine was now damaged. Now the entire engine, including yet another turbocharger, is being replaced, along with other ancillary parts. The dealer has had the car for four days thus far.
Dt*: the contact stated the odor of gasoline was noticed intermittently upon starting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local dealership where the problem could not be duplicated. The vehicle continued to smell of gasoline and the vehicle was taken back to the service dealer where it was discovered fluid was leaking from the steering area. The leak was repaired, but the odor of gasoline continued. The odor is strongest after the vehicle has been sitting for a period of two hours or more. The odor disappears after driving a hundred yards or more. The amount of fuel in the tank does not have any impact on the odor. The vehicle was returned to the dealer again, it was determined the vehicle was operating normally and the dealer only suggested making an adjustment to the brand of gasoline being used. Updated 03/03/06.
Car has been very slow to reduce rpms when shifting gears or when stopped (and in neutral) for the past few weeks. Today, when pulling into a starbucks, the car surged forward. Luckily I have a stick shift and just pushed the clutch in. After surging, the check engine light came on. Using a diagnostic tool, I found that the car is throwing error code p2138. This indicates that the accelerator pedal position (app) sensor is either bad or has a poor connection. The detail on the error stats "the ECM has detected that the app sensor 1 and app sensor 2 disagree more than 4.5% for less than 1 second." essentially, one or both throttle-by-wire circuits isn't functioning properly. I went online and found that this is an all too common problem and some folks have found that their cars are surging forward, threatening safety.
Engine complaints in other Legacy years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2005 Subaru Legacy?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2005 Subaru Legacy, 18% of the model year's 184 complaints. The component named most often is engine (13 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Subaru Legacy engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2005 Subaru Legacy, though it has 9 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Subaru Legacy engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 48,000 miles, and 41% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 1 injury to engine & cooling 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.