Acceleration complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 17% | — |
| 2022 | 2 | 6% | 15,000 miles |
| 2021 | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2020 | 4 | 3% | 8,000 miles |
| 2019 | 4 | 3% | 0 miles |
| 2018 | 3 | 3% | — |
| 2017 | 2 | 2% | 0 miles |
| 2016 | 9 | 6% | 35,000 miles |
| 2015 | 14 | 9% | 32,000 miles |
| 2014 | 3 | 6% | 0 miles |
| 2013 | 4 | 6% | 19,000 miles |
| 2012 | 4 | 4% | 166,000 miles |
| 2011 | 5 | 3% | 24,000 miles |
| 2010 | 8 | 5% | 64,000 miles |
| 2008 | 5 | 8% | 25,000 miles |
| 2006 | 30 | 34% | 107,000 miles |
| 2005 | 15 | 8% | 90,000 miles |
| 2004 | 5 | 10% | 34,000 miles |
| 2003 | 5 | 8% | 0 miles |
| 2002 | 4 | 7% | 169,000 miles |
| 2001 | 9 | 12% | 40,000 miles |
| 2000 | 10 | 11% | 103,000 miles |
| 1999 | 12 | 13% | 91,000 miles |
| 1998 | 10 | 9% | — |
| 1997 | 9 | 6% | — |
| 1996 | 7 | 6% | 133,000 miles |
| 1995 | 3 | 2% | 121,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact's wife owned a 2020 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated while his wife was driving approximately 3 MPH in a parking lot the vehicle suddenly accelerated and jumped the curb into woods and collided with a tree. The contact said his wife was not aware of any warning lights being illuminated. The vehicle front bumper and hood hit in the center and were both crumpled back about six inches. The contact hit the top of his head severely damaging the windshield on the passenger side and sustained minor cuts. Due to the sudden acceleration he had not been able to buckle his seat belt, additionally the airbags did not deploy. The contact was transported by ambulance to a hospital. The police were called, a report was written and the vehicle was towed to a holding lot. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact's insurance provider declared the vehicle a total loss. …
This vehicle is equipped with the Subaru "Eyesight" system which is a number of safety features like automatic cruise control, lane keep assist, and others. About once a week on average while driving the entire system will shut down and the screen will go dark. You lose the radio, bluetooth, navigation, and all the Eyesight systems. After about 30 seconds it will reboot and things will come back online but this is a major safety issue because you loose systems that help with safety. The dealership said it's a known software issue and there's nothing they can do until an update is available. I called Subaru USA customer support in September and they said an update would be available by the end of October and nothing was released. I called in early November and they said they were still working on it but had no release date.
Vehicle was using the self driving feature of the Subaru Eyesight system. With the system engaged, the vehicle is supposed to accelerate and apply brakes accordingly as to keep a distance from the vehicle in front. Today, that system failed. The vehicle, with the Eyesight system engaged, accelerated right into the vehicle in front. There was no warning. The vehicle will be go for repair on 12/5/23. I have used the Eyesight system since purchasing the vehicle in 2019 with no issues, except for today. Luckily, I was driving at a very low speed but this safety concern can cause catastrophic injuries if it is not fixed.
Vehicle is equipped with Subaru EyeSight Driver Assist which includes reverse automatic braking. Vehicle was reversing towards a parked vehicle on the street and the RAB feature failed to apply the brakes and the vehicle collided with the parked vehicle. I am extremely disappointed that the safety system in this car failed to work as advertised/expected resulting in damages to both cars.
The car (#1) came to a sudden stop on a freeway without the driver stepped on the brake pedal. Front dash cam video on car #1 is available. Car #1 was then hit from behind by another car (#2) which could not stop in time. However, the impact was not significant because car #2 was able to partially switch lane and only the corners of the bumpers of both cars made the contact. The sudden stop problem could NOT be reproduced afterward by the driver. No dealer/car shop has been contacted on this issue. Warning light(s) status on dashboard of car #1 was UNKNOWN . However, driver of car#2 did report seeing brake lights of car #1 before the impact. Car #1 had never been in an accident before. This was the first time the sudden stop issue occurred.
Vehicle proceeded from a stop at intersection when it unexpectedly decelerated and holding the brakes down seem to do nothing, tried turning corner at next stop sign to maybe slow it down and hit utility pole and parked car in driveway. A resident that was outside on porch by stop sign said they heard it just loud exceleration. This was a short street block in a residential area. No warnings, vehicle undrivable and waiting on insurance. Police accident report filed. There were no skid marks, although there was wet pavement.12/6/2022
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that while pulling into a parking space and pressing the brake pedal the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and continued to drive forward causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a pole. No injuries were reported and no police report was taken. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified. The failure mileage was 28,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle accelerated at high-speed without warning, causing the vehicle to drive over a curb and into oncoming traffic. The contact desperately depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to stop. The contact was able to regain control and stopped the vehicle. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and case was filed by the dealer. The failure mileage was 35,000.
Related recalls (2)
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.
Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The throttle shaft ball bearing on the sensor side of the throttle body assembly was not installed in certain throttle bodies.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the throttle body and replace the throttle assembly if the bearing is missing.
Frequently asked questions
Which Subaru Legacy years have acceleration problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2006 (30), 2005 (15), 2015 (14), 1999 (12) and 1998 (10) model years. Acceleration complaints make up 34% of all complaints for the 2006.
Is there a recall for Subaru Legacy acceleration problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 04V-128 (cables, Mar 16, 2004); 98V-035 (vehicle speed control, Feb 20, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Subaru Legacy acceleration problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 69,000 miles; 44% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the accelerator pedal (7 mentions), followed by the cruise control (5).
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.