Model year report

2003 Subaru Legacy: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2003 Subaru Legacy

On the 2003 Subaru Legacy, the failure owners report most often is airbag inflator rupture, with 8 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 87,500 miles. Overall it scores 68 out of 100, high risk for a 2003.

High risk for a 2003 — 182nd riskiest of the 330 2003 vehicles we can rate. 69 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

What owners report breaking

Owners have reported 24 named failure modes on the 2003 Subaru Legacy, and the three most-reported carry 30% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.

Airbag inflator rupture leads with 8 reports and about 0.3 per 1,000 vehicles.

Fuel leak or fuel odor follows with 7 reports, median 145,000 miles.

Other engine problem follows with 6 reports, median 40,000 miles.

By system, the reports fall mostly into fuel (11), engine (11) and airbag (9).

At what mileage it happens

49 of the reports on the 2003 Subaru Legacy came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 87,500 miles.

Cumulatively, 29% by 50,000 miles, 53% by 100,000 miles and 80% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 4 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 18% of the dated reports.

22% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.

Median

Airbag inflator rupture

164k
Fuel leak or fuel odor

145k
Other engine problem

40k
Other wheel or tire problem

107k
Head gasket failure

77k
Other powertrain problem

13k
Other fuel system problem

122k
Other speed control problem

1
Cruise control failure
no odometer readings given
—
Other electrical problem

100k
Other brake problem

98k
Other body or interior problem

59k

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 24. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 88k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 4 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Dashed the median reported mileage

Severity, and what it costs

Across the named modes, 3 mention a crash and 2 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 5.38, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: airbag inflator rupture at $0–$0, fuel leak or fuel odor at $300–$2,500, other engine problem at $300–$4,000 and other wheel or tire problem at $200–$1,500. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

23% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
Airbag inflator rupture	airbag	8	2	—	164k	—	0.3	$0–$0	Critical
Fuel leak or fuel odor	fuel	7	6	—	145k	—	0.3	$300–$2,500	Critical
Other engine problem	engine	6	5	—	40k	—	0.2	$300–$4,000	High
Other wheel or tire problem	wheels	5	3	—	107k	—	0.2	$200–$1,500	High
Head gasket failure	engine	4	4	—	77k	—	0.2	$1,400–$4,000	Critical
Other powertrain problem	transmission	4	4	—	13k	—	0.2	$400–$4,500	High
Other fuel system problem	fuel	4	4	—	122k	—	0.2	$300–$2,200	High
Other speed control problem	adas	4	3	—	1	—	0.2	$250–$2,000	Critical
Cruise control failure	adas	2	0	—	—	—	0.1	$200–$1,400	High
Other electrical problem	electrical	2	2	—	100k	—	0.1	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Other brake problem	brakes	2	2	—	98k	—	0.1	$300–$1,800	High
Other body or interior problem	body	2	1	—	59k	—	0.1	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Oil leak	engine	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$250–$2,200	Moderate
CV axle or driveshaft failure	drivetrain	1	1	—	201k	—	0.0	$450–$2,200	High
Premature brake pad or rotor wear	brakes	1	1	—	60k	—	0.0	$300–$1,400	Moderate
Brake line, hose or caliper failure	brakes	1	1	—	154k	—	0.0	$250–$1,600	Critical
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	1	1	—	158k	—	0.0	$200–$900	High
Strut, shock or spring failure	suspension	1	1	—	160k	—	0.0	$500–$2,000	Moderate
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure	suspension	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$400–$2,200	High
Tire blowout or tread separation	wheels	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$200–$1,500	Critical
Sunroof failure or glass breakage	body	1	1	—	2k	—	0.0	$700–$4,500	High
Liftgate, tailgate or trunk failure	body	1	1	—	58k	—	0.0	$250–$1,500	Moderate
Other lighting problem	lighting	1	1	—	200k	—	0.0	$120–$1,200	Moderate
Other visibility problem	glass	1	1	—	20k	—	0.0	$150–$1,400	Moderate
Unclassified problem	other	7	4	—	88k	—	0.3	—	Moderate

Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2003 Subaru Legacy draws about 2.7 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 76th percentile of complaint rates among 2003 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.

The working figure is 25,412 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2003 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

Airbag inflator rupture

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, 860-406-7281) 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.

132,800 miles NHTSA complaint 1491839 filed 2018-08-16

Takata recall - I have been waiting for several months after responding to the recall notice and still no new airbag, dealership can't tell me when it will be fixed. This makes it difficult to keep driving this vehicle. *tr

195,000 miles NHTSA complaint 1340368 filed 2016-12-12

Fuel leak or fuel odor

Fuel smell in car when temp, is below ~20 f. Recall in 2001 and service bulletin in wrx in 2002-03. But not for this model. Smell is overwhelming and fuel leak is very dangerous. Soa says it is not a problem for this part. Car although it matches service bulletin to the DOT. Taking to dealership tomorrow to get fuel line clamps looked at, possibly tightened. Can't duplicate issue unless very cold. *tr

114,000 miles NHTSA complaint 704659 filed 2009-01-19

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 subaru legacy. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the contact smelled a strong gasoline odor coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle had not been taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnosis or repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000.

145,000 miles NHTSA complaint 1030991 filed 2014-01-08

Recalls on the 2003 model year

NHTSA has issued 15 recall campaigns covering the 2003 Subaru Legacy, affecting an estimated 114,407 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.

The campaigns cover air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.

Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.

20V002000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

127,547 vehicles 2020-01-02

Defect: 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, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously…
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.

20V003000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

111,562 vehicles 2020-01-02

Defect: 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, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under…
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.

20V001000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

258,813 vehicles 2020-01-02

Defect: 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, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using…
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.

16V358000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

302,127 vehicles 2016-05-25

Defect: 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, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag…
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Saab owners may contact GM at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-16.

16V359000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

146,010 vehicles 2016-05-25

Defect: 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, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag…
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-16. Note: This notice is only for vehicles that were not covered by 16V-358 for Zone A.

16V361000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

62,940 vehicles 2016-05-25

Defect: 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 Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, or "Zone C.". These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment…
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-16. Note: This recall covers vehicles that were not previously covered in 16V-358 for Zone A or 16V-359 for Zone B.

15V323000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

432,016 vehicles 2015-05-28

Defect: 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 vehicles manufactured February 18, 2003, to May 5, 2008, and 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to March 17, 2005. The affected vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture…
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
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. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. The Saab recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners of Saab vehicles may call 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is WQR-53. Note: The recall completely supersedes recall 14V-399 (WQL-48) and partially supersedes recall 14V-763 (WQP-51) in that model year 2004 through 2005 Subaru Impreza and model year 2005 Saab 9-2x…

14V763000

AIR BAGS

4,175 vehicles 2014-12-01

Defect: 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. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Florida and adjacent counties in southern Georgia, as well as the coastal areas of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the…
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
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. Subaru's number for this recall is WQP-51. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-471. This recall has been partially superseded by 15V-323. All 2005 model year Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles will now be repaired under recall 15V-323.

13E065000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

397 vehicles 2013-11-29

Defect: Airtex Products LP (Airtex) is recalling certain model E8598M, E8518M, E8600M, E8596M, and E8597M fuel pumps manufactured July 26, 2013, and July 29, 2013 and used as aftermarket replacements on Subaru Baja's, Outback's and Legacy's. The affected fuel pumps were sold or installed into the aftermarket applications on or after July 26, 2013, and may may leak fuel from the base of a fuel line connection when the gas tank is full.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Airtex will notify owners, and will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Recall is expected to begin on January 2, 2014. Customers may contact Airtex at 1-800-880-3056. The recall is expected to begin during January 2014. This recall is being conducted by Airtex, not by Subaru.

04V128000

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES

127,580 vehicles 2004-03-16

Defect: 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. If this condition occurs, the throttle will not return to the idle position and will remain in an open position.
Consequence: If this occurs during vehicle operation, the driver could lose control of the vehicle, which could result in a crash.
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. Owner notification began on april 12, 2004. Owners should contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.

03V232000

SUSPENSION:FRONT

350 vehicles 2003-06-26

Defect: 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 virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia, certain left-hand front transverse link components were produced with poor paint quality. If the vehicle is operated form an extensive period in a salt-belt area, continued exposure to salt could cause the…
Consequence: If the transverse link were to break due to rusting, control of the vehicle could be affected without prior warning, possibly resulting in a crash.
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.

03V153000

SUSPENSION:REAR

170,000 vehicles 2003-04-22

Defect: 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 virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Certain rear suspension subframe components were produced with poor paint quality which, after continued exposure to corrosive road salts for a period of several years, could result in rust-out of the…
Consequence: If such breakage occurs while the vehicle is being operated, control of the vehicle could be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.
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 remedy within a reasonable time should contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.

Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.

How it ranks in the 2003 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 2003 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

Left fewer and less serious reports
Right more, or worse
Marker this vehicle

Better and worse years of the same car

High risk for a 2003 — 182nd riskiest of the 330 2003 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.

Across the 28 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1996 comes out best at 60 and 2015 worst at 78, with 2003 itself at 68.

If the model year is negotiable, 1996, 1999, 1997 and 2000 score lower than 2003 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.

Within the 2000–2006 generation specifically, 2000 is the strongest year at 64 and 2005 the weakest at 72.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 2000-2006 generation, 2000 Subaru Legacy scores best at 64 and 2005 Subaru Legacy worst at 72.

What this page cannot tell you

69 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 69 reports, 49 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 71% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Subaru Legacy?

The most-reported failures are airbag inflator rupture (8 reports, median 165,000 miles), fuel leak or fuel odor (7 reports, median 145,000 miles) and other engine problem (6 reports, median 40,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

Is the 2003 Subaru Legacy reliable?

It scores 68 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 182nd riskiest of the 330 2003 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2003 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Subaru Legacy is best?

Within the 2000–2006 generation, 2000 scores best at 64 out of 100 and 2005 worst at 72. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt 20 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed