Reliable Auto DB

2017 Subaru Legacy reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2017 Subaru Legacy has 119 complaints with NHTSA after 10 years, or 7 per year. That is about even with the other Legacy years here. Their median is 8 complaints per year. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Column.

2012 Subaru Legacy
Photo by IFCAR, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons Public domain
Complaints

119

Per year

7

Recalls

2

Years on the road

10

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (33 of 119), then Electrical system (30) and Steering (9). Those filings include 10 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 6 that report an injury.

Next to 2016 and 2018

The 2016 Legacy has 147 complaints, 12 per year, and the 2018 has 117 complaints, 15 per year. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2016. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2017 Subaru Legacy. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall steering, column 2016-10-06 · NHTSA campaign 16V716000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured September 21, 2016, to September 23, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be properly attached to the steering beam assembly.
Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the knee guard welding on each vehicle's steering beam, replacing the beam as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTL-72.
Recall steering, column 2016-05-11 · NHTSA campaign 16V292000
Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.
Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting http://www.wtd65.service-campaign.com. Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65. Note: Until the vehicles have been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles.

Complaints by component (119 total)

Visibility and wipers
33
Electrical system
30
Steering
9
Air bags
7
Structure
6
Engine
5
Service brakes
5
Fuel and propulsion system
4
Powertrain
4
Visibility
3
Back-over prevention
2
Speed control
2
Suspension
2
Wheels
2
Exterior lighting
1
Forward collision avoidance
1
Lane departure
1
Tires
1
Show 10 more Show less
Crash-flagged

10

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

6

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12016820175201882019222020232021282022142023320243202542026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Since the battery replacement settlement I've had 3 batteries die from my car being off, the latest battery replacement was 3/2026. I can't tell what my milage is since the battery is so dead that none of the displays…"
    Electrical system · filed 2026-09-05
  • "Major fuel leak within engine bay"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-02-15
  • "The battery has died several times and had to be replaced over the years due to a likely slow drain issue that Subaru is well aware of and was part of a class action suit against them."
    Electrical system · filed 2026-01-28
  • "I drove into the parking lot of Walgreens, then drove around and pulled into a parking spot facing the south side of the building and put my foot on the brake to stop and park. Instead of stopping, the car suddenly…"
    Service brakes, Back-over prevention, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-01-27
  • "My 2017 Legacy is on it's 3rd windshield this year. I had impact damage on July 17th, had it replaced the first week of August, and it cracked without impact damage in October. Subaru refused to replace it under…"
    Visibility and wipers · filed 2025-12-10

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2017 Subaru Legacy 4 DR AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Legacy all-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S6) All-wheel drive 25 34 29 MPG $2250
Legacy all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic (AV-S6) All-wheel drive 20 28 23 MPG $2800

Specs and fitment

6th generation (BN/BS), 2015–2019
Body styles Sedan
Oil 0W-20 synthetic (2.5L; 5W-30 if 0W-20 unavailable) , 5.1 qt capacity
Tire size 225/50R18, 225/55R17 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 21V587000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21. When NHTSA lists multiple Subaru nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared across them.

Compare

Previous year 2016 Subaru Legacy Next year 2018 Subaru Legacy See every Subaru Legacy model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Subaru Legacy reliable?

The 2017 Subaru Legacy has 119 complaints with NHTSA after 10 years, or 7 per year. That is about even with the other Legacy years here. Their median is 8 complaints per year. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Column.

What are common problems with a 2017 Subaru Legacy?

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (33 of 119), then Electrical system (30) and Steering (9). Those filings include 10 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 6 that report an injury.

Is the 2017 Subaru Legacy more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2016 Legacy has 147 complaints, 12 per year, and the 2018 has 117 complaints, 15 per year. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2016. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018.

Has the 2017 Subaru Legacy been recalled?

The 2017 Subaru Legacy has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2017 Subaru Legacy?

Owners have filed 119 complaints about the 2017 Subaru Legacy with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2017 Subaru Legacy get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2017 Subaru Legacy is 26 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Subaru Legacy use?

Recent Legacy 2.5L US manuals specify 0W-20 synthetic, with 5W-30 only when 0W-20 is unavailable.

What generation is the 2021 Subaru Legacy?

7th generation / BW (2020-on).

What tire sizes does a Subaru Legacy use?

Recent US generations commonly list 225/50R18 and 225/55R17 among trim options.