2019 Subaru Legacy reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2019 Subaru Legacy holds 123 complaints after 8 years, a rate of 18 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Legacy years here — over the median of the other years, which is 7. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Fuel pump and Structure.

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

Complaints

123

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (49 of 123), then Electrical system (35) and Engine (6). Those filings include 2 that report a crash and 1 that reports a fire.

Next to 2018 and 2020

The 2018 Legacy has 117 complaints, 15 per year, and the 2020 has 121 complaints, 31 per year. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020.

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 2019 Subaru Legacy. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (3)

Recall Fuel pump 2021-07-29 · NHTSA campaign 21V587000

Summary 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.

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.

Recall Fuel pump 2020-04-16 · NHTSA campaign 20V218000

Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Impreza, Outback, Legacy, and Ascent vehicles. The low pressure fuel pump may become inoperative.

Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2020. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRD-20.

Recall Structure 2019-06-26 · NHTSA campaign 19V493000

Summary Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019 Legacy and Outback vehicles. Spot welds located on the duct below the cowl panel may have been improperly applied, impacting the vehicle's body strength.

Remedy Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and repair or repurchase the vehicle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUH-93.

Complaints by component (123 total)

Visibility and wipers

Electrical system

Engine

Forward collision avoidance

Fuel and propulsion system

Speed control

Steering

Back-over prevention

Service brakes

Visibility

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Fuel system, gasoline

Lane departure

Latches, locks, and linkages

Powertrain

Seat belts

Seats

Structure

Tires

Wheels

Show 12 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment, and the vehicle intermittently stalled. The contact stated…"
Engine · filed 2026-07-17
"The Cam Carrier has a leak due to Subaru using a cheap sealant. My car only has 80,000 miles and it is leaking. The subaru is know for this leak after researching it online. They say it is a safety issue cause the oil…"
Engine · filed 2026-05-13
"driver side mirror can not be adjusted to effectively see visually car in blind spot; fortunately car saw me changing lane when it was just off rear driverside fender; did not seen in mirror or in window; 70 years used…"
Visibility · filed 2026-05-08
"Multimedia component is not working correctly and it could cause an accident due to trying to change/control the component over and over again. It has a mind of its own. I turn it off and it turns on by itself. It…"
Unknown or other · filed 2026-04-09
"Due to a dead battery issue in 2025, I bought a new battery. A year later, the car wouldn't start & I finally got it jumped. Ran fine for 3 weeks, then wouldn't start again. I brought car back to the Interstate battery…"
Electrical system · filed 2026-03-30

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2019 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	3.6L, 6-cyl	Automatic (AV-S6)	All-wheel drive	20	28	23 MPG	$2800
Legacy all-wheel drive	2.5L, 4-cyl	Automatic (AV-S7)	All-wheel drive	25	34	29 MPG	$2250

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 2018 Subaru Legacy Next year 2020 Subaru Legacy See every Subaru Legacy model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Subaru Legacy reliable?

What are common problems with a 2019 Subaru Legacy?

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (49 of 123), then Electrical system (35) and Engine (6). Those filings include 2 that report a crash and 1 that reports a fire.

Is the 2019 Subaru Legacy more reliable than the years next to it?

Has the 2019 Subaru Legacy been recalled?

The 2019 Subaru Legacy has 3 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 2019 Subaru Legacy?

Owners have filed 123 complaints about the 2019 Subaru Legacy with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2019 Subaru Legacy get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2019 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.