2007 Subaru Legacy Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2007 Subaru Legacy carries a Caution verdict, capped by 9 recall campaigns despite a complaint index of only 10, ranking 19th out of 21 model years. Owners most often reported airbag and engine issues, including oil-line fires and non-deploying airbags.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 10/100
- #19 of 21 Legacy years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 33
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 9
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 4
- Injuries
- 3
- Top issue
- Airbags
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 21
- 18 city / 25 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 3 / 0
Top 2007 Subaru Legacy problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags12 (36%)
- Engine9 (27%)
- Electrical System5 (15%)
- Brakes3 (9%)
- Other3 (9%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (9%)
- Structure & Body2 (6%)
- Visibility & Wipers2 (6%)
- HVAC1 (3%)
- Steering1 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Oil return lines crack and leak oil onto the hot exhaust, causing small engine fires under the hood.
- Airbags fail to deploy during a crash despite high-speed impact and airbag sensor faults appear in the passenger seat, especially in cold weather.
- A burnt rubber and plastic smell accompanies unexpected overheating, with the dashboard getting extremely hot and fuses failing.
- Vehicles have spontaneously caught fire while accelerating, damaging the CV shaft boot, wire harness, and transmission.
- Radio, climate control, and dashboard lights shut off unexpectedly while the hazard flashers turn on by themselves.
- Valve cover and head gaskets crack, causing the engine to respond poorly to acceleration.
2007 Subaru Legacy recalls
9 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 20V001000Jan 2, 2020Airbags258,813 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
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 inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: 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.
- NHTSA 20V003000Jan 2, 2020Airbags111,562 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
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 a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: 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.
- NHTSA 20V002000Jan 2, 2020Airbags127,547 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
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 replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: 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.
2007 Subaru Legacy fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 18 MPG
- Highway
- 25 MPG
- Combined
- 21 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,800
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2007 compared with other Legacy years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2007 Subaru Legacy reliable?
- NHTSA lists 33 complaints and a complaint index of 10 for the 2007 Legacy, which is low compared to other years, but the year is rated Caution because of 9 recall campaigns requiring a dealer visit.
- What problems does the 2007 Subaru Legacy have?
- Owners most often reported airbag issues (36% of complaints, including non-deployment) and engine problems (27%, including oil-line fires), with a median failure mileage of 65,392 miles across all complaints.
- Does the 2007 Subaru Legacy have recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2007 Legacy covering airbags, the electrical system (ignition switch and secondary air injection pump relay), and brakes (fluid seepage).
- How does the 2007 Legacy compare to other Legacy years?
- The 2007 Legacy ranks 19th worst out of 21 model years by complaint index, meaning most other years have more reported problems; years like 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2020 are rated Avoid with higher complaint indexes.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2007 Subaru Legacy?
- EPA rates the 2007 Legacy at 21 mpg combined (18 city / 25 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,800.