YearToAvoid

2008 Subaru Legacy Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

30/100

#15 most-complained of 21 Legacy years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2008 Subaru Legacy has 65 owner complaints and 9 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 30 out of 100 — #15 highest of 21 Legacy model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is airbags (25 complaints, 38% of the total). Complaints report 3 crashes, 1 fire, and 1 injury.

Complaints
65
Recalls
9
Crashes / fires
3 / 1
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
20.5
18.5 city / 24 hwy

Top 2008 Subaru Legacy problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags25 (38%)
  2. Brakes14 (22%)
  3. Electrical System12 (18%)
  4. Engine9 (14%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain6 (9%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (6%)
  7. Fuel System3 (5%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers3 (5%)
  9. Other2 (3%)
  10. Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (2%)
2008 Subaru Legacy complaints: complaints filed per quarter72007 Q42010 Q22013 Q22015 Q22017 Q42020 Q12021 Q4
80 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2007 Q4 to 2023 Q3; peak 2015 Q3 (7).

2008 Subaru Legacy recalls

9 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

See all 9 recalls for the 2008 Subaru Legacy →

2008 Subaru Legacy fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18.5 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
20.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,900
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.

2008 compared with other Legacy years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006Good4587721
2007Best1033921
2008Good3065920.5
2009Caution50651320.5
2010Avoid951501821.5

All Subaru Legacy years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Subaru Legacy a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Subaru Legacy ranks #15 of 21 among Legacy model years (Complaint Index 30/100, verdict: Good). It has 65 complaints and 9 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Subaru Legacy?
The most reported problem areas are airbags (25 complaints), brakes (14 complaints), and electrical system (12 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 79,634 miles.
Does the 2008 Subaru Legacy have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2008 Subaru Legacy, most recently reported 2020, covering airbags, electrical system, brakes, and engine.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Subaru Legacy?
EPA rates the 2008 Subaru Legacy at 20.5 MPG combined (18.5 city / 24 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,900. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.