2010 Subaru Legacy Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2010 Subaru Legacy ranks 2nd worst of 21 model years with a complaint index of 95 and 150 complaints. NHTSA lists 18 recalls, mostly airbag-related, and owners report transmission, engine, and airbag problems, with transmission failures showing a median mileage of 70,000.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 95/100
- #2 of 21 Legacy years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 150
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 18
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 10
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 8
- Top issue
- Transmission & Powertrain
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 21.5
- 18.5 city / 26 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 8 / 1
Top 2010 Subaru Legacy problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain50 (33%)
- Engine40 (27%)
- Airbags28 (19%)
- Electrical System22 (15%)
- Brakes15 (10%)
- Other13 (9%)
- Steering12 (8%)
- Structure & Body10 (7%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (6%)
- Fuel System5 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report unexpected stalling or shaking when applying brakes to come to a rapid stop, sometimes requiring the vehicle to be put back in park to restart.
- Drivers describe brakes not engaging while backing up or parking, leading to rolling into an embankment or obstacle.
- Frontal or side-impact airbags failed to deploy in multiple crashes, resulting in injuries ranging from lacerations to severe head trauma.
- One owner reported the engine suddenly revving to full throttle on startup, causing the car to accelerate uncontrollably and crash.
- Some owners describe the gear slipping into neutral or cruise control activating unexpectedly after hitting an obstacle at low speed.
2010 Subaru Legacy recalls
18 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.
2010 Subaru Legacy fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 18.5 MPG
- Highway
- 26 MPG
- Combined
- 21.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,100
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- 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.
2010 compared with other Legacy years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2010 Subaru Legacy reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2010 Legacy ranks 2nd worst among 21 model years, with a complaint index of 95 and 150 complaints logged, so it is rated Avoid relative to other Legacy years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2010 Subaru Legacy?
- Transmission and powertrain issues make up 33% of complaints, followed by engine problems at 27% and airbag complaints at 19%. Transmission-related failures show a median mileage of 100,000.
- Does the 2010 Subaru Legacy have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 18 recall campaigns for the 2010 Legacy, most involving airbag inflators, plus recalls covering the ignition switch and the electronic parking brake actuator. None of these are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2010 Legacy compare to other Legacy years?
- The 2010 model's complaint index of 95 is close to the worst year, 2015, which has an index of 100. Years like 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025 score far lower and are rated Best.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2010 Subaru Legacy?
- The 2010 Legacy is EPA-rated at 21.5 mpg combined (18.5 city / 26 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,100.