2011 Subaru Legacy Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
87/100
#3 most-complained of 16 Legacy years
The 2011 Subaru Legacy ranks 3rd worst of 16 model years, with a Complaint Index of 87 and 167 NHTSA complaints. Transmission & Powertrain issues lead at 28% of complaints, and 16 recalls have been issued, mostly airbag-related. NHTSA rates this year as Avoid relative to other Legacy years.
- Complaints
- 167
- Recalls
- 16
- Crashes / fires
- 7 / 2
- Injuries / deaths
- 3 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 21.5
- 18.5 city / 25.5 hwy
Top 2011 Subaru Legacy problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain47 (28%)
- Electrical System33 (20%)
- Engine33 (20%)
- Airbags25 (15%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires21 (13%)
- Other20 (12%)
- Brakes19 (11%)
- Steering16 (10%)
- Fuel System7 (4%)
- Structure & Body7 (4%)
What owners report
- Airbags sometimes failed to deploy for several seconds after a crash, with burning fumes entering the cabin in one case.
- Some owners reported the vehicle suddenly lurching forward at high speed while pulling into a driveway with no foot on the accelerator or brake.
- Electrical failures included a battery warning light and heavy power steering followed by smoke filling the passenger compartment and an under-hood fire.
- Owners described brakes failing to respond when depressed, leading to rear-end collisions.
- At highway speeds above 60 mph, some owners reported a wobbly or swaying feeling and steering wheel shimmy that persisted despite tire balancing or replacement.
- One owner reported dashboard warning lights illuminating in snowy conditions, later traced to the battery, starter, cable, and ECM needing replacement.
2011 Subaru Legacy recalls
16 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.
2011 Subaru Legacy fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 18.5 MPG
- Highway
- 25.5 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.
2011 compared with other Legacy years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2011 Subaru Legacy reliable?
- NHTSA data shows the 2011 Legacy has a Complaint Index of 87 and ranks 3rd worst of 16 model years, earning an Avoid verdict relative to other Legacy years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2011 Subaru Legacy?
- Transmission & Powertrain issues make up 28% of complaints, followed by Electrical System and Engine problems, each at 20%. Median mileage at failure for transmission complaints was 115,000 miles.
- Does the 2011 Subaru Legacy have recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 16 recalls for the 2011 Legacy, including multiple airbag inflator recalls and an electronic parking brake recall for manual transmission models.
- How does the 2011 Legacy compare to other years?
- The 2011 Legacy's Complaint Index of 87 is worse than 2012 (47), 2013 (40), and 2014 (20), all rated Good or Best, but slightly better than 2010 (93) and 2015 (100), both also rated Avoid.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2011 Subaru Legacy?
- EPA rates the 2011 Legacy at 21.5 mpg combined (18.5 city / 25.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,100.