2011 Subaru Legacy Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2011 Subaru Legacy has a complaint index of 85, ranking 4th worst out of 21 model years, with 167 complaints and 16 recalls. Transmission & Powertrain issues lead at 28% of complaints, giving it an Avoid verdict relative to other Legacy years.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 85/100
- #4 of 21 Legacy years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 167
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 16
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 7
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 3
- Top issue
- Transmission & Powertrain
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 21.5
- 18.5 city / 25.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 3 / 0
Top 2011 Subaru Legacy problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA 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%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Airbags sometimes deployed several seconds late during a crash, with burning fumes entering the cabin beforehand.
- Some owners reported unexpected acceleration or lurching when shifting from park or during low-speed maneuvers.
- One vehicle caught fire after the battery light and power steering assist warning appeared, with smoke filling the cabin and flames originating under the hood.
- Brakes failed to respond when pressed, leading to a rear-end collision in at least one case.
- At highway speeds above 60 mph, some owners described a wobbly or oscillating feeling in the steering, described as a shimmy that persisted even after tire balancing.
- A dealer diagnosed one vehicle with a failed battery, starter, cable, and ECM after warning lights appeared while driving in snowy conditions.
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?
- Compared to other Legacy model years, the 2011 ranks poorly, with a complaint index of 85 placing it 4th worst out of 21 years tracked. It carries an Avoid verdict, driven mainly by transmission and powertrain complaints.
- What are the most common problems with the 2011 Subaru Legacy?
- NHTSA data shows Transmission & Powertrain issues make up 28% of complaints, followed by Electrical System and Engine problems at 20% each, and Airbags at 15%.
- Does the 2011 Subaru Legacy have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 16 recall campaigns for the 2011 Legacy, with airbags being the most frequently affected component, including several Takata inflator recalls.
- What year Subaru Legacy should I avoid?
- Among Legacy years, 2015 has the highest complaint index at 100, followed by 2010 at 95 and 2011 at 85. Years such as 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025 carry Best verdicts with much lower complaint indexes.
- At what mileage do 2011 Legacy transmission problems typically appear?
- NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage of 78,000 miles at failure overall, while Transmission & Powertrain complaints specifically show a median mileage of 115,000 miles.