2014 Subaru Legacy Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
20/100
#13 most-complained of 16 Legacy years
The 2014 Subaru Legacy ranks 13th worst out of 16 model years tracked, with a complaint index of 20 and a "Best" verdict relative to other Legacy years. NHTSA lists 53 complaints and 10 recalls, led by electrical system issues (28% of complaints).
- Complaints
- 53
- Recalls
- 10
- Crashes / fires
- 4 / 2
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 24
- 21 city / 29 hwy
Top 2014 Subaru Legacy problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System15 (28%)
- Airbags14 (26%)
- Structure & Body9 (17%)
- Engine7 (13%)
- Other7 (13%)
- Transmission & Powertrain6 (11%)
- Visibility & Wipers6 (11%)
- Brakes2 (4%)
- Steering2 (4%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (2%)
What owners report
- Owners report the vehicle catching fire after front-end collision repairs, with smoke and flames appearing from the driver side.
- Some drivers describe unintended acceleration or sudden power loss while pulling into traffic, lasting several seconds before returning to normal.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy during low-speed crashes, including a parking-lot collision and a side impact at 25 mph.
- Rear deck shelf fabric is described as causing hazing and glare through the rear window that impairs visibility.
- Owners describe the steering as wandering across lanes and requiring constant correction even after dealer alignment.
- Some report a front bumper clamp going missing, causing the bumper to pop out repeatedly.
2014 Subaru Legacy recalls
10 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.
2014 Subaru Legacy fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 21 MPG
- Highway
- 29 MPG
- Combined
- 24 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,700
- 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.
2014 compared with other Legacy years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2014 Subaru Legacy reliable?
- Compared to other Legacy model years, 2014 ranks near the good end, with a complaint index of 20 and a "Best" verdict. It has fewer complaints (53) than years like 2010 (145) or 2015 (159).
- What problems does the 2014 Subaru Legacy have?
- NHTSA data shows the top problem area is the Electrical System (28% of complaints, 15 total), followed by Airbags (26%, 14 complaints) and Structure & Body issues (17%, 9 complaints).
- Does the 2014 Subaru Legacy have a Takata airbag recall?
- Yes. Several 2019 and 2020 recall campaigns cover Takata airbag inflator replacement for the 2014 Legacy, and airbag complaints include cases where airbags did not deploy in low-speed crashes.
- How many recalls does the 2014 Subaru Legacy have?
- NHTSA lists 10 recalls for the 2014 Legacy, covering airbags, the electrical system, and brakes, with none classified as do-not-drive.
- What is the median mileage for reported failures on the 2014 Legacy?
- Across all complaints, the median mileage at failure is 30,567 miles, though this varies by system; electrical system failures show a median of 80,000 miles.