YearToAvoid

2017 Subaru Legacy Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

73/100

#5 most-complained of 16 Legacy years

The 2017 Subaru Legacy has a Complaint Index of 73, ranking 5th worst out of 16 model years, earning a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 119 complaints, 2 recalls (one do-not-drive), and top issues in Visibility & Wipers and Electrical System.

Complaints
119
Recalls
2
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
10 / 1
Injuries / deaths
6 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
26
22.5 city / 31 hwy

Top 2017 Subaru Legacy problems

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

  1. Visibility & Wipers35 (29%)
  2. Electrical System30 (25%)
  3. Other21 (18%)
  4. Steering9 (8%)
  5. Airbags7 (6%)
  6. Engine6 (5%)
  7. Structure & Body6 (5%)
  8. Brakes5 (4%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (4%)
  10. Fuel System4 (3%)

What owners report

  • Sunroof glass has spontaneously shattered while driving with no other vehicles nearby, scattering glass onto occupants.
  • Owners describe airbags failing to deploy properly in animal-strike or side-impact crashes, including a passenger airbag that did not deploy and a curtain airbag that deployed late.
  • Some drivers report unintended acceleration while parking, with the vehicle lurching forward without warning.
  • Steering has been reported to feel off and pull to one side even after a dealer alignment.
  • Brake pedal has been described as soft and sinking to the floor after coming to a complete stop.
  • The engine has reportedly shut off without warning while braking to a stop, later recurring several times.
2017 Subaru Legacy complaints: complaints filed per quarter112016 Q32018 Q12019 Q22020 Q32021 Q42023 Q12024 Q42026 Q3
135 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2022 Q1 (11).

2017 Subaru Legacy recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V716000Oct 6, 2016Airbags54 vehicles

    Air bags:knee bolster

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured September 21, 2016, to September 23, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the knee guard bracket may not be properly attached to the steering beam assembly.

    Risk: If the knee guard is not properly attached and the driver is not wearing a seatbelt, the knee guard may not be able to properly restrain the driver's lower body in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the knee guard welding on each vehicle's steering beam, replacing the beam as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTL-72.

  2. NHTSA 16V292000May 11, 2016Steering48,819 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Steering:column

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.

    Risk: The loss of steering ability would increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lot number on the steering column, replacing the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783 or by visiting http://www.wtd65.service-campaign.com. Subaru's number for this recall is WTD-65. Note: Until the vehicles have been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles.

2017 Subaru Legacy fuel economy and fuel cost

City
22.5 MPG
Highway
31 MPG
Combined
26 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,525
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.

2017 compared with other Legacy years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2015Avoid100159326
2016Avoid801473 !26
2017Caution731192 !26
2018Caution53117326
2019Caution60123326

All Subaru Legacy years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Subaru Legacy reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2017 Legacy a Complaint Index of 73, ranking 5th worst among 16 model years, which puts it in the Caution category relative to other Legacy years.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Subaru Legacy?
Visibility & Wipers issues account for 29% of complaints (35 complaints) and Electrical System issues account for 25% (30 complaints), based on NHTSA owner complaints.
Does the 2017 Subaru Legacy have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2017 Legacy, one covering an airbag knee guard bracket issue and one do-not-drive recall for a steering column defect.
At what mileage do 2017 Legacy problems typically show up?
NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage at failure of 31,000 miles for the 2017 Legacy overall, though Visibility & Wipers failures show a median of 34,100 miles and Electrical System failures show 54,000 miles.
How does the 2017 Legacy compare to other years?
The 2017 Legacy's Complaint Index of 73 is worse than the 2018 (53), 2019 (60), and 2021 (13) Legacy, but better than the 2015 (100) and 2010 (93) model years.

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.