1991 Subaru Legacy Problems, Recalls & Reliability
121 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1991 Subaru Legacy, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 34/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Seat belts leads the reports.
Typical
Where 1991 sits among all Legacy years
What owners report
Recalls (3)
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN CONTINUOUSLY UNDER EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES (-22 DEGREES F.) AND HIGH HUMIDITY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION BREATHING (AIR) VENT CAN BE BLOCKED DUE TO MOISTURE FREEZING AT THE OIL LEVEL GAUGE. IF THIS OCCURS, PRESSURE…
Fix: DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE OIL GAUGE PIPE AND MODIFY THE OIL LEVEL GAUGE (DIPSTICK) OR REPLACE IT, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF DIPSTICK IN THE VEHICLE.
UNDER CERTAIN LOAD CONDITIONS, THE PARK GEAR MAY NOT DISENGAGE IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION LEVER IS MOVED FROM PARK TO REVERSE.
Fix: INSTALL A MODIFIED PARKING BRAKE PAWL TO PREVENT DELAYED RELEASE INTO REVERSE GEAR.
TORQUE OF LATCH SCREWS ON FRONT DOORS MAY LOOSEN OVER TIME DUE TO A GAP BETWEEN THE LATCH BASE PLATE AND INNER DOOR PANEL UNDER THE SCREW HEAD.
Fix: REPLACE FRONT DOOR LATCH SCREWS WITH "LOCK-TIGHT" SCREWS.
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
14 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 1991 Subaru Legacy. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1991 Legacy TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1991 Subaru Legacy reliable?
The 1991 Subaru Legacy drew 121 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 34/100, scored against the model's worst year (1995).
What are the most common 1991 Subaru Legacy problems?
The top reported problems for the 1991 Subaru Legacy are seat belts (19 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (18), and brakes & stability (15).
Does the 1991 Subaru Legacy have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 1991 Subaru Legacy. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.