2001 Subaru Legacy Problems, Recalls & Reliability
90 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2001 Subaru Legacy, alongside 8 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 31/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Fuel system leads the reports, typically around 64,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2001 sits among all Legacy years
What owners report
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 48 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 54,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 34,000 and 108,131 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (8)
Airtex Products LP (Airtex) is recalling certain model E8598M, E8518M, E8600M, E8596M, and E8597M fuel pumps manufactured July 26, 2013, and July 29, 2013 and used as aftermarket replacements on Subaru Baja's, Outback's and Legacy's. The affected fuel pumps…
Fix: Airtex will notify owners, and will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Recall is expected to begin on January 2, 2014. Customers may contact Airtex at 1-800-880-3056. The recall is expected to…
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER SEDANS, WAGONS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE COULD COME OUT OF ITS TRACK ON THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER AND LODGE ON THE CONTROL LEVER TAB WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, THE…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A CRUISE CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP TO THE CRUISE CONTROL LEVER TAB ON THE THROTTLE SHAFT IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE FROM COMING OUT OF ITS TRACK. OWNER…
THIS RECALL APPLIES TO CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY,…
Fix: DEALERS WILL CLEAN AND RUST-PROOF THE REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 14, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND…
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE "P" (PARK) POSITION, THE TRANSMISSION PARK…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARKING ROD ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION JANUARY 8, 2003. AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE SENT DURING NOVEMBER 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUALLY-ADJUSTABLE (NON-POWERED) SEATS. CERTAIN INNER FRONT SLIDE RAIL LATCH MECHANISMS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY WELDED.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE ONE OR BOTH FRONT SEAT INNER SLIDE RAILS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 30, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. POSSIBLE FUEL LEAKAGE OF UNDER-HOOD FUEL HOSES AT LOW AMBIENT TEMPERATURES (-40 DEGREES C) ONCE THE FUEL HOSES AGE AND BECOME LESS FLEXIBLE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR UNDER-HOOD FUEL HOSES WITH LOT NUMBERS 0804 AND 0806 AND ALL FUEL HOSES WITH THOSE NUMBERS WILL BE REPLACED.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. INCORRECT BEIGE REAR CENTER SEAT BELT WEBBING WAS INSTALLED. THE BELT LENGTH IS TOO SHORT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE ALL BEIGE COLORED REAR CENTER LAP/SHOULDER BELTS WITH LOT NUMBER 0171.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A CASTING FLAW IN THE RIGHT FRONT BEARING HOUSING COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING IF THE CASTING FLAW SHOULD EXIST IN THE TIE-ROD ARM.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE ALL FRONT BEARING HOUSINGS WITH A LOT NUMBER OF OF15.
Technical service bulletins
155 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2001 Subaru Legacy. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2001 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 2001 Subaru Legacy reliable?
The 2001 Subaru Legacy drew 90 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 31/100, scored against the model's worst year (1995).
What are the most common 2001 Subaru Legacy problems?
The top reported problems for the 2001 Subaru Legacy are fuel system (19 complaints), engine (14), and wheels & tires (11).
At what mileage do 2001 Subaru Legacy problems show up?
Owners most often report 2001 Subaru Legacy problems around 54,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 34,000 and 108,131 miles.
Does the 2001 Subaru Legacy have recalls?
8 recall campaigns apply to the 2001 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.