Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2004 Subaru Legacy
NHTSA data on file today
The 2004 Subaru Legacy has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns and 49 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #20V003000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V002000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V001000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V361000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V358000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V359000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V323000 Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V763000 Passenger Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13E065000 Fuel Pump may Leak Fuel NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V128000 SUBARU/CRUISE CONTROL CABLE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #03V303000 SUBARU/FUEL FILLER HOSE CLAMP NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Air Bags 26 complaints
- Engine 5 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 5 complaints
- Fuel/Propulsion System 4 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 2 complaints
- Power Train 2 complaints
Of the 49 complaints on file, 5 report a crash; across all 49 complaints, owners report 3 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$8,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2004 Subaru Legacy has a high number of recalls, notably for airbag inflators, highlighting significant reliability concerns. Owner complaints focus largely on airbags, speed control, and engine issues, indicating frequent problems that could increase repair costs.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags | 50,000–100,000 miles | $300–$1,000 | very common |
| Cruise control cable | 60,000–120,000 miles | $100–$300 | common |
| Fuel pump | 70,000–130,000 miles | $400–$800 | occasional |
| Engine cooling | 80,000–150,000 miles | $500–$1,500 | occasional |
| Throttle cable | 50,000–90,000 miles | $150–$450 | rare |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil change every 5,000 miles
- Timing belt replacement at 105,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 30,000 miles
- Coolant flush every 60,000 miles
- Transmission service every 30,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Inconsistent acceleration
- Airbag warning light
- Fuel smell
- Overheating
- Throttle sticking
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2004 Subaru Legacy at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.