Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2005 Subaru Legacy
NHTSA data on file today
The 2005 Subaru Legacy has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns and 184 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 #19V297000 Ignition Switch may Turn Off 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 #14V311000 Brake Lines may Fail due to Corrosion NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V110000 Brake Lines may Fail due to Corrosion NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V274000 SUBARU/SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 29 complaints
- Electrical System 25 complaints
- Service Brakes 22 complaints
- Air Bags 21 complaints
- Fuel/Propulsion System 15 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 15 complaints
Of the 184 complaints on file, 11 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 184 complaints, owners report 10 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$8,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2005 Subaru Legacy has a mixed reliability profile, marked by airbag recalls and occasional brake line issues. Despite these faults, frequent maintenance can keep costs moderate, leading to an average overall rating.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| airbag inflators | any mileage | No reliable estimate | common |
| brake lines | 100,000–150,000 miles | $200–$600 | common |
| ignition switch | 80,000–120,000 miles | $150–$400 | occasional |
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
- Brake fluid change every 30,000 miles
- Timing belt replacement at 100,000 miles
- Coolant flush every 60,000 miles
- Transmission service every 60,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Illumination of check engine light
- Brake pedal sponginess
- Delayed airbag deployment signals
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2005 Subaru Legacy at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.