Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2018 Subaru Legacy
NHTSA data on file today
The 2018 Subaru Legacy has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 117 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars, for the 1 NHTSA-tested trim.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #21V587000 Fuel Pump May Fail NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V935000 Camera Image may not Display/FMVSS 111 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V773000 Incorrect Fuel Range Display May Cause Stall NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Electrical System 40 complaints
- Unknown or Other 29 complaints
- Visibility/Wiper 25 complaints
- Engine 10 complaints
- Fuel/Propulsion System 8 complaints
- Visibility 8 complaints
Of the 117 complaints on file, 7 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 117 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,500–$7,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2018 Subaru Legacy has a mixture of strengths and weaknesses. It suffers from electrical system complaints and recalls for fuel system and rearview visibility issues. Despite this, most issues are manageable and not overly frequent, making ownership costs reasonable.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel pump | 30,000–60,000 miles | $400–$800 | common |
| Electrical system | 20,000–50,000 miles | $200–$600 | common |
| Rearview camera | 10,000–30,000 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 and filter change every 6,000 miles
- Air filter replacement every 15,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 30,000 miles
- Coolant flush every 30,000 miles
- Transmission fluid change every 60,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Dimming or flickering dashboard lights
- Delayed start or electrical glitches
- Clicking noise when backing up
- Unusual fuel gauge behavior
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2018 Subaru Legacy at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.