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KLUNK
KLUNK

2019 Subaru Legacy

The Verdict

69 Solid Pick

The 2019 Subaru Legacy has 122 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (75 complaints) and electrical (34 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 69/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Subaru Legacy, consider the 2025 model year which has 95% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2025 has 95% fewer complaints

View the 2025 Subaru Legacy dashboard →

69

Klunk Score: Solid Pick

Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
200050792213
20013674312
20021853285
200315417215
20047325122
20054229435711
200622919316
2007731391
200813113065
20091393292
2010308393835
20114011463139
2012215142327
2013152172111
20141912355
2015689353611
2016676511110
20176843574
201861536140
201975234101
20209321556
2021162832
2022280310
202370300
202471700
202501140

By Category

Body
75
Electrical
34
Engine
10
Brakes
2
Transmission
1

By Severity

1
57
2
62
4
3

Worst Problems

Complaints

Engine 2

The Cam Carrier has a leak due to Subaru using a cheap sealant. My car only has 80,000 miles and it is leaking. The subaru is know for this leak after researching it online. They say it is a safety issue cause the oil can fall on the exhaust making in a fire issue.

2mo ago
Body 2

driver side mirror can not be adjusted to effectively see visually car in blind spot; fortunately car saw me changing lane when it was just off rear driverside fender; did not seen in mirror or in window; 70 years used visual; blind spot light inconsistent; visual is

2mo ago
Body 2

Multimedia component is not working correctly and it could cause an accident due to trying to change/control the component over and over again. It has a mind of its own. I turn it off and it turns on by itself. It switches radio stations by itself. The screen changes apps all by itself. I can't correctly use any of it anymore. I try using my phone and even though I don't want it sent to audio on the car it switches to it and then the conversation cuts in and out. I've tried resetting it a million times but it's useless anymore to even do that. I haven't brought it to a dealer as of yet. I looked it up and seen there are other complaints with this same issue. I received a letter for reimbursement if I changed it out but I didn't do that because I was able to reset the system at the time. I feel Subaru should be responsible for this as they know it's happening to vehicles and they've reimbursed for it.

3mo ago
Electrical 2

Due to a dead battery issue in 2025, I bought a new battery. A year later, the car wouldn't start & I finally got it jumped. Ran fine for 3 weeks, then wouldn't start again. I brought car back to the Interstate battery shop, who tested the alternator, which was fine, but he said the battery was appearing low. After researching this problem, I discovered there's a known issue that the battery dies due to a parasitic draw. Subaru knows there is a problem but refuses to correct the issues. The dealer I bought the car from neglected to tell me there was an existing issue and will be happy to charge me $500+ to diagnose. This is a major defect on Subaru's part, and all future buyers should be aware of it!

3mo ago
Engine 1

Unintended acceleration, on 2 occasions. First occasion, car was in DRIVE waiting at a traffic stop and the engine radically increased it's RPM from idle to over 6000 RPM, remaining there. Braking control maintained the automobile's position. Shifting the car into neutral caused RPM to increase further. The car was shut off, restarted, and seemed to function normally. On the second occasion, which occurred later the same day, the car was off and then started, and while still in PARK with my foot on the brake immediately jumped to over 6000, remaining there. Once again the car was shut off, restarted, and seemed to work normally. It was taken directly (and slowly) to the manufacturer's service center at my local Subaru dealership. They have not been able to re-create the problem as of this date.

4mo ago
Engine 2

I am reporting a safety issue with my 2019 Subaru Legacy that hesitates and nearly stalls when accelerating from a stop and is now undriveable due to stalling and shaking. I bought the car new from AutoNation Subaru Carlsbad in 2019. It has about 65,000 miles and I have driven it less than 2,000 miles since its last dealer visit in August 2025. Since around August 2025, the car has intermittently lost power under light acceleration from a stop or low speed, especially while pulling into or through intersections. Pressing the accelerator sometimes produces very little power, the engine feels like it may stall, and traffic behind me must brake or go around me, creating a risk of a rear‑end collision in intersections. In August 2025 I took the car to AutoNation Subaru Carlsbad and reported that the symptoms seemed like a fuel pump problem (my independent mechanic agreed). The dealer kept the car for about two weeks, experienced the hard‑starting/turn‑over issue, but did not test or replace the fuel pump. They performed other services, charged me $1,956.21, and returned the vehicle without fixing the safety issue, even though they later acknowledged the fuel pump is covered under an extended warranty. One day after picking the car up, the same hesitation and loss of power recurred in an intersection. On November 26, 2025, the car again became disabled: it cranks, briefly starts roughly, shakes, and then stalls, and will not stay running. I believe this is a defective low‑pressure fuel pump or related fuel system component, similar to known Subaru fuel pump defects that can cause stalling and loss of power. No crash or injuries yet, but there have been near‑misses due to unexpected loss of power in traffic.

7mo ago
Engine 1

Constant battery issues. I've replaced the car battery 3 times and the car seems to be suffering from "parasitic battery drain". It took a long time to diagnose the issue and I've been to the Rye Subaru dealership 2 times already and they are still trying to fix the issue. This is my daughters car and I'm constantly waiting for a phone call to have the car jump started. She works the night shift and I'm worried about her getting stranded at night.

8mo ago
Body 2

My vehicle light is on keeps saying oil at temp as well as other lights are currently turn on. I took it to subaru location was informed my transmission was bad. But the car drives well just have a bunch of lights.

10mo ago
Transmission 2

CVT failed at 85,000 miles. It started slipping and squealing and had to be replaced by the dealership. The car was never driven rough, in mountainous terrain, etc. Very disappointing.

12mo ago
Electrical 2

The entertainment system got bubbles and stopped working only after 50,000 miles.

12mo ago
Body 1

The navigation screen has delaminated and no longer works. You can see where there are layers of screen that are discolored and has a matte finish underneath and the entire screen is erratic and works only 10% of the time. I cannot answer calls through the car any longer and I have to try to navigate long trips from my phone as this function of the car is down. It's a serious problem and puts me and others on the road at risk every time I have to use the car as I travel by myself and I struggle to navigate the roads without this system. The car has a mere 70,000 miles on it and has been well cared for. I bought the car new and this issue is serious. There were no warning signs other than it erratically works less and less. I have researched the issue and see there are so many with this same issue that I wanted to add to the list. I cannot find a second hand part as the demand is too high. The car is available for inspection and I haven't had it to the dealer for this issue. It has been inspected by an auto repair shop and agrees the component needs to come out and be replaced. Please help!

14mo ago
Body 2

My husband was driving on [XXX] and the hood of the Subaru flew up, cracking the entire windshield, damaging the exterior of the roof and interior of the roof, the whole hood and frame where the hood meets the car. The car was driven but escorted by local PD to body shop. Less than 48 hrs before the incident, the car was at Paul Miller Subaru for a routine oil change. They were the last people to touch the hood of the car. Paul Miller Subaru has been an absolute nightmare to work with and is avoiding all contact. We are out of a vehicle entirely and they did not even offer to give us a loaner. They were incredibly defensive and rude and all of our friends and family that have leases or cars with them are pulling out of them for their safety and lives. Subaru Customer Advocacy and their Quality Assurance team went out to do an inspection on the vehicle after I opened up a case with them. Case # [XXX] 1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783) Ext.119109. They reported that the the secondary/safety latch was "damaged and destroyed by an outside source". The technician at the dealership destroyed the latch during the oil change. The body shop also confirmed the cause of the incident as well. Our vehicle is currently being repaired so the old/destroyed parts would be available for inspection if needed. My husbands safety was at risk because if he was going faster, or if there was a car infront or behind him when he came to a full stop after the flew up, it would have been fatal. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. They first appeared once the hood flew up. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

17mo ago
Electrical 1

If the car is not driven every day the battery dies due to a parasitic draw. Subaru knows there is a problem with the DCM from these years but refuses to correct the issues which there are 3 that are known. Dcm constantly searches for 3g network that is no longer killing the battery, Subaru changed the recommended cold cranking amperage of the battery well after manufacture, and won't test without a new battery being installed, and they expect the consumer to pay for both the testing and battery, to meet certain epa standards they altered the function of the alternator so it doesn't charge the battery until the engine is warm and won't fully charge the battery.

17mo ago
Electrical 1

Parasitic Battery Drain due to DCM fuse problem

18mo ago
Electrical 2

Parasitic drain on battery leaves the car dead and unable to start with out a jump. Battery is only six months old. Replaced old battery because of this same issue.

18mo ago
Body 1

Main infotainment display delamination, this causes a safety concerns, as the screen can become irresponsive, and even black out during reverse making the backup camera, nonfunctioning. The other safety issue at risk is that because of the delamination it causes "ghost-clicking" on the screen, and makes the screen irresponsive, veering the drivers attention away from the road, potentially causing accidents as the main display controls all radio and bluetooth, and navigation. There are no indication or warnings from the manufacturer that the vehicle could be a risk to drive. When I called Subaru of America, I was told by the agent that they could not assist, when I brought up, based on my research this was a known issue, Subaru of America offered to pay $600 towards the replacement of the head unit. The head unit dependant on the dealer and labor time can vary from $1400-2200 for the repair.

19mo ago
Electrical 1

The Starlink screen becomes uncontrollable and begins changing screens on its own making driving very distracting and losing all control of vital functions such as radio, gps and phone. I have no control over it. I have video of the incident but cannot figure out how to upload it. I k low previous year models were recalled for the same situation and I believe there is a class action lawsuit.

19mo ago
Electrical 2

Infotainment system touchscreen failed and it became unstable. Bluetooth connected to phone failed, gos failed Yes Yes No

20mo ago
Body 2

On the beginning of a trip the screen, Infotainment system started jumping, and shaking. We had been using the system for guidance while driving in unfamiliar area. The screen then started randomly selecting buttons while we were still trying to use directions from the screen. Then it called a contact on my contact list 8-9 times, and I had to keep hanging up in order so it would stop. Finally I had to shut down the entire screen. We lost control of the Infotainment and then after I had to turn it off, I tried several times again to turn it back on with no luck. The screen would not respond and continues to be completely frozen. As I have discovered this is a common problem that Subaru dealers have heard about from thousands of customers. Subaru needs to issue a recall.

20mo ago
Body 2

The radio/ starlink system begins changing screens on its own thus losing all control of critical functions such as phone and gps. There appears to be marks behind the glass of the screen which are not able to be cleaned. There are recalls for this issue on the 2018 Subaru Legacy and there needs to be one for the 2019 Subaru Legacy and other affected Subaru models.

20mo ago

122 total

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