2021 Subaru Legacy problems & reliability
31 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Subaru Legacy, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2021 Subaru Legacy vehicles were involved in 6 fatal crashes with 4 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown OR Other | 7 | 23% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 19% |
| Electrical System | 5 | 16% |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 16% |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 6% |
| Engine | 2 | 6% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 6% |
| Power Train | 2 | 6% |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 6% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Vehicle: 2021 Subaru Legacy Base 2.5i Mileage:~65,000 miles My engine suddenly began making loud internal knocking/tapping noises with no warning lights, no overheating, and no prior symptoms. The vehicle immediately became unsafe to operate. I had it towed to a Subaru dealership, where technicians confirmed the noise…”
Engine · filed Jun 4, 2026
“Car intermittently will studder and not go into first gear or go into second gear dangerously having car bog down and almost stall and then it violently downshifts having car RMP Hague go very high then slip and have no power to wheels and then a few seconds later go into second gear violently taking off again. Have…”
Power Train · filed Nov 21, 2025
“The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds during colder weather, the heater failed to operate as intended. Additionally, the Eyesight system was inoperable. The check engine and other unknown warning lights were displayed. In addition, the contact stated that the…”
Electrical System · filed Oct 27, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
440 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Subaru Legacy. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin announces the design change made to the high-pressure fuel pump developed to prevent DTC P0087 (Fuel Rail/System Pressure – Too Low Bank 1). (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
09-123-24R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 28, 2026
This bulletin announces design changes made to the fuel injector in response to the DTCs listed. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
09-81-21R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 27, 2026
This bulletin provides new diagnostic steps for DTC P0851 and P0852 to be used in conjunction with the applicable Service Manual.
16-159-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 23, 2026
This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and…
02-193-24R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 30, 2026
This Service Information Bulletin outlines a new required procedure to follow when performing immobilizer-related repairs on the vehicles listed. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
15-246-19R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 30, 2026
This bulletin provides updated parts information and a service procedure to follow for removing accumulated carbon deposits from fuel injectors and internal engine components (e.g. intake valves and / or manifold, and…
09-74-21R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 26, 2026
This bulletin announces design changes made to the fuel injector and fuel pipe in response to the DTCs listed DTC P030* / Engine Knocking / DTC P219C-D-E-F. (This is an revised version of the original bulletin.)
09-81-21R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 25, 2026
This bulletin provides new diagnostic steps for DTC P0851 and P0852 to be used in conjunction with the applicable Service Manual.
16-159-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 23, 2026
This bulletin outlines the diagnostic and repair procedure for white smoke emitted from the exhaust after startup.
02-196-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 23, 2026
This announcement is requesting retailer staff to retain the EyeSight protective hood covers from Generation 4 EyeSight cameras.
SubaruNet Annoucement (E · Other · issued Jun 12, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2021 Subaru Legacy has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2021 Subaru Legacy?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.