1996 Subaru Legacy Seats Problems
- Complaints
- 6about this part
- Share
- 5%of 123 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 60,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the seats of the 1996 Subaru Legacy, 5% of the 123 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 60,000 miles. 3 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“My daughter spun her 1996 Subaru Legacy wagon while trying to miss a deer at about 45 MPH. She hit a tree going backwards. In the collision the seat back broke on the drivers seat. This caused her to hit her head and neck and she suffered a broken neck. The seat back should not have broken in a rear end collision. The car was in good shape and only had 60,000 miles.”
NHTSA complaint #10086469, filed 2004-08, 60,000 miles“Vehicle hit deer, minimum damage to vehicle. But, both airbags deployed. Passenger's air bag broke, passenger injured face. Passenger had seatback all the way, and was leaning back at time of deployment.”
NHTSA complaint #877309, filed 2001-01“While vehicle was involved in an accident, 11 years old son who was buckled into his seat belt was thrown forward/back at which point his head hit a piece of hard plastic embedded in the top of the back seat and got a bump on the head.”
NHTSA complaint #517207, filed 1997-05Seats: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 3% |
| 2020 | 1 | 1% |
| 2019 | 1 | 1% |
| 2016 | 2 | 1% |
| 2015 | 3 | 2% |
| 2014 | 2 | 4% |
| 2013 | 2 | 3% |
| 2011 | 2 | 1% |
| 2010 | 3 | 2% |
| 2009 | 1 | 2% |
| 2006 | 1 | 1% |
| 2005 | 6 | 3% |
| 2002 | 1 | 2% |
| 2000 | 1 | 1% |
| 1999 | 1 | 1% |
| 1998 | 4 | 4% |
| 1996 | 6 | 5% |
| 1995 | 3 | 2% |
| 1990 | 1 | 1% |
Other parts of the 1996 Subaru Legacy
22 complaintsEngine cooling
22 complaintsElectrical system
21 complaintsBrakes
18 complaintsFuel system
8 complaintsSuspension
8 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
8 complaintsOther or unknown
7 complaintsVehicle speed control
7 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
4 complaintsSteering
3 complaintsTires
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1996 Subaru Legacy
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology