1999 Subaru Legacy Problems

What owners report

Complaints on this model year cluster around a few recurring patterns: transmissions that hesitate, slip into neutral or drop out of gear, speedometers and odometers that quit intermittently, and brake pedal travel that owners describe as going to the floor. Many reports come in at moderate to high mileage, with the brake and coolant-related complaints often tied to cold weather or long descents, while the speedometer failures tend to appear at random and progress from intermittent to permanent.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission slips, hesitates or drops out of gear

   • 12 complaints (13%)
   • median 108,850 mi at 10.0 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1999–2014

   Owners describe the transmission behaving as though it is in neutral while still in drive, sometimes with a delay of many seconds when moving from park to drive; revving the engine can make it catch abruptly and the car surges. Others report the shifter or an automatic transmission dropping out of a gear while driving, including 5th gear on manual cars, with the engine racing when it happens. Downshifts on downhill grades are described as abrupt jerks, and some were told by dealers that a replacement transmission was needed. Reported from roughly 75,000 to 141,000 miles, often on inclines, long descents, or when pulling away from a stop.

   What to check: Drive the car from a cold start and from a stop, watching for a delay or slip between park, drive and reverse, and test it on a downhill grade. Ask whether the transmission or its seals have been serviced or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When I'm going down a decline at around 40mph and the transm. Is in 4th gear and I am coasting and begin to apply the brake the care will shift into 3rd gear and rev the engine to around 3500-4000 RPM. I feel this sudden unexpected transmission shift could cause a loss of traction on slippery roads which is the purpose of my buying an all wheel drive vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #709212, filed 1999-07

   “The transmission has a design defect which causes it to abruptly and without warning shift down while descending a long grade. This has resulted in two instances of momentary loss of control of the vehicle in icy/slippery conditions. In addition, it will materially and significantly shorten the life of the transmission. Furthermore, it has scared passengers on numerous occaions due to the jerking of the car which results from this design defect. I have contacted the manufacturer which sent me to the dealer. No relief. …”

   NHTSA complaint #723384, filed 2000-05
2. 2
   Brakes

   Brake pedal goes to the floor

   Mentioned in 9 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the brake pedal sinking to the floor with little or no braking, in some cases during a panic stop or right after starting the car, and one owner reported the cruise control also failing. Dealers reportedly replaced the master cylinder in several cases; in others the problem returned afterward, and some owners were told their vehicle was not covered by the brake recall. Reported at low speeds and during hard stops, several in cold or snowy conditions; mileage in the sample ranges from about 140,000 down to unreported, with many complaints filed at low mileage on the odometer.

   Recall 99V0400001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Press and hold the brake pedal firmly with the engine running to see whether it holds pressure or slowly sinks, and ask whether the master cylinder has been replaced. Check the VIN against the brake recall.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 1999 Subaru Legacy wagon with 4 wheel disc brakes and 15 inch wheels. Every time the front disk pads are replaced, the mechanic gets the pads for 15 inch wheels the are installed and the car will not stop. What we have discovered is that the front take the disk pads for 14 inch wheels and the rear take the disk pads for 15 inch wheels.”

   NHTSA complaint #10026024, filed 2003-07

   “While traveling down interstate 5, the traffic slowed due to an accident on the opposite side of the fwy., upon noticing the traffic slowing I released my foot from the accelerator the traffic came to a complete stop, I stepped on the brakes applying them all the way. I had plenty of time to stop the car in order to avoid an accident. Unfortunately the cars brakes didn't stop the car, and the car stopped when I hit the car in front of me. The air bags didn't deploy either. I had the same type of accident in march of 2000. …”

   NHTSA complaint #756313, filed 2002-01
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Speedometer and odometer stop working

   • 7 complaints (7%)
   • median 74,750 mi at 7.3 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2008

   Owners report the speedometer and odometer cutting out intermittently, then failing altogether, leaving the driver unable to tell how fast the car is going. Dealers quoted replacement of the speedometer head, and some owners were told the part was on national back order or that the dealer had replaced a number of these units on the same make and year. Commonly reported between roughly 58,000 and 110,000 miles, with failures starting at random rather than under any specific condition.

   What to check: Note whether the speedometer needle moves smoothly from a cold start and watch the odometer during a test drive. Ask if the speedometer head has ever been replaced, since a replaced odometer affects recorded mileage.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Downshifting on inclines: purchased a 1999 Subaru outback Legacy wagon new on nov. 11/11/98, at fucillo imports, watertown, ny. The downshifting problems occur when going down large hills around 60 MPH, gently applying the brakes to slow the vehicle, letting off the brakes, and the downshift jerks you forward. When the automobile was brand new, the abrupt jerk would put my head into the windshield. The salesperson told me that it was the way I drove the car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10091338, filed 2004-09

   “The speedometer on my vehicle became inconsistent. Sometimes it wouldn't work as soon as I started the car, other times it would stop working at any random time while driving anywhere. Eventually, when it stopped working, the odometers would stop as well. When I went to my Subaru dealer to replace the component. They told me there was a national back order and I would have to wait indefinitely for the part to come in. They also told me that they had been replacing a lot of speedometer heads on my make and year of car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #769360, filed 2002-11

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.