2000 Subaru Legacy Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2000 Legacy most often describe transmission trouble (harsh or delayed engagement, sudden downshifts, and occasional unintended acceleration events), tire blowouts and tread separation on the original equipment tires, coolant and head gasket leaks on the 2.5L engine, and rusted rear suspension structures. Many of these reports arrive at higher mileage, but belt, tire and clutch items are reported early, and several problems (fuel smell in cold weather, rear subframe corrosion) recur across the model year.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission fails to engage or shifts abruptly

   • 12 complaints (13%)
   • median 76,000 mi at 5.4 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2009

   Complaints describe the car hesitating before going into drive, refusing to move from a stop light, or downshifting on its own with the transmission fluid temperature warning lit. Several owners report the transmission was replaced, sometimes twice, and that dealers could not identify a cause or attributed it to maintenance. A few describe the engine revving unexpectedly while the car was creeping or stopped. Reported from roughly 30,000 to over 170,000 miles, with many reports between 67,000 and 120,000 miles.

   9 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the car from cold and check for delayed or harsh engagement into drive and reverse, then test at a stop light. Ask whether the transmission fluid has been serviced and whether any transmission work was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “At about 76,000 miles, very occasionally, the car hesitated before engaging in drive. The problem started occurring more often recently, and now at 82,000, according to a Subaru dealer, the transmission apparently needs to be replaced. I am trying a flush before replacing the transmission. I believe Subaru should warranty their transmissions for more than 60,000 miles or recall the part in the transmission that fails.”

   NHTSA complaint #10110349, filed 2005-02, 76,000 miles

   “New transmission was put in at around 40k miles. Now the car is at 85k miles. I was driving down the street and gave my car a little gas. The car reved and accelerated for no reason, but I looked at my gauges and nothing looked out of the ordinary, so I kept driving. About 5 minutes later, I was pulling into my neighbor's driveway going about 2 miles per hour (her car was about 7 feet away) when the car accelerated (like I had floored the gas pedal), and I crashed into her parked car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10112652, filed 2005-03, 85,000 miles
2. 2
   Tires

   Tire blowouts and tread separation

   • 16 complaints (17%)
   • median 96,869 mi at 13.6 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2014

   Owners report tires failing at highway speed, including sidewall separations, tread peeling away and sudden blowouts on original equipment tires. Some also describe a steering wheel shake or pull at highway speed that dealers linked to wheel balance or tire pressure. Tire makers and dealers replaced tires in several cases, with no visible puncture found. Mostly reported on the original tires at highway speeds, often with no mileage noted; related vibration reports appear from new up to higher mileage.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Inspect tire date codes and sidewalls for cracking, bulging or repair patches, and have the wheels balanced if there is vibration at highway speed. Replace any tire older than about six years regardless of tread.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The tire is tubeless. Traveling at an estimated 50 MPH the tire side wall separated from the tread. If I lost a front tire I would have had an accident. (DOT number: 8m15794-7 tiresize: p22560r16)”

   NHTSA complaint #747510, filed 2001-06

   “I had a blowout on the freeway. Purchased replacement tire and drove 313 miles on this brand new tire and it developed a bubble and had to be replaced again.”

   NHTSA complaint #10466674, filed 2012-07, 57,835 miles
3. 3
   Suspension

   Rear subframe and suspension rust

   • 9 complaints (10%)
   • median 136,000 mi at 13.3 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2019

   Owners in northern states describe rear suspension and subframe components rusting through, in some cases badly enough that a mechanic declined to repair the car or replaced the subframe. Several mention the car was previously repaired under a rear suspension recall but corrosion returned; one owner says the manufacturer declined a further repair due to mileage. Others report broken struts and a broken front stabilizer bar. Mostly reported above 70,000 miles, often on cars over 100,000 miles in cold, road-salt states.

   Recall 03V1530002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have the car put on a lift and inspect the rear subframe, trailing arms and strut towers for perforating rust, especially on a car from a salt-belt state. Ask for documentation of any recall repair under campaign 03V153000.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Front left strut broke and came close to puncturing the tire. Could handle the car efficiently-went to local garage 1 mile away , with caution , where peoblem was determined”

   NHTSA complaint #10224761, filed 2008-04, 87,499 miles

   “The contact owns a 2000 Subaru Legacy. While driving 60 MPH, the contact lost control of the vehicle and began swerving across the lanes. She exited the freeway and drove to a repair shop. The mechanic stated that the unibar frame above the front tires was rusted through and only the transmission brackets were holding the vehicle together. The mechanic would not repair the vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10257332, filed 2009-02, 136,000 miles
4. 4
   Tires

   Raw fuel smell in cold weather

   • 5 complaints (5%)
   • median 173,000 mi at 15.3 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2004–2017

   Complaints describe a strong raw gasoline smell inside and around the car when outside temperatures drop near or below freezing, strongest under the hood and drawn into the cabin when the heater is on. Dealers found leaking fuel hoses in some cases and in others said no fault was found; the odor often returns the next winter. Reported in cold weather, typically below about 30-40 F, from roughly 60,000 miles to over 150,000 miles.

   What to check: On a cold morning, start the car with the hood open and smell for raw fuel near the intake and fuel lines; ask whether the fuel hoses or their clamps have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Dealer found leaking fuel hoses.roblem sratred out with a very strong smell of gasoline fumes inside the car when the temperature outside gets below about 30 degrees f. This problem started last winter and the dealer said it was bad gas . This year the fumes were much worse so I started looking on-line for a solution. I found others had the problem too and the solution was to tighten loose and leaking fuel hoses. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10055195, filed 2004-01, 60,000 miles

   “I have been experiencing a very powerful fuel smell emitting from the areas of the engine. When I pop the hood the smell is the strongest. The smell is of raw gasoline (not exhaust or anything of that sort) and permeates into the cabin and all around the vehicle. The odor emerges only on cold days, specifically temperatures that drop below 39 f. The odor grows more potent as the car runs and if I activate the heat blowers you and smell it even more. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10553210, filed 2013-11, 190,000 miles
5. 5
   Engine cooling

   Head gasket and coolant leaks (2.5L)

   • 8 complaints (9%)
   • median 78,250 mi at 8.6 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2011

   Complaints describe repeated head gasket replacement on the 2.5L engine, oil leaking externally, and coolant level slowly dropping from the reservoir. One owner reports a spark plug blowing out of a cylinder after several gasket repairs, and others mention a check engine light with no stored code when the dealer looked. Some owners say the dealer would not diagnose the problem without a fault code. Reported from about 38,000 miles upward, with repeat repairs in the 55,000 to 100,000 mile range.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check for oil weeping at the head gasket seam and coolant loss in the reservoir over a week of driving, and ask for service records showing whether head gaskets were already replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Under warranty had three head gaskets on 2000 Legacy 2.5l (38,000, 55,000, 75,600 miles respectively). At 97,000 mile spark plug blew out of #2 cyclinder. Subaru blamed me since I replaced the plugs at 65,000. I paid $1700 at lynnes Subaru in arpil to replace left side head with new one. At 99,500 mile I am seeing the coolant starting to drop in reservoir. Only 400 miles left on 100k head warranty for right side and 10k mile on warranty for new head. The car is sitting until I get it into dealer. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10238636, filed 2008-08, 99,500 miles

   “Check engine light illuminated. An independent mechanic was able to turn off the light by erasing the code. Vehicle was taken to the dealer to check out the engine. Dealer would not check the engine because there was no error code.”

   NHTSA complaint #10029649, filed 2003-07

Buying note. A 2000 Legacy is an old car now, so budget for a transmission inspection, a head gasket and coolant check, and a close look at the rear subframe for rust before buying. Service records showing recent tires and any head gasket or transmission work are worth more than low mileage here.

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.