2001 Subaru Legacy Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a strong raw-gasoline smell in the cabin, typically on cold starts and in freezing weather, sometimes with visible fuel leaking under the hood. A second frequent theme is a cold-engine hesitation or stumble when pulling away from a stop, which some owners say dealers could not diagnose. Remaining reports scatter across tires, brakes, suspension corrosion and cooling-system repairs, mostly on higher-mileage cars.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Gasoline smell in cabin / fuel leak in cold weather

   • 18 complaints (23%)
   • median 63,000 mi at 8.2 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • filed 2004–2020

   Complaints describe a strong raw-fuel odor entering the cabin, most often right after a cold start or when the heater or vent fan is switched on, and the smell lingering in a garage after parking. Several owners report visible fuel leaking from lines in the engine compartment, and some say the dealer confirmed a fuel-line problem or replaced a line. Others say their VIN was excluded from the fuel-hose recall even though the symptoms matched it. Reported from near-new to well past 100,000 miles, almost always in temperatures near or below freezing.

   Recall 00V393000

   What to check: On a cold morning, start the car with the blower on and smell for fuel in the cabin, then look for damp or weeping fuel lines in the engine bay. Ask whether the fuel-hose recall was performed and whether any lines have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We started to experience gasoline fumes in the passenger compartment of the car. Our dealers service department determined that the fuel line was leaking and needed to be replaced. While no damage of which we are aware has occurred to the car, it would appear that a high risk of fire was present (or would become present) without replacement of this part (which typically would last the lifetime of the car). Cost of repair: $355.15.”

   NHTSA complaint #10300293, filed 2010-01, 130,000 miles

   “For the second time in below zero outside temperatures, we are experiencing a fuel leak in our vehicle. A call to our dealership indicates they are fielding numerous calls of this type today. Our first experience of the problem was december 24, 2004.”

   NHTSA complaint #10150584, filed 2006-02, 20 miles
2. 2
   Tires

   Tire blowouts, sidewall separation and rapid wear

   • 8 complaints (10%)
   • median 67,665 mi at 6.4 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2025

   Complaints describe blowouts and tread or sidewall separation at highway speed, in some cases with only a few thousand miles on the tire, plus sidewall rubber peeling on original-equipment tires. Some owners report repeated early replacement of all four tires within a short mileage span. Mostly reported between roughly 6,000 and 35,000 miles, including on fairly new replacement tires.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Inspect all four tires for sidewall cracking, separation or uneven wear, note their age code, and ask about wheel balancing if a highway-speed vibration is present.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I noticed that the outer layer of rubber has begun to come off on the sidewall, showing a white underlayer, near the lettering but not exclusively at the lettering. I looked at a similar model of Subaru and saw the same thing had happened to its tire. Since I have not had an accident, I am assuming that this is a tire failure. Please advise.”

   NHTSA complaint #762567, filed 2002-06

   “Headed home from a vet appointment in mountain home. Was driving on the freeway at 80mph when the tire blew at the Wendell exit. Checked the tire to find that the inside wall had failed and had a blowout. The tire was installed June 8th 2025 and had less than 1,000 miles on it. I have never in 26 years of being around vehicles had a brand new tire fail in less than 1,000 miles. Tire was a good year reliant all season 195/65/R15. That tire blowout could have killed me and my family. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11673162, filed 2025-07
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brake pedal goes hard or low in cold weather

   • 7 complaints (9%)
   • median 72,500 mi at 6.9 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2014

   Owners describe the brake pedal being hard or sinking toward the floor on cold starts, with little or no braking until the car warms up or the pedal is pumped several times. Some report excessive repeat brake work, and a service bulletin addresses caliper fluid leaks and pad drag from corrosion. Reported at ambient temperatures at or below freezing, from under 5,000 miles up to about 120,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: On a cold start, press the pedal and confirm it feels firm before moving; check calipers for fluid seepage and ask when the brake fluid was last changed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Excessive brake repairs. I have had to replace my brakes every 30,000 miles. I have never had a car or truck that has needed to have all the components of the braking system replaced with such frequency. While at the dealer another owner was complaining to service about the same issue”

   NHTSA complaint #10115997, filed 2005-03, 31,000 miles

   “On a cold start, with the ambient temperature at or below freezing (32f), the 3rd time I press the brake pedal, it will not go down. There is a hard stop and the brakes do not engage. The vehicle, if in motion, will not stop. Repeated pumping of the brake pedal eventually frees up the brake pedal and braking function is restored. Notice a distinct revving of the engine when the problem is remedied. This is a repeatable problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10310827, filed 2010-02, 105,000 miles
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Cold-engine hesitation or stumble from a stop

   • 7 complaints (9%)
   • median 45,531 mi at 3.6 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2011

   Owners describe the engine surging, hesitating or occasionally stalling when accelerating from a stop while cold, sometimes enough to interrupt a merge into traffic. Complaints say dealers attributed it to an engine characteristic, suggested warming the car first, or replaced sensors without resolving it. Typically on a cold engine during the first minutes of driving; reported from under 20,000 miles upward.

   What to check: Test-drive the car from a cold start specifically, pulling away from several stops, and ask whether the throttle position sensor or idle-related service bulletins were ever applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Inconsistantly, but frequently my 2001 Subaru Legacy 2.5l wagon surges and/or hesitates. The result is that I have little reliability for acceleration, etc. When driving. This has resulted a near collsions when the car hesitated in the middle of intersections. I no longer feel safe driving it--especially when my 2 young children are in the car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10098127, filed 2004-11, 64,000 miles

   “Fuel system issue. I have owned my vehicle for approximately 9 months. I bought it as a used car from sloane in philadelphia. It has approximately 17000 miles on it and is considered still under warranty. I have had to take it in for service 4 times for the vehicle hesitating upon acceleration. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10020970, filed 2003-06, 17,400 miles

Buying note. This model year is old enough that condition matters more than reputation: check for fuel smells on a cold start, ask about the fuel-hose and rear-suspension recalls, and inspect underside rust carefully if the car has lived in a salt-belt state.

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.