2008 Subaru Legacy Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report an airbag warning light that comes on intermittently, typically traced to the overhead console wiring, and brake lines corroding and leaking fluid, in some cases after the brake-line recall work was done. Most other complaints are scattered and low-volume, covering electrical glitches, transmission behaviour, and a small number of unintended-acceleration reports.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light on, often traced to overhead console

   • 20 complaints (31%)
   • median 82,000 mi at 6.5 yrs old (19 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2012–2020

   Owners describe a red airbag light that comes on intermittently at startup or while driving and over time stays on most of the time. Several say a dealer traced it to faulty solder joints or wiring in the overhead map light console (sometimes fault code 26), while others were told an occupancy sensor or airbag sensor needed replacement; some owners repaired the console contacts themselves. Complaints note that the airbags may not deploy while the light is on, and some owners also mention Takata passenger-side inflator recalls and parts shortages at the dealer. Reported from around 50,000 to 110,000 miles; several owners note the light comes on more often in cold or humid weather.

   Recall 20V001000Recall 20V003000Recall 20V002000Recall 15V323000

   What to check: Turn the key to on and watch whether the airbag light stays lit, and ask whether the overhead console or airbag sensor has been replaced. Confirm any open Takata passenger-inflator recall has been completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On june 17 airbag light went on at startup and stayed on until I arrived at work. When leaving after 9hrs the light was off at startup. Since then the light comes on at least twice a week and stays on for two or three days then goes off. I am extremely concerned about their deployment in the event of an accident. I do plan on taking the vehicle to the dealer .”

   NHTSA complaint #10733498, filed 2015-07, 96,925 miles

   “Airbag light keeps coming on and off. I took it to the dealership in january and spent over $100 to have them tell me nothing was wrong. Now it keeps coming on and off all the time as of july 2014 until now. This is a common problem and is something that should be covered because it is a safety requirement by law likes seatbelt.”

   NHTSA complaint #10648605, filed 2014-10, 75,000 miles
2. 2
   Brakes

   Brake lines corrode and leak, pedal goes to the floor

   • 10 complaints (15%)
   • median 164,500 mi at 13.0 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2019–2023

   Complaints describe the brake pedal going to the floor or feeling soft, with little or no braking power, and fluid found dripping near a rear wheel or under the car. Several owners link the loss to corroded brake lines and cite the brake-line recall; some say the recall work, described as an anti-corrosion spray, was done but the lines later burst or leaked again. One owner reports the pedal dropping after a service visit and using the handbrake to stop. Mostly reported between about 75,000 and 215,000 miles, often in vehicles driven in states where road salt is used.

   Recall 14V311000Recall 13V110000

   What to check: Have the brake lines inspected along their full length, especially above the rear subframe and near the fuel tank, and ask for proof the brake-line recall was performed. Check the fluid reservoir level and look for wet spots at the wheels.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I had the recall done in 2017 and I was recently driving on the highway when my brakes had no pressure, I nearly crashed my car. Pulled over and realized my brake lines were leaking from where they said it had been fixed during the recall. I called the Subaru Stealership that did the recall and they informed me when I brought the vehicle in “it showed no signs of leakage” so they sprayed “anti corrosion” on the lines. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11515278, filed 2023-04, 149,000 miles

   “This is in reference to Subaru recall wqk-47: while driving vehicle, brake indicator on dashboard illuminated and within a few minutes of driving, I could feel something was a bit different with the brake pressure. Within a few moments of that while attempting to stop, I noticed the pedal went all the way down to the floor and on subsequent pumps of the brakes I got some pressure. Attempting to drive the vehicle further (slowly), resulted in very little, if any, braking power. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11289575, filed 2019-12, 180,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults: warning lights, radio and cruise control

   • 5 complaints (8%)
   • median 109,172 mi at 10.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2018–2021

   Owners report several warning lights on at once, blinking cruise control lamps, cruise control that engages and disengages on its own, and steering-wheel buttons that stop working. Some describe the radio turning on and off or changing stations by itself, a compass or auto-dimming mirror behaving erratically, and repeated battery drain that cannot hold a charge even after replacing the battery and alternator. Complaints also mention the radio cutting out when the rear defroster is switched on. Reported across a wide range, from about 70,000 to 145,000 miles.

   Recall 19V297000Recall 16V738000

   What to check: Start the car and check that no warning lights remain lit, that the cruise control and steering-wheel buttons work, and that the radio is stable with the rear defroster on. Ask whether a parasitic draw test has been done if the battery drains.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “All of my dash lights are on (stationary & in motion) cruise control lights blinks consistently (stationary & in motion), my car cruise control also feels like it goes on and off constantly (in motion), and my cruise controls on my steering do not work (stationary & in motion) . Also my radio is consistently going on/off, changing stations, volume controls go in/out (stationary & in motion). …”

   NHTSA complaint #11099062, filed 2018-05, 95,000 miles

   “When the rear window defrost is turned on the radio no longer works. I believe this to be a safety concern in the event of trying to hear important broadcasts in poor weather. This is a well known issue, but has been poorly addressed by Subaru. This affects many models in this year range. Leaving the consumer to pay to replace a poorly made part to repeatedly occur even after replacement in some cases.”

   NHTSA complaint #11170679, filed 2019-01, 109,000 miles
4. 4
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended or unwanted acceleration reports

   • 5 complaints (8%)
   • median 25,000 mi at 3.5 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2015

   A small group of owners describe the car surging forward on its own, in some cases at low speed near a driveway, stop sign or drive-through, and in others as a brief surge just as the brake is applied. Some incidents ended in a collision, and owners report that the dealer could not duplicate the condition. Other complaints describe the electronic throttle refusing to accelerate, with the engine revving and the check engine and cruise lights flashing. Reported mostly under 25,000 miles, though one owner noticed a slight surge at an unspecified higher mileage.

   What to check: Test drive at low speed in a parking lot and on a slight incline, and check that the floor mat is properly clipped and clear of the pedal. Ask whether any throttle-body or pedal-related work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On saturday, april 30th, I was turning around in a driveway, when all of the sudden my car took off. I had no time to react, except to try to use my brake. What stopped me was hitting a tree. My car is a 2008 Subaru Legacy with over $5,000 in damages. The police investigated and I was not cited. When I returned home, I looked on the internet to see if acceleration problems were common in Subaru's. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10399661, filed 2011-05, 25,000 miles

   “My 2008 Subaru Legacy 2.5 I, has a problem with the drive-by-wire. When I start the car after driving it just fine, the car gas pedal will no accelerate. This happens in motion or stationary. The car just revs up to 2200 RPM's. This can also happen when your driving. The car check engine light and cruise control light flashes. The car will not accelerate.”

   NHTSA complaint #10783407, filed 2015-10
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shudder, harsh shifts and loss of drive

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe surging and dipping at steady throttle, an abrupt 2nd-to-3rd shift with the revs rising between gears, and in one case the transmission dropping from drive into neutral with the ABS, cruise and sport lights flashing and a reprogramming done at the dealer. Another complaint describes an oil cooler failing and destroying the transmission. Reported from a few thousand miles up to about 110,000 miles.

   What to check: Drive at a steady low speed and through the 2nd-to-3rd shift to feel for shudder or harsh engagement, and check the transmission fluid level and condition. Ask whether the transmission or its control software has been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I got off the highway on a secondary road on my way home, when after the second stop sign trying to cross the intersection the car stalled ,losing its gears with the engine running, but no acceleration. The check engine light went on,the mode driving light and the cruise lights blinking. I turned the engine off ,then on and I proceeded with the only gear left to a safe location. Luckily I was on a secondary road or I could have been rear ended and hurt or worse. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10318429, filed 2010-03, 3,420 miles

   “The oil cooler disintegrated during a trip without any warning, no lights or anything. According to the mechanic who did the repairs, when it disintegrated, it destroyed the transmission. The car slowed down, but continued to crawl along at about 20 MPH, so that we could reach help. This resulted in a $3800 repair, stranding us 1,000 miles from home and resulting in several weeks of missed work.”

   NHTSA complaint #10823324, filed 2016-01, 111,500 miles

Buying note. Check the brake lines and the airbag warning light carefully before buying, and confirm which open recalls (brake lines, passenger inflator) have actually been completed. A pre-purchase inspection by a shop familiar with these cars is worthwhile given the age and the intermittent electrical behaviour.

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.