2008 Subaru Legacy Vehicle speed control Problems
- Complaints
- 5about this part
- Share
- 8%of 65 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 25,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 5 complaints about the vehicle speed control of the 2008 Subaru Legacy, 8% of the 65 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 25,000 miles. 2 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.
“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. I did find that foresters has problems; but I also found that some Legacy's also has acceleration problems, in particular I found a 2008 Subaru Legacy with this problem. …”
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“This has been happening for several weeks. When driving with my foot on the accelerator and when I take my foot off and start to brake, there is a slight acceleration just as I start applying the brake. It happens quite often and I had gotten used to it but one day when I was a passenger and my wife was driving and noticed it. The next time I drove it, I noticed it. It seems to be doing it most of the time. It may be a precursor to unintended acceleration.”
NHTSA complaint #10480062, filed 2012-10“The contact owns a 2008 Subaru Legacy. While approaching a stop light at a speed of approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into the rear end of another vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The dealer could not duplicate the failure. The dealer repaired the structure body of the vehicle. The weather was not a factor. The approximate failure mileage was 11,000. The approximate current mileage was 11,000. Updated 07/09/10. Updated 07/13/10.”
NHTSA complaint #10324194, filed 2010-04, 11,000 milesVehicle speed control: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 17% |
| 2022 | 2 | 6% |
| 2021 | 1 | 3% |
| 2020 | 4 | 3% |
| 2019 | 4 | 3% |
| 2018 | 3 | 3% |
| 2017 | 2 | 2% |
| 2016 | 9 | 6% |
| 2015 | 14 | 9% |
| 2014 | 3 | 6% |
| 2013 | 4 | 6% |
| 2012 | 4 | 4% |
| 2011 | 5 | 3% |
| 2010 | 8 | 5% |
| 2008 | 5 | 8% |
| 2006 | 30 | 34% |
| 2005 | 15 | 8% |
| 2004 | 5 | 10% |
| 2003 | 5 | 8% |
| 2002 | 4 | 7% |
| 2001 | 9 | 12% |
| 2000 | 10 | 11% |
| 1999 | 12 | 13% |
| 1998 | 10 | 9% |
| 1997 | 9 | 6% |
| 1996 | 7 | 6% |
| 1995 | 3 | 2% |
| 1994 | 2 | 3% |
| 1993 | 4 | 5% |
| 1992 | 2 | 4% |
| 1991 | 5 | 6% |
| 1990 | 5 | 6% |
Other parts of the 2008 Subaru Legacy
25 complaintsBrakes
13 complaintsElectrical system
9 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
6 complaintsEngine
4 complaintsExterior lighting
3 complaintsFuel system
3 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
3 complaintsWheels
3 complaintsTires
2 complaintsElectronic stability control
1 complaintsEquipment
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2008 Subaru Legacy
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 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