RecallMyCar

1996 Subaru Legacy Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 1996 Subaru Legacy, and owners have filed 123 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

3
safety recalls
123
owner complaints to NHTSA
26 / 4
complaints citing a crash / fire
20–25
MPG combined (EPA)

3 safety recalls for the 1996 Subaru Legacy

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Coil springs (suspension)

    NHTSA 01V216000 Reported 180,000 vehicles potentially affected SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with front coil springs originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new york, new jersey, new hampshire, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont,…

    Remedy: Dealers will notifiy customers to bring their vehicle to an authorize dealership to have a spring guard installed on both front struts to prevent tire puncture and replace any broken springs free of charge. Owner…

  2. Air bags

    NHTSA 98V315000 Reported 95,673 vehicles potentially affected SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Inadvertent air bag deployment can occur after undercarriage contact of the tow hooks with curbs, dips, speedbumps, potholes, etc.

    Remedy: Dealers will remove the front tow hooks.

  3. Hanger, bracket (suspension)

    NHTSA 98V091000 Reported 29,442 vehicles potentially affected SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

    Vehicle description: passenger station wagon, sedan and sport utility vehicles. Due to improper welding, fractures can occur on the support bracket of the front transverse link.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace if necessary the front suspension support brackets.

123 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1996 Subaru Legacy have filed 123 complaints with NHTSA; 26 describe a crash and 4 describe a fire. Reports cite 17 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 98,290 miles. Complaints peaked in 1999 with 21 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 subaru legacy. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, there was a loud noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact then noticed that there was smoke and f”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 6, 2012 · Power train

“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 subaru legacy. The contact was driving 5 MPH when another vehicle crashed into his bumper and the air bags deployed. There were no physical damages to the vehicle and there”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 20, 2011 · Air bags

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1996 Subaru Legacy/Outback (Legacy, Legacy AWD, Legacy Wagon, Legacy Wagon AWD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined20–25 mpg
City / Highway18–21 / 24–30
FuelRegular
EPA classCompact Cars, Midsize-Large Station Wagons
Engine4 cyl, 2.2/2.5 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Subaru Legacy model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Subaru Legacy model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1987 Subaru Legacy01
1988 Subaru Legacy01
1989 Subaru Legacy01
1990 Subaru Legacy481
1991 Subaru Legacy378
1992 Subaru Legacy255
1993 Subaru Legacy177
1994 Subaru Legacy060
1995 Subaru Legacy2182
1996 Subaru Legacy3123
1997 Subaru Legacy5139
1998 Subaru Legacy4114
1999 Subaru Legacy394
2000 Subaru Legacy394
2001 Subaru Legacy777
2002 Subaru Legacy454
2003 Subaru Legacy1460
2004 Subaru Legacy1049
2005 Subaru Legacy9184
2006 Subaru Legacy787
2007 Subaru Legacy933
2008 Subaru Legacy965
2009 Subaru Legacy1365
2010 Subaru Legacy18150
2011 Subaru Legacy16167
2012 Subaru Legacy1690
2013 Subaru Legacy1266
2014 Subaru Legacy1053
2015 Subaru Legacy3160
2016 Subaru Legacy3147
2017 Subaru Legacy2119
2018 Subaru Legacy3117
2019 Subaru Legacy3123
2020 Subaru Legacy6121
2021 Subaru Legacy331
2022 Subaru Legacy234
2023 Subaru Legacy210
2024 Subaru Legacy017
2025 Subaru Legacy06

Checking a specific 1996 Subaru Legacy

How do I know if my 1996 Subaru Legacy has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 1996 Subaru Legacy; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Subaru dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 01V216000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Subaru models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.