1990 Subaru Legacy: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 1990 Subaru Legacy. The newest campaign is 94V052000. NHTSA received the report on 23 Mar 1994. The NHTSA record gives the component Power Train / Manual Transmission. NHTSA has 81 complaints on file for this model year. 2 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 94V052000, in the NHTSA record

Dealers will modify the oil gauge pipe and modify the oil level gauge (dipstick) or replace it, depending on the type of dipstick in the vehicle.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 29 Mar 2018. Recall file through 30 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

4 campaigns, newest first. 292,039 units in total.

94V05200023 Mar 1994Power Train / Manual Transmission
91V08200030 May 1991Power Train / Automatic Transmission
90V18400016 Oct 1990Latches/Locks/Linkages / Doors / Latch
90V1100004 Jun 1990Visibility / Defroster/Defogger/HVAC System

94V052000Received 23 Mar 1994. 31,295 units.
Power Train / Manual Transmission
Defect, in the NHTSA record
When the vehicle is driven continuously under extremely cold temperatures (-22 degrees f.) and high humidity weather conditions, the transmission breathing (air) vent can be blocked due to moisture freezing at the oil level gauge. If this occurs, pressure inside the transmission case will increase and push out the rear oil seal, causing transmission oil leakage. The lack of lubrication can burn the internal components of the transmission, cause the transmission to seize and the vehicle to come to a sudden stop.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Sudden stops without prior warning can cause vehicle occupants to be thrown around the vehicle and cause loss of vehicle control which can result in an accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will modify the oil gauge pipe and modify the oil level gauge (dipstick) or replace it, depending on the type of dipstick in the vehicle.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 24 Jun 1994.
91V082000Received 30 May 1991. 76,000 units.
Power Train / Automatic Transmission
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Under certain load conditions, the park gear may not disengage immediately when the transmission lever is moved from park to reverse.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Delayed release of transmission from park causes delayedand possibly abrupt vehicle movement that could result in loss of vehiclecontrol and an accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install a modified parking brake pawl to prevent delayed release into reverse gear.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 5 Jul 1991.
90V184000Received 16 Oct 1990. 103,744 units.
Latches/Locks/Linkages / Doors / Latch
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Torque of latch screws on front doors may loosen over time due to a gap between the latch base plate and inner door panel under the screw head.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
The affected door may not be opened from inside,preventing exit from that door.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Replace front door latch screws with "lock-tight" screws.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 5 Dec 1990.
90V110000Received 4 Jun 1990. 81,000 units.
Visibility / Defroster/Defogger/HVAC System
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The defroster lever pin of the defroster shutter door may become dislocated and allow the shutter to close, preventing defroster from functioning.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Non-functioning defroster would adversely affect drivervisibility.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install a positioning stopper device to prevent dislocation of defroster lever pin to assure defroster operation.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 5 Dec 1990.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

81 complaints, 103 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

1990 Subaru Legacy
All 1990 vehicles

1990 Subaru Legacy: complaints by component, per 1,000 component mentions
Component	1990 Legacy	All 1990 vehicles	Legacy, all years	Mentions
Structure	213.6	65.3	47.6	22
Latches/Locks/Linkages	184.5	24	33.8	19
Power Train	135.9	86.1	102.5	14
Seat Belts	135.9	104.7	73	14
Vehicle Speed Control	68	43.6	59.1	7
Suspension	38.8	28.1	45.8	4
Fuel System, Gasoline	38.8	58.4	43.4	4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	38.8	161.5	99.5	4
Equipment	29.1	15.3	19.9	3
Exterior Lighting	29.1	17.7	21.1	3

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 16.

Complaints that report a crash: 4
Complaints that report a fire: 2
Injuries in the complaints: 4
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 1 Sep 2004

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1990 Subaru Legacy, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 1995, with 17 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1990 Subaru Legacy
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
PE94051	Preliminary evaluation	HOOD LATCH FAILURE	Structure	29 Jun 1994	31 Oct 1994
PE91039	Preliminary evaluation	REVERSE DELAYED ENGAGEMENT	Power Train / Automatic Transmission	23 Jan 1991	30 May 1991	91V082000

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1990 Subaru LegacyThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1990 Subaru Legacy: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/subaru/legacy/1990/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 30 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 30 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 29 Mar 2018
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1990 Subaru Legacy?: 292,039 units in 4 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Subaru Legacy have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 81 recall campaigns for the Subaru Legacy, model years 1987 to 2023. 4 of them name the 1990 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1990 Subaru Legacy name most often?: Structure: 22 of 103 component mentions, or 213.6 per 1,000. For all 1990 vehicles the figure is 65.3 per 1,000.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1990 Subaru Legacy open?: No. Each of the 2 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.