1997 Subaru Legacy: recalls and complaints

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

All updates to the register

• 01V21600025 Jun 2001Suspension / Front / Springs / Coil Springs
• 98V0910004 May 1998Suspension / Front / Springs / Leaf Spring Assembly / Hanger,bracket
• 98V04200020 Feb 1998Power Train / Automatic Transmission / Gear Position Indication (Prndl)
• 98V03500020 Feb 1998Vehicle Speed Control
• 97V21000013 Nov 1997Exterior Lighting / Hazard Flashing Warning Lights / Switch

1. 01V216000Received 25 Jun 2001. 180,000 units.

   Suspension / Front / Springs / Coil Springs

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   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, virginia, west virginia, and wisconsin, and in the district of columbia. The front coil springs were produced with poor paint quality which, after continued exposure to corrosive salt, can result in breakage of the spring.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   Depending on the location of the fracture, a broken spring could move past the spring seat and contact a front tire. Some tires have deflated due to contact with a broken spring.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   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 notification began september 18, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.

   Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 18 Sep 2001.

2. 98V091000Received 4 May 1998. 29,442 units.

   Suspension / Front / Springs / Leaf Spring Assembly / Hanger,bracket

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   Such fractures can result in partial or complete separation of the bracket causing a failure of the lower suspension mounting, leading to a loss of vehicle control.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

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

   Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 29 Jun 1998.

3. 98V042000Received 20 Feb 1998. 19,386 units.

   Power Train / Automatic Transmission / Gear Position Indication (Prndl)

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. Due to poor welds, ignition keys can stick, shift levers/linkages can break and shift levers can move.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   This condition can cause unexpected movement of the vehicle increasing the risk of a crash or property damage.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Dealers will replace the automatic transmission shift lever assemblies (except the handle grip).

   Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 15 Jun 1998.

4. 98V035000Received 20 Feb 1998. 61,115 units.

   Vehicle Speed Control

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The throttle shaft ball bearing on the sensor side of the throttle body assembly was not installed in certain throttle bodies.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   Operation of a vehicle with a missing throttle shaft bearing can eventuallly lead to an incomplete return of the throttle valve resulting in a high idling condition.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Dealers will inspect the throttle body and replace the throttle assembly if the bearing is missing.

   Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 27 Apr 1998.

5. 97V210000Received 13 Nov 1997. 19,730 units.

   Exterior Lighting / Hazard Flashing Warning Lights / Switch

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Insufficient clearance within the hazard warning light switch housing can cause a binding between the actuating button and the housing.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   The switch could stick in an intermediate position when deactivating, resulting in the turn signals becoming inoperable.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Dealers will install a modified hazard warning switch.

   Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 5 Jan 1998.

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.

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.

• 1997 Subaru Legacy
• All 1997 vehicles

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 21.

Complaints that report a crash

18

Complaints that report a fire

2

Injuries in the complaints

8

Deaths in the complaints

0

Date of the newest complaint

17 Nov 2020

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.

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.

1. 19870
2. 19880
3. 19890
4. 19904
5. 19913
6. 19922
7. 19931
8. 19940
9. 19952
10. 19963
11. 19975
12. 19984
13. 19993
14. 20003
15. 20017
16. 20024
17. 200314
18. 200410
19. 20059
20. 20067
21. 20079
22. 20089
23. 200913
24. 201018
25. 201116
26. 201216
27. 201312
28. 201410
29. 20153
30. 20163
31. 20172
32. 20183
33. 20193
34. 20206
35. 20213
36. 20222
37. 20232
38. 20240
39. 20250

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

• Subaru Legacy: all model years
• Subaru: 31 model lines

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• 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 1997 Subaru LegacyThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1997 Subaru Legacy?

309,673 units in 5 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 2025. 5 of them name the 1997 model year.

Which component do the complaints about the 1997 Subaru Legacy name most often?

Engine and Engine Cooling: 33 of 179 component mentions, or 184.4 per 1,000. For all 1997 vehicles the figure is 128.6 per 1,000.

Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1997 Subaru Legacy open?

No. The 1 investigation that names this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.