KnownCarProblems2001 Subaru Legacy Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 77 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Subaru Legacy, most often about the fuel system (25% of complaints, typically around 59,000 miles). It is 13th of 26 Legacy model years by number of complaints and has 7 recalls.
Most common 2001 Subaru Legacy problems
Fuel system
19 complaints · 25%Half of these problems showed up before 59,000 miles. Parts named most often: delivery, carburetor system.
Inconsistantly, but frequently my 2001 Subaru Legacy 2.5l wagon surges and/or hesitates. The result is that I have little reliability for acceleration, etc. When driving. This has resulted a near collsions when the car hesitated in the middle of intersections. I no longer feel safe driving it--especially when my 2…
Tl contact owns a 2001 Subaru Legacy. When the vehicle is idling with the fan blower/vent activated, the contact smells a strong odor of gasoline. He is in the process of having the vehicle diagnosed to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer stated that his VIN was excluded from NHTSA campaign id number…
Engine
14 complaints · 18%Half of these problems showed up before 52,500 miles. Parts named most often: engine, cooling system.
Whne the car is cold, it hesitates and stalls when taking off from a stop sign or other stop. Dealer does not know how to fix. Fails every time the car is operated cold.
Took my 2001 bh5 gtb e-tune for service at Subaru kenya. Dealer bled the oil without replacing it(as I found out later). Cruising at 80kph, check engine light came on, car lost all power, was towed back to dealer. Dealer said engine had ceased, so they overhauled it. Same thing happened after 234km. Dealer says they…
Wheels and tires
11 complaints · 14%Parts named most often: sidewall, rim.
All four tires were replaced 3 times within 35,000 miles due to premature wear. The tires were replaced with different model tires, but failure recurred.
Blow out with complete detachment of tire tread from wheel at 50 MPH; car crashed into stone wall; air bags deployed; fire in forward part of engine compartment put out by fire company; fire company comment that looked like tire failure; tires had only ~2000 miles on them; no injuries; only one car involved; police…
Speed control
9 complaints · 12%Parts named most often: cables.
Brakes
7 complaints · 9%Parts named most often: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, foundation components.
Excessive brake repairs. I have had to replace my brakes every 30,000 miles. I have never had a car or truck that has needed to have all the components of the braking system replaced with such frequency. While at the dealer another owner was complaining to service about the same issue
On a cold start, with the ambient temperature at or below freezing (32f), the 3rd time I press the brake pedal, it will not go down. There is a hard stop and the brakes do not engage. The vehicle, if in motion, will not stop. Repeated pumping of the brake pedal eventually frees up the brake pedal and braking function…
Suspension
6 complaints · 8%Parts named most often: front, rear.
On a 2001 Subaru Legacy, the sealed front wheel bearings and hubs had to be replaced at 68,000 miles. Sealed wheel bearings should last much longer. I have read that others have also run in problems with sealed wheel bearings on other years and models of Subaru. I suspect a manufacturer defect.
1. Driving car over speed bump at posted speed limit 2. Failure: front sway bar broke at both the right and left side of car at the frame bushings between wheel and body frame. 3. New sway bar, linkers and bushings are required - repair has yet to be done as it broke yesterday.
Visibility and wipers
5 complaints · 7%Parts named most often: sun/moon roof assembly, glass, side/rear, power window devices and controls, defroster/defogger/hvac system.
Vehicle's head gasket blew out. The vehicle overheated and the windshield did not defrost properly. The found that the heater core was bad. The consumer requested reimbursement for the head gasket. The radiator was replaced.
Body and structure
3 complaints · 4%Parts named most often: body, frame and members.
The contact owns 2001 Subaru Legacy outback. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign number 03v153000 (suspension). However, the remedy failed to correct the failure. The sub frame was found corroded and fractured. The contact was advised that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2001 Subaru Legacy recalls
Speed control: cables
Risk: If this occurs during vehicle operation, the driver could lose control of the vehicle, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a cruise control cable retaining clip to the cruise control lever tab on the throttle shaft in order to prevent the cruise control cable from coming out of its track. Owner notification began on april 12, 2004. Owners should contact subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
Full defect summary
On certain passenger sedans, wagons, and sport utility vehicles, the cruise control cable could come out of its track on the cruise control lever and lodge on the control lever tab when the accelerator pedal is released. If this condition occurs, the throttle will not return to the idle position and will remain in an open position.
Suspension: rear
Risk: If such breakage occurs while the vehicle is being operated, control of the vehicle could be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will clean and rust-proof the rear suspension subframe. Owner notification began july 14, 2003. 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.
Full defect summary
This recall applies to certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Certain rear suspension subframe components were produced with poor paint quality which, after continued exposure to corrosive road salts for a period of several years, could result in rust-out of the component and possible breakage of the subframe.
Transmission: automatic transmission
Risk: The vehicle could then move/roll without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission parking rod assembly. Owner notification january 8, 2003. An interim owner notification will be sent during november 2002. 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.
Full defect summary
Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions were produced with an improperly manufactured transmission parking rod. When the transmission selector lever is placed in the "p" (park) position, the transmission park mechanism, that is intended to hold your vehicle, may not engage.
Seats
Risk: If an inner slide rail latch mechanism breaks due to improper welding, forward and rearward seat adjustment will no longer be possible. In the event of a crash, the slide rails could break, exposing the occupant to a risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace one or both front seat inner slide rails. Owner notification began march 30, 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.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with manually-adjustable (non-powered) seats. Certain inner front slide rail latch mechanisms may have been improperly welded.
Seat belts: rear/other
Risk: The seat occupant would not be properly restrained in the event of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace all beige colored rear center lap/shoulder belts with lot number 0171.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Incorrect beige rear center seat belt webbing was installed. The belt length is too short.
Fuel system: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect for under-hood fuel hoses with lot numbers 0804 and 0806 and all fuel hoses with those numbers will be replaced.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Possible fuel leakage of under-hood fuel hoses at low ambient temperatures (-40 degrees c) once the fuel hoses age and become less flexible.
Steering: linkages
Risk: This casting flaw could cause grease leakage, front wheel bearing failure due to loss of grease, or loss of steering due to tie-rod end separation.
Fix: Dealers will replace all front bearing housings with a lot number of of15.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A casting flaw in the right front bearing housing could result in loss of steering if the casting flaw should exist in the tie-rod arm.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2001 Subaru Legacy
- What are the most common problems with the 2001 Subaru Legacy?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: fuel system (19 complaints, typically around 59,000 miles); engine (14 complaints, typically around 52,500 miles); wheels and tires (11 complaints).
- How many recalls does the 2001 Subaru Legacy have?
- 7 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from March 16, 2004 (speed control). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2001 a bad year for the Subaru Legacy?
- It is 13th of 26 Legacy model years by number of complaints, with 77 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.