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1990 Subaru Legacy

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1990 Subaru Legacy do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 77.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 2 of 81 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

Parking Brake complaints

1 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 2, 1998
Parking Brake

EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON AND VEHICLE WENT DOWN A HILL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE ON 7/17. HUSBAND SUSPECTS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #824953

Official recalls

4

94V052000 · Power Train:manual Transmission

Mar 23, 1994

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 & remedy

Consequence: 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: 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.

91V082000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

May 30, 1991

UNDER CERTAIN LOAD CONDITIONS, THE PARK GEAR MAY NOT DISENGAGE IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION LEVER IS MOVED FROM PARK TO REVERSE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DELAYED RELEASE OF TRANSMISSION FROM PARK CAUSES DELAYEDAND POSSIBLY ABRUPT VEHICLE MOVEMENT THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLECONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: INSTALL A MODIFIED PARKING BRAKE PAWL TO PREVENT DELAYED RELEASE INTO REVERSE GEAR.

90V184000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch

Oct 16, 1990

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 & remedy

Consequence: THE AFFECTED DOOR MAY NOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE,PREVENTING EXIT FROM THAT DOOR.

Remedy: REPLACE FRONT DOOR LATCH SCREWS WITH "LOCK-TIGHT" SCREWS.

90V110000 · Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System

Jun 4, 1990

THE DEFROSTER LEVER PIN OF THE DEFROSTER SHUTTER DOOR MAY BECOME DISLOCATED AND ALLOW THE SHUTTER TO CLOSE, PREVENTING DEFROSTER FROM FUNCTIONING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: NON-FUNCTIONING DEFROSTER WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT DRIVERVISIBILITY.

Remedy: INSTALL A POSITIONING STOPPER DEVICE TO PREVENT DISLOCATION OF DEFROSTER LEVER PIN TO ASSURE DEFROSTER OPERATION.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

2

PE94051 · Hood Latch Failure

Opened Jun 29, 1994 · Closed Oct 31, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure

There is no summary currently available

PE91039 · Reverse Delayed Engagement

Opened Jan 23, 1991 · Closed May 30, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission

There is no summary currently available

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:automatic Transmission

There is no summary currently available

Power Train:automatic Transmission

There is no summary currently available