Recalls
9campaigns
4 air bag · 2 electrical · 2 brake
Source: NHTSA
Complaints
65filed
Owner reports, 2004–2013 shown
Source: NHTSA ODI
Fuel economy
22mpg combined
$2,969/yr at this week's prices
Source: EPA · EIA
Specs
2.5 L 4-cyl· 5-speed manual
6 engine and transmission configurations
Source: NHTSA vPIC
Recalls (9)
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2008 Subaru Legacy. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Listed for 2008 Subaru Legacy. Not checked against your VIN.
Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode
Air bags · frontal · passenger side · inflator module
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (STI included), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- Consequence
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators with alternate inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKA-20.
89.2% repairedof 258,813 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 20V001000
Listed for 2008 Subaru Legacy. Not checked against your VIN.
Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode
Air bags · frontal · passenger side · inflator module
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- Consequence
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-20.
83.9% repairedof 127,547 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 20V002000
Listed for 2008 Subaru Legacy. Not checked against your VIN.
Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode
Air bags · frontal · passenger side · inflator module
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester, 2003-2006 Baja, 2004-2011 Impreza, 2004-2014 WRX (including STI), 2003-2014 Legacy and Outback, and 2005-2006 Saab 9-2X vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- Consequence
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify their owners. General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began January 7, 2020. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20.
82.3% repairedof 111,562 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 20V003000
Listed for 2008 Subaru Legacy. Not checked against your VIN.
Ignition Switch may Turn Off
Electrical system · ignition · switch
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, 2008-2011 Impreza vehicles, 2008-2014 WRX vehicles, 2005-2014 Legacy vehicles, 2005-2014 Outback vehicles and 2006-2008 Tribeca vehicles equipped with a mechanical key ignition switch installed as a replacement part. The ball spring inside the switch may break, reducing the strength of the ignition switch. If this occurs, the weight on the key ring and certain road conditions could cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
- Consequence
- The engine turning off unexpectedly can increase the risk of a crash. If a crash occurs under this condition, the air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition switch, replacing the ignition switch, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WUF-91.
63.9% repairedof 511 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 19V297000
Listed for 2008 Subaru Legacy. Not checked against your VIN.
Power Relay may Fail Allowing Air Pump to Overheat
Electrical system
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 model year Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2008-2014 Impreza vehicles and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, all equipped with turbo-charged engines. The relay that controls the secondary air injection pump may fail, causing the pump to continuously operate and overheat.
- Consequence
- If the air injection pump overheats, it may melt and increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the secondary air injection pump relay, free of charge. The recall began December 2016. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WTM-73.
60.9% repairedof 100,127 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V738000
Listed for 2008 Subaru Legacy. Not checked against your VIN.
Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture
Air bags · frontal · passenger side · inflator module
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to July 21, 2004, 2004-2005 Impreza vehicles manufactured January 28, 2003, to May 31, 2005, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy vehicles manufactured January 22, 2003, to May 2, 2008, 2003-2008 Subaru Outback vehicles manufactured February 18, 2003, to May 5, 2008, and 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to March 17, 2005. The affected vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify their owners and General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The Subaru recall began on June 17, 2015. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. The Saab recall began on July 27, 2015. Owners of Saab vehicles may call 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is WQR-53. Note: The recall completely supersedes recall 14V-399 (WQL-48) and partially supersedes recall 14V-763 (WQP-51) in that model year 2004 through 2005 Subaru Impreza and model year 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles are now only part of this campaign. Note: On December 18, 2015 Subaru informed NHTSA of an expansion of this recall to include certain model year 2003-2004 Subaru Baja, 2003-2008 Subaru Legacy and 2003-2008 Subaru Outback vehicles.
94.3% repairedof 432,016 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 15V323000
Listed for 2008 Subaru Legacy. Not checked against your VIN.
Brake Lines may Fail due to Corrosion
Service brakes, hydraulic · foundation components · hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy, 2008-2011 Impreza and 2008-2014 Impreza WRX/STI, and 2009-2013 Forester vehicles, currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines. Note that affected vehicles not currently, or formerly registered, in the salt belt states identified above are eligible for repair, at no cost to the customer, upon request.
- Consequence
- Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will test the brake system by depressing the brake pedal and inspecting for brake fluid leaks. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected areas will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 2014 and second notifications will run through November 2014. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQK-47. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-110 which applied to certain 2005-2009 Legacy/Outback vehicles. Vehicles that were remedied under the previous campaign still need additional areas rust-proofed.
44.8% repairedof 461,338 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 14V311000
Listed for 2008 Subaru Legacy. Not checked against your VIN.
Brake Lines may Fail due to Corrosion
Service brakes, hydraulic · foundation components · hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Subaru is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy vehicles manufactured from December 2003, through April 2009 and currently, or formerly, registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Salt water could splash on the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, resulting in excessive corrosion of the brake lines.
- Consequence
- Brake line corrosion may result in brake fluid leakage. Fluid leakage may result in longer distances being required to slow or stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles. If no brake fluid seepage is observed, the affected area will be rustproofed with anti-corrosion wax. If brake fluid seepage is observed, the brake lines will be replaced followed by rustproofing with anti-corrosion wax. These services will be performed free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall campaign number is WQG-43.
Repair progress not yet reported274,402 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 13V110000
Listed for 2008 Subaru Legacy. Not checked against your VIN.
ENGINE OIL SUPPLY PIPE
Engine and engine cooling · engine
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- SUBARU IS RECALLING 16,715 MY 2007-2008 LEGACY SEDANS AND WAGONS, MY 2008 IMPREZA SEDANS AND WAGONS, AND MY 2009 FORESTER VEHICLES. SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE THE CYLINDER HEAD-SIDE OIL SUPPLY PIPE AND TURBOCHARGER-SIDE PIPE IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED.
- Consequence
- VIBRATION WOULD OCCUR WHILE DRIVING AND, OVER TIME, COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN CRACKING THE PIPE WHICH WOULD ALLOW OIL TO LEAK. IF LEAKING OIL CONTACTS COMPONENTS OPERATING AT HIGH TEMPERATURES, AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE COULD OCCUR.
- Remedy
- DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR CRACKING OR AN OIL LEAK AT THE OIL SUPPLY PIPE AT THE CYLINDER HEAD-SIDE. AN ADDITIONAL BRACKET WILL BE INSTALLED TO INCREASE RIGIDITY OF THE PIPE AND THE PIPE ASSEMBLY WILL BE REPLACED WITH A MODIFIED PART. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 20, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.
Repair progress not yet reported16,715 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 08V460000
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (65)
65 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The air bags is mentioned most often.
3involved a crash
1involved a fire
1injuries reported
0deaths reported
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 65 |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 25 | 38.5% |
| Service brakes | 13 | 20% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 13.8% |
| Power train | 6 | 9.2% |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 7.7% |
| Engine | 4 | 6.2% |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 4.6% |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 4.6% |
| Wheels | 3 | 4.6% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 3.1% |
How 2008 compares with other Legacy years
Best and worst Legacy years →200449
2005184
200687
200733
200865
200965
2010150
2011167
201290
201366
| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 49 | 10 |
| 2005 | 184 | 9 |
| 2006 | 87 | 7 |
| 2007 | 33 | 9 |
| 2008 | 65 | 9 |
| 2009 | 65 | 13 |
| 2010 | 150 | 18 |
| 2011 | 167 | 16 |
| 2012 | 90 | 16 |
| 2013 | 66 | 12 |
This year (2008)Other yearsStill collecting reports
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 22 mpg combined
22
mpg combined
20
city
27
highway
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,050
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 404 g/mi
- EPA class
- Compact Cars
What it costs you to run
$2,969per year
$247per month
682gallons a year
Miles ÷ 22 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · 5-speed manual | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 20 / 27 / 22 | $3,050 | 404 |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · 4-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 20 / 27 / 22 | $3,050 | 404 |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · 5-speed manual | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 19 / 24 / 21 | $3,900 | 423 |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manual | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 17 / 24 / 20 | $4,100 | 444 |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · 5-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 18 / 24 / 20 | $4,100 | 444 |
| 3 L 6-cyl · 5-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 17 / 24 / 20 | $4,100 | 444 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2008 Legacy for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2008 Subaru Legacy FAQ
How many recalls does the 2008 Subaru Legacy have?
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns: 20V001000 (air bag), 20V002000 (air bag), 20V003000 (air bag), 19V297000 (electrical), 16V738000 (electrical), 15V323000 (air bag), 14V311000 (brake), 13V110000 (brake), 08V460000 (engine). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2008 Subaru Legacy problems?
Owners filed 65 complaints with NHTSA. Air bags (25), Service brakes (13), Electrical system (9) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2008 Subaru Legacy get?
EPA rates the 2.5 L 4-cyl · 5-speed manual version at 20 city, 27 highway and 22 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
How does the 2008 Legacy compare with other years?
Among the 2004–2013 Subaru Legacy model years at least five years old, the 2007 drew the fewest complaints (33) and the 2005 the most (184). The 2008 drew 65. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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