2018 Subaru Legacy problems
The Subaru Legacy (Japanese: スバル・レガシィ, Hepburn: Subaru Regashi) is a mid-size car built by Japanese automobile manufacturer Subaru since 1989. The maker's flagship car, it is unique in its class for offering all-wheel drive as a standard feature, and Subaru's traditional boxer engine. The Legacy was sold as the Liberty in Australia out of deference to Legacy Australia, an organisation dedicated to caring for the families of military service veterans.
In 1996, a variant of the Legacy with heightened suspension called the Legacy Outback was introduced to compete in the burgeoning sport-utility vehicle class and proved to be a sales success for Subaru. The Outback line was split into its own model in 2008, known as the Subaru Outback.
As of 2008, 3.6 million Legacy models have been built since its 1989 introduction.
Production of the Legacy ended in Japan in June 2020, with the sixth-generation Legacy being the last model produced and marketed in Japan. Subaru of America announced in an internal email that 2025 will be the last model year for the Subaru Legacy. The Subaru Outback will remain in production, after being the company's top selling model in 2023.
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Common 2018 Subaru Legacy problems
The 2018 Subaru Legacy has been reported to have several common problems, primarily related to the infotainment system and engine.
- Engine Problems: Some owners have reported that water covered the entire engine bay, which poses a safety and mechanical risk. This issue can lead to increased maintenance costs and potential engine damage if not addressed promptly.
- Head Gasket Issues: The second generation of the Subaru Legacy has a tendency for head gasket failures, which can be caused by the coolant becoming pressurized and causing the head to leak. This issue can lead to significant engine damage if not addressed promptly.
- Fuel System Problems: The 6th generation of the Subaru Legacy has experienced fuel system issues, with Denso fuel pump failure being one of the most common problems reported by owners. This issue can lead to engine stalling and other performance problems.
- Interior Problems: Owners have reported issues with the interior of the 2018 Legacy, including wind noise, gas cap door not opening, and radio, navigation, and backup camera screen blanking. These issues can affect the car's comfort and convenience, as well as its safety.
- Transmission Problems: Some owners have reported transmission issues, including hesitation and failure to start. These issues can affect the car's performance and safety.
- Body Problems: Owners have reported issues with the body of the 2018 Legacy, including excessive wind noise and burnt-out headlights. These issues can affect the car's comfort and safety.
While the 2018 Subaru Legacy has improved many aspects of its predecessors and fixed many of its previous reliability issues, these common problems can lead to increased maintenance costs and potential safety hazards. It is essential for potential buyers to be aware of these issues and consider them when making a purchasing decision.
What is the most common problem with the Subaru Legacy?
Top Subaru Legacy Problems
- Cooling System Problems Cause Head Gasket Failure. ...
- Subaru Front O2 Sensor Recall. ...
- Failure in ABS causes pump to run continuously and wear down battery. ...
- Failure in ABS causes pump to run continuously and wear down battery. ...
- Engine Oil May Leak From Camshaft/Crankshaft Front Seals.
Is there a recall on 2018 Subaru Legacy?
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
How many miles will a 2018 Subaru Legacy last?
Typically, a Subaru Legacy will survive around 200,000 miles, though some report their car lasting 300,000 miles. The more effort you put into maintenance and the more careful you drive, the easier it will be to ensure your Legacy survives for years.
What are the most reliable years for a Subaru Legacy?
For the most reliable Subaru Legacy year in this lineup, we recommend picking up the 2006 and 2007 model years due to their excellent reliability ratings and fuel economy. Both 2006 and 2007 Subaru Legacy models received the “Seal of Awesome” award from CarComplaints.com.
What is the most common problem with the Subaru Legacy?
Top Subaru Legacy Problems
- Cooling System Problems Cause Head Gasket Failure. ...
- Subaru Front O2 Sensor Recall. ...
- Failure in ABS causes pump to run continuously and wear down battery. ...
- Failure in ABS causes pump to run continuously and wear down battery. ...
- Engine Oil May Leak From Camshaft/Crankshaft Front Seals.
Is there a recall on 2018 Subaru Legacy?
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
How many miles will a 2018 Subaru Legacy last?
Typically, a Subaru Legacy will survive around 200,000 miles, though some report their car lasting 300,000 miles. The more effort you put into maintenance and the more careful you drive, the easier it will be to ensure your Legacy survives for years.
Is the Subaru Legacy a reliable car?
The Subaru Legacy Reliability Rating is 4.0 out of 5.0, which ranks it 16th out of 24 for midsize cars. The average annual repair cost is $563 which means it has average ownership costs. The severity of repairs is average, and major issues are less frequent than average, so major repairs are not common for the Legacy.
2018 Subaru Legacy car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Subaru Legacy problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Electrical system problems
- Visibility/wiper problems
- Unknown or other problems
- Engine problems
- Visibility problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 2018 Subaru Legacy vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
Latest 25 complaints 2018 Subaru Legacy
The NHTSA has received 87 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 2018 Subaru Legacy. Below are the 25 most recent complaints reported for 2018 Subaru Legacy vehicles.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-07-01
- VIN: 4S3BNAF68J3
- Components: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: My car stereo has gone crazy causing major distractions while driving. Hands free calling doesn’t work, in fact it calls random people on my call list. The screen dances and changes screens all by itself causing major distraction and it has almost caused an accident by the distraction. I’ve read that this issue is a known manufacturing issue and a class action lawsuit was brought against Subaru. I called Subaru and they have refused to give me a warranty radio even thou my dealer confirmed my radio is suffering from the De-lamination issue that’s well known problem with my car.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-06-02
- VIN: 4S3BNAN63J3
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: The software on starlink on Subaru has been a huge burden while driving or in parking mode.When driving the starlink will constantly connect and disconnect to phone.It constantly changing the music by itself.And the navigation system will input random addresses.Messing with my navigation and ability to concentrate.Ive tried many different things to not have this issue.Like turning off the whole radio itself but it turns it’s self on and off there’s been many times where I almost crashed due to this issue.Ive also contacted Subaru since this is a very big known issue.But they did not want to take responsibility the only solution they gave me was to pay $4,000 to change the starlink system.A service that is way out of my budget and something I should not have to pay for.
AIR BAGS,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-08-13
- VIN: 4S3BNAH62J3
- Components: AIR BAGS,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
- Summary: The driver’s side airbag of 2018 Subaru Legacy deployed as I was reversing out of a parking lot going approximately 5mph. It has not been fixed due to the company’s negligence. One of Subaru’s accident advocate specialist claimed the engineer found a mysterious brown liquid that caused the airbag to deploy although I had not been in the car for two hours nor was I drinking any substances; especially “brown”. My and other’s safety was put at risk to a degree that is fatal, I was a short distance from the highway to head home. Had I been driving at the normal highway speed in my city (55mph) with the airbag deploying in my face, with others on the road, and inhaling blinding fumes, I can assure you it would’ve been detrimental to my and other’s being. The car was inspected for a few months by multiple Subaru engineers, one of the accident advocate specialist refused to give me any documentation or pictures proving this was the cause. There was absolutely no warning lights or other malfunctions occurring. The car is in great condition, and in a previous accident did not deploy its airbags.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,LANE DEPARTURE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-01-29
- VIN: 4S3BNAK60J3
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,LANE DEPARTURE
- Summary: My car's belt had been screeching for a few weeks. I was planning on taking my car in the next day. When i turned my car off, all the electrical went out and it started smoking on the driver's side. I got my car towed to the nearest auto shop. They replaced the battery and belt and yet the electrical was still out. When they tested the fuse, the driver's mirror caught on fire and was smoking. Thank goodness I was not driving when this occurred as that could have been scary. They replaced the fuse, but now I can't auto up / down my window. When I reached out to Subaru, they wanted $200 just to inspect it and $1,000 for a mirror replacement. I told them the situation and they didn't care. I also emailed them and never received a response. I googled this issue and other Subaru cars have had this issue and noted water coming in the mirror so now I'm frightened to get a car wash. There was no warning light or anything unfamiliar.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-01-05
- VIN: 4S3BNAS61J3
- Components: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: The display area components(screen)toggles from radio to other components without any input from driver. The radio stars playing by itself.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-12-28
- VIN: 4S3BNAN63J3
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: During regular use of the radio and head unit, at times the touch screen or controls, dials, buttons will be unresponsive. The Android Auto software tends to malfunction and will randomly disconnect and the audio will blast, full volume at the driver with the inability to control the volume other than to pull over and turn the vehicle off or manually power down the radio. This has happened on several occasions and with young children in the car, it can damage hearing, cause traumatic injury OR if in motion the driver can become quickly surprised or distracted and jerk the steering wheel or react to the jump in sound level that could injury passengers, or other vehicles occupied that may be nearby. This seems to be an issue with the inability to control sound level between different modes. At times though, the car will start and the radio will be blank, or be unresponsive until the car is turned off and back on again.
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-10-01
- VIN: 4S3BNAD66J3
- Components: ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
- Summary: I have a 2018 Subaru Legacy 2.5. The front catalytic converter failed April 2022 with 130k miles. the part was replace by Subaru and the part has failed again. Oct 2023 with 180k miles. Exhaust fumes enter the passenger compartment (which are Carbon Monoxide). The same part has failed two times in a short period of time. Subaru states this is not a warranty issue .This must become a recall.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-10-01
- VIN: 4S3BNAS63J3
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: 8 inch Starlink Multimedia System screen delamination causing display for backup camera to not be displayed clearly along with irratic behavior of Starlink system.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-09-12
- VIN: 4S3BNAR64J3
- Components: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: Driving on the interstate and the a hole exploded in the sunroof. Sounded like a gunshot. Nothing hit it to cause the damage.
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-08-08
- Crash: 1
- VIN: 4S3BNAF61J3
- Components: ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
- Summary: A friend was trying to move the car from the street when it suddenly lurched and accelerated and hit a tree, and boulder, and another car. They had not stepped on the accelerator yet. She lost control of the car. It was totaled as per State Farm.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-07-30
- VIN: 4S3BNAF69J3
- Components: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: Both wheel bearings have gone out in the rear since I bought this vehicle at 56,000 miles last year. I have never heard of bearings going out this soon! I have spent 800$ replacing bearings and I am questioning the build on the 2018 legacy now.
ENGINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-07-13
- Crash: 1
- VIN: 4S3BNAC6XJ3
- Components: ENGINE
- Summary: The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic light with her foot lightly depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle independently accelerated and crashed into the rear bumper of a vehicle stopped in front of her. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that her front bumper, radiator, and part of the frame that supports the bumper had been damaged and needed to be replaced. The radiator had been damaged and leaked out all the coolant. There was only minor damage to a trailer hitch on the rear bumper on the vehicle the contact crashed into. The other vehicle was able to drive away from the scene of the crash and the contact drove her vehicle to a nearby repair shop. The police were not involved. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2022-10-01
- VIN: 4S3BNAF62J3
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: The entire radio screen is delaminating. The dealer said it needed updated. They said they updated it. And a new screen would be about $3,000.00. As you can see in the picture the screen is very bubbled. It is almost completely inoperable. The top right hand side has a button that keeps popping on and off. It is very audible and is distracting to the point of being undeliverable. The only way to stop the constant beep, boop, beep, beep, beep, boop, beep, boop, beep, book, beep, boop. Is by pushing on the screen WHILE DRIVING!
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-04-12
- VIN: 453BNAN63J3
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: 2018 SUBARU LEGACY CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO BATTERY ISSUE. THE CONSUMER STATED THEY HAVE TO GET A NEW BATTERY EVERY YEAR. THEY HAVE TO BUY A CAR BATTERY CHARGER TO CHARGE THE CAR BATTERY
UNKNOWN OR OTHER PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-04-15
- VIN: 4S3BNAN68J3
- Components: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: The infotainment system malfunctions - GPS stops working, screen goes blank, buttons don't work, sound doesn't work, radio stops, etc. This is dangerous if I'm driving on the highway in an unfamiliar place where I'm depending on the GPS and have to pull over and restart the car in order for the GPS to start working again. Unplugging and replugging my phone don't help. I've informed Fitgerald Subaru about this happening since I bought the car in March 2018. They updated the software several times, but nothing has helped. In December 2022 they said they'd replace my infotainment system, but it's still backordered and it's been 4 months. I have video showing it not working. I didn't know about the class action lawsuit.
PARKING BRAKE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2022-11-01
- VIN: 4S3BNAD68J3
- Components: PARKING BRAKE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the headlights failed to illuminate, and the rearview camera was intermittently flashing and displaying a blank image. The contact stated that on various occasions when the vehicle was parked, the parking brake failed to activate as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the head unit software needed to be updated; however, the part for the repair was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired and occasionally failed to start. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V935000 (Visibility) or Number: 18V626000 (Parking Brake). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 23,191.
VISIBILITY PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-03-22
- VIN: 4S3BNAS68J3
- Components: VISIBILITY
- Summary: The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the screen display went blank. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V935000 (Visibility). The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2023-03-05
- Number Of Injuries: 1
- VIN: 4S3BNAN65J3
- Components: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: Sunroof spontaneously failed. Tempered glass shattered and sprayed into cabin
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2022-12-16
- VIN: 4S3BNAB68J3
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: Subaru battery drainage defect. CAN electrical system causing battery to drain when car isn't running. Car may unknowingly not start at any time battery could be dead. Just put new battery in 1 year ago this did not fix the issue. I shouldn't have to worry about being stranded with my child if my car doesn't start due to a known battery issue.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2022-12-06
- Crash: 1
- VIN: 4S3BNAF65J3
- Components: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES
- Summary: Vehicle proceeded from a stop at intersection when it unexpectedly decelerated and holding the brakes down seem to do nothing, tried turning corner at next stop sign to maybe slow it down and hit utility pole and parked car in driveway. A resident that was outside on porch by stop sign said they heard it just loud exceleration. This was a short street block in a residential area. No warnings, vehicle undrivable and waiting on insurance. Police accident report filed. There were no skid marks, although there was wet pavement.12/6/2022
VISIBILITY PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2020-11-02
- Components: VISIBILITY
- Summary: The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that the windshield fractured without impact on the lower passenger’s side of the windshield. The fracture started to spread up the windshield. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
SUSPENSION,AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2022-09-18
- Crash: 1
- VIN: 4S3BNAB60J3
- Components: SUSPENSION,AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: I was going down the hill in my development, I made it approximately 2-300ft at 7-10MPH when suddenly there was a loud “bang”. I could not see anything, my airbags had deployed and blocked my field of vision. I ended up hitting an electrical pole. There was no need for the airbags to go off. I could have been killed. There is no airbag recall on my VIN number.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2022-09-21
- VIN: 4s3bnan67j3
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: Premature battery failure, defective battery or electrical parts failure.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2022-07-17
- VIN: 4S3BNAS64J3
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: Battery Fail on 2018 Legacy Sport Model. No warning or indication. Went in the car evening of July 17, 2022 . Vehicle was not responsive to starting - battery dead Had to go to 3rd party and obtain a battery as it was the weekend - had no other form of transportation. Had not indication there was in-fact an issue with Subaru and their batteries draining vehicles leaving cars stranded. When I called the Subaru Dealer in regards - this information was not volunteered.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2022-07-17
- VIN: 4S3BNAS64J3
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: I forgot to add a item to my issue with the battery change - With changing the battery items acted odd in the vehicle - window issue with windows not working and Radio issues in which the car would randomly start controlling the electronic features of the phone, radio, cd player and maps. Car will randomly beep as to act like someone is touching the screen, it will also change radio channels, turn on CD make random calls to people on my contact list, providing mapping - it's as if it is possessed. Tried to make attempts to get it into the dealer - first appointment failed as it conflicted with something else. Now I can't get the vehicle in until October per them.
2018 Subaru Legacy recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 3 recalls for different components of the 2018 Subaru Legacy.
- Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
- Components: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
- Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ascent, 2018 Forester, 2018-2020 Impreza, Legacy, Outback, 2018-2019 BRZ, WRX, and Toyota 86 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
- Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2021. Subaru and Toyota owners may call customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRG-21.
- Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
- Components: VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES
- Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Legacy, Outback, and BRZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, a software issue may cause the audio display system to not initialize, resulting in the camera display remaining blank. If this occurs, the rearview image will not display while backing up the vehicle. As a result, the vehicles fail to comply with requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
- Consequence: Failure to display the rearview image while backing up increases the risk of crash.
- Remedy: Subaru has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the audio system display software, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTZ-85.
- Manufacturer: Subaru of America, Inc.
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
- Summary: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. Due to a software error, the low fuel warning light may not illuminate at the intended remaining fuel level and the miles-to-empty display may incorrectly indicate a positive number despite the tank being empty.
- Consequence: The inaccurate fuel display may cause a driver to unexpectedly run out of fuel and the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the combination meter software, free of charge. The recall began February 20, 2019. Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WTW-82.
Negative 2018 Subaru Legacy car reviews
Positive 2018 Subaru Legacy car reviews
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undefinedI have had a great experience with my Subaru Legacy. Although I had a navigation issue during a trip to inner city Philadelphia, I was able to obtain a software update from my Subaru dealer which fixed the issue. I even received a $50 roadside assistance kit from Subaru after emailing them about how pleased I was with the car. My salesman has heard similar stories from other owners, which is a testament to Subaru's outstanding satisfaction scores and owner loyalty. The Legacy is a unique car that stands out from the Accord, Sonata, Camry and Passat. After four years and 80000 miles, the car has been completely reliable and drivability in bad weather continues to be outstanding. The average mileage in mixed driving usually falls around 30 to 31MPG and on longer trips, the car can still achieve 36MPG. The materials in the interior have worn very well despite the high mileage. The only item that seems to be aging is the headlight covers, but overall, I am very happy with my purchase.I'm so glad to hear that you're still enjoying your car! It's great to know that you're planning on putting even more miles on it. I always recommend Subaru to my friends and family, and I'm happy to hear that you do too.
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Three words: engine, engine, engine! The six-cylinder engine transforms the car into a luxury experience. Honestly, it drives like a Lexus or Audi in the limited trim. It feels twice as fast and twice as responsive as the 2.5 legacy/outback (better transmission with the 3.6), and all the while the engine is whisper quiet at cruise and around town. When you do goose it, you get a nice low-end burble from the boxer H6 engine where any v6 would sound coarse and raspy. This engine is Subaru’s best kept secret in my opinion, one of the last delicious holdovers from the company's pre-recession push to be Japan's BMW and make crazy performance trims of their family cars. It will be a sad day when they discontinue it and stick their loud, laggy “two-point-O-tee” engine from the Ascent in the next generation. Apart from the 3.6 engine, there are many other reasons why this Subaru is the best-kept secret of the midsize sedan market. First, it’s a slow seller for a company used to chronic supply shortages, so dealers are willing to let these go cheap to score more SUV allotments from the factory. Second, the full-time all-wheel-drive is a godsend even if you never go off-road or in snow. You will never screech the front tires…ever…even when flooring it to make fast left turns across oncoming traffic; this car takes fast corners and abrupt maneuvers like it’s on rails. The all-wheel-drive also gives the car criminally smooth acceleration. I’ve driven much more expensive cars whose designers need to sit in this sedan and take notes because it advances from a standstill like a magic carpet. Drive this and then drive the v6 Camry/Accord/etc.They may feel like they're driving wrecks that want to steer them into a bush, but the Legacy has the best midsize-sedan interior and certainly the best Subaru interior. The designers took a page from the Volkswagen playbook and created a clean, symmetrical, timeless aesthetic out of materials that feel solid and don’t rattle/creak, all without copying VW’s tiny infotainment screen and bad UI. The front seats are comfortable enough for road trips yet easy to shift around in when navigating busy cities. The back seat headroom is admittedly not the best, but people under about 6’2” will be fine and Subaru makes up for it with tons of legroom, heated rear seats and rear USB charging ports. The doors are also well laid out for taller people like me, even with the seat back almost all the way the B pillar is never an obstruction to entry, nor does it impact the rear passengers like in other cars. However, there are a few niggles that everyone will find annoying. First and foremost is the music auto-play, the radio starts blasting every time you turn the car on OR off without setting the volume at zero. This is a feature in all new Subarus that nobody I have talked to likes and it should be axed accordingly. Second, even the closest setting on the adaptive cruise control leaves a gaping chasm of space, which every manic Rhode Island driver proceeds to fling his or her Nissan Maxima into without warning and make my car hit its own brakes to make room for the next guy. Third, in a similar vein, the warning lights and correlated bings and chimes are a hazard because they come on prematurely and usually mean nothing. Let some air out of the tires because the dealer inflated them way over the recommended psi? Tire warning light. It’s cold outside? Cold weather warning light (not kidding). Quarter tank of gas left? Fuel warning light.I once ran my car out of gas, partly due to my own foolishness, but also because the warning light is often ignored. Despite these minor issues, I absolutely love this sedan and would buy it again in a heartbeat. I hope that Subaru doesn't discontinue the Legacy due to the current crossover trend, as it is an important representation of the brand. The Legacy offers a great value proposition to midsize-sedan shoppers who may not have considered a Subaru otherwise, even if it isn't as popular as the Outback.
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I wasn't planning on buying a Subaru, as I've always enjoyed my Hondas and Toyotas, and even a couple of Hyundai Sonatas over the years. I was really excited about the new Camry re-design, but my love for the new Civic design made me hesitant. After reading about the cars, I decided to go and look at them. I must say, the Legacy caught my attention. Although I always viewed it as a rather boring and mundane design, the fit and finish were superb for a non-luxury sedan. The interior materials are of high quality, and the layout of the instrumentation is nearly flawless. The cabin and trunk are roomy, and the sound system is great. I also appreciate the Eyesight feature. I'm very pleased with my purchase, and I can't find anything wrong with it, which is unusual for me. The only thing I would suggest is having a USB port up by the Eyesight console so I could cable to a dash cam on the passenger window, or even having a built-in dash cam (front and rear) since the cameras are already there. It would be great to store the images and make them available to the user.2) It would be great to have a 'mute' button on the steering column for the radio, so I don't have to listen to 1-800-KARS4KIDS. It would also be helpful to have a button that takes me back to live broadcast. 3) I'm not sure if I'm missing something, but is there an 'off' button for the radio? If I push the power switch, the radio shuts off, but when I turn it back on, it resumes from where it left off in the broadcast. This means that I have to listen to 1800-KARS4KIDS unless I hit the fast forward button. 4) I might suggest moving the tuning knob to the left side along with the power knob. This would make it easier for the driver to reach and avoid accidentally hitting one of the touchscreen buttons while trying to tune with the knob. 5) Finally, I did 'ding' my new car by backing into my truck (which my wife had parked in a different place). I backed into it from an angle and my alert sounded at the last second but did not stop me, unlike one other occasion when I approached a 3-inch patch of snow on the ground. I'm not sure if this 'angled' backup sensitivity can be improved upon, but unfortunately, I now have a small crack in my bumper. These are just small issues, though. Overall, I love this car. It handles well, the audio is great, and it has a tight finish. The suspension is perfect, and it has decent gas mileage and average acceleration, but it's not sluggish. I would highly recommend it.
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Just about 400 miles on my new 2018 Legacy and I love it! So far, so good. Everything seems great. I'm expecting this to continue. Our Legacy is a very nice looking sedan; twilight blue is the color we selected with a gray cloth interior. The sound system is fabulous! We love the clear quality of the sound whether it be radio, CD, or Sirius XM. I'm very satisfied with my purchase.
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I tested the new Camry, Accord, and Sonata before deciding to purchase the Subaru Legacy. There were many reasons for my decision, including overall value, safety, performance, and reliability. In addition, I was impressed with the superior Harmon-Kardon sound system compared to all of the other offerings. I am still breaking the car in, but I am already getting better MPG than I anticipated. The safety features also give me great peace of mind while on the road, especially in the busy DC metro area. Although I was initially told that the base 2.5 engine was not very energetic, I have found it to be quite peppy and have had no issues merging into traffic. Overall, I am very happy with my purchase of the Subaru Legacy!
Additional sources
More sources of information about 2018 Subaru Legacy problems:
2018 Subaru Legacy Problems | Kelley Blue Book
How reliable is the 2018 Subaru Legacy? See the most common repairs performed and learn if your vehicle is at risk for major repairs in the next 12 months.
Time Bomb? 2018 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium 125,000 mi : r ...
May 3, 2022 ... those CVT's are known to shit the bed at 100k. you can buy a new crosstrek for 22k.
2018 Subaru Legacy Reliability - Consumer Reports
What Owners Say · Display screen freezes up · "The touchscreen radio has 'delaminated' - no longer functional due to heat separation of the screen. · "moisture ...
Known 2018 3.6R Limited issues? : r/subaruoutback
Feb 20, 2021 ... Known 2018 3.6R Limited issues? · driver's seat might need to be replaced (check if it squeeks--it's a common failure point). · Head unit issues, ...
6th Generation (2015-2019) Legacy Problems
Common 2015-2019 Subaru Legacy Problems · Denso Fuel Pump Failure · CAN System Parasitic Drain on the Battery · Unintended Acceleration · Cracked Windshields.
Other years of Subaru Legacy
Are you having problems with your 2018 Subaru Legacy?
Deshawn Graham 2025-03-24
Make sure to look very carefully at the hood. Some 2018 Legacy models (regardless of trim) had hoods that were misaligned. Unfortunately, I did not notice this until after I left the lot. My Legacy was particularly off, lifted up by over half an inch on the passenger's side of the vehicle. After I brought it to the attention of the dealership, they have been trying to fix it. I purchased the car back in February and had to take it back to Subaru five times (a two-hour drive for me) before the issue was resolved. I was also informed that this was a known issue. It seems that Subaru is content with having dealerships and customers spend weeks and months dealing with this known issue on their own.
Darrin Paucek 2024-11-10
I have owned this car for a year now, but unfortunately, I have only been able to drive it for about 5 months due to some issues. It has required several trips to the shop for repairs, including problems with the driver's seat and the radio head unit. Despite these challenges, I am hopeful that the latest repair, which involved installing a new seat base, will finally resolve the issues. Overall, I remain optimistic about the car's future performance.The seat was giving problems again. The front end suspension was making a squeaking and popping noise. The chrome trim around the radio and gear selector was flaking and peeling off. The sunroof was leaking and the radio head unit went out. The seat, radio, trip, and sunroof were all replaced, and the entire front end suspension had to be redone, including the steering rack. Luckily, Subaru is making the car right. However, this car has been one more headache. Love definitely did not make this Subaru a Subaru. My advice to anyone considering purchasing this car would be to think twice before making the jump.
Delbert Harvey 2024-07-23
We purchased the 2018 Legacy because we believe that Subaru produces safe vehicles. We are also proud owners of an Outback and have been extremely satisfied with it. However, we were disappointed to discover that the cruise control had been updated to advance and decrease in 5 mph increments. This can be dangerous as it requires taking your eyes off the road to set the desired speed. We have expressed our concerns to Subaru and were informed that they may consider a software update if enough complaints are received. While we appreciate the car's excellent gas mileage and overall performance, we would prefer if not only Subaru but other auto manufacturers would revert to the basic cruise control that only increases/decreases 1 mph.
Marquis Morissette 2024-07-02
I own a 2018 Subaru Legacy 2.5 L. Unfortunately, the car experienced a broken transmission at 177700 km, which is quite early for a car to have transmission issues before reaching 200,000 km. The CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) is the culprit behind this issue. The transmission is designed to work like a 2-in-1 system, combining the usage of manual and automatic gear systems, but it operates similarly to a bicycle chain operating system, which can be prone to breaking and hard clutching when the car is loaded, especially with the 2.5 L weak engine power. Unfortunately, the transmission cannot be fixed or rebuilt, as the cables and chains inside need to be completely replaced. A new transmission costs $10,500 plus $1,500 for labor, which is almost half the price of the car. Additionally, Subaru is a rare market portion in Canada, so finding any used parts can be a challenge. It took me a week to find a used transmission and another two weeks to have it installed. Unfortunately, the Subaru part and service department was not very helpful with customer service. In conclusion, I would not recommend buying a Subaru with a CVT transmission.
Cullen Heller 2024-05-27
After a couple of years, I have noticed a major flaw in my legacy that remains a big problem for all back seat passengers - adults cannot fit in the back seat. The sides slope so far in where they meet the roof sloping down that no adult of any significant height can sit there. My daughter is only 5'10