May 4, 2021Lights
KEEP HAVING TO REPLACE LOW BEAM LIGHT BULB EVERY FEW WEEKS. UNSAFE FOR MY TEENAGE DRIVER TO NOT HAVE THE CORRECT LIGHTING TO SEE THE ROAD.
NHTSA ODI 11415120
Home · 2012 Subaru Legacy · Complaints
What 90 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Subaru Legacy
These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.
All (90)Crash / fire / injury (7)Transmission & drivetrain (34)Engine (23)Airbags (11)Steering (7)Brakes (6)Electrical system (4)Speed control (4)Suspension (4)Visibility & wipers (4)Lights (3)
3 of 90 complaints match · Lights · clear filters
May 4, 2017Electrical systemLightsSpeed control
VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE THAT CAUSES THE DASH CHECK ENGINE, BRAKE, CRUISE AND OTHER LIGHTS TO ACTIVATE. WHILE DRIVING, THE FAILURE CAUSES: ONE OR BOTH HEADLIGHTS TO SUDDENLY FAIL MAKING THE VEHICLE ILLEGAL AND DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT, CRUISE CONTROL TO SUDDENLY FAIL, AND STABILITY CONTROL TO BECOME NON-FUNCTIONAL. THE MAIN FAILURE BEING THE HEADLIGHTS/DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH DUE TO SUDDEN LACK OF VISIBILITY AT NIGHT. SUBARU WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE/FIX THE FAILURE ON 2 SERVICE OCCASIONS. THIS FAILURE OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT BOTH HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND CITY STREET SPEEDS. THE COMPONENT CAUSING THE FAILURE IS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA ODI 10983522
Oct 16, 2013Lights
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED 3 TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
NHTSA ODI 10548142
Working with the data? Download all 90 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 14, 2026
How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Subaru Legacy verdict →