VehicleVerdict

1997 Subaru Legacy engine problems

The 1997 Subaru Legacy has 34 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 19% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

34

Engine complaints

19%

Share of year

0

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Legacy engine complaints by model year35 complaints1987: 1 complaints1990: 2 complaints1991: 6 complaints1992: 4 complaints1993: 17 complaints1994: 5 complaints1995: 18 complaints1996: 24 complaints1997: 34 complaints1998: 30 complaints1999: 14 complaints2000: 18 complaints2001: 14 complaints2002: 13 complaints2003: 13 complaints2004: 7 complaints2005: 34 complaints2006: 20 complaints2007: 10 complaints2008: 4 complaints2009: 8 complaints2010: 35 complaints2011: 28 complaints2012: 23 complaints2013: 20 complaints2014: 5 complaints2015: 24 complaints2016: 8 complaints2017: 5 complaints2018: 10 complaints2019: 5 complaints2020: 4 complaints2021: 3 complaints2022: 1 complaints2025: 4 complaints
Legacy engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER HOOD. DRIVER PULLED OVER, POPPED HOOD, AND NOTICED COOLANT AND OIL SPRAYED OVER ENGINE. ALSO A COUPLE OF FLAMES WERE PRESENT. DEALER SAID IT WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET.*AK”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 1997 Subaru Legacy have?

NHTSA has 34 complaints about the 1997 Subaru Legacy engine — 19% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.