VehicleVerdict

1998 Subaru Legacy engine problems

The 1998 Subaru Legacy has 30 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 19% of the year's total, and roughly flat versus the prior model year.

30

Engine complaints

19%

Share of year

0

Crash-involved

1

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.

Related recalls

98V127000EngineJune 8, 1998 · 20,306 units

Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, ALSO SERVICE PARTS SUPPLIED TO SUBARU DEALERS ARE INVOLVED (LOT NUMBERS F01 J21D2, F01 J30D2, F02 J09D1, F02 J09D2, AND F02 J20D1). THE PUROLATOR OIL FILTER CANS USED ON THESE VEHICLES CAN FRACTURE CAUSING A VAPORIZED OIL SPRAY AND SUBSEQUENT OIL LEAK.

Consequence

THIS VAPORIZED OIL SPRAY CAN RESULT IN OIL VAPOR IGNITION BY THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THESE ENGINE OIL FILTERS.

What owners report

“I AM GETTING A LOUD SLAPPING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE ON COLD STARTS IT LAST FOR ABOUT TEN TO FIFTEEN MINUTES OR UNTILL THE ENGINE WARMES UP,THE DEALER SAYS THAT IT IS A PISTON SLAP AND THAT IS NORMAL. I DO NOT AGREE, WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR IT DID NOT HAVE THAT NOISE ,AND IT IS GETTING LOUDER ,I…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 1998 Subaru Legacy have?

NHTSA has 30 complaints about the 1998 Subaru Legacy engine — 19% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 1998 Subaru Legacy engine?

Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the engine: 98V127000.

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.