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2014 Subaru Legacy problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
29%
10 of 34 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2014 Subaru Legacy. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 29% of relevant complaints.

Better than 72% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 19 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 19%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2014 Subaru Legacy have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 10 of 34 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 Subaru Legacy concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (29%). For comparison, the 2013 scores 64% and the 2015 scores 31%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
10
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
53
this model year
Fires reported
2
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
10
4 crashes · 1 injuries

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS14 · 26%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11 · 21%
STRUCTURE7 · 13%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER7 · 13%
POWER TRAIN6 · 11%
VISIBILITY5 · 9%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2014 compares with other Subaru Legacy years

Of the 13 Subaru Legacy years with enough complaints to score, the 2014 is the 6th-worst on engine and transmission share (29%). The worst is the 2012 (66%), the best the 2022 (3%). By volume, the 2014 drew 53 complaints (10 drivetrain), against 66 for the 2013 and 159 for the 2015.

Subaru Legacy years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2014 Subaru Legacy

  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM02/14/2025
The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The contact stated that there was a lag in the vehicle while driving and attempting to accelerate above 65 MPH. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start immediately, and several attempts were needed to s…

One of 10 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2014 Subaru Legacy transmission recalls

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2014 Subaru Legacy involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 10 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

power train: automatic transmission13V336000 · Aug 2013

Subaru of America is recalling certain model year 2014 Legacy 3.6R and Outback 3.6R and 2013 Tribeca vehicles manufactured June 12, 2013, through June 28, 2013 and equipped with 5-speed automatic transmissions. In the affected vehicles, the parking rod may come loose inside the automatic transmission.

Risk: As a result of the parking rod detaching, the transmission may not be able to be moved from the "park" position preventing the vehicle from being moved or driven. Furthermore, even with the transmission shifted into…

Fix: Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission, free of charge. The recall began during August 2013. Owners may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's recall number is WQJ-46.

9 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module20V001000 · Jan 2020
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…
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module20V003000 · Jan 2020
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…
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module20V002000 · Jan 2020
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…
electrical system: ignition: switch19V297000 · Apr 2019
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…
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module19V007000 · Jan 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Forester, 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, Legacy, and 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama,…
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module19V009000 · Jan 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Legacy and Outback vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the…
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module19V008000 · Jan 2019
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Tribeca, WRX, Outback, and Legacy vehicles, 2010-2011 Impreza vehicles and 2010-2013 Forester vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the…
parking brake18V626000 · Sep 2018
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles equipped with a manual transmission. The electronic parking brake (EPB) may not engage as intended,…
visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor16V694000 · Sep 2016
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Legacy vehicles manufactured November 26, 2008, to June 7, 2013, and 2010-2014 Outback vehicles manufactured January 9, 2009…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2014 Subaru Legacy? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2014 Subaru Legacy

Does the 2014 Subaru Legacy have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 10 of 34 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 Subaru Legacy concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (29%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2014 Subaru Legacy?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2014 Subaru Legacy is air bags: 14 of 53 complaints (26%) name it, followed by electrical system (11) and structure (7). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 29% of the relevant total.

Is the 2014 Subaru Legacy reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 29% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 72% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 13 Subaru Legacy years we score, it ranks 6th-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2014 Subaru Legacy?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2014 Subaru Legacy involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 10 in total: 13V336000 (power train: automatic transmission). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Subaru Legacy years are better?

Among the Subaru Legacy years we track, the 2022 (3%), the 2019 (9%) and the 2020 (9%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2014 (29%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/subaru-legacy

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.