2018 Subaru Legacy: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
117 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2020 Subaru Legacy, which has 121 complaints, six recall campaigns and a score of 45, and treat the 2015 to 2019 cars, all CAUTION with between 117 and 159 complaints, the same way. Buy a 2021 or later car, where the 2021 has 31 complaints and scores 86 and the 2023 has 10 and scores 90, or a 2013 or 2014 car with its air bag inflator recall list confirmed. Read the full note on the model page. 2018 specifically: 117 complaints on record, score 64/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Used Subaru Ascent and Legacy: the years to avoid, including 2018 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 117 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 14.62
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Following an engine-out service at an authorized dealer (Bill Kolb Jr. Subaru), a primary powertrain mounting bolt was left unthreaded by approximately 1 inch, creating an undetected 8,000-mile safety hazard that resulted in extensive drivetrain and suspension component failures. Subsequently, during a diagnostic inspection at another authorized dealer (All American Subaru), heavy rusted metal pliers and loose cowl t…
The vehicle on board video entertainment display has stopped working properly. It does not allow any input to the touch screen. And the only way to regain some functionality is by pressing the steering wheel source button. However it works intermittently. And this causes Driver Distraction while driving.
The computer screen has an issue where there is bubbling in the lamination causing the screen to go nuts and become a distracting hazard that you can not shut off. It's a known Subaru Legacy issue and should be a recall. A new screen is $2000 plus, which is not feasable for the average person to pay and it's become a safety hazard, ect.
Recalls: 3 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 18V773000 | Electrical System:Software | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles. |
| 21V587000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | 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. |
| 18V935000 | Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices | Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2018 Legacy, Outback, and BRZ vehicles. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 23 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,650
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System40 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other29 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Visibility/Wiper25 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Engine10 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Fuel/Propulsion System8 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Visibility8 complaints · typical job: Glass, wiper or defogger repair (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
Other Subaru Legacy years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Subaru Legacy?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (40 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2018 Subaru Legacy a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 64/100, computed from 117 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2018 Subaru Legacy's most common problem?
40 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2018 Subaru Legacy sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2018 Subaru Legacy cost to run per year?
About $4,717 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $23,588 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2018 Subaru Legacy have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Subaru Legacy, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/11/2018. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2018 Subaru Legacy really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 117 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 117 NHTSA complaints on record (14.6/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (8.5/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems