There are 7 stored owner reports matching the suspension leading-label group for the 2005 Subaru Legacy in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 7 of 7 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)2005 SUBARU LEGACY WITH 202,000 MILES HAD A FAILURE OF THE RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THE CAR HAD A CURRENT SAFETY INSPECTION FOR PA WHERE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT SKIDDED OFF THE ROAD TO A STOP. THERE IS CURRENTLY A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ( NUMBER: 11V464000 ) FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM BUT NOT FOR THIS VEHICLE MODEL. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE LEGACY WAS NOT MANUFACTURED BY FIJI HEAVY INDUSTRIES USA, INC, ACCORDING TO SUBARU AND THAT IS WHY IT WAS NOT PART OF THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE ON OUR 2005 SUBARU LEGACY WAS DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION AS WE LIVE IN THE "SALT BELT". WHEN BEING REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP WE WERE TOLD THE LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND WE HAD THEM REPLACED IT ALONG WITH THE FAILED RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM FRACTURED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON ONE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V464000 (SUSPENSION). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 202,000.
VEH. WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX. 25MPH UP A LOW INCLINE ON SLUSHY PAVED 2 LANE SURFACE. VEH. BROKE TRACTION SPUN SIDEWAYS AND TRAVELLED SIDEWAYS INTO BRUSH AND STRIKING A TREE IN THE DRIVER. SIDE FRONT FENDER (SIDE IMPACT). DRIVERS HEAD STRUCK AND BROKE DRVRS. DOOR WINDOW. DRVR. SUSTAINED SEVERAL FACIAL LACERATIONS REQUIRING PLASTIC SURGERY AND RESULTING IN PROBABLE SCARRING. FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED RIGHT LEG INJURY RESULTING IN SEVERE BRUISING AND SWELLING. BOTH WERE TREATED IN AN EMERGENCY ROOM AND RELEASED. VEH. IS EQUIPPED WITH SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS WHICH DID NOT DEPLOY. IF DEPLOYED, THE DRVR. SIDE AIRBAG WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE DRVRS. INJURIES. *TR
2005 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH PASSENGER WHEEL BEARING FAILURE *TGW
FRONT AXLE FAILURE, RIGHT AXLE BROKE AND BOTH HAD TO BE REPLACED AS THE LEFT WAS CLOSE TO FAILING. *TR
I EXPERIENCED WHAT THE SUBARU DISCUSSION BOARD (HTTP://WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?S=A9A8871BA327828F596FE591382D9906&THREADID=11267&PERPAGE=20&HIGHLIGHT=INSTABILITY&PAGENUMBER=1) IS CALLING 'GHOST WALKING'. I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM UPSTATE NY TO WELLESLEY, MA DURING A SNOW STORM LAST WINTER. THE ROAD WAS SNOW AND ICE (OR SNOW PACKED) COVERED. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING SUBARUS FOR 30YRS, MANY TIMES TO UPSTATE VT SO I KNOW HOW TO DRIVE IN SNOW. BUT THAT NIGHT I NEVER FELT IN CONTROL OF THE REAR OF THE CAR IT ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE SLIPPING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. OTHER CARS WERE PASSING ME - IT DIDN'T MATTER WHICH LANE I DROVE IN, OR WHAT SPEED I WAS GOING - SLOWING DOWN JUST MADE THINGS WORSE AS CARS WOULD WIND UP BEHIND ME, IT WAS JUST COMPLETELY NERVE-RACKING. IT DIDN'T MATTER HOW I MANAGED MY SPEED, MY SUBARU IS A 2005 LEGACY AUTOMATIC - SO I HAD LESS CONTROL OVER THE GEAR SHIFTING THAN A MANUAL - ALTHOUGH I TRIED USING THE SEMI-MANUAL MODE - BUT THAT DIDN'T HELP. IT JUST SEEMED THAT THE REAR END HAD THIS TENDENCY TO SLIDE - IT SEEMED TO ALWAYS BE ON THE EDGE OF SPINNING OUT - I NURSED THE CAR ALONG (WITH MY WIFE AND 2 KIDS) UNTIL WE GOT FURTHER INTO MA AND THE WEATHER IMPROVED. THIS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE, I HAD THE ORIG TIRES (CAR HAD ~35K MILES) WHICH ARE NOT CONSIDERED GREAT SNOW TIRES - SO I HAVE REPLACED THE TIRES. BUT THE FORUM HAD MANY POSTS WHICH IMPLY THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT TIRES - MAYBE SOMETHING TO DO WITH SWAY BARS AND THAT SUBARU HAD CHANGED THEIR HARDWARE ON THE 2005 MODELS. I FELT THAT I SHOULD ADD MY CONCERNS SO THAT MAYBE THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE LOOKED INTO MORE SCIENTIFICALLY. AND IF THERE ARE POTENTIAL ISSUES THAT SUBARU WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF REMEDY TO ITS CUSTOMERS. *TR UPDATED *JS 07/10/2012
MY HUSBAND NOTICED OIL ACCUMULATING ON THE DRIVEWAY. HE LOOKED AND FOUND THE DRIVER'S FRONT STRUT HAD LEAKED OIL ON THE BRAKE CALIPER, LEFT FRONT WHEEL, LEFT FRONT AXLE RUBBER BOOT AND THE DRIVEWAY. THE DEALER HAS ORDERED PARTS TO REPLACE THE STRUT. THEY SAY THE BRAKES AND AXLE PROTECTIVE BOOT ARE UNAFFECTED BY THE OIL. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WILL LET ME KEEP THE STRUT SINCE THE CAR IS NEW AND UNDER WARRANTY. *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.